Savage Henry has cashed his cheque.
And you know what that means. Yes, after 99 Spotisfactions and numerous features over the last 6 months, I am leaving the Spotisfaction team.
Since it’s birth back in February, Spotisfaction has grown from two frustrated 20-somethings swapping playlists into, well, what you’re reading right now – A fully featured music blog with news, reviews and a handful of dedicated and enthusiastic contributors. I wish Dave and the rest of the team all the best in the coming months and look forward to seeing the further growth of our little baby.
Right, so without further delay, here is Thom Lavelle, posting a Spotisfaction playlist for the last time.
Thom.
[Dave’s Note: Goodbye Thom, it’s been a massive pleasure my young sir. Stay safe, and keep us updated with your goings on. PEACE and TRUCKING]
99 Spotisfaction Monday (16 Aug) – TLavelle – Departure
Okay, so as it’s my last day I get to run a playlist. Out of the half a dozen or so I’ve got brewing, I figure that the one I’ve posted here is the most fitting.
It kicks off with two tracks that are, to be fair, synonymous with drugs. Jefferson Airplane‘s White Rabbit, which harks back to the seminal scene in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas where the large, angry “Samoan” attorney chows down on an entire sheet of sunshine blotter acid and tries to take a bath with the tape recorder. It’s all about that rising sound… into The Velvet Underground‘s Heroin.
Rounding off the depressing, self destructive part of the playlist is Brian Eno with By This River, a simple haunting track that has been a staple sad song for me for a great number of years. From here on in, we get into something a bit grungier. Kicking off with precursors to grunge, Husker Du. Don’t Want To Know If You Are Lonely is a track that makes no apologies for it’s up front angst as it bridges the gap between punk and grunge.
Moving on, the rest of the playlist is littered with seminal acts of the “grunge” era, including Avant Garde heroes Sonic Youth, gravel voiced Mark Lannigan of The Screaming Trees, the late great Jerry Cantrell of Alice In Chains… On and on until the climax of Soundgarden‘s Limo Wreck.
Then the playlist shifts down a gear before ending on one of the greatest Radiohead songs, How To Disappear Completely. Read into this what you will, folks.
Of course, it would be wrong to end my 6 month stint here with something like this, so I’ve thrown in Roger Waters rendition of the classic Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-VIII). I think it fits…
Well, that’s it from me. It’s been fun and I’m going to miss contributing. But I’m proud of what we’ve done in 6 months. I’ll still be reading and listening to the blog, and who knows, I might end up submitting one or two pieces to Spotisfaction for Dave and the team to run.
Sayonara
Rev. Thom Lavelle