Musical memories

Age: 34

Location: Enniskillen

Profession: Solicitor

Q: Is there particular song that reminds you of childhood memories and family time?

A:

My father had quite an extensive collection of LPs, and I always remember the time I was allowed to pick my own first record. I went with Status Quo – ‘Rockin’ All Over the World’! Not sure why my young self was attracted to that one but there you go!

As for family time, I used to go down to Dublin on day trips with my parents a lot and we would always listen to The Pogues and Christy Moore in the car. I used to listen intently to Christy's lyrics, and still know all the words to his songs. I saw him live at The Great Northern Hotel in Bundoran this year with my dad and was able to sing along to every song still!

Q: Which songs take you back to your teenage years?

A:

On big nights out in The Bush (DJ Big Mac playing of course) or Level 7 in Blake's, the floor fillers were ‘Maniac 2000’ by Mark McCabe and ‘Superstar’ by Love Inc. I still go crazy dancing to those at weddings (the only time I get out these days), and my moves have not improved over time. Those tunes would also have been blaring out of the 6 x 9 speakers in my first car, a 1.2L Renault Clio (R.I.P.)

At home I was listening to more “rocky” stuff like Creed, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Bon Jovi, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park. “Angry youth” music, as my older brother used to tease.

Q: What music gets you through tough times?

A:

When our son Oscar was born he was poorly for the first few days of his life, and my wife and I both remember listening to Passenger’s ‘All the Little Lights’ album in the special care unit at Barnet General Hospital. For some reason, this gave us comfort and helped pass the time.

Q: What type of music would best describe your first love?

A:

We are still together now, and married, so I need to be careful how I answer this one! But I'm going to say heavy metal: can make your hair stand on end and deafen you, but you always keep coming back for more!

Q: If you could choose a band to play on the soundtrack of your life who would it be?

A:

Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Since first hearing the ‘Californication’ album and seeing that iconic album cover they have been my favourite band bar none. I'm not sure that my life is worthy of a soundtrack, but if it was then there could be no other choice.

Q: If you could play a song to give you confidence what song would it be?

A:

It has to be ‘The Touch’ by Stan Bush. This will seem totally obscure to a lot of people, but not those children of the 80’s who were fans of the original Transformers movie from 1986. I couldn't believe it as a wide-eyed young boy that the main character, Optimus Prime, was killed off about 10 minutes into the film. Towards the end, a new hero emerges to this song playing and to this day it makes the hairs on my arms stand up – so emotive even though I am now (technically) an adult.

Q: What song brings back happy memories and why?

A:

My then girlfriend Alison and I were staying in a family friend's house in the mountains in France a few years ago, and one of the days the weather was so bad that we couldn't leave. We sat under a rug on the sofa, looking out at this amazing view, sharing a bottle of red and listening to Van Morrison's ‘Moondance’ album. We ended up having ‘Into the Mystic’ as our wedding first dance due to the memories it evokes.

Any song from the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ ‘By the Way’ album. I went inter-railing in Italy, France and Spain with three schoolfriends following our ‘A’ level exams. The craic was mighty and that album was our soundtrack – it was the only CD we had with us.

Q: If you could choose three songs to listen to for the rest of your life what would they be and why?

A:

Mumford & Sons: ‘Ghosts That We Knew’

Red Hot Chili Peppers: ‘Under the Bridge’

Christy Moore’s version of ‘Beeswing’

Each of these three songs tell a story as well as being incredible to listen to. I love song lyrics, and these three I could listen to for eternity. I also love singing along (badly) to each of them.

Q: What song reminds you of your one true passion?

A:

I’ll get a lot of stick for this, but at the moment the one interest in my life outside of family and work that I am truly passionate about is Crossfit.

‘Welcome to the Jungle’ by Guns ‘n’ Roses reminds me of working out with the community at Crossfit Enniskillen as it is on the playlist there and a good song can help you push through when you feel like quitting halfway through (every time you go there, basically).

Q: What song reminds you of the one place you love to visit?

A:

I lived and worked as a landscape gardener in Vancouver, Canada for a year. When working outside my boss and I listened almost exclusively to country music and we particularly liked ‘Beer for my Horses’ by Toby Keith. The song reminds me of working outside in the sun and cruising about in a massive white Dodge pickup truck between jobs, no real cares in the world. We hope to visit Vancouver again as a family soon, and this song will be playing in my head as soon as we land on Canadian soil!