Day 6 - A song that reminds of you of somewhere: Empire of the Sun 'Standing on the Shore'

This is not only a song that reminds me of somewhere, but a song that reminds me of somewhere that reminds me of somewhere else.

This should have been the easy one. After 8 years in Ibiza I could have easily picked one of the many Balearic classics from those wonderful times. This was my speciality after all. I was in the business of playing records to people, which would always help them remember their trip to that magical place. A lot of the time it was simple club fodder, 130 BPM house and electro. The big tunes that you knew would get 2000 sweaty clubbers going nuts in a club at 6am. But sometimes in Ibiza it requires something else.

For me DJing there was always about having ‘that’ record in your box for ‘that’ moment. When after your first evedr gig on the island you’re invited to play a random outdoor after party that starts at 7am, dropping Bill Withers ‘Lovely Day’as the sun rises was ‘that’ record’ for ‘that’ moment. And there are many of them. Who knows, at some point in the next 30 days I might get around to telling you why dropping Barry Manilow on the Space Terrace or No Doubt’s version of ‘It’s My Life’ on Bora Bora were such important moments for me in my life.

Anyway, getting back to my first line, I’ve not picked a song that reminds me of Ibiza, but one that reminds me of my West Coast road trip last summer. In particular an area somewhere between LA and San Fran called Big Sur. A place that has it's own magic, something spiritual... something you just can't pin down, but you know it's there.

Everyone who really ‘discovers’ Ibiza says that there is something mystical about the island that draws them back time and time again. Of all the places I’ve visited on this planet Big Sur was the closest I’ve ever come to feeling that pull. It just felt like Ibiza, and just as many DJs and artists end up living in Ibiza it's no surprise all the beat writers and poets went to Big Sur for inspiration in the 50s and 60s. Some ended up settling here.

It’s stunningly beautiful, with winding roads that have mountains to the right and sheer drops to the left. The view is always spectacular. Waves crashing against rocks, elephant seals huddled together on beaches, mountains emerging form the sea… You might not have been there but you will have experienced it beauty in many movies.

Every morning I’d get into my car. Start my engine. Drop the roof and kick the stereo into life. Bliss. No work. No worries. Just driving. Eating up the culture and taking in the landscape by the eyeful. Empire of the Sun’s ‘Walking on a Dream’ album was the perfect soundtrack for this journey. It’s an album that can go from sounding like the Beach Boys one minute to Prince then next. There are moments that sound like they were recorded for Café Del Mar and others that sound like Godley and Crème. It's just brilliant!!! A collage of sound fitting of an amazing journey. 

After a few days I made sure that last thing at night I would set up the stereo so that ‘Standing On The Shore’ was the first thing I’d hear as I began another day of driving. Wind in hair, sun on shoulders, accelerating on a long empty road… my god it really did feel like I was in a movie. Granted... a movie with a crap story - Man Drives Car From LA to San Fran - but a hell of a soundtrack.

Comments

[Dakuro]

Wow thanks for share, actually for me sounds good and this is my first time to hear it.
Thanks