Prelude

HEY UP PEEPS. HOW DO? SUP? WHAT’S COOKIN’? HOWDY PARTNERS. Super salutations! I come in peace. It seems unbelievable but we are already one third of the way through 2026 already. I trust you enjoyed the Easter celebration early in April as a harbinger of spring with lighter evenings and warmer days. Despite all the media‑fuelled doom and gloom, there is still plenty to look forward to in 2026. Let’s make this year better than its predecessors. There is no better time than the present. If one thinks about it, the present is all we have. The future we can hope for. As Nike say, ‘Just Do It’ (NB. From the company’s advertising campaign 1988‑1998).

“My childhood did not prepare me for the fact that the world is full of cruel and bitter things” – Julius Robert Oppenheimer (1904‑1967)

Regular readers will know my unwavering calls for comprehensive concord. I cannot emphasise enough that peace should be a profound ambition for everyone on this one and only planet of ours. Peace is not optional. Without it, humanity will ultimately be doomed. With it, we may just stand a chance. Personally, I hope we stand a chance but that requires significant change. We have to change. Peace matters, probably more than anything else for civilisation’s survival and advancement. This is not political, religious or even humanitarian, it is just plain old common sense.

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace” – Jimi Hendrix (1942‑1970)

This Month at CRAVE Guitars…

Back to more prosaic matters. I haven’t written much on musicology recently, so I thought I’d return to the subject this month. As this isn’t my first rodeo, I thought a quick recap on what has gone before might be in order. I compiled a, ‘Personal Top 20 Most Influential Guitar Albums’ way back in 2016 and ‘50 Albums of the Last Half‑Century(‑ish)’ in 2017. I also covered ‘The Story of Modern Music…’ in 14 parts from March 2019 to May 2020 (bar December 2019). In addition, there have been four major CRAVE Guitars genre articles (‘Dub Reggae Revelation’, ‘Adventures in Ambient’, ‘Heavy Metal’ and ‘Get Up and Dance to the Music!’) in 2023 and 2024. Last but not least, there was the article, ‘Musical Machinations’ in 2023 about access to music, so there is already a great deal of foundation to work from for this particular article. Time to take an alternative perspective.

“If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it; that surfeiting, the appetite may sicken, and so die” – William Shakespeare (1564‑1616)

This month’s piece is definitely another one for the list‑o‑philes out there. I must re‑stress as usual that this is entirely for entertainment purposes only and has no intrinsic value beyond mild amusement for both author and reader. As usual, no AI has been used in researching and writing this article, just hard brain work. The CRAVEman images, however, are AI generated out of necessity. This month’s quotes are a relevant mix of islandic observations and musical wisdom.

“We live on an island surrounded by a sea of ignorance. As our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance” – John Archibald Wheeler (1911‑2008)

The Rationale for the Article

Last month, in Part I of this two‑parter, I looked at what 10 pieces of vintage guitar gear that I might like to take with me to CRAVE Island. This month, I contemplate as to what playlist of music tracks one might like to listen to, when not playing vintage guitars, on the very same secluded idyll of CRAVE Island. As last month, The CRAVEman has been used to introduce and present this month’s line‑up. If you want serious vintage guitar topics, why not head off to the web site proper or watch this space for the next non‑fiction article.

IF you want to (re‑)visit Part I of this CRAVE Island extravaganza, follow the link below (opens a new browser tab)…

March 2026 – CRAVE Island Castaway Part I: Vintage Gear

For readers who may not be familiar with the concept, the format used here is loosely based on the long‑running BBC Radio 4 programme, ‘Desert Island Discs’. Guests on the show select eight audio recordings (usually music), one book and one luxury item that they would have with them if they were to become a castaway, stranded on the metaphorical desert island. The BBC radio programme was first broadcast in January 1942 (that is 84 years ago in 2026!) and there have subsequently been nearly 3,500 episodes and counting. I depart from the archetype but retain the spirit of the original programme.

“After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music” – Aldous Huxley (1894‑1963)

Now, here’s a thing… I started off this idea thinking about what might constitute a ‘perfect’ pop song, in the knowledge that there is no such thing. The two exemplars that immediately sprang to mind and started this whole shebang were, ‘Blur – Song 2’ and ‘Blondie – Hanging on the Telephone’. Then it sort of ran away from me at that point, and here we are now.

