1. The First Record I Bought
We had a pretty basic set-up at home: a small turntable with speakers, and not a vast record collection. My first purchase was The Sweet Greatest Hits with the classics ‘Fox On The Run’ and ‘Ballroom Blitz’. Pretty glam with some ridiculously high singing and blistering guitar solos; a touch Spinal Tap.
2. The Last Record I Bought
I’ve always liked Damon Albarn’s voice. I heard the title track of his solo album Everyday Robots on the radio one morning and was initially attracted by the beautiful melody, his laconic vocal delivery and the lovely, sparse production. There are some interesting sounds on this album, mainly through drum programming/loops shared with piano and strings. The occasional lyric pops out… “It’s hard to be a lover when the TV’s on / And nothing’s in your eyes”.
3. The First Thing I Recorded
My brother Mark and I formed our first band, Chad’s Tree, in 1983. We recorded five songs at Shelter Studios in the Perth northern suburb of Wanneroo, and it encapsulated the music that informed us at the time. My brother may cringe, but it’s glorious to my ears.
4. The Last Thing I Recorded
I’ve just released an album called Low Fidelity using recordings initially taken from my iPhone, all of which are songs requested by fans. Pulp to Spiritualized, Glen Campbell to Joni Mitchell, classics to contemporary – it’s a mixed bag. I’ve had friends say it’s the purest thing I’ve done and a true celebration of my voice.
5. The Record That Changed My Life
With certain songs, I remember the exact moment I heard them for the first time. The first time I heard the intertwining, angular, obtuse guitar of Television’s ‘See No Evil’ from their debut Marquee Moon was one such moment: the nasal twang of Verlaine’s vocal, the interplay between the musicians. It’s so well crafted and sounds stunning. At that moment I decided I wanted to play guitar exactly like that.
Low Fidelity is out now through Rocket. Rob Snarski plays, along with Shane O’Mara, at The Vanguard on Friday July 3.
