Please Allow Myself To Introduce.... Myself!?

Hello World,


Welcome to my first ever blog as a part of the Who Needs Radio family. So far it has been a stellar week of posting. Thanks to Lady Byrd for assembling such an A List of contributors.

I suppose I should formally introduce myself. Here are my fundamentals.

My name is Cristin Anelysse. You can call me either. As a Toronto native and lover of all (well most) things music, I hope to bring some fun and Canadian-ness to this blog, and new music to your ears.

It should also be explained here that I have a penchant for playlists. In a former life as a contributor to a local zine, I developed this lovely fascination with accruing them through interviews I did. Themed or random, it was no difference. In the past artists have given me playlists ranging from utterly random to ones penned by their mothers, or directing musical malice towards former lovers. I loved them all like my bastard musical children.

I'm hella excited that I'll now get to share some new playlists here on Who Needs Radio by not only posting reviews, but interviewing a few artists here and there too! The interviews I post here will be accompanied by a playlist, kindly created by its subject.

And If you've got a killer playlist or even a new tune you want me to listen to, please don't be shy. Feel free to email it to me. I welcome any and all reasons to distract myself from my day job!

In keeping with my whole love of playlists and interviews and my general love of random fun and intrigue, I thought we could further acquaint ourselves in this innaugural post by playing a little musical game.

Below, is a playlist worth coveting. Who is the creator of said cleverly devised list, ever so wittily composed? Why don't we play a little guessing game...

Top Ten Albums...to buy at some crap-hole used record store to play at your bedroom party (in no specific order):

Curtis Mayfield - "Back to the World":
The band is slamming and Curtis sings with sweet falsettos pretty much the whole way through. Listen to "Right On For the Darkness".

Soundtrack to the film "Xanadu" featuring Olivia Newton John and ELO:
No, I'm actually not gay. Listen to "I'm Alive".

Michael Jackson - "Off the Wall" OR "Thriller":
Can't go wrong with either. Listen to "Rock With You".

Sly and the Family Stone Anthology:
4 sides of good times. "Hot fun in the Summertime" is righteous.

Fleetwood Mac -"Rumours":
Currently about 2 billion used in circulation. Features "Go Your Own Way" from my Top Ten List of "Songs to Break Up With Your Girlfriend To". Listen to "Dreams".

Buddy Miles - "A Message to the People" OR "We've got to Live Together":
An under the radar party-album-maker with an out of site backing band. Buddy himself played drums with Hendrix in the Band of Gypsies era. Last I heard he got thrown in the clink for grand theft auto down in Omaha. Bummer. Listen to "Wholesale Love" - an Otis Redding cover.

Prince - "Purple Rain":
Yes, the obligatory Minneapolis reference. This album is one of the greats. Listen to the whole damn thing.

Tears For Fears - "Songs From the Big Chair":
Maybe not top-to-bottom listen, but "Head Over Heels and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" are always a good vibe.

Marvin Gaye - "What's Goin' On?":
The first side of this album doesn't stop. It is just awesome. Well, except maybe the part where he keeps going "save the babies" over and over. A nice departure from the "Let's Get It On" vibe he was perpetrating for the majority of his career. Not that "Let's Get It On" is a bad idea by any means.

Soundtrack to "Saturday Night Fever":
Obviously the songs are perfect for a bedroom party. A veritable no brainer. I always tune in the guy playing the Rhodes. Killer. Yeah. Smooth. Awesome. Listen to "Jive Talkin'".

And so... here are your clues, you aspiring inter-web Nancy Drews and Hardy Boys!

1. He is indeed a He.
2. He is one fourth of a band. And one whole of another.
3. He is formerly of a band who's claim to fame was having a track featured on the now-soon-to-be-defunct The OC.

So those of you out there who are so inclined to hazard a guess, email me at cristifraser@whoneedsradio.com and I'll be happy to test your guesswork!

Stay tuned next week for the answer and a sweet little interview with the man in question...

Wait... I hear you saying to yourself these clues are just too hard. Since I am in a giving mood, I'll leave you with one final clue in the form of a luscious musical treat. The song below is by one of my all time favorite musicians, Paul Westerberg, who hails from Minnesota... the stomping ground of our mystery playlist author.

Man Without Ties

Yours independently,
CA