Renee Geyer's Favourite Albums
Australia's favourite soul diva Renee Geyer was one of the celeb panel guests for the grand unveiling of ABC TV's Australia's Favourite Albums of All Time show. She started the evening quite perky, but by the end she was clearly pole-axed by some of the choices made by her fellow citizens.
The ABC is growing to love its "list" shows and compilations (10 best this, 100 favourite thats). They're cheap and cheerful; some are irritating, some are silly, but mostly, Aunty has figured out that most people love a list - any list. Essential to remember, however, that a list is only as good as its compilers and the leading questions put to them.
Some ABC viewers and listeners - aka "Australia" - voted for ...
1. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
2. Jeff Buckley - Grace
3. Radiohead - OK Computer
4. The Beatles - Abbey Road
5. The Beatles - Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
6. Nirvana - Nevermind
7. Led Zeppelin - Four
8. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Majik
9. Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell
10. U2 - Joshua Tree
We asked Renee Geyer what she would have voted for. Here's what she said:
"Hi - here's a quick "snapshot" of my fave 10 albums ...
1. Aretha Franklin - live at the Filmore West (nothing more to say).
2. Miles Davis - Kind o Blue OR Birth of the Cool (as above).
3. Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis (defining collection in the career of THE white soul singer).
4. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (important politically... when black pride was first in the media with the Watts riots in LA ... it soothed a lot of tension at the time.)
5. The Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks (changed rock'n'roll as we knew it up to then ... '75 '76.)
6. Michael Jackson - Off the Wall (his first collaboration with the great Quincy Jones. It's the one just before Thriller which should also be in there somewhere too.)
7. The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street (or Beggars Banquet ... or Sticky Fingers...)
8. Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde or Highway 61 revisited (Like a Rolling stone is on this one... or The Freewheeling BD it's got Blowin' in the Wind and Don't think Twice, it's Alright. It's hard - this category - as it is with the Stones because he's/they're known for famous songs that might not all be on the ONE album.
9. Carol King - Tapestry (definitely ALL KILLER no FILLER!)
10. The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (again - as with 9 above).
But heaven help us, there are so many important omissions ie:
Duke Ellington at Newport, ELVIS - so many songs, but which album? How bout Sergio Mendez and Brazil '66! Billie Holiday, Joni Mitchell; blues guys like Muddy Waters, Ray Charles (Georgia)??? How bout Neil Young and his album Harvest? Elton Johns Yellow Brick Road Everyone can sing along to everything on that! Simon and Garfunkel? (Parsley, Sage etc.) Jimmy Hendrix's Are You Experienced. The Young Rascals Groovin - so many hits on that one.
Country-wise...how bout Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard? Van Morrison??
That's it for me for now but, when it comes to matters of the heart, nobody is ever going to be entirely happy.
By the way, imagine how thrilled the promoter (Michael Coppel) is with Roger Waters from Pink Floyd coming here in the next few months just to perform songs from Dark Side of the Moon. How sold out will that one be
Love,
Renee xx "
So StageNoisies - what are your favourite 10 albums? Let us know.
Meanwhile, you can listen in to more of Renee Geyer's tasty selections cos she's presenting a very special series of shows Soul of the Matter on local ABC radio during December and January. Each program features an extremely special guest and some amazing tracks as selected by both hostess and guests. They may well be some of the more revealing and intimate discussions about music and other stuff you're ever likely to hear.
Tune in to 774 Melbourne, 702 Sydney, or your local ABC station Sundays after the news at 9pm from December 24. Guests include Paul Kelly, James Reyne, Bonnie Raitt and Tex Perkins. Check out more on www.abc.net.au/radio/localradio/
