<< REWIND 5 : Gary Inman
Ladies & gentlemen, El Solitario is proud to present the 5th take on ESMC’s <<REWIND, a new series of interviews with the people that rock our Moto-World®, centered around the music that shaped their lives. Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.
For the 5th <<REWIND, we had Gary Inman in the house and asked him about those ten records he would take to a deserted island. Gary is one of ESMC’s favorite writers, a fast racer, Sideburn Magazine’s editor and a family man. Having grown up on an overaccessorized vespa listening to Punk & Ska, it was providential that he’d become a music man. His life on two wheels pushed him towards motorcycle journalism and today he is one of the sharpest and most controversial pens in the industry. From the Sahara to the go fast turn left tracks of the DTRA or Casey Stoner’s Ducati In Philip Island, Gary always carries his grooves with him and why deny it, he is a kickass dancer too!
Voila!@#
Hi ESMC, here is my selection!
The Sonics // Boom
The greatest garage band of them all, hence the fact you might have actually heard of them. Every song is a killer. To think this LP was released in 1965. I don’t own a single Beatles record, but I own a lot of Sonics discs.
Love // Da Capo
When I was in my teens and early-20s I was such a snob when it came to music, that I wouldn’t even pick up a Love LP because I thought it was too 1968 for me. I just wanted hard, garage punk from 1964-66 and a band called Love didn’t sound tough enough. Then I heard them and fell in love.
The Ramones // Ramones
Changed everything for me. I was introduced to them by a couple of brothers, the Shaws, who lived near me but were a few years older. One became a nuclear physicist, the other a policeman. I didn’t see that coming. The Ramones – classic dumb punk. Often copied, never bettered.
The Beach Boys // Pet Sounds
When I was very young I liked all the surf songs of the early Beach Boys. I borrowed Pet Sounds from a friend whose dad had it. I listened to it once and gave it back, because there were no surf tunes on it. Then my tastes matured. I want God Only Knows played at my funeral. You’re all invited.
Rocket From the Crypt // Scream Dracula Scream
Best live band I’ve ever seen. Side one of the LP starts like a top fuel drag race and barely slows down. On A Rope is a classic single.
Back From the Grave compilations
The best garage punk compilations of unknown 1960s raw, Kinks-inspired, no-hit wonders, on the Crypt label.
Little Barrie // King of the Waves
Among all these ancient discs I felt I should include a newer one, this cracker from the British three-piece. Lewis the bassist is restoring a grasstracker sidecar his dad used to race.
Jonathan Richman // Action Packed
It’s a bit of a cop-out, because this is a best of, but I love all Jonathan’s output (he also releases LPs sung solely in Spanish), and this has so many sing-a-long hits. One of the few CDs my kids will let me play in the car.
The Mummies // Play Their Own Records
Lo-fi garage punk band from the eary-90s. I set off from England to Belgium on an ancient Lambretta, with my girlfriend (now my wife) on the back to see them play a squat club called Le Pits in Kortrijk. The scooter broke down before we even reached the ferry port in England, so we got the recovery truck to the ferry terminal, locked the Lambi up behind a hotel and continued by train. A memorable trip, mind-blowing gig, great LP.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds // Abattoir Blues/ The Lyre of Orpheus
Nick Cave is the only singer/songwriter/rock star/ whatever I can think of who just keeps getting better*. This is my favourite LP of his, and it’s a double, so there’s lots of it.
*Maybe Jack White too.