Clyde McPhatter – A Lover’s Question (1958)
Laura Nyro – Sweet Blindness (1968)
Al Green – Beware (1973)
Kraftwerk – Ohm Sweet Ohm (1975)
Van Morrison – T.B. Sheets (1967)
Dave McComb of The Triffids wrote out endless lists of stuff according bio-book by Aussie Photographer turned author, who self-published it entitled Save Want You Can: The Day Of The Triffids by Bleddyn Butcher. It’s based some what on McComb’s own journals, letters, notes left behind plus interviews with everyone who was there. Dave himself did passed away in the 90’s if you don’t remember or know? On page 325 of the book he narrowed it down to just “Top Five Songs” in late 80’s as above, it was for a never published weekly music newspaper they had back in the late 80’s at the time. Below is seven more faves he played on a late night radio show in 1984, he was asked to play “Some of his Fave Tracks” live on air just before flying out to England for the very first time. All are different songs but some of the same artists, they were these songs:
Bruce Springsteen – Meeting Across The River (1975)
Sister Sledge – Lost In Music (1979)
Kraftwerk – Neonlicht (1978)
The Reels – Happiness (1983)
Nat King Cole – A Blossom Fell (1955)
Bee Gees – First Of May (1969)
Al Green – Strong As Death (Sweat As Love) (1975)
Worth noting in the book does have Chic the band credited to the song Lost In Music but it was performed by Sister Sledge at the time, it was written and produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of the group Chic so I guess, it’s disco confusing?
On page 272 of the very same book listed what he called “His Scary Album” which are the nine albums below plus number ten is what he called the “Greatest Record Made” at the same time as his top five songs at the top of this blog post. His scary albums and greatest record made are:
John Cale – Music For A New Society (1982)
Big Star – Third/Sister Lovers (1978)
The Only Ones – Even Serpents Shine (1979)
Lou Reed – Berlin (1973)
Leonard Cohen – Songs Of Love And Hate (1971)
Neil Young – Tonight’s The Night (1975)
John Lennon – Plastic Ono Band (1970)
Bruce Springsteen – Nebraska (1982)
Bob Dylan – Blood On The Tracks (1974)
Laura Nyro (and Labelle) – Gonna Take A Miracle (1971)
Hope you enjoy? All the music Dave did name a very, very long time ago back in the 80’s! I totally love stuff like this so I can’t help but turn it into a blog post today. I don’t know if people/readers/listeners even know who The Triffids are? Or even who the hell Dave McComb is? Same thing but I love them so much, off course I’m going to blog post it! OK, I should write something about the book itself so stay turned for one of my really shit-bad book write-ups coming soon!
Cheers 🙂
a1000mistakes 
What a cool thing to post!! Thanks
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No problems, i just post stuff i really dig so it’s wicked cool you enjoy them too and i should say cheers again for saying so! 🙂
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Great post, William!
Just finished household packing, and dazed and drained from two weeks of prepping, and yesterday the movers whizzed it all away…
Now, finally can catch my breath, and take a short time to catch up on the reading that I have had to put aside for some time, and was so cool to find you writing about the tremendous gift of songwriting that David McComb had. Those Triffids’ reissues on cd, a while back had some great liner notes, which mentioned his endless list-making [I particularly liked the notes for the songs he wrote, which described how he wanted the songs to sound, based on earlier bands/songwriters/songs].
Every one of his album choices, is in my collection [except for the Only Ones] 😉
Of the singles, I’m familiar with all of them, except the Reels, and perhaps the Nat King Cole tracks.
Never got to see the Triffids perform, but have nearly all of their recorded output, and a bit of live footage to go to, when time allows. All great stuff, and a crying shame that he died so young.
Keep up the good work, you tireless young man!
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Cheers Micheal, that book does details more that a couple U.S.A. tours that for one reason or other didn’t happen, they play did in New York city and somewhere else but you can’t really call it touring America.
The Reels are late 70’s/early 80’s Aussie band who i don’t think released anything overseas but check out the song Quasimodo’s Dream, that’s also title track 1981 album if you do want even more to listen tooo?
Cole’s song plays in Dave fave movie Badlands of 1973 directed by Terrence Malick starring Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek, i think it’s the same film which played on English TV and he forced the whole band, girlfriends and everyone else in the share house to watch it one night.
I will write something about the book but another Triffids post is up today! I only seen the reunion shows with guest singers filling in for Dave, was too young to see him live, even his solo album in the 90’s.
I guess, you can get all the albums from your collection, play them once you’ve finished moving house, it’s a job and a half so have a beer or something on me! 🙂
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Thanks for filling in some additional details for me, William! And, yes, I will be having a beer or two tonight, to wash down the dust that was kicked up in the shuffle, and to ward off the evil humidity and heat that I will no longer be missing every summer 😉 Cheers!
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