Defining Five is a series at Haymarket Whiskey Bar, where, each month, five people from the Louisville music community pick five songs that have moved, inspired or impacted them and then play them during a DJ set. After each event, LEO Weekly will publish an interview with all five to get some context as to why each song was selected. (Stay tuned to Haymarket’s Facebook page for updates.)
Lyle Edward (drums/guitar in Discount Guns)
“King of The Road” By Roger Miller From Best of Roger Miller (or the record it was originally from) “It's one of the first songs I remember hearing as a kid. I remember being 7 years old in my living room requesting it on the radio station and waiting all day to hear it.”
"The Motivator" By T-Rex From Electric Warrior "This is one of the first albums I bought after I smashed my hard drive. Love that song. He wrote about Bob Dylan. It's got a cool groove."
"Cigarettes and Alcohol" By Oasis From Definitely Maybe "Just listen to the lyrics. It embodies everything any middle-class person in a rut or musician lives through."
"Ball and a Biscuit" By The White Stripes From Elephant "It was the first guitar solo that I felt like it punched me in the face. It was the first song that made me realize that less is more, and that's the mentality I've had playing music since then."
"Head Over Heels" By J.D. McPherson From Let the Good Times Roll "I was in a bit of a rut when I first bought that album on a whim, and that song pulled me out of it. It's got the greatest tremolo effect on a song ever (Writer's note: I'm sure he is 90 percent convinced it's the best), and I really love J.D. McPherson. I think he is one of the better, current musicians out there doing it right now."
Shelley Anderson (bassist in Brenda and master engineering at Black Lab Mastering)
"It's So Easy" By Guns N Roses From Appetite For Destruction "It's been my favorite record since I've been about 4 or 5 years old. In preschool, I got in trouble for being able to sing it so easily. That's how I learned the f-word is a bad word, and I got put in time out for singing it. And it’s still my favorite record today."
"Bad" By Michael Jackson From Bad "This is one of the first songs, when I was young, that made me realize that I loved music, and I used to dance to it all the time as a kid."
"Bone Machine" By The Pixies From Surfer Rosa "This is my other favorite record of all time. I love The Pixies. I love how the sound of the record is sonically. It's great."
"Long Snake Moan" By PJ Harvery From To Bring You My Love "I love the way this record sounds. I think this song explodes, and her vocals are amazing. Any PJ Harvey song is a great song, and its hard to pick but that's a great one."
"Cannonball" By The Breeders From Last Splash "Another classic 90's song. There is a second appearance by Kim Deal (bassist in The Pixies) in my top five. She and The Breeders helped me discover a new type of music."
Jon Wettig (co-owner of Zanzabar)
"Slip It In" By Black Flag From Slip It In This is the first album I bought with my own money from cutting grass in the seventh grade, because I finally had my own record player in my room, and that didn't go over well with my parents. If you know the cover of “Slip It In,” then you'll know why.
"I Want Be Man" By Cheap Trick From One on One "[Cheap Trick] was the first concert I ever went to in my life, and I think I saw them during this (the One on One) tour. It was a song that never ended up getting radio play but was one of the baddest rock n roll song you've ever heard."
"King Contrary Man" By The Cult From Electric "If you know The Cult, you know the song. Still after 25 years, I listen to this album and this song, and I love it. Another rock-’n-roll song that sticks with you."
"We've Got The System To Fight The System" By Pyramid of the Sun From Maserati "In the seven years, I've have had live music (at Zanzabar), Maserati was probably my favorite band I ever saw there. They were completely new to me and when I saw them they got in my blood and have been there ever since. It’s what I listen to."
Michael C. Powell (Vectortone: writer/designer)
"The Hardest Walk" By The Jesus and Mary Chain From Psycho Candy "This was the first time I heard music that figured out how to incorporate the idea of noise into songs that were tuneful and melodic and catchy, and that was fascinating to me. It's really informed everything that I've listened to since."
"Day In The Life" By The Beatles From Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band "I grew up as a classic-rock kid, and I loved the Beatles growing up, but this song was the one that differentiated that band for me. It made me understand the more artistic, interesting, darker ways of expressing oneself in songs. You have three movements in one song … from a pop group!"
"Minim" By Broadcast From Haha Sound "If I had to pick a favorite band, it would be Broadcast. They are magical and mysterious and kaleidoscopic to me. Their sound represents the idea of childlike wonder every time I hear them. As a graphic designer, my favorite work that I have done is trying to visually interpret the sound of Minim."
"Halleluwah" By Can From Tago Mago "During college, I had a walk to school that was about 18 minutes, which is the length of this song, and I could put my headphones on, and I could be in my head, and it was my own daily personal peace. It was my own sort of sonic yoga."
"Telephasic Workshop" By Boards of Canada From Music Has the Right to Children "These guys are the first electronic act I can think of that looked to the past instead of the present or the future. They tap into the idea of nature and really rigid, spacial music. They were my version of metal in a certain way, in how they hide this sinister, creepy imagery in hidden spots in the music."
Bes Of Year: Bobby Schraffenberger (Kindred DJS)
"I picked 2010 because that was the year I started Dj-ing and really listening/collecting music, so it was a very influential year for me. I started listening to things that were out of my normal comfort zone, and that made me really think so I started listening to artists such as Flying Lotus and Caribou. Other great artists putting out albums that year was Kanye West, LCD Sound System, The National and Tallest Man On Earth."
