Second Helpings: Neil Arthur Of Blancmange's Favourite Albums | Page 10 of 14 | The Quietus

Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

9. Johnny CashAt San Quentin

My mum got this album and it used to come on when she was doing the cleaning. This was before she discovered ABBA. Then ABBA was the cleaning album. Then I introduced her to Trans-Europe Express which she would blast out with the vacuum cleaner going. What got me when I heard Johnny Cash on this is the charged audience. As a young kid, the jokey song was ‘A Boy Named Sue’. Even now I sort of gloss over that.

If I could do an electronic version of Johnny Cash, that would be great. I do a mean version of ‘Folsom Prison Blues’. I do do it as a cover but not with Blancmange. Every day that I am here in this world is another day I learn, and I’d love to write more economical lyrics. The one thing I’m absolutely certain of is that I’m not certain. The whole idea of learning when less is best is what I’ve tried to do. I want to get to the bloody point.

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