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Baker's Dozen

Patterns In The Sand: Emma Anderson's Favourite Albums
Jude Rogers , November 15th, 2023 11:49

On the release of her debut solo album, former Lush member Emma Anderson takes Jude Rogers through her favourite albums, from a teenage years soundtracked by Simple Minds and The Durutti Column to her affinity with later 4AD labelmates

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The Beatles – Revolver

Why did I have to pick one of the biggest, most classic albums of all time to start with? The Beatles and ABBA were massive for me when I was a child, and I think I first got into The Beatles through the films because they were shown on the BBC all the time. We didn’t have music at home. I had one of those little mono cassette players with the buttons at the front, but we had no record player in my house until I was 11. My parents were older, and they didn’t listen to music. But my friend Cathy and I – still one of my best friends that I’ve known since I was eight – loved the Beatles so much, we used to make up stories and act them out, As we were only two people, we’d have to switch characters all the time. I had a massive crush on Ringo Starr.

As I got older, this became my favourite Beatles album because it’s when they’re moving into their more psychedelic phase but they’ve still got a foot in the beat combo part of their career. I love the experimentation in the studio with George Martin, obviously ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’, ‘Got To Get You Into My Life’ with all the amazing horns, and the beauty of ‘Eleanor Rigby’. They were such a big part of my life.