The Great Musical Daisy Chain
Recently I have been taking a trip down musical memory lane searching out old CDs (and even LPs) from the 80s and 90s from a large box I keep completely unsorted. I stumbled on a classic EP I bought about fifteen years ago. The EP brought me to a realisation that I discover new music down to the artist’s collaboration with others. One example is the vast array of people who have worked with Crowded House’s Neil Finn.
In 1999 Finn co-wrote Shawn Colvin’s “What I get paid for” I am not exactly sure of the facts as I have two versions of this album but it appears (to me anyway) that the US release of ‘A few small repairs’ features Finn on backing vocals yet the UK release doesn’t. Anyway it is definitely worth researching.
Neil has also sang on Sheryl Crow’s ‘Every Day is a Winding Road’ and although I probably would have bought this album anyway his appearance certainly drew my attention to the release. Furthermore Neil has played guitar for the great Missy Higgins (who subsequently appears on “She will have her Way, the Songs of Tim and Neil Finn”).
There are dozens, Finn co-wrote ‘Silent House’ with the Dixie chicks and both have released the song on albums. I am not a massive Dixie Chicks fan but I have to admit I actually prefer their version of the song (sorry all). I also now own a Jonatha Brooke album due to an appearance on ‘New Dress’. The list could go on and if you took the daisy chain too extremes you will find Radiohead, and Pearl Jam on there too.
In the early 90s Michael Stipe offered similar support to a range of artists. He sang on an Indigo Girls track entitled “Kid Fears” a really brilliant acoustic track with Stipe featuring towards the end. His appearance is somewhat of surprise but it builds to a hair raising conclusion. From this appearance I have bought at least three further Indigo Girls albums and I can remember seeing them live in the Limelight in the early 90s as a result I really don’t think the live video (above) does the song justice you have to buy the album to get the real benefit.
One of the best collaborative finds through Michael Stipe has to be Kristin Hersh and this brings me full circle to the CD rediscovered at the start of this muse.
It was 1993 and the CD was an EP by the brilliant Kristin Hersh entitled “Your Ghost” I can remember buying the EP and the reason why…….. simply, it featured R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe. The song is fantastic and I bought the album shortly after ( on an aside ‘Uncle June and Aunt Kiyoti” has a really great acoustic guitar track). I have added a link to Kristin’s website below and twitter fans can find info of how to follow her onsite.
I just wonder how many other artists I had started listening to due to their collaboration work with others? Anyone have any additional suggestions to the great music daisy chain ?
Links:
Kristen Hersh
Indigo Girls
Shawn Colvin