How far does one go? Top 10, top 20, top 30, top 50, top 100 and so forth. What to include, what to leave out? Does one go by merit or popularity? Does one go with sales or star status? Does one go by genre or gender? Does one go with vocals or instrumentals, groups or solo artists? Does one go with guitar‑‑centric or electronic? Does one go pure pop or not? Does one go with singles or album tracks? Does one go with personal preference or industry reputation? Does one go with British/American or global? My‑oh‑my, I had started something that was just gonna blow my brain or at least make it hurt a bit. What a conundrum. What a dilemma. How on Earth does one go about manoeuvring safely through this massive musical minefield?

Selecting such a small sample of just eight tracks of music to play on a desert island simply wouldn’t be enough for The CRAVEman. Even 100 would be cutting it thin but a ceiling has to be set somewhere. Despite the immense volume of available music (running into hundreds of millions on streaming platforms!), I’m always searching for ‘new’ music to listen to, so this was a challenging task. One presumes, at least for this exercise, that The CRAVEman doesn’t have access to Apple Music (or an alternative) while on CRAVE Island.

“I’ve been asked over the years to compile a list of desert–‑island discs. I couldn’t do that. If I was trapped on a desert island, I don’t think I’d want 10 songs to bring with me” – John Lydon (1956‑)

Defining the Selection Process

So, initially, one has to determine scale and scope. First – put an absolute limit on the list. Easily sorted, 100 it is. Second – come up with a set of ten sensible criteria through which one can select/eliminate a whole bunch of stuff (see below). Third – work on my own fallible subjectivity – it is my wish list after all. I abhor the idea of people including things just because they are ‘worthy’, rather than pleasurable (Oscar, take note!). Fourth – present it in a way that makes sense without being too arbitrary or confusing. That, on the surface, seems a sensible approach. Let’s see what the process came up with.

I decided from the start not to utilise any sort of ranking; selecting is one thing, ranking is a nightmare. I am 100% certain that readers will disagree with both the process and the outcome. However, it’s my article, so you can make up your own rules/lists to compensate for my perceived shortcomings and omissions.

“And those who were seen dancing, were thought to be insane, by those who could not hear the music” – Friedrich Nietzsche (1844‑1900)

In order to generate a diverse playlist, the main criteria used were:

1. Only one track per artist
2. A wide spread of genres
3. A wide spread of decades/years
4. A mix of singles and album tracks
5. No dependence on commercial sales numbers
6. No reliance on industry structure, record labels or marketing
7. Not just the BIG names or celebrity status
8. Ignore others’ opinions of ‘best’, ‘essential’ or ‘quality’
9. No geographical restrictions
10. No ‘novelty’ songs

“Let’s hope I never end up on a deserted island, because I could never make a decision on which three CDs to take with me” – Willem Dafoe (1955‑)

As it worked out, the date range covered the 1960s to the 2010s inclusive. Six decades seems a helpful bracket for evaluating contemporary music and one that has been used before. The most frequent decades were the 1970s to the 1990s inclusive. This is perhaps because I was too young to appreciate fully the rock & roll (and earlier) era(s) and because I am too old (!?) to appreciate the most recent musical trends… or perhaps these were the peak decades for creative modern music.

“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything” – Plato (c.428‑348BCE)

Now… 100 songs seems almost too easy and not in the real spirit of a ‘Desert Island Disc’ playlist, especially as last month the ‘Desert Island Vintage Guitar Gear’ was limited to just 10 items. In order to placate and pre‑empt that easy criticism, I have emboldened a ‘top 10’. If I was forced to choose, those are the ones I could most easily live with in the spirit of the article. It isn’t enough, of course, but this is just a hypothetical exercise after all. I also assume that the music is available on physical media, as Internet connection may prove particularly problematic on CRAVE Island.

Alternatively, if I could take anything with me to CRAVE Island, it would be my entire collection of reggae music but that now comprises at least a couple of thousand albums, so I don’t think it will be allowed to make the trip. Why reggae? The genre is so rich and diverse that there is always something different to appreciate, depending on mood. There, that is my underlying bias declared for your scrutiny. Oh, and reggae suits the hypothetical location well.

“A bird, music and food – desert island items” – Michael Johnson (1967‑)

To avoid the debatable value of ranking, I’ve gone for a chronological approach. Where there is more than one song from a year, they are presented in alphabetic order. Time for the waffle to end, let’s dive straight in and take a retrospective musical swim…

The CRAVEman’s ‘Top 100/10’ CRAVE Island Playlist

The 1960s (7):

The 1970s (30):

The 1980s (22):

The 1990s (26):

The 2000s (12):

The 2010s (3):

“The only truth is music” – Jack Kerouac (1922‑1969)

That, my friends, is one heck of a varied mixtape, whether you agree with it or not. No doubt there are many obvious inclusions but also a few surprises. Everyone will have a different upbringing and, therefore, a different soundtrack to their lives. That is just as it should be. I don’t have any music heroes, so there is no artist veneration going on here. This is not purely a nostalgic exercise, it is also about the timelessness of great music that can still evoke emotions regardless of when it was created, who created it or when/where it is experienced. Music is inextricably linked with social change and is an integral part of human progress over the years. This article is but one miniscule attempt to document modern western culture through a selection of musical signposts.

