When I do these episodes, I try to avoid the slightly more predictable, the slightly more mainstream, the slightly-played-that-band-a-lot recently, or the slightly-played-before songs. On the other hand, I have started playing the odd familiar number from the vaults, much as The Fall would throw in a couple from their early years.
So people have quite rightly wondered at the absence of I’m So Bored With The USA from the recent Boredom episode, Being Boring, Chairman of the Board and 10.15 Saturday Night. All worthy candidates but all falling foul of one or other of the above criteria.
And there’s a couple of tracks for this episode I’d have loved to play, viz Ghost by Neutral Milk Hotel, There’s A Ghost in My House by either The Fall or R Dean Taylor’s original - and of course, the daddy of them all, Ghost Town, probably the finest song of 1981, along with New Order’s Ceremony. For the purposes of this exercise, I shall put Justin Bieber’s Ghost to one side.
So, that’s some little insights for anyone interested into the selection process.
Actually here’s another one. This episode happens to include three tracks from this year, which always causes a minor dilemma. I like to keep the powder dry for the end-of-year round ups and not play too many you’ve already heard. But when I actually think about it, I doubt anyone apart from me is too worried about that. So expect to hear at least one of the tracks from Mary in the Junkyard, Euterpe, Newdad and Princess Thailand in a few months.
Anyway, angels and ghosts. A nice selection, I hope, and not too tenebrous, eldritch or sepulchral.
Tracklist:
Guided by angels, Amyl and the Sniffers
Ghost car, Princess Thailand
Heavenly pop hit, The Chills
Yankee bayonet, The Decemberists
Angel, Newdad
Lake of fire, Meat Puppets
Ghost, Mary in the Junkyard
My angel rocks back and forth, Four Tet
Archangel, Burial
Because we’re dead, Slow Club
One of your gods, Euterpe
The white mask, Thee More Shallows
Ghosts, Japan
Headless horseman, The Microphones