6. Dr. Dre2001
This was a huge album amongst me and my friends. It was kind of the soundtrack to ten years of my life. From high school, through uni and then right out of uni was all soundtracked by that record really. It was the Bible in terms of hip-hop. It was one of the first introductions to hip-hop of mainstream appeal. It was so full of bangers. It’s overly long and the production… well, it’s Dre, isn’t it?
Anything from it is so ingrained in my generation. I’m always happy to hear this album which I think is the true sign of a good album. Although I wouldn’t be so pleased to hear Kid A, because it doesn’t have that same mood. 2001 has that ‘all moods covered’ thing going on.
So 2001 is quite nostalgic for you then?
Very! Absolutely. But not in a painful way. I sometimes get sad when I get nostalgic but with Dr. Dre I just feel good, probably because it soundtracked so many good times, and it doesn’t really take itself too seriously. It’s not really about emotion, but it’s about bravado and style and cool and authenticity and all those other things which white guys in bands can’t really do. They can’t really talk about any of those things without someone going, "Errrrrrrm, hang on", so that album filled that hole for us.
