To be terminally disappointed with Desert Island Discs

[Jemima232]

………. because the music people choose is so awful these days.

I used to enjoy it but I don't bother listening any more.

the beauty of DID is that youre asking OTHER PEOPLE for what they would take to a desert island.
Noone is stopping you listening to the music you would take to a desert island. Youre not the one being interviewed though, so they wont be your choices. I think you should take this into account when deciding what to listen to

I found him less than fascinating and I like Chic.

The story is that when David Bowie got him to produce Let's Dance as yet another of his reinventions, he found Rogers a bit of a know-all
and put him in his place as just the hired producer.

Let's Dance, is one of Bowie's least impressive albums, IMO

I think by your choice of Mr Blue Sky you have lost any right to talk about pop music!

I liked Davina McCall on DID, both for her choice of music and open discussion of her life. Each track fitted the stories she told, which is the point of the show.

Before that I thought she was Mrs Shouty off the Telly. She's so much more interesting and thoughtful.

Some of that credit must go to Kirsty Young, who was an excellent interviewer - far better than Sue Lawley.

I can't listen to Lauren Laverne but love John Cooper-Clarke so I'll dig out his episode and try to ignore her.

I suspect that Desert Island Discs is approached by many of the guests as a PR exercise, so they pick things that they/their team think will fit in with the 'brand message'.

I don't think I've ever read anything so stupid on here. You're not invited onto DID unless you have made your mark in the world - it's not a programme for Z list celebs.

I'm also disappointed with it now, but because of Lauren Laverne rather than the music choices. I just find her such a poor interviewer, I don't enjoy it much anymore either.

Thanks for the Private Passions recommendation, will give that a try.

First heard this on Desert Island Discs, in 2007. You reminded me.

Mr blue sky is a kind of pop version of classical music

I think by your choice of Mr Blue Sky you have lost any right to talk about pop music

Oops.

I'm also disappointed with it now, but because of Lauren Laverne rather than the music choices. I just find her such a poor interviewer, I don't enjoy it much anymore either. That's so different to my view of her. I find her natural and empathetic. Kirsty Young is a crashing snob but she's ill so I feel sorry that she's had to step down.

What would you all pick, then?

Obviously not Mr. Blue Sky for starters.

The Muckin' O' Geordie's Byre

Ten songs for Desert Island Discs? Just in case you meant that:
The Gloaming, Meáchan Rudaí
Van Morrison, Crazy Love
Evanescence, Lithium
Mick Ronson, Angel #9
Idlewild, A Modern Way of Letting Go
Roddy Woomble, On N'a Plus de Temps
David Bowie, Changes
Luka Bloom, Sanctuary
Curved Air, Backstreet Luv
Lou Reed, I Love You

Why should people only pick classical? Plenty of people don't listen to it at all, or listen to it amongst other things. It depends what music people are attracted to and attached to- especially the music they are attached.

You're allowed to dislike what people choose, but I think it's awful to be snooty about it.

I'd have a big mix.

At least Elisabeth Schwarzkopf probably chose those discs herself...and it was 7 of hers plus one other. I can actually see why a musician might do that if that was their whole life.

Just go over to Private Passions, Op. Much more illuminating both musically and for what the guest has to say. Much more of a conversation.
LL isn't particularly to my taste,but each to their own. I don't listen much these days but I used to get irritated when guests were allowed to take 'luxuries' which were highly practical. Dear old Roy would have said a flat 'No!'

Serious music is becoming more marginalised these days and the current state/ funding of music education in schools creates an even bigger divide. So I think DID will increasingly reflect popular culture.

DH and I love discussing our DID lists and they change frequently but some that have featured on my list:

Patches by Clarence Carter
The theme song from once upon a time in China
Kabalevsky cello concerto no. 1
Laudamus Te from the Vivaldi Gloria
Respect by Aretha Franklin
The entire soundtrack of Romeo + Juliet
The quintet from the end of Act 5 of Meistersinger
Since by man came Death from the messiah
Sound the trumpet by Purcell
Thunder by Imagine Dragons
Shostakovich string quartet no. 8

limitedperiodonly Niles Rogers had a terrible childhood and became an enormous success. I can’t grasp why anyone wouldn’t find that interesting?

I love Patches Xiaoxiong. But then I love story songs like Hickory Hollers Tramp and those with spoken passages like er, If, as done by Telly Savalas, and this has them both. And it makes me cry every single time.

Serious music is becoming more marginalised these days and the current state/ funding of music education in schools creates an even bigger divide. So I think DID will increasingly reflect popular culture.

Yeah, Edward Gardner, the new conductor of the LPO made that point today on the Today Programme. He won a music scholarship to Eton, I understand.

Because nothing says “Classical music is for everyone” quite like an Eton scholarship. 🙄

Is there nobody in this country in a prestigious position who HASN’T attended that bloody school?

Some of the guests have no idea about music and no interest, and probably ask their kids or friends.
I think that I read that My Way would be on it every other week if the guests weren't encouraged to suggest something else.

I don't listen to it any more because LL is not my idea of an interviewer, but I had listened for many years.
I used the off button when i didn't like the disc.

hearing john cooper clarke was great this morning - i rarely listen but coincided with a fairly long car journey so no distractions... his luxury item made me howl with laughter.

Hearing about his English teacher who taught the whole class to love the Romantic poets was brilliant.

yes, and how you could tell how rough the school was howwudufeel

Because nothing says “Classical music is for everyone” quite like an Eton scholarship.

Piglet89