Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesFriday MP3 Shuffle: Happy Birthday Bruce Watson Edition

Photo Source: DaBelly Magazine

Today we celebrate the birthday of Bruce Watson, lead guitarist and longtime member of the band Big Country. While they never dominated the US charts, they had a few international hits while building a solid following in the UK and Europe with a rustic yet punkish Rock sound. It was also a very Scottish sound, courtesy of Watson’s guitar which sounded like a bagpipe fused with a mandolin. The piercing hooks helped define songs like “Fields of Fire (400 Miles),” “Wonderland,” and one of the all-time ‘80s-est of ‘80s tracks “In A Big Country.”

The band released eight studio albums before the death of lead singer Stuart Adamson, who succumbed to alcoholism. Despite the tragedy and a few lineup changes, Bruce and the band remains together and continues to perform and tour. Let’s honor Watson and Big Country’s ability to keep on keepin’ on: Take your MP3 player, press the "shuffle" button, and share the first 10 songs that play:

1. Jason Stein’s Locksmith Isidore – More Gone Door Gone (Three Kinds of Happiness): Some back-to-basics blues-jazz featuring bass clarinet, bass, and drums. Makes me want to drink wine while reciting spoken word poetry in a basement bar.

2. Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks - Little Fang (Enter the Slasher House): There's a little bit of this song in "Golden Gal" which is on the new album by Avey Tare's other band Animal Collective.

3. Air – Playground Love (The Virgin Suicides): French duo Air did the soundtrack for this 1999 film that didn't make a huge impression on the general public but got some good reviews. Rather artsy, and with sax solos too.

4. London Suede – This Hollywood Life (Dog Man Star): The band's 2nd album, and the one finding them trying to break free of the BritPop explosion of the '90s. It's a bit mannered, but it rocks.

5. Bob Thompson - Early Bird-Whirly Bird (Bachelor’s Guide to the Galaxy): I can't remember when I first got this novelty album of toungue-in-cheek '50s lounge music to accentuate one's "bachelor pad." It's still cute, but not the first thing I would reach for to get a party started.

6. Roberta Flack - Only Heaven Can Wait (For Love) (Only Heaven Can Wait (For Love)): I wish I had included this one in my Valentine's Day set. Some painful emptional honesty, rendered by a fantastic voice.

7. Tunnels - Without Light (The Blackout): It's been a while since this album came out. I've always liked its straight-ahead Darkwave sound, but it seems like this was more of a one-off project for Nicholas Bindeman, who has since returned to guitar-based work. 

8. Tar - Viaduct Removal (John Peel Session) (1988-1995): This is one of the better compilations I've heard in the last few years. Tar laid down the kind of rocket-fueled rage that helped shape the hardcore scene in Chicago. It's nice to have so much of their sound captured in one place.

9. Erykah Badu - Phone Down (But You Caint Use My Phone): The lyrics are pretty basic, but they're also perfect for a Badu groove. This would be a great song to use to ask someone out on a date, espeically someone with a phone glued to their face.

10. Sonic Youth - Star Power (EVOL): I still believe EVOL is a superior album to Daydream Nation, and I'm comfortable with being in the minority on this. Ultimately it's a 1/1A situation.

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