Dave ran Sunderland Music Workshops in the 90s and 00s, which spawned the early careers of the Breis Brothers, Hyde Brothers and many more well known faces from the City’s local music scene. Nowadays he has a large loyal following for his self-penned folk tunes, full of childhood memories, local tales of lighthearted fun. He also runs the successful Open Mic Night at Steels -everyone’s favourite Workingmens Club – every fortnight and from time to time pops out to perform a set of tunes from his beloved Crooners.
That’s All Right – Elvis Presley
Imagine this, I’m just a kid lying in bed and under my blankets is a small radio. I’m listening to songs from across the world. I hear a voice, and music comes out of the radio that makes me want to jump out of bed and dance all over, and sing, and play an imaginary guitar. Like a bolt of lighting, I’m hooked on the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Be Bop a Lula – Gene Vincent
This track makes me smile, and then I want to dance and laugh. The lyrics make me feel so good, ‘she’s the girl in the red blue jeans, she’s the queen of all the teens’. Gene was a Rock ‘n’ Roll god to me. He pioneered the Rockabilly style with his edgy attitude, which was not to everyone’s Taste at the time – even The Beatles disliked him.
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – Rolling Stones
This was a favourite song of mine. It has great lyrics which turned heads at the time as it was about sexual frustration. At that age we all loved it, but mams and dads rushed to turn it off when it came on the radio. Of course, Mick Jagger was a British blues man with moves!
Get It On – T.Rex
A song with a get-on-the-floor thumping beat and a hidden meaning: let’s have sex! The lyrics attracted young people to the song and people back then referred to frontman Marc Bolan as a bit of a mystic.
My Sweet Lord – George Harrison
A pop song about religion that had everyone singing along to the chorus, ‘”My sweet lord, I really want to see you lord’. This meant it was met with opposition from religious bodies, leading to many radio stations refusing to play it. But, I learned how to play it and I still play today. What a topper song.
You can tune into these songs, and five more picked by Dave, as a playlist on Spotify. Just scan the QR code to follow the link.
[dont print the additional five below – ed]
Rave On – Buddy Holly
Be Young Be Folish Be Happy – The Tams
I’ll walk with God
Mario Lanso
Jumping Jack Flash Rolling Stones
“December 63
Oh What A Night”
Frankie Valley and Four Seasons
