DJ Paws

1. Best side one, track one of all time:
‘The Gravedigger’s Song’ by Mark Lanegan from ‘Blues Funeral’ (2012). The first time I played it, the hairs on my arms stood up – that’s never happened on a first listen before or since. Close runners up are ‘Geräusche’ by Les Big Byrd from ‘Iran Iraq IKEA’ (2018) and Fat Dog’s ‘Vigilante’ from ‘WOOF.’ (2024).

2. How do you organise your records? Chronological? Alphabetical? AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL?
Alphabetical by band name or soloist surname, but in three separate runs for autobiographical and chronological reasons. In a recent innovation, Various Artists’ compilations are by theme, eg. punk, hip-hop, but it’s a system riddled with flaws, of which remembering the themes is the main one. Newer vinyl purchases hang around for months in messy stacks prior to integration. The latter is always a traumatic event.

3. What is your favourite vinyl / music related movie quote?
“The Elves went too far.” (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga)

4. What is your white whale album?
Not an album, but a 12” EP, Ghost Assembly’s ‘I Miss Your Love’ (2023). I also really want the 2019 Norwegian Eurovision entry, ‘Spirit in the Sky’, by KEiiNO, but don’t think it exists on vinyl. Absolute banger - major kitchen disco tune.

5. What is no-skip, all killer no filler album in your collection?
‘Secondhand Daylight’ (1979) by Magazine. It’s a work of art.

6. Best album closer of all time:
Can’t split this. Joint honours: ‘My Sex’, on the first Ultravox album, ‘Ultravox!’ (1977) and ‘Hiroshima Mon Amour’ from their second album, ‘Ha! Ha! Ha!’ (1977). Check out the wonderful 1978 Old Grey Whistle Test performance of ‘Hiroshima’ on YouTube.