Riffs
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Aladdin Sane | David Bowie I had been buying a lot of naff singles by Suzy Quatro and Mud who are best forgotten, minor Glam bands your parents liked. I was in grave danger of being led astray by not very good popular groups. Bowie was in a different league. He was a dangerous figure, my parents hated his records and by comparison the other Glam bands were bland. The first thing that intrigued me about Aladdin Sane was its artwork on the gatefold sleeve. Bowie was in strange make-up. He had a Z across his face, and appeared to have no wedding tackle. I didn't understand the concept of airbrushing. And when people said Bowie was from a spaceship, I was only nine years old and I half-believed it. Every song on the album is fantastic. It has brilliant lyrics. He is always light years ahead of the opposition and never frightened to try new styles. He led me to Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, Iggy Pop and he was even a bit of a godfather to punks.
Aladdin Sane | David Bowie I had been buying a lot of naff singles by Suzy Quatro and Mud who are best forgotten, minor Glam bands your parents liked. I was in grave danger of being led astray by not very good popular groups. Bowie was in a different league. He was a dangerous figure, my parents hated his records and by comparison the other Glam bands were bland. The first thing that intrigued me about Aladdin Sane was its artwork on the gatefold sleeve. Bowie was in strange make-up. He had a Z across his face, and appeared to have no wedding tackle. I didn't understand the concept of airbrushing. And when people said Bowie was from a spaceship, I was only nine years old and I half-believed it. Every song on the album is fantastic. It has brilliant lyrics. He is always light years ahead of the opposition and never frightened to try new styles. He led me to Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, Iggy Pop and he was even a bit of a godfather to punks.
Baltimore | Nina Simone She's probably my favourite singer. I just love her voice, and how she is not stuck in any one style. This album is quite typical, with a variety of styles. It has blues, jazz and gospel and reggae - bizarre, yet somehow it works. I have a nice memory of being in a grotty flat in Elephant and Castle a couple of years back, and a track on this album with the chorus "everything must change". This is a whole album in its original form, which is nice and unusual for Nina Simone records. Her voice is absolutely stunning, it has an amazing richness, and some of the things she does with melody are very inventive. There are two voices that are comparable these days, and those are Lauryn Hill and Macy Gray who have really great voices.
The Bathers album 'Pandemonia' is out now on Wrasse Records
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments