He really is the music man.
We caught up with Dave Fanning to find out what is on his playlist and what musicians he has on repeat.
Dave, you’ve been listening to music for a lifetime, do you ever get bored or cynical about it all?
I listen to music all day, every day and music makes me realise that days are just too short. People who love music are often asked ‘Could you live without music?” They usually say ‘no’ and waffle on about how important music is blah, blah. Well, I’d answer ‘yes.’..of course I could live without music. But, I choose not to ‘cos I love it. So, I live with music, all day every day. It’s a very fab thing really.
What’s currently on your playlist?
Woods, Sparklehorse, Kevin Morby, Beatles, Sufjan Stevens, The Smile, Jape, Rolling Stones, Bell X1, L’Rain, Rat Saw God, Youth Lagoon, Michael McAuliffe, Harry Partch, Arthur Russell, The Reds The Pinks and The Purples, Eno/Fred Again.
Which artists have been constants with you throughout your life?
The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Nick Cave.
If you could have been in any band, what band would it have been? And what instrument would you have played?
The Beatles. Instrument? Gotta be either the Eucal Blossom, the Chromelodeon or since I’m a dab hand on the vintage Cloud Chamber Bowls and the Bamboo Marimba, I’d settle for either of those but only – in the case of the latter – if honed or, indeed, fashioned from the Sitka Spruce extract of the Guinea Bissau diacopic gourd tree. It’s important to get the best sound.
Have you fantasised about being a star, up there rocking out on stage?!
Years ago, having removed the bulb from the stereo to take it track-by-track through a few hours in total darkness. I got lost in the music and I think I thought I was lost on some stage.
When you get a bit of downtime, what’s the first thing you do?
Music, movies, live football.
Are you good at switching off?
No idea; never tried it!
What are you watching on telly right now?
Trying to find something that measures up to Better Call Saul but since I manage to average five movies a week for the past 40 years, there’s plenty of choice. I liked Dopesick, The Dropout, Superpumped and WeCrashed and all that Silicon Valley hubris stuff.
What are you most thankful for in life?
The fact that I’m so goddamn modest.
What scares you?
Religion.
What are you listening to right now?
My 20 podcasts which I’m just about to unleash.
What are you reading?
Re-reading, actually, ‘cos it’s great 1,2,3,4, The Beatles in Time by Craig Brown.
What’s your favourite thing to cook?
Surinam tacoma crab brains with manicou kale pache, khama dhokla and rommegrot on toast.
What’s your ideal date?
My fabulous wife, silly!
Where’s your favourite place in the world?
I like bed.
What’s your most treasured possession?
Since it would be incredibly rude to refer to my wife and kids as ‘possessions’, I honestly haven’t a clue.
What’s your standout childhood memory?
I remember cycling to school having just got my hands on the Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Beatles single. As good as it gets.
What’s been your proudest personal moment?
Proud? Isn’t that the thing that comes before a fall? Not sure ‘bout that.
Who’s made the biggest impact on your life?
My mother…and my fabulous wife.
What are your hopes for the future?
World peace.
