The A-Z of Bands Wot I Like Nearly As Much As Kenickie

And I don't care if you don't agree with me...

You can't go around in life listening to just one band - you'd get very bored for a start - so to entertain, and give you plenty of ammo for your hate mail, here's a big list of some of my favourite music...

Air:

Whenever I feel like listening to something extremely relaxing after a night out on the piss, Moon Safari is my immediate choice.

Arab Strap

Beck:

The future of Country music to some. An annoying twat to others. Both may be right but I don't care much 'cos I just think that Odelay is one the best albums I have heard (and I assure you, I've heard a lot).

Blur:

Some people think Blur are shit. Fair play to them. Some say Damon Albarn is a tosser and I can live with that assessment. I think that Blur were the best thing to come out of Britpop, even when they were shit, and Modern Life is Rubbish is one of the best albums of the decade.

The Buzzcocks:

Catatonia:

After Kenickie, they are my favourite, favourite band. In fact, I they might be my favourite band of all 'cos I've only recently got into them. International Velvet is excellent, but their first album, Way Beyond Blue, is even better still. Especially such songs as Infantile, This Boy Might Sink and - best of all - Some Half Baked Ideal Called Wonderland. Shortly I will be making another webpage in thier honour...

Crowded House:

Antipodean MOR? probably - but also one of the most accomplished songwriters (Neil Finn) in the world. I don't listen to them for the pose anyway, I listen because they're superb.

The Eels:

I might not like them in a few years because I think they'll get all whinney and annoying like Nirvana did, but until then, I look forward to them proving me wrong. I happen to know that Lauren Laverne doesn't like them at all, but I consider a sign of maturity to be able to disagree with your idols.

Elastica

FYC:

The Kinks:

Pure class. Just listen to Waterloo Sunset, you'll see what I mean.

Led Zeppelin:

But only their earliest stuff which was proper heavy blues. Everything after Led Zeppelin 4 is crap really. Nor do I like Stairway all that much. Favourite song is definately Since I've Been Loving You.

The Longpigs:

The Manic Street Preachers:

Mansun:

Massive Attack:

Aha, you weren't expecting this after all those rock and pop acts, were you? Well I like Beethoven too! Massive Attack were great when Blue lines came out, and were even better with Protection. I await the new album with baited breath. Favourite songs are probably Safe From Harm, Protection or Weather Storm

Oasis:

Strange to relate, Oasis will also be the recipitents of a hate page by me. This is because I can't stand Oasis, but their music - in managable chunks, like one song at a time - Is a different matter. They've written some bloody good songs, even on Be Here Now

Pink Floyd:

The Police:

Portishead:

Despair you can groove too. Favourite track is definately Roads. Portishead set themselves a hard act to follow with their debut album Dummy. Dummy is perfect, the new album only slightly less so.

Plup:

Radiohead:

REM:

I don't see the need to say why they are great. New Adventures in Hi-Fi has to be one of the finest albums of the last few years.

Sleeper:

Sneaker Pimps:

More ambient dance type stuff with electric guitars, the Sneaker Pimps are quite capable of sounding cool and laid back or sexy or despairing... Mostly, however, they sound evil.

Squeeze:

You know Jools Holland - you must do, he hosts BBC 2's Later program, which Kenickie have been on at least once (at around midnight, making them either the last band in 96 or the first in 97 broadcast onto your TV screens). He was in this band (although it wasn't his band) back in the eighties. Up to about 82 with their album Sweets from a Stranger they were great. Their songs like Tempted and Black Coffee in Bed have to be heard to be believed. Squeeze have been described as the fathers of Britpop, although that might be taking things a little too far...

The Stereophonics:

Suede

Texas:

A surprising choice even to me. If you'd told me I would buy their album at the beginning of last year, I would have laughed in your face there and then. However I did, and I'm proud.

U2:

Like the hurried lover - they come and go - but U2 will probably always be with us, and their occasional flashes of genius such as Gone, Stay (faraway, so close), One and Redhill Mining Town, to name but a few, will keep me liking them through all the dross they kick out in the meantime. Dross like Even Better than The Real Thing, Numb, Lemon, most of Pop, the entire Passengers album...