Cue and Play! Paul Rivers answers the questions
Paul Rivers is the the promoter at The Pitz music venue in Milton Keynes. He has been in the hot seat for 11 years and during that time has booked artists as diverse as GWAR, Mark Lanegan and Biffy Clyro to the stage. But, when not booking them to play live, who are the bands that occupy his free time?
Tell us about the first records you bought/downloaded
Downloaded? I wish I was that young, I still don't do that now!
The first albums that I went out and bought on my own were ZZ Top with Eliminator, Big Country with Steel Town and Van Halen 1984.
An album that you can't live without - and why
AC/DC Back In Black. Easily one of the greatest most uplifting rock albums in the history of modern music with perfect songs and perfect production. It is an album that I have always come back to and enjoyed time and time again since I was a little kid. It is so good for slapping a cheeky smile on your face and putting you in a good mood!
Most embarrassing record in your collection?
I'm not ashamed of anything in my collection as I have weeded out all of the rubbish over the years. Oh, except for a Bee Gees 7 inch sinlge that my mum bought me for Christmas in 1987. I made the mistake of moaning about all of the terrible music on Top of the Pops in front of my folks and said 'At least the Bee Gees can sing live'.
They took it that I was really into them and bought me the single!
Your favourite cheesy disc (it will be our secret...)
How can it be our secret? You are spreading it all over the internet! Okay, it's Journey's Grestest Hits.
An album that you wish you'd bought, but didn't
To be honest, I have most of what I want, musically.
What about your favourite artist of all time? What is the attraction?
I couldn't give you just one artist and I don't think that fellow music obsessives could commit to just one.
It is so hard. You listen to different sounds, styles and bands to suit whatever mood you are in, or where you are currently at, at that moment in your life. Sorry, can't do it.
If we could grant you a wish to meet one musician or band, who would it be and why? What question would you ask them?
All of the greats like Hendrix, but that's so obvious. I will pick Crass and I would ask them 'Do you think that all of the hard work that you put in during the early 80s to inspire people to get up off their backsides and take action, take their country and take their music back has been forgotten by today's lazy and complacent generation?'
Name a song that never fails to pick you up?
Twin Earth by Monster Magnet
And one that chills you out?
Anything by Icelandic post rockers Sigur Ros or their Japanese peers Mono.
Waht was the first gig you attended?
Monsters of Rock, 1988.
Tell us about your favourite record shop or online store, and what the appeal is...
I get most of my CDs from Amazon these days. It is way too expensive in record shops - no wonder they are all financially in trouble. I can hunt around on Amazon and get some good deals, and I still prefer to actually buy the album rather than downloads.
I don't like feeling cheated or cheating the artist with bad MP3s just because it's free.
I would rather pay and get the true version that the artist and producer set out to create.
You can step into the shoes of your musical idol for 24 hours. Who do you choose, and what would you do?
I wouldn't want to step into the shoes of a personal musical idol. I would rather step into the shoes of someone I don't enjoy or respect, like Johnny Borrell or Chris Martin and see if they really are as shallow and stupid as I think they are!
Is there a new or undiscovered artist that you think we need to hear? Spill the beans!
A few, there are some great young British bands that I rate - Holy State, Telegraphs, People In Planes, Ghost of a Thousand, Freezing Fog, Calories, Enjoy Destroy, Jackobs Stories and Codes In Clouds. Check 'em out.
You can banish one artist to the bargain bin. Who would it be and why?
Coldplay and I would banish them not just from the bargain bin, but also the ears of everyone currently alive on planet Earth...disgusting band.
You've got 10 songs to soundtrack your life. Give us the artists and the songs:
Side One
1 Fugazi - The Waiting Room
2 Monster Magnet - Twin Earth
3 Nick Cave and the Band Seeds - Red Right Hand
4 Dead Kennedys - Holiday In Cambodia
5 Johnny Cash - Hurt
Side Two
1 New Model Army - Green and The Grey
2 Janes Addiction - Mountain Song
3 Black Flag - Rise Above
4 The Stranglers - Golden Brown
5 Nirvana – Negative Creep
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Weather for Milton Keynes
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
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