Claudia Price On Memory Lane Pt. 3

Elbow – ‘Cast Of Thousands’ 2003

By Claudia Price

“What happens is, people get a little taste of fame, and they get used to having things go that way, and the ego really kicks in. They’ll do whatever it takes to stay there. They get addicted, and they make decisions that don’t have anything to do with music. You get big like that, and people will maybe come see you once. It never lasts. It’s not real. I’ll tell you this – it’s fucking real behind a guitar.” – Ryan Adams (2005)

Elbow – “Cast Of Thousands” (2003)
In my book this is a winter record for sure. Maybe it’s the deep, dark voice of Guy Garvey, who knows. Once I’ve tried it, the album is just not as great if it’s bright and hot outside. You need a cozy blanket, a glass of tea (and in my case a glass of wine) and this music. A bonus would be if your radiator is working but, you know, we’ve all lived in shit holes before. It’s worth a try and winter’s already on it’s way.

Ryan Adams– “Heartbreaker” (2000)
There is no way around it I love, love, love Ryan Adams’ music. If it’s Whiskeytown or himself and The Cardinals he just can’t do wrong. The year 2000 was the year I graduated high school. How I passed the math test is still a blurry mistery in my head. My friend Caren and I walked home after the exam laughing and giggling, making jokes about how we would never have to deal with that again (the results were still weeks away). That’s the same person that stayed with me for the first day and night at my very first own apartment because I didn’t know if I would be scared or not. We just had ball! One night, I was living in the same apartment we went to my house after a college party, walked through a little park, didn’t know there was a construction site and fell knee deep in a hole that was a perfect fit for the both of us. I’ve known her know for more than 20 years. That is more than half my life!