Roy Stannard's Blog

When you think you know it all, ask the next question

Must-have music

  • Standing at the doorway of the year (what I’m doing next)

    Waiting for stars to come into alignment, precursor angels to whisper in our ear and a sense of imminent goodness to happen. Sure, 2010 was a tough year and some aspirations have had to be put on a ventilator for a while – but day by day that infant we call hope will grow imperceptibly… Read more

  • My Top Ten Albums of 2010

    Roy Stannard’s often requested Top Ten albums of 2010 – with the next ten thrown in for good measure. Read more

  • Songs for a Wedding

    Did Maria Callas expect to end up on a list of the greatest Wedding songs of all time? Probably not. However, here you will find Abba nuzzling next to opera, Callas lip-curling in royal fashion with the human sneer, Billy Idol – along with the Pelvis, Gloria Gaynor, Earth, Wind and Fire and the mighty… Read more

  • Another link in The Chain

    Never thought you would hear another track as good as Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’? At last, one has arrived. Lissie’s ‘In Sleep’ from her ‘Catching a Tiger’ album featured a coruscating yet agonisingly beautiful guitar run from Eric Sullivan. Listen and weep. A classic is born. Read more

  • Indie Love Songs that defined an era 1984-5

    How a song by Ricky Gervais (Seona Dancing – More to Lose) helped me fall in love in 1984 – and sixteen other great love songs compiled here – http://wp.me/pCEKG-7t Read more

  • The Greatest Indie Love Songs of all Time (Vol 4)

    ‘You and me gonna be fine’. Exit hand in hand walking into the sunset. In love? This is your soundtrack. Vol 4 of the Greatest Indie Love Songs of all time. Read more

  • The Greatest Indie Love Songs of all Time (Vol 1)

    You’ll have yours. I’ve got mine. Sixteen British Indie pop songs and one Swedish classic that changed the world. Inside my head at least. Some are deleted and impossible to find, one or two are recent and surprisingly capable of making a veteran Indie roller catch a little tear somewhere back in the throat. Geneva,… Read more

  • Stalemate. Who made the rules for your life?

      We often get to a place of stasis or resignation in our lives. Stalemate is the endgame in Chess where the King is safe, but is cornered and trapped by his opponent’s pieces. It’s his turn to move but he is not permitted to move into a place of danger. When neither player is… Read more

  • The best undiscovered Indie love song ever?

    When you’re sick and tired of everybody lying to you you just want to walk away….. walk right into better days if you can just stop wanting it….. it will come to you I know you try….. but don’t try too hard when I see you cry….. it breaks my heart I won’t stop loving you…..… Read more