You may well ask, “What, no Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Who, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Fleetwood Mac, Queen or R.E.M.?” or, “What, no Tom Petty, Oasis, Coldplay, Taylor Swift, Adele or Ed Sheeran?” Heresy! I hear you shriek indignantly! Nope. Not for this exercise. I am unrepentant. I will acknowledge that I’m in a minority and that the omissions mentioned are very highly renowned popular and commercial artists. They just didn’t make my final cut. Apologies for your irate infuriation but I’m afraid that’s your issue, not mine.

So, so many fantastic tracks didn’t make the final 100. Great tracks from artists like, Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Marvin Gaye, Beastie Boys, Killers, and many, many more came in and out again, right up to the last minute before publication. It was almost an impossible task to represent a selection that I could live with in total isolation on an unidentified tropical island for an unknown period of time.

“Without music, life would be a mistake” – Friedrich Nietzsche (1844‑1900)

To be totally honest, even 100 tracks wouldn’t satisfy a prolonged period of personal reflection on CRAVE Island. My passion for music isn’t just about repeating the past; it is also about discovering great new music from whatever period and looking to the future. Maybe a lot of that music won’t stand the test of time but it is great for ephemeral escapism. If that’s the case, how many tracks would be enough? Who knows? I don’t.

Even restricting the selection to a ‘top 10’ doesn’t bring the 21^st Century into much of a focus. No tracks from the last 15 years in fact. Sorry millennial musicians, you can’t quite make the grade. It doesn’t mean that there isn’t great music being made in the 2000s‑‑2020s, just that there is such strong competition from the last half of the 20^th Century.

“How I wish that somewhere there existed an island for those who are wise and of good will” – Albert Einstein (1879‑1955)

Final Thoughts on the ‘Top 100/10 CRAVE Island Playlist’

As mentioned up front, this particular ‘Top 100’ and its ‘Top 10’ subset is entirely my own creation and constantly changing in the real world, so best regarded as a ‘moment in time’ snapshot. I don’t expect anyone to approve it and I’m not trying to influence anyone based on it. It is just a bit of harmless fun to bring some cathartic levity to a dangerously scary world.

One interesting observation is the proportion of songs that are guitar‑centric. Now that may not be surprising given my predilection for vintage guitars. However, it isn’t quite that simple. Much of the 1980s synth pop boom, the 1990s sampled hip‑hop explosion and the 1990s‑2000s EDM tsunami featured large in my own personal musical evolution but had little contribution from the humble guitar. Another observation is the low proportion of Jamaican reggae on the list, given my overt preference for the genre more generally. The aim here was for variety.

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain” – Bob Marley (1945‑1981)

The 2010s and 2020s are woefully unrepresented in this list. Perhaps this is my age or perhaps it is just a reflection on the banal sterility of much modern music in the 21^st Century. Probably a bit of both. Time, as ‘they’ say, will tell.

Going back to the spirit of ‘Desert Island Discs’, it only seems fair to contemplate what book and what luxury item one would also take. I guess I have to exclude anything to do with CRAVE Guitars and ‘The Distortion Diaries’, as that would be too easy and too contrived. So, what are the two things that one might pack for that hypothetical trip to CRAVE Island?

The CRAVE Island Book – The CRAVEman doesn’t have written language, so I’ll have to substitute. No pretention here. In a senseless, cruel world, I will return to the pure innocence and naiveté of childhood when adult failures had not yet corrupted one’s life experience. I am neither embarrassed nor ashamed to suggest a children’s book. There were several children’s books about which I can reminisce fondly, including the Moomin novels by Tove Jansson. On this occasion, I’m going with, ‘Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat’ (1942) by Ursula Moray Williams – the original version with illustrations by the author, not modern adaptations that have diluted the impact of the story. It is a simple tale of a witch’s cat that longs to be an ordinary kitchen cat. There is a lot that adults can learn from the moral lessons within this story, if we open our minds to accept them. I am a voracious reader of fiction and there are many examples of pretentious ‘worthy’ literature as well as entertaining popular novels that could be chosen. However, we all had to start that halcyon passage to open the doors of adult imagination somewhere. Simplicity epitomised.

