About this Playlist
My brother-in-law is 15 years my senior and started dating my sister when I was just entering my teens and exploring having real agency over my musical choices. Fuelled by hormones and angst plus my love the guitar music I spent 90% of my time deep diving in anything loud and thrashy. The sounds my bro-in-law would dig were a million miles away, but he’d make me a mix tape every Christmas or birthday and as I grew, my tastes expanded and the tracks he’d subtly slip my way began to pique my interest. Pharoah Sanders, Shuggie Otis, Roy Ayers, A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, Gang Starr…my bro-in-law is a teacher and I realise know that over the years I’d received a real musical education over the years. He turned 50 this year and I couldn’t think of a better way to commemorate the influence he’s had over my musical landscape that by picking out 50 influencial tracks, one for each of his 50 years from 1971 to 2021. 50 tracks for 50 years. 50 Tracks to span time. Can you dig it?