The Records of My Life by Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy

The Irish Neil Hannon Come visit us again this summer. The excuse is to present “Rainy Sunday Afternoon” (25), their album from last year, although it never hurts to enjoy their concerts. But first we invited him to discover the albums of his life, and he left us the list at five.

(Check the dates of The Divine Comedy performances in Spain at the end of this interview).

Pulp – “Different Class” (1995)
I think with“Common People”was the last time when, upon hearing a new song, I literally threw my punch in the air. A victory for social controversy. The great indie pop brand of the nineties. In those days I was recording “Casanova” my third album, and listening to that song was a kick in the ass through which I had to see the future.

Scott Walker – “Scott Walker 2” (1968)
It was still the name of Scott Walker appear in interviews with people I liked like Julian Cope, David Sylvian, Marc Almond… In those days you couldn’t search on Google or go to streaming, so I had to wait until “Best Of Scott Walker and The Walker Brothers” appeared and I listened to the strange, dark melodies of “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore” to finally understand what all the fuss was about. I was mesmerized and “Jackie” totally blew me away. A desperate parade, a drama of social atmosphere and surprising extravagance. From then on there was no turning back.

Kate Bush – “Hounds Of Love” (1985)
Kate Bush He had been a key figure in British pop since the late 1970s. I enjoyed his music, although I think I was too young to appreciate it. However, he was the perfect age to be impressed when he came out. “Hounds Of Love”. It was almost everything I had dreamed of: vibrant strings, nostalgic ideas – almost steampunk! –, brilliant songs and incomparable vocal performances. “Cloudbusting” had it all, plus a cameo by Donald Sutherland in the music video. This album taught me more about the art of pop music than any other.

Judee Sill – “Heart Food” (1973)
It’s wonderful that even at my age I can still be so deeply and unexpectedly moved by an album. I had been unaware of this brilliant, quirky woman for most of my life, but suddenly, “The Kiss” appeared in my Spotify feed. I hate that he knows me so well! Judee Sill He recorded a couple of extraordinary, if somewhat uneven, albums in the early ’70s in Los Angeles. He was part of what became known as the Laurel Canyon group. She was a religious fanatic and occasionally a drug addict, but this song “The Kiss”, THIS SONG! Oh my God, listen to it now!

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – “Welcome To The Pleasuredome” (1984)
It may seem strange, given the type of music I compose, but deep down I am a pop fan. Not only do I adore the perfect three-and-a-half-minute pop songs, but I also enjoy all the extravagance that surrounds them. Unfortunately, much of that fun has been lost in this century. This album transports me to the golden age of ostentatious pop; early eighties. I don’t need to explain why it’s an exceptional piece of pop music, it just is! All I can say is that watching Holly Johnson perform “Two Tribes” on Top of the Tops with her fancy cane and her little Japanese camera was one of the most exciting moments of my life! I say this at the risk of sounding a little superficial (laughs).