Life Is Like A Box Of Records: Lloyd Meredith

Today’s Life Is Like A Box of Records today is with Olive Grove Records founder and director Lloyd Meredith. He is also well known for his blog Peenko. Check out Olive Grove Records and also his new signing Skinny Dipper who are added to an already impressive roster. 1. Baby Chaos – Hello

Like most people of my age I first started really getting into music through Nirvana, but it wasn’t until I started going to live gigs that I started to get really obsessed. The second ever gig that I went to was at the Barras to see Terrorvision, on which the first band on were a local band called Baby Chaos. Both me and my sister became a bit obsessed with the band, following them round on tour and buying anything that we could lay our hands on. Their first two albums, ‘Safe Sex Designer Drugs & the Death of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ and ‘Love Yourself Abuse’ are still two of my all time favourite records. I have opted to go with the ‘Hello’ one of the singles from the bands second album, featuring a very young Kelly MacDonald.

2. Woodenbox (with a fistful of fivers) – Besides the Point

Is it cheating to put a band on your label on this list? I hope not! Long before they were an Olive Grove band, I was massive fan of the Woodenbox boys. I particularly love this song as it reminds of a time shortly after my daughter was born. We used to give her a bath and every time I stuck on their album, ‘Home and a Wildhunt’, it would put the biggest smile on her face. Then again that could be something to do with me dancing along to the song…

3. The Reindeer Section – Cartwheels

I am a Snow Patrol fan and I am not ashamed to admit it. Round about 2001 I was a wee bit disillusioned with how my life was headed, I had just come back from doing a masters down in Liverpool and I was finding things quite tough. Around that time I found ‘When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up’, Snow Patrol’s second album, which features the track ‘An Olive Grove Facing The Sea’, which may or may not have had some inspiration for the label I run…. Anyway, I digress, that album really struck a chord with me and I found myself becoming a bit of a Snow Patrol groupie. When Gary Lightbody started his side project, The Reindeer Section, my obsession grew even further. I only managed to see the band play live a handful of times, but for me their show at the QMU back in 2003 is still up there as one of my favourite shows of all time.
For me the stand out track from the bands two albums has to ‘Cartwheels’, it never fails to make feel better about life.

4. Symposium – Drink The Sunshine

Shortly after the demise of Britpop, the NME tried to hype up the next big scene, on of which was Bratpop, which saw the magazine try link together teenage bands such as the likes of Bis, Kenickie, Snug, Midget and my beloved Symposium. Now it may not have been a scene which had that much of a degree of credibility, but as youngster I was sucked in by the energy and fun of it all. Symposium became another obsession of mine, so much so that I even wrote my own fanzine about them for a bit, called Bison Shipment. This song reminds me of the fun times that I had at the bands often riotous gigs, plus it makes me feel young for all of 3 minutes!

5. Idlewild – Last Night I Missed All The Fireworks

This song reminds me of my uni days, in particular it reminds of the first weeks of being down in Liverpool when I had Captain on heavy rotation. The early ‘punk’ gigs that Idlewild used to play are sup there as one of the most fun live experiences I’ve ever had.

6. Randolph’s Leap – Going Home

I couldn’t not include the ‘Leap in this list, so I have decided to plump for Going Home. For me this song will forever be synonymous with the birth of my daughter, Erin. I distinctly remember playing the Battleship and Kettle Chips EP as we drove to the Southern General in the middle of the night.

7. Badly Drawn Boy – Everybody’s Stalking

I spent the summer of 2000 sitting in front a computer typing up my dissertation with Badly Drawn Boy’s ‘The Hour of Bewilderbeast’ on a constant loop. This album plus endless cups of tea were the only things that kept me going! I have only just been able to start listening to the album again without it giving me the fear.

8. Stars – Set Yourself On Fire

This album breaks my heart every time I hear it. I bought this album in a record store in New York, alongside a copy of Neutral Milk Hotel’s ‘In The Aeroplane Over The Sea’. I think that might have been my best record shopping day ever.

9. The Beach Boys – God Only Knows

This was the first dance at my wedding, I guess I don’t need to explain why it’s so special to me.

10. Love – Alone Again Or

Last, but not least… I am not one for listening to music from my parents generation, but I adore Love’s ‘Forever Changes’. If you have never heard it, then I would urge your you to hunt a copy down.

 

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