Today's Memory Taper is from David Roberts, illustrator extraordinaire. Check out some of his incredible work here. Here he is, in his words:
"This tape, and the friend who made it, have had such an influence on my music collection and my life. In fact, it's the reason I am doing the job I do today. It's all down to him. I am a children’s book illustrator and have been for the past 17 years, but it was while studying for a degree in fashion design at Manchester Polytechnic, that I shared a falling-down house in West Didsbury with Dom Mansell, who was illustrating children’s books at the time.
Dom introduced me to the music of John Martyn, Nick Drake, The Roches, Danielle Dax, Tom Waits and the Amazing Mary Margeret O' Hara and many more. He also encouraged me to pursue my dream of illustrating for children’s books. I have since been lucky enough to work on over 150 children’s books, for authors like Kenneth Grahame, Tom Baker [ Dr Who !!!], Carol Ann Duffy, Philip Ardagh, and the awesome Julia Donaldson, as well as my own series 'Dirty Bertie'. Dom is nine years older than me, and so his music collection was much more varied as he introduced me to stuff that I would never have known existed, we shared a love of Kate Bush, and he lent me his copy of the Dreaming, that I think he regretted after I played Suspended In Gaffer, for the hundredth time! He really turned me on to folk music too, through his copy of the first Roche LP. Being an illustrator of children's books I do love a song that tells a story.
This tape was pretty much a sound track to my early twenties, though many of these tracks I haven't heard for many years, as I am no longer the owner of a tape recorder. I know Dom listens to the show so it would be a delight to hear some of these tracks again and remind me of my lovely friend. I am a big fan of 6 Music and have illustrated many books while listening to your station."
And here is the mix:
Side A (Percy Hyde's Greatest hits - Percy Hyde was our land lord)
The Pixies - Monkey gone to heaven
Swans - Saved
Patsy Cline - Imagine that
Momus - Hair style of the Devil
Al Bowlly - The very thought of you
Bonnie Rait - Baby of mine
Julie Cruise - Right back inside my heart,
Robert Crumb and the cheap seat Serenaders - Singing in the bath tub,
Tom Waits - Downtown train
Jesus and Mary chain - You turn me up
Nick Cave - By the time I get to Phoenix
Psychadelic Furs - Pretty in pink
Side B (From Northern Grove to Memphis - we lived on Northern Grove)
Trumpton intro
Tom Waits - Swordfish trombones
Danielle Dax - inky bloaters
Momus ; Bishonen
Patsy Cline - Crazy
Swans - Can't find my way home
Robert Robert - Hula Girl /pedal your blues away
MARY MARGERET O HARA - dear darling ( this is my favourite )
The Lilac Time - Love becomes a savage
Swans - God damn the sun
Ngareo o Mokoia - Tuhourangi
Vivian Stanshall - Socks
We want to hear your memories and the music that soundtracked them. Drop us a line to: lauren.6music@bbc.co.uk
