Next up in our ‘Under The Influence’ feature is the front man of the criminally underrated Mansun, Paul Draper. Paul is set to embark on a solo career (listen to his first solo track ‘Feeling My Heart Run Slow’ HERE).
Check out his ten track playlist and why he has picked these songs below. You can also catch the man himself in person at This Feeling on Friday night where he will be DJing at The Macbeth in Hoxton
Wuthering Heights – Kate Bush
I’m a huge Kate Bush fan and I could pick loads of her tracks to include in this list, but this song she wrote as a teenager is the work of a genius, the key change, the vocal, the production, the lyrics, what more can I say, I saw her in concert recently and it brought s tear to my eye finally seeing her live.
Erotic City – Prince
A friend of mine brought round the 12″ of Let’s Go Crazy by Prince when it first came out, he didn’t play the A Side but he flipped it over and we listened to this, wow, it blew me away, one of the best B Sides ever recorded. “We can fuck until the dawn” never was one to beat around the bush was he Prince!
Soul Power – James Brown
I got really into James Brown, Parliment, Prince and hip hop as a teenager and this has the best groove of all the James Brown classics, nobody can beat the groove of his band.
Day Tripper – The Beatles
I could pick 50 Bestles or Lennon songs to include but I played this at This Feeling when I DJ’d there and the riff sounded incredible over the PA, I love The Beatles mid period riff phase.
What Difference Does It Make – The Smiths
This was my introduction to indie, the first time I heard that riff it blew me away, getting drunk when I was very young and playing it over and over again.
Without You – Harry Nilsson
This goes on full blast in the car, Badfingers original was good, but the production and vocal performance on this are world class making it one of the best love songs ever. Played this a lot recently.
David Bowie – Ashes to Ashes
A record that has it all, hooks, lyrics, pop sensibility and all wrapped up in a left field 80s backdrop. Again I could pick many Bowie songs, Let’s Dance, DJ, Life on Mars, you could go on forever, but this is his pinnacle.
Rhinestone Cowboy – Glen Campbell
My old sound engineer Mike Hunter got me into the songwriting genius of Jimmy Webb, Whitchita Lineman is another classic, but I love classic country music and this song has one of the best soaring choruses ever written.
Jolene – Dolly Parton
Anyone whose been to one of my house parties knows this always comes on at some point, an amazing record, Im a real fan of classic country. Fleetwood Mac tinged country about a girl with auburn hair who steals a mans heart, now there’s a story! Fantastic guitar and bongo playing, Dolly is one of the best songwriters ever, check her original version of I Will Always Love You, not the Whitney Houston abomination, to hear a singer songwriter of pure class, Dolly is a class act.
Fools Gold – The Stone Roses
When this record came out I thought it was the coolest record Id ever heard and remember dancing to it as a teenager at the local indie night thinking this record can never be beaten, as well as loving I wanna Be Adored and Love Spreads (best driving song ever) by the Roses it makes them just about the coolest band ever.
