‘First, last, and everything in between’ is a chance for upcoming artists to talk about some of the favourite music from throughout their lives and how it’s influenced them.
For the second edition, I spoke with guitarist, Eddie Scott from Sunderland indie/jazz/funk popsters, PICNIC (you can just about make him out in the background of the photo above). They’ve just released their new EP, But I Like It, which includes pop bangers like previous singles Famous and Over It Now, alongside new tunes.
Read about Eddie’s life through music below, and you can listen along via the playlist for pop classics galore, alongside some of his more obscure picks.
First song you remember falling in love with?
It was probably a Scissor Sisters song, as that was the first album I asked my parents to buy for me… Take Your Mama maybe? The first one I really remember though was probably Dance, Dance by Fall Out Boy, I wore that CD out during high school. My Mam loved Shania Twain’s Come on Over album too and some of my earliest memories are soundtracked by that.
I think most people really start to form their musical ‘identity’ as teens. What music would best define your teenage years?
Pop-punk and midwest emo, but only specific bands, I was never really too heavily embedded into the “scene” as I lived in the rural Scottish Borders and didn’t really understand the internet. I still don’t really understand the internet. Fall Out Boy, American Football, toe, Paramore, Clever Girl… They were the bands I had on repeat. I kind of supressed my love for pop music as a teenager but I was listening to people like Mika, Scissor Sisters and Scouting For Girls on the sly. After studying music at college I fell in love with Carly Rae Jepsen and Randy Newman.
What has most influenced your own music?
I think probably subconsiously a lot of the upbeat pop music my Mam used to put on in the kitchen as a child. Shania Twain, Ricky Martin, The Beautiful South, Robbie Williams… Noughties radio hits. Randy Newman was a game changer and really opened my eyes to the power of storytelling when it comes to songwriting, but I’ve always been drawn to songs that can get people on the dancefloor at a wedding.
What’s your go-to sad song?
When I’m Gone – Randy Newman. I can’t listen to that without crying, so I don’t do it often. It was written for the finale of ‘Monk’, one of my favourite TV series’ (it’s about a detective with OCD) and the only place I can find it is on YouTube.
Honourable mentions go to: I Can’t Make You Love Me – Bonnie Raitt, Jealous – Labrinth and I Think It’s Going to Rain Today – Randy Newman. Randy has too many.
Go-to banger?
This is a much tougher one! Walking On Broken Glass by Annie Lennox is in with a shout, What’s Luv? by Fat Joe, Ja-Rule and Ashanti… It’s Raining Men, Got to Be Real, Ghostbusters, Life is a Highway, Be Faithful by Fatman Scoop… Too many to mention.
Your chance to really prove your hipster credentials – an obscure favourite that not many people will know?
I feel like any Randy Newman song could take this spot, but I’ve mentioned him enough. Love Is – Dude York is one I don’t think a lot of people know about? Never Say Never by that dog. is a huge tune too. Obscure sad song goes to I Used To Fall In Love Without Drinkin’ by Josiah and the Bonnevilles.
Your guilty pleasure?
I don’t really agree with guilty pleasures, but I’ll play the game and say The HampsterDance Song by Hampton The Hampster, this song gets my an unholy level of hyped and I don’t think anyone is comfortable admitting the same. I would hesitate before sticking it on the aux and I think that means it qualifies as a “guilty pleasure”.
The last song you fell in love with?
short story by Steff Mundi. I don’t think I’ve ever connected so much with a song so short in my life. Pitch a Fit! by Petey is another one I’ve loved recently. Oh and Ceilings by Lizzy McAlpine!
Picnic’s new EP, But I Like It, is out now. Listen on Spotify.
And you can find their social channels via the icon links below.
You can read the first edition of ‘First, last, and everything in between’ with North-East singer-songwriter, Craig Redpath here.
No Frills Reviews 
Leave a comment