Exhausting Music Meme

Name your 10 most played bands/artists:

1. James Reyne
2. Chris Isaak
3. The Moody Blues
4. The Who
5. Rufus Wainwright
6. Teddy Thompson
7. Justin Hayward
8. Il Divo
9. Icehouse
10. Johnny Cash

What was the first song you ever heard by 6 (Teddy Thompson)?
I Don't Want To Say Goodbye off the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack. I heard parts of the sountrack played on the radio and was really taken by his voice. I bought his first CD solely on the basis of hearing him one time.

What is your favorite album of 2 (Chris Isaak)?
Hard to decide. I have all his albums although I only have his Best Of with me at present. I don't think I could pick just one. I like songs off each one. I'll always have a soft spot for Wicked Game because that was the first one I bought.

What is your favorite lyric that 5 (Rufus Wainwright) has sung?

I'm quite partial to You're heaven's inventions, steel eyed vampires of love from Go or Go Ahead.

How many times have you seen 4 (The Who) live? None.

What is your favorite song by 7 (Justin Hayward)? Concentrating on him as a solo artist rather than with The Moody Blues, I'd have to say Something To Believe In, followed closely behind with Billy. Billy is such a sad, sad song.

What is a good memory you have involving the music of 10 (Johnny Cash)? My Dad's always been a big fan of country music, so listening to Johnny always makes me think of the good days growing up listening to the different tastes of my parents. I always love A Boy Named Sue.

Is there a song of 3 (The Moody Blues) that makes you sad? The only one I can think of is On This Christmas Day.

What is your favorite lyric that 2 (Chris Isaak) has sung? That's too hard to answer! I don't have a clue where to start. The entire lyrics of Wicked Game? That's the first song that I ever heard of his and started my collection.

How did you get into 3 (The Moody Blues)? Okay, this is a long story. It started when I was house-sitting for a couple at church. Bored with the music I'd taken with me, I started on what they had. One song I took an instant liking to was Forever Autumn by Justin Hayward. As I was just getting into the internet at this stage, I did a search on the song and artist. I found that it was off Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds. I bought said CD and then discovered that Justin was from The Moody Blues. I was familiar of course with Nights in White Satin, and discovered we had some other songs. I'd liked the song Go Now for ages as well. Nothing much happened until 2003. This was when I went to the US. I picked up a very cheap discman. Needless to say I had to buy a CD. It was a mission to find a cheap CD. I finally settled on a Moody Blues- best of. I was surprised just how familiar I was with some of the songs - I just hadn't known who the artist was. Toward the end of 2004 I discovered that they were coming to NZ and I just had to go. Before the concert I started collecting every album I could get my hands on. Finally completing my collection of studio albums last year. Whew, I told you it was long! When I say studio albums, I mean those from Days of Future Passed. I'm not really into the early Moodies (pre Justin Hayward and John Lodge.)

What was the first song you heard by 1 (James Reyne)? As a solo artist it would be Fall of Rome. With Australian Crawl it would be Reckless or Downhearted.

What is your favorite song by 4 (The Who)? I've got a couple of favourites. I really like Behind Blue Eyes, but I have a soft spot for Boris the Spider.

How many times have you seen 9 (Icehouse) live?
Never.

What is a good memory you have involving 2 (Chris Isaak)?
Seeing him in concert last month and getting him to sign a t-shirt and photo. I had a wonderful time and was so impressed that he came out afterwards to sign things.

Is there a song of 8 (Il Divo) that makes you sad?
Not that I can think of.

What is your favorite album of 5 (Rufus Wainwright)?
I'm going to pick both Want One and Want Two because they're very similar and I know that you can buy them together.

What is your favorite lyric that 3 (The Moody Blues) has sung? How on earth am I supposed to choose? My song at the moment is What am I Doing Here? So, I guess it would be the following lyrics

Tenderly bury the fair young dead
Place a wooden cross at his head
All the words you can say
Have been said
It's for you my tears are shed

But I'd find it difficult to ever get past the following from Nights in White Satin:

'Cause I love you,
Yes, I love you,
Oh, how, I love you.

They get me every time I hear them, and even more powerful live.

What is your favorite song of 1 (James Reyne)?
I could cheat and say Reckless because he has done several solo versions of it. I like Coin in a Plate, Fall of Rome and heaps more. How am I supposed to only pick one?

What is your favorite song of 10 (Johnny Cash)?
Too many to number. I've always liked A Boy Named Sue, but I also like I Walk The Line, Jackson and many others. His version of Hurt is amazingly powerful and moving.

How many times have you seen 8 (Il Divo) live?
None yet, although they are coming to Melbourne in February next year. It's going to be a bit of a toss up between that and the Australia v New Zealand cricket match.

What is your favorite album of 1 (James Reyne)?

James Reyne. His first solo album, and the first album I bought with my own money. My original copy is the LP and I spent years finding it on CD. I wanted a copy the same as my LP which is the Australian version, but for ages I could only find the US version which had one song different.

What is a great memory you have considering 9 (Icehouse)?
Watching the video to Crazy. There are two version of the video - my favourite being the one where Iva Davies gets hit by a Mack truck. *G*

What was the first song you heard by 8 (Il Divo)?
Unbreak My Heart (Regresa A Mi)

What is your favorite cover by 2 (Chris Isaak)? Solitary Man although I also like I Want You To Want Me