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Mark Armstrong's Top 10 Songs



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Published Date: 04 September 2008
AS a music promoter Mark Armstrong has brought over a string of acts to the Isle of Man including top Coldplay tribute Coldplace – who will return in November – and Enjoy Destroy.
He has also booked Marcus Bonfanti, the man who supported Robert Cray on his recent UK tour, to play in the Island in October. Here Mark tells us his top 10 songs and why he has chosen them.

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1. Love Will Keep Us Alive – Eagles

I sang this song at my wedding in 2006 at Gretna Green. Not a dry eye in the house, hopefully because of the emotion of the occasion as opposed to real pain! Seriously, though, I think this love song penned by Paul Carrack is the perfect ballad, and I've always liked Timothy B Schmit's voice.


2. Jody – America

I have followed America since about 1974, and waited until last year to see them in the UK. They received such a good reception in March that they immediately re-toured at the back end of the year. This song means a lot to me, as it reminds me of my daughter, Jodie (spelt the proper way!). 'Even the wind says your name, Girl.'


3. Gravity – John Mayer

I had to get a 'blues' master in there somewhere. My son, Jamie, who knows about these things, got me into John Mayer about three years ago.
Continuum as an album blew me away, and this song is my favourite. I like the restrained approach to the guitar solo, and what a voice!
We saw John Mayer at Hyde Park this year, and he stole the show from under Eric Clapton's nose.


4. Drops of Jupiter – Train

I think any top 10 has to include a one-hit wonder. This is the one hit wonder of all time for me. Why these guys aren't in our charts year in, year out is amazing. It just shows how hard it is to have staying power in their business.


5. The Great Gig in the Sky – Pink Floyd

I actually got switched on to Pink Floyd pretty late in the day, and I have to thank Pigs on the Wing for that.
Not knowing what to expect, I went to see their last gig at the Centenary Centre in Peel, and when Sharon Cleator delivered her version of these vocal acrobatics from Dark Side of The Moon, you could hear a pin drop until she finished, when the audience just about took the roof off – awesome.
Since then, I can't get enough of the Floyd, and I only wish I'd been around in the Isle of Man to see them when they played here back in the mid-60s. Not much chance of seeing that one again!


6. Little Dreams – Enjoy Destroy

Of course, I had to get a band in here that I brought over to the Island. My kids saw these guys at Hyde Park two years ago, as part of the Hyde Park Calling Festival headlined by Aerosmith.
Their gigs here in July were two of the best I've seen (not just in Isle of Man terms), and yes I am biased!
I was particularly pleased with the reception they received from the teenagers at Queen Elizabeth II High School.
It felt like we were doing something special for the younger set that week. I could not have done this particular promotion without the help of the Isle of Man Arts Council. We must have the most progressive such council in the British Isles, and it helps even more that the folks at the Arts Council are so helpful (I've dealt with Jan and Emma to date, and they're magic!).
So Little Dreams, the title track from their debut album, is my favourite Enjoy Destroy track.


7. The Scientist – Coldplay

Coldplay are my favourite 'current' band, and another reminder of my local promotion activities. Coldplace are a cracking tribute to Coldplay, and I'm delighted that they're coming back to the Island in November. These lads just love being as close a tribute to the band as they can manage, and they're really cracking blokes. The perfect starter to my going to see Coldplay in Glasgow in December.


8. This Year's Love – David Gray

I remember, when Babylon came out, thinking 'Here's something different'. I went to see David Gray in Manchester earlier this year and it was one of the best live gigs I've seen. I believe any Top 10 list should include a song from a movie, and this one's mine.


9. Farewell Fairbanks – Randy Edelman

Sticking with the theme of 'Any Top 10 list should include…….', this is my token protest song. Randy Edelman could nearly have crept into the one-hit wonder category with Uptown Uptempo Woman, but he did also have a hit with his cover of Concrete and Clay and more importantly changed direction completely to write scores for major movies, including Gettysburg, Shanghai Noon, and the latest in the Mummy series.


10. My Beautiful Mistake – Truman Falls

And finally, any Manx Top 10 has to include a song by a local artist. There are loads to choose from, but I'll avoid the more recent examples from the Davy Knowles or Anna Goldsmith catalogues, in favour of the bloke who I regard as the best singer-songwriter this Island has produced – Simon Rea. Rumour has it that Simon/Truman Falls are working on a follow-up album to Little Happy Hells. I can't wait for that one!

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  • Last Updated: 04 September 2008 11:28 AM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Isle of Man
 
 
  

 
 

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