Incredibly knowledgeable Dean Brissett was invited to present his Top Ten records of all time at this year’s North West Audio Show. The result was a highly entertaining presentation that included some really great snippets from some truly fabulous records, presented in a passionate and highly entertaining way.

At every show we visit we give the Hifi Pig Loves You award to the room or exhibitor we think captured the spirit of the show and entertained us the most. This year we chose not to give the award to an exhibitor but rather to Dean for his remarkable passion and knowledge that was clearly on show at this presentation.

Read on to see and hear Dean’s selection. 

I was asked by Kris, the organiser of the North West Audio Show, to present a talk about my 10 favourite records. I choose to do albums but soon found that this wasn’t easy. I always ended up with too many albums.

So here are 10 albums that I find great and enjoyable.

Albert Collins – Ice Pickin’

It’s not often that you go to a room at a Hi-Fi show and hear a track, that you don’t own, that puts a smile on your and makes you laugh out load. The Roksan room in the 80s did this. Thank you Touraj!

This album highlights the cold icy sound of Albert’s Telecaster. He strokes the stage like gunslinger playing that style that’s his own. A good array of tunes from funny to downright sad. A joy to listen to. A man top of his game.

Track played – Conversation with Collins

Specials –  Specials

A great album from the late 70s, that mixed elements of two types of music I found interesting, punk and ska. The Specials provided one those “Eureka” moments when I first heard the single Gangsters. The following album was choc full of catchy tunes and social comment, they were the right band for that era in the UK. The music still holds strong today.

Track played – Message To You Rudy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbqiCxEIeEo

Funkadelic – One Nation Under a Groove

Rock, soul, funk, it’s all there! Grooves galore! The tenth studio album by one of wackest groups going. This features them hitting “bullseye” in the musical dartboard . The album is worth buying for the killer title track which was  massive on the dancefloor in my youth. The album was such a future shock that the band imploded a few years later.   “So low you can’t get under it. So high you can’t get over it.”

Track played – One nation under a groove

Talking Heads – Remain in Light

A fine band that was a big part of the US New Wave scene. Talking Heads were a band that had an ear for different influences. This showed with the run of albums from their debut.

Dipping a few toes into the wonderful worlds of funk, dance, afrobeat and new wave they put together an album of toe tapping musical delight. Quality from start to finish, a great flowing album.

Track Played – Once in a lifetime

Dr Feelgood – Down By The Jetty

This band was musically tight as tight thing on tight day. This debut album of Rhythm & blues, showed a British edge to the music. It also showed that they were the top of their game. The songs were mostly written by Wilko Johnson. His tough choppy style guitar playing merged well with a dynamite rhythm section to produce music that influenced the likes of the Ramones, Blondie and Paul Weller. Enjoy!

Track Played – Roxette

Curtis Mayfield – Superfly

An awesome talent who had a great run of albums in the the early to mid 70s. Curtis hit the spot in the 60s with the group the Impressions. His knack of killer grooves, sweet soul vocal and social comment meant he was an ideal candidate for writing a “Blaxploitation“ soundtrack. 

The resultant album, Superfly, was a monster which grabs you from the start to the end. It takes you on a journey of early 70s American realism. It opens your eye as well as your ears. High standards from Curtis

Track Played – Freddie’s Dead

Grace Jones – Living My Life

An iconoclastic artists who has cut her own furrow in life. A stylish performer backed by the Compass Point Allstars, she produced distinctive grooves that make you want to move. All the ingredients in the right proportion have come together. Yes sir!

Track played – Nipple to the Bottle

AC/DC – Powerage

A bit of a wide card choice from the funk soul brother. This puts smile on my face with it’s rock ‘n’ roll groove. If I want to rock out, and why not, here’s the album to do it to.

Track played – Rock ‘n’ Roll Damnation

James Carr – You Got My Mind Messed Up

Many moons ago, when I was getting more and more into soul music, I wanted to know who was the greatest soul singer. Was it Otis? Was it Aretha? A name that was chucked into the hat was James Carr.

Who was James Carr? Well he’s an awesome soul singer from the school of hard knocks and the university of life. He didn’t get the breaks like many others but his small output hit double top in the soul stakes. He had the vocals and the tunes that states soul in an unforced way. You believe in what he’s singing. You feel his pain. Every home should have a copy and I’ve got more that one.

Track Played – Pouring Water On a Drowning Man

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFZ7yADHk_A

My favourite album is: 

Skatalites – Foundation Ska 

I blame my parents for the love of original ska. The Skatalites were the cornerstones of Jamaican music. They produced a massive amount of tunes. They played with some the island’s biggest stars including Bob Marley. Solid grooves from start to finish. Quality ska is hard to play hence the high level musicianship throughout the band.

Ska music then slowed down and the bass came more to the fore front. Rocksteady was created. From that came reggae. The Skatalites influence,flowed through these style changes. It helped to put Jamaica on the map.

I can’t help grooving to the many tunes from listening to this band. The rhythms and counter rhythms are manna from heaven. A  most joyful experience.

Track played – Christine Keeler

If you asked my on another day, there would most likely be a different ten albums. (Well nine at least.)

Dean Bissett

More North West Audio Show Coverage here