This week’s Space Station 5 comes to us from Bill Henderson.
“If I was gone for six months on the space station the first thing I’d make sure I had with me in the way of music was a goddam guitar. Gotta have that. Make yer own music……. But when I get tired of hearing my own stuff and trying to find picks in that zero gravity environment, I’d hold down the needle on The Flamingos “I Only Have Eyes For You” – perfect for gazing out the window at that magical blue green ball I love so much.
When I need a good laugh I’d put on that rockinist of piano CDs and display of bad manners: Jerry Lee Lewis’ – “Last Man Standing”. Just to hear him pushing those big stars aside and makin’ mince meat out of his piano is so much fun. It’s all for fun after all.
I’d be sure to have my Louisiana Spice album so’s I could feel the earth under my feet again, even if only in my imagination. Especially earthy and refreshing is the sound of Jimmy C Newman singing “Chere Toute-Toute”. Check it out sometime. When we’re on the road and having a hard day of air travel, being searched, lined up, under constant surveillance and suspicion and then told “you can’t bring that guitar on this plane” for the umpteenth time, nothing brings me back to reality and the sweetness of life that we so often ignore as Jimmy Newman puttin’ the Cajun howl to “Chere Tout-Toute in waltz time.
And if there are still shreds of exasperation with human ignorance (mine included) then I’d just meet it with “Day In The Life”. Up in that tin can there’d probably be lots of opportunity to reflect on such things. Might as well throw in the whole Sargent Peppers album. It’s such a beautiful piece of work.
I’d have my Mexican and Cuban Son music with me. It could just be Ancient Culture’s version of La Guacamaya. Or the one Los Lobos did. or Quetzalcoatl’s version of Querreque, or just the Buena Vista Social Club’s first CD. Have to decide about all that I guess.
I love the haunting Celtic chords and soaring melodies in Ralph Vaughn Williams’ “Fantasia on Greensleeves”. Or for a similar music/emotion I could just listen to Van Morrison sing “My Lagan Love” from the album he did with The Chieftans called “Irish Heart Beat”. The painfully beautiful Irish Heart eh? You know that sound?
I guess that’s all I get to bring? Hey I can understand restricting the number of vinyl LPs you bring, because they weigh a lot, but this is the 21st century. What about files??? Surely I could have “Mississippi Queen” on a thumb drive, along with “Cross Roads” by Cream and and and….”
My 5 Space Station albums, in no particular order:
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[two_third_last] I Only Have Eyes for You – The Flamingos
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[two_third_last]Last Man Standing – Jerry Lee Lewis
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[two_third_last]Louisiana Spice – Chere Tout-Tout[/two_third_last]
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[two_third_last]A Day in the Life – The Beatles
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[two_third_last]Buena Vista Social Club – Buena Vista Social Club
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About Bill Henderson:
Bill is a Juno and Genie Award winning musician best known for his work with Chilliwack in the 70’s and 80’s. He was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 2015.
