Never Party With a Music Nazi
Ah, the embarrassment. What a fool I was, but such was the inevitability I can’t really feel all that ashamed. Basically, I bought my first record player since I was 17 about four hours before our housewarming party on Saturday, and you can imagine the rest. I’ve been so excited about this ever since I made the decision a couple of months ago, that I have accumulated a pretty decent stack of vinyl in the meantime, giving Scotland’s second hand shops a pretty good scouring, with plenty more to come.
So, having left my whole music collection on random through most of the party, due to not having enough time to throw together even the most rudimentary of playlists, I inevitably failed to resist the urge of old Stones singles, some Jam, some old Motown, something by The Beat, Elvis Costello and so on and so on. Of course, being a music nazi to begin with, and being all the more excited to play with my new toy, I was in no mood whatsoever to let anyone else play at all.
Unfortunately, most of my music is not party music, especially not my vinyl purchases, so inevitably as I got drunker and less concerned with everyone else, the music got more and more maudlin. Billy Bragg, Nick Cave, Tom Waits, James Yorkston, even Leonard Cohen may have made an appearance. It got to the point where I insisted on trying again and again to play a Bruce Springsteen record that clearly had something wrong with it.
The only saving grace was that I was so exhausted after working from 8am to 1am virtually all week to get the house ready and so drunk from quaffing at the sort of reckless pace that giddy relief brings that I passed out some time at, apparently, three or four in the morning (it may have been earlier – I was pretty wasted). This left the remaining heroes of booze a good two or three hours of uninterrupted access to my month and a half’s worth of music, and freedom was theirs at last!
What a fool. But I slept the sleep of the contented that night, I tell you!
Something I played really early on: Edith Piaf РMon L̩gionnaire
Something I was asked to play but I think I forgot. Band of Horses – Is There a Ghost
Something I probably played far too often: The Beat – Tears of a Clown
How many gins before DJ Toad started “scratchin’”?
This post brings a smile of recognition to my own face…I confess, one of my earliest memories in the late 1960s (yes, I’m that old) of my own 4th or 5th birthday party…someone gave me an Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas album for my December birthday. I spent the rest of the party ignoring the guests, glued to my little phonograph, listening to Dave Seville singing “White Christmas” and the Chipmunks singing “Chrimstmastime is here” and telling everyone else to please “shut up so I can hear this.”
At least my taste has improved since then.
It took about three martinis and maybe half a bottle of cooking gin before it got really bad.
I also experimented with just how loud my 70s Pioneer amp and brand spanking new speakers would go. Turns out it’s loud.
I’m not sure anyone minded, per se, they just would have appreciated a turn themselves.
Ah yes… those strange, big, black plastic CDs. Whose breathtakingly advanced technology allows music to be put on both sides . A warm, crackly and ever so possibly valve-amplified recollection has just visited me.
Although I’m at a loss to explain why I’ve had Stevie Wonder’s I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) stuck in my head for the last few days..
I am pleading innocent to that one. You can probably blame me for trying to play songs from Blood on the Tracks at a party though.
Good god, Toad, what kind of partygoer asks for Band of Horses?
Wayhey-that was me that asked for Band of Horses-and you did actually play it. Whats the problem with that likes?
Nothing wrong with it at all if you ask me, but then I’m the sort of person who plays Blood on the Tracks, so probably the wrong person to ask I reckon.
I think Band of Horses went remarkeably well with the Ennio Morricone soundtracks…
It was a cultured party, you see, China. Mostly. At least at the beginning.
For about half an hour.
I too can identify with your story. I got decks (not one but two, though I have no aspirations of mixing or any of that nonsense) a couple of months ago but I’m still waiting to have a party, when I move to a flat with a proper living room. Till then I’ll just have to satisfy myself with late-night, self-indulgent spins of Marvin Gaye, Dylan and the Ghostbusters theme (99p in Oxfam).
THE GHOSTBUSTERS THEME!!! Oh you jammy bastard!
I’ve got no issue with Band of Horses generally, just as a party band – they’re almost as much of a downer as Leonard Cohen. Almost.
don’t think it’s possible to play The Beat too much. But did you play ‘Mirror In the Bathroom’ or ‘Twist and Crawl’ too?!
Hope you and Mrs. Toad are well,
Ed
I only had Tears of a Clown on 7″, but I’ve since bought a Best Of. I was just mentioning you on my podcast Ed, funnily enough.
small world, look forward to checking it out!
ed
Ah, nice to hear that you’re back in the house AND your that record player. Hours of vinyl listening pleasure at last! Once you recovered of course…
…”you’ve got that record player”, of course…
i’m a bit late in chiming in here, but i can attest to being a bit of a music nazi myself when it comes to my parties (i’ve given up trying to control things at other peoples’ houses, isn’t that nice of me). i also find that the drunker i get more insistent i get in playing a very certain particular song for someone–as though he or she would die if they didn’t hear it right at that exact moment!
i don’t suppose it’s my most attractive quality.
No Marcy, your most attractive quality is your cheek, as it were. Being a turntable control freak is just an added bonus.