“There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats” – Albert Schweitzer (1875‑1965)

The CRAVE Island Luxury Item – Seeing as The CRAVEman already has his vintage guitar gear with him, he needs something on which to listen to his selected playlist. Music is useless unless there is something on which to store, replay and listen to it. Remember the venerable Apple iPod (2001‑2022)? The iPod was the spiritual successor to the iconic Sony Walkman. Seeing as there must be an electrical supply for vintage guitar gear, I am assuming that it is possible to recharge said portable music listening device. I was tempted to use the same principle to justify a fully–loaded laptop that would provide music replay, as well as all the other things that a laptop can be used for, such as write my own books, record my own music, etc. The fundamental notion here is about going back‑‑to‑‑basics so, if I can’t have the multi‑purpose computing device, a humble iPod (with earbuds of course!) would be invaluable. I wish Apple would reissue the iPod for a new generation with a decent amount of storage.

“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent” – Victor Hugo (1802‑1885)

A quick reflection on the idea of a solitary existence while contemplating being castaway on a deserted island. Some people cannot exist without other people and some cannot function without the external validation by others. Some people manipulate others or are manipulated by them. For some, other people are the means to establish and impose their status and material wealth. Some seek control and power over others. Some seek an audience, some are just desperate for attention and emotional attachment. I cannot abide competition or conflict (I am profoundly non‑confrontational). I abhor political mind games and trivial time wasters. In which case, I (and The CRAVEman) are the antithesis of all these things. I don’t care for social structures, I don’t seek tangible wealth or human companionship. To me, the desert island castaway way of life would be blissful seclusion, away from the wants, needs, demands, responsibilities and obligations of others. Whilst not quite exhibiting the severity of hikikomori, I am very content in the absence of other humans, in fact, I would prefer it. I believe in something bigger than myself, expressed by the infinity of the universe. Who needs people? Besides, I don’t like people very much. Seriously, I would sincerely be satisfied in serene solitude on my own isolated island. Bring it on.

Time for The CRAVEman to pack up his vintage gear as well as his CRAVE Island playlist gear and get back on the CRAVE Airlines plane back to ‘civilisation’ and CRAVE Town.

“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main” – John Donne (1571‑1631)

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month’

As The CRAVEman is still cast away on a tropical desert island this month, it seems apt to stick with a recording that evokes a sense of music that originated on a real tropical island. It also doesn’t feature in the list above. OK, so this example was actually by a UK band recorded in Belgium but it’s the music that really matters. This month’s accolade goes to…

Misty In Roots – Live At The Counter Eurovision 79 (1979): Misty In Roots is a British roots reggae band formed in 1975 in London, England. The live album was the band’s debut release and comprises seven tracks covering 37 minutes. It was recorded during the ’Counter Eurovision’ event, which was intended as a creative alternative to the popular mainstream Eurovision Song Contest (NB. hosted and won by Israel). The Counter Eurovision event took place in Brussels, Belgium on 31 March and 1 April, 1979. The album is widely regarded as one of the best live reggae albums of all time (up there with Bob Marley & The Wailers, ‘Live!’ (1975)). In 2025, a special edition was released to commemorate the album’s 50^th anniversary, followed by the band’s 50^th anniversary tour in 2026.

I have to admit that this particular album was played frequently after it was released and it remains a firm favourite today. I don’t believe that Misty In Roots has made a better album since, sadly. The production of subsequent studio albums couldn’t capture the raw passion of the band giving 100% on stage. It may not be strictly authentic Jamaican roots but it’s a darned fine reggae album nevertheless. Well worth tracking down.

BELIEVE IN MUSIC!

“The wise man makes an island of himself that no flood can overwhelm” – Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama – c.480‑400BCE)

Tailpiece

Another month, another article. I hope you found something in there to entertain you, just a little bit. We all need something to motivate us, to make us get up every morning, to keep going day after day in this brutal, fractured perverse world. If music has the power to heal, to evoke emotions and help to maintain our mental health, wellbeing and resilience, then it is something we all need right now, more than ever.

Once again, I have absolutely no idea what’s coming up next month. I guess we’ll all have to check in to find out, me included.

“Every island to a child is a treasure island” – P.D. James (1920‑2014)

Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. The CRAVEman, signing off for now. Until next time…

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “Hope is based on progress, resulting in a future that will be better than both the past and the present. Faith is that we will do it well”

© 2026 CRAVE Guitars – Love Vintage Guitars.