 | Graham Kearns. Bob Dylan. The House of the Rising Sun Bob Dylan included this on his first album in 1962, using a folk arrangement he picked up from hearing Dave Van Ronk perform it and singing it as "it's been the ruin of many a poor girl." When The Animals recorded it two years later, it was transformative listening for Dylan, who learned he could put apply a rock rhythm to a folk song. He bought an electric guitar and started to use it, famously at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival where he did an electric set for the first time. |
 | Peter Woodcock. A-round the Corner - The Weavers - late 1940s. As a kid, this song really took my fancy and led me into the world of Folk Music in which I had many years of involvement. Coincided with getting my first (plastic) ukulele. Blowing in the Wind - Bob Dylan but Peter Paul and Mary's version mid 60's A folk-singing group I was in (West Side Four) sang this song in the finals of 'Have a Shot' at the Auckland Town Hall - and won!! Big time win which led to a couple of years doing gigs around Auckland and even Brooklyn Bowl in New Plymouth. Good times. |
 | Adrianne Skiffington All Wrapped Up [Album] The Undertones. An Irish "Punk" band, with the cover showing a lady in a meat dress which was later made famous by Lady Gaga. The Undertones song, Teenage Kicks was mixed with Blondies One Way or Another by One Direction in 2013 as a fund raiser for Comic Relief, their video starred Tony Blair. |
 | Joy Ward. Choral finale from Symphony No ) Beethoven - Ode to Joy I sang it in German for a concert in the Sydney Opera House, with about 800 other choristers, last year. |
 | Chris Ward - Film .The Big Chill. A 1983 American comedy-drama that was the forerunner of many moviesof the modern era where friends hang out and strive to find intellectual meaning within stifling middle-class banalities. The movie has a sound track featuring soul, rhythm and blues and pop including tracks by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, the Rolling Stones and Three Dog Night. |
 | Jeanette Roberts. Best book and movie. “Pride and Prejudice” Jane Austin. Published in 1815. The film version I like best is the 1940 MGM version, starring Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson, but the 1980 BBC TV Presentation starring Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul was very good and to my mind better acting and more honest than the later versions - 1995 with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle and the 2005 one with Matthew Macfadyen and Keira Knightley. I have the 1940, 1990 and 1995 ones on video. |
 | Nick Loseby. Film. The Italian Job. Best of British actors along with beautiful British and Italian cars, humour and of course the unforgettable line “You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off” This is one film where you wanted the “baddies” to get away with it. |