1. Ennio Morricone | Ninna Nanna Per Adulteri (Cuore Di Mamma Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
A truly beautiful piece of Music written and conducted by one of the hardest working Film Soundtrack Composers ever. It's inclusion is warranted by my infatuation with the recent Derek Cianfrance Film The Place Beyond The Pines, featuring Ryan Gosling, Eve Mendes, Bradley Cooper, Ben Mendelsohn, Rose Byrne, Ray Liotta and a number of very dedicated actors. I own a compilation entitled Crime And Dissonance featuring hand-picked tracks by Mike Patton (Composer for the above Film) spanning mainly his Classic late 1960's and early 1970's period. I usually detest compilations, preferring instead a record proper, something that flows, not jolting you from one genre to another, but I bought this one simply for the above lullaby. Sitting in a dark Cinema alone around midnight can be a wonderous experience, and I had the pleasure of watching The Place Beyond The Pines in this way. I was pleasantly surprised that the Film's Music Supervisor had similar tastes to mine. Ninna Nanna Per Adulteri is used in many emotionally pivotal scenes, to great effect. Che by Suicide is also included, along with a Classic Joe Meek Production - Please Stay by The Cryin' Shames. A song I was introduced to by multiple viewings (I now own the DVD) is Trapdoor by a relatively current Trio called Salem. I really do not know much about them except the fact lots of so-called hipster-kids (not my term) refer to their Sound as Gothic Southern Hip-Hop. For some reason I just can't get this track out my head. (Other Composers I adore: Bernard Hermann (R.I.P.), Angelo Badalamenti, Howard Shore, Cliff Martinez, but to name a few...

2. Public Enemy | Fight The Power (Do The Right Thing Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
My father Trace Hodgson, a controversial Political Cartoonist and Comics Artist (loaded word), was travelling on assignment to Borneo in the late 1980's to Photograph rare, nearly extinct birds for National Geographic. Apparently the job was offered to many other Photographers, but turned down due to the dangerous nature of Renegade Jungle Photography. Trace was fine, even bringing me back some fake shrunken heads he bought. Better yet, he purchased some Bootleg Cassettes from a street vendor for me: Fear Of A Black Planet by Public Enemy and Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A. I was approximately 8 or 9 years old at this time. The Music had such a heavy, moving, and surprisingly up-lifting effect on me. Particularly Hank Shocklee's Production on Fear Of A Black Planet was, and still is, perhaps one of the greatest works of Musique Concrète, along with some Luc Ferrari Pieces in my opinion. What more can I say than the influence still haunts the Beats of my Musical Compositions. Oh, my father also said I should hide the tapes under my bed so my mother wouldn't have knowledge of my young ears listening to such Explicit Lyrics (she introduced me to Jonathan Richman though: Pablo Picasso was an asshole - Pablo Picasso).

3. Chromatics | Kill For Love
A new song Produced by Johnny Jewel of Italians Do It Better fame. I just really Love 1-4 Chord Progessions and this features a true gem. Probably the most recent Music released I have been listening to...

4. Fleetwood Mac | Storms
I had the honour of hearing this beautiful Ballad performed Live in the pouring rain by Fleetwood Mac, one of my favourite groups (circa Buckingham/Nicks era) ever. I have Covered this with a friend, though our version remains unreleased. I am often told that the Drum Sound/Production on especially my new material has the same urgent, though loose Dead Sound. I take that as a compliment as Mick Fleetwood's Drumming and Linsey Buckingham's Production is something that will never age. Look for evidence of this comparison on the song therearenorivershere on my forthcoming Guilt Mirrors Trilogy.

5. Morton Feldman | For Phillip Guston
A nearly 3 hour long Piece by the now deceased New York School Composer (along with John Cage, Earle Brown and Christian Wolff). It's Dream-like quality makes me quickly forget it's length. I believe one of the Kronos Quartet members tried to sue Morty (nick-name by his Music pupils) after performing a 4 hour piece for String Quartet.

6. Iggy And The Stooges | Shake Appeal
What can I say other than this has a Classic repetitive chugging Riff and brutally Visceral Drum Production that gets stuck in my head. The song is like a Barbed-Wire Tornado. Also worth noting are Penetration, Search And Destroy, Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell and finally the epic Death Trip from the Raw Power record. A friend who has now passed away, used to play this album all the time, at full Volume, so I think of him every time I pull this one out.



7. Brigitte Bardot/Serge Gainsbourg | Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus
The song I want played at my Funeral. My, am I sounding maudlin, I'll cease with all the Death references shortly. So passionately tender. Amazing Orchestral Acoustics on this Original BB version.

8. My Bloody Valentine | To Here Knows When
Heard this luscious cacophony blasting out of my cousin's boyfriend's car when I was 11 and it stills swirls amongst my Inner Soul. Something I can never forget. A True Experience. A friend of mine just attended an MBV show in New York, lucky Bastard!

9. Arthur Russell | You Can Make Me Feel Bad
Or anything off World Of Echo, SUCH a marvellous record. I also really enjoy his Disco work as Loose Joints, collaborations with David Byrne, and especially Larry Levan. Spent a lot of time listening to/DJing his work in Clubs/at parties when I was working with DFA. Took such a shine to his Musical Universe that I Covered this song in the mid 2000's.

10. The Beach Boys | Forever
Yes, performed by The Beach Boys, but Dennis Wilson deserves Credit where Credit is due. If Brian Wilson was trying to create Mini Symphonies To God with Smile, I believe his Brother Dennis Wilson beat him to it with Forever. I remember Covering this with my friend Tim soon after starting Shocking Pinks. Still unreleased...

I could go on and on but I will simply list a few Composers who altered my life in some way:

Scott Walker
RZA
Giacinto Scelsi
Billy Strayhorn
Iggy Pop
Anton Webern
Kanye West
Phil Spector
Vincent Gallo
Marvin Gaye