Tekel Towers » Tek Towers Desert Island Discs #5

Sieb22 · 02/8/2015 9:47 am

I have the pleasure of 'shipwrecking' the man behind Tekel Towers this week!

The 5th 'castaway' we are joined by is Tek.

Tek you have been destined to spend the rest of your days on an isolated island somewhere in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean.

In an extremely lucky quirk of fate however there is big package washed up on shore.......when you open the said package you find a cd walkman,headphones and what would appear to be a 50 year supply of AA batteries.

If you could pick any 8 albums to take with you on the Island...what albums would those be Sir? And can you give a small insight into why you've chosen each one please?

Sieb22 · 02/8/2015 9:48 am

You can take 2 books with you.

1 that you've previously read and 1 that that you always meant to get round too.

Which books and why?

Sieb22 · 02/8/2015 9:49 am

Which person would you miss the most?

Sieb22 · 02/8/2015 9:49 am

If you could take one Dundee Utd match on video to watch over and over again...what match would you choose?

Sieb22 · 02/8/2015 9:49 am

What one other inanimate object would you take with you on the island if you could?

Sieb22 · 02/8/2015 9:50 am

What one alcoholic drink would you take with you if you could?

Sieb22 · 02/8/2015 9:50 am

What ONE album would you save if the tide started washing them away and you only had time to retrieve just one?

Sieb22 · 02/8/2015 9:52 am

And finally as the sun set on the Island for the final time in your life what song would you like to play out?

Tek, I thank you Sir.

Sieb22 · 02/8/2015 9:53 am

And one last thing mate.

Could you pick next weeks 'castaway' please?

Macho Man
european_bob
Sarto Mutiny
Rocky Raccoon

Sieb22 · 02/8/2015 9:56 am

Just noticed the autocorrect in the title! Can't edit it, even if I wanted too. Think it's apt for this one, my apologies though.

...you had one job!...

Tek · 02/8/2015 10:40 am

Sieb22 wrote:
Just noticed the autocorrect in the title! Can't edit it, even if I wanted too. Think it's apt for this one, my apologies though.

...you had one job!...

Haha don't worry I've edited it.

Though tequila might be needed tonight depending on the result.

Gonna have a wee drink tonight so will put up my selections later on after the match when I can fire up the laptop Sir.

Tek · 02/8/2015 8:40 pm

Evening Gents,

Have a cold beer at hand,my headphones on and am going to give you my 8 albums and try and forget all about that nonsense in the 2nd half today

Tek · 02/8/2015 8:53 pm

Album 1.

The Sound - From The Lions Mouth (1981)

A few of you who know me and my musical tastes probably won't be surprised at all to see this as part of my picks.

The story of Adrian Borland really resonates strongly with me for some reason.Unlike Ian Curtis and Kurt Cobain his artistic life wasn't short lived,indeed his career spanned almost two decades (though it ultimately had the same tragic outcome as both).

He finally,sadly,maybe predictably succumbed to his mental health problems many years after The Sound had fragmented infact.I think this is why i am so fascinated with 'Lions Mouth',it's like a suicide note written 20 years beforehand.

It's brooding,it's dark,it's almost sinister in parts...but most of all it's just a fucking great melodic New Wave album and in my opinion is up there with anything Joy Division or The Smiths done.Why it's been so criminally ignored by the British public is anyone's guess.

It still sounds as fresh and vital to me though as when i first heard it 10 or more years ago.

Hard to pick a favourite track but will go for 'New Dark Age'.

Tek · 02/8/2015 9:05 pm

Album 