Figlio d’arte, autore di più di una dozzina tra album singoli a proprio nome nonché -per alcuni anni- membro dei Tindersticks, l’irlandese David Kitt si è fatto anche conoscere dagli appassionati di elettronica attraverso il suo pseudonimo di New Jackson firmando una manciata di riuscitissimi EPs per etichette quali Hivern Discs, Permanent Vacation, Major Problems, Cin Cin e di recente per la dublinese All City Records. Ed è proprio in occasione di questa uscita, ovvero il bellissimo 12″ Anya’s Piano, che abbiamo raggiunto il musicista per farci raccontare qualcosa del proprio background attraverso i dischi più significativi della sua collezione.
The first record you bought:
Wham – “Fantastic” was my first on cassette when I was seven or eight. I bought everything George Michael put out from this up to his solo classic “Listen Without Prejudice”. I was listening to “Fantastic” recently when he passed away. This one in particular has really stayed with me and remains an influence.
My first record on vinyl which I got from Santa aged eleven was The Pogues “Rum, Sodomy and The Lash”. I didn’t know what sodomy or the lash meant at the time. I still love the record, start to finish. Stiff Records around that time was a real hotbed of creativty and diverse talent and it felt like everyone was having a lot of fun. I’ve been meaning to pitch this one down and get it into the MPC for years now.
The record you own that you are most proud of:
The most I paid for a record and one of my most prized possessions is a mint original of Ronnie Lane’s Slim Chance “One For The Road”. He was the bass player in The Small Faces and The Faces and such a soulful dude and incredible songwriter. He had terrible luck but never seemed to let it dampen his spirits. There’s a great BBC documentary on him…
A record that made you want to start making music:
I got the bug early so I can’t really remember any “Eureka!” moment with one record in particular. My love of records and my love of playing and recording were all in full swing by the time i was 11 or 12. In relation to New Jackson there are a lots of tracks that I think are a big part of the DNA of the sound, for example…
A record that still inspires you production-wise:
Loads, but in terms of stuff I’ve been listening to for years… As an album this is so good start to finish, hard to beat. Hip hop albums around that time had too many tracks and I love how this is so concise like Neil Young “After The Goldrush” or something. Makes it feel more like a singer-songwriter record to me.
I still go back to Daft Punk “Homework”/Roulè era 12″s a lot. Aphex Twin “Selected Ambient Works” are crazy good for how young he was. Underworld “Second Toughest In The Infants” is a recent one that had aged well I thought, production wise.
Your favourite Irish record:
Tough one. the answer could be different tomorrow. But in terms of how much I’ve listened to them, I’m gonna go with “Astral Weeks” by Van Morrison, “Loveless” by My Bloody Valentine and “I´am Brazil” by The Redneck Manifesto.
A record that makes you always want to dance:
Nile Rodgers guitar here is great. One for getting the shoulders going involuntarily.
A record that makes you go all emotional:
This is one did it the other day… Bob Marley and Peter Tosh on those two guitars really got the goosebumps going.
The record that you use to come down and relax:
JJ Cale always does the job.
Vito Ricci recently
Your favourite All City Rec. release:
This is in my all time top ten dance tracks.
This is my favourite All City release probably, this one gets the goosebumps going too…
The last record you bought:
“Odisea” by Suso Sáiz and “Outro Tempo: Electronic and Contemporary Music From Brazil: 1978-1992” both on Music From Memory. So many quality releases on that label, mind-blowing stuff.
