Dawn To Dusk: Richard Dawson's Favourite Albums | Page 8 of 14 | The Quietus

Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

7. Huun-Huur-TuSixty Horses In My Herd​

Look at the artwork! The back has the best band shot on it – it’s them on their horses. 

At the time I was just starting to hear ‘world’ music, it had turned into a bit of a commodity but this was on the Shanachie label, it was more hand-made, with weird design and unvarnished recordings. I had one of those moments playing it in the shop – everyone around me ridiculing this sound, but me just thinking, ‘I have never heard anything like this and it just sounds perfect’. 

What hooked me in apart from the images was this three note singing, asking Robert, this guy who had taken me under his wing, “what’s that sound?” and he said, “it’s him singing," and I’d say, “no, the other sound”, and Robert said “yeah, that’s him singing”, and I’d go “no that third sound”, and yeah, that’s all him. I was wonderstruck. 

All of these songs are about their eagles that they use for hunting and their horses, and i just sort of, you know, it’s really – the music is coming from a place of – how can I say it… So many musicians are posers, which is fine, but I never got that thing of getting into bands to get girls. I guess I was attracted by something that is the antithesis of that, about people working. 

In that it’s music that engages with an everyday working life?

Yeah, but it’s about eagles!

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