NE Build A Playlist #07 Mal Lythe

Photo - Andy Lochrie

Playlist

Hey I‘m Mal and I run this blog as well as that I also play bass most recently I played bass in local Blues band Grim Lizard. I thought i might as well do one of these and add some Songs to the playlist myself.

Blink 182 - Enema Of The State

Track For Playlist - Mutt

Anyone who knows me will know how much I love the band Blink 182. They have been my favourite band for over 20 years now. I even have tattoos of their logos on my arm. The first albumI listened to was Enema of the State. My cousin gave my a copy of the album after he heard me listening to the song “All The Small Things”. I’ve been a huge fan ever since and for me this album has everything that I love about a band of three guys who don’t always take life to serious. It does a have an emotional depth to it with the track “Adams Song”. My younger days I was heavy into pop punk and these were the main band for me. It’s also an album that I still love as much as I did in 1999 and can’t see myself getting bored of any time soon.

Blondie - Eat To The Beat

Track For Playlist - Union City Blue

A few year ago I really got into the band Blondie after buying a copy of Parallel Lines from North Ormsby Market in Middlesbrough for 50p. But my favourite Blondie album has to be Eat To The Beat. I feel like every song on the album feels like a hit. There’s the albums most popular songs Dreaming, Union City Blue

and Atomic which are great tracks but there also tracks like, Die Young Stay Pretty, Slow Motion and Shayla which all feel like they could have been huge hits if release as singles. I also love how the album was released on VHS with every song getting a video. I’m not sure if many other acts have done that before but I find it really cool. All the videos are on YouTube and I recommend checking them out.

Bugeye - Ready Steady Bang

Track For Playlist - Sunday Monday

This is the newest album on my list and the last band I saw before the first lockdown of 2020. The gig was GRL in Base Camp and it was a gig celebrating Women in music on International Women’s Day. It was a great gig and a fun all day show in one of my favourite venues also me and a few friends got to hang out with Bugeye after the show which was the cherry on the cake. The band were such a huge part of 2020 for myself to be honest and this album is one of the reasons for this and the bands weekly Podcast which had me laughing during a very hard year. The album is so much fun it has elements of post punk, synth pop and disco music. Bugeye were my most played band on Spotify in 2020 for a reason and I highly recommend the album and the band Podcast.

Robbie Williams - Life Thru A Lens

Track For Playlist - Old Before I Die

Growing up my Mam had a huge influence on my love for music. Take That and later Robbie Williams was something that I grew up on. My very first concert was actually Robbie Williams in Newcastle. I remember it so very well. It was me and my Mam and we were right at the front and the first thing Robbie did when he hit the stage was moon the crowd. Now can you imagine that? I was stood next to my Mam and Robbie Williams was right in front of us with his ass out. We did have a good laugh about it after the show. The gig it self is something that I have very fond memories of and the album has that happy nostalgia for me. Great pop tunes and an awesome debut album from a singer who was looking to reinvent himself. It was between this and his second album I’ve Been Expecting You and I landed on his debut solo album.

Samantha Durnan - Want To Wander Track For Playlist - Heartbeat

I choose to pick someone local because the past few years going to local gigs I’d say have been a huge part of my life. I pick this album because I remember when I started going to gigs Samantha Durnan was one of them names that I had heard off like on gig posters or her music being shared online. Anyway I remember seeing her at a gig she played in Ku Bar and going over to her and chatting and realising how down to earth and sound she was. It was a great night in Ku Bar with a group of these awesome people. It was one of many nights that made me realise that I don’t have to be by myself at gigs because there’s always a group of friendly faces around. Her debut album is great it’s filled with beautiful ballads and upbeat indie tunes. It’s one of many albums released by local artists that I have enjoyed over the years.