Golf Harris Under The influence

Golf Harris - Under The influence

12 tracks, in no particular order that have influenced Golf Harris to sound the way they do.

1. Golden Slumbers – The Beatles

The track that John most wishes that he wrote and a standard starting point for attempts to write anything.

2. Isn’t it a pity – Galaxie 500

A George Harrison cover, although neither of us ever managed to hear the original. This is the saddest song ever and the bench mark for sad songs. Was also the song that was mentioned when we spoke of starting Golf Harris.

3. Cheese and Onions – The Rutles

The greatest Beatles song ever! With the greatest middle 8 of all-time. Worth it alone for the final note.

4. Northern Skies - Nick Drake

The song that inspired Northern Lights as a homage, a staple Golf Harris favorite – including with founder member Ricc.

5.The fall

Not one particular song, just the whole Mark E Smith ethos, i.e. group members come and go, never being tied down to a particular style or anything –just wish we where as prolific.

6. The flaming lips - The Soft Bulletin

Pick a song, any song…. The Soft Bulletin is one of those albums we wished we could have made, and unlike , say OK Computer, is one that we could have made (if we’d have had the money, the time, the talent etc.etc.) Melodic Originality – the GH Holy Grail

7. Bottleneck in Caple Curig – Half Man Half Biscuit

It could have been any of the ‘biscuits tracks pretty much as there all brilliant, however this one was picked for several facts. It is a brilliant pop song, it makes you feel incredibly summery! And it has the line ‘Neil Morrissey’s a Knob head’’ And he is.

8. Ennio Morricone

We’ve always been huge fans of soundtrack music , and Morricone is the daddy of them all (and Lalo Schiffrin’s its brother and Bernard Herman’s its uncle), mostly for his use of drama and intensity, a big influence on our ‘arrangements’ – check out ‘Sun Has Crossed The Sky’ or ‘Shrouded In The Snow’.

9. till the morning comes - Neil Young

The whole of ‘After the Gold Rush’ is a great album, but this was picked for the fantastic use of the trumpet at the end, something we have tried a lot in the past.

10. The Super Furry Animals –Radiator

Taught us the way to use Pop tricks without sounding ‘twee’.

11. Here comes your man – The Pixies

The song that inspired Paul to actually pick up a guitar and learn. Could have been any Pixies track, but this one wins, just from Velouria for the riff.

12. Car Wash Hair – Mercury Rev

One of the first songs John learned to play on guitar- Aminor, G, D - never lets you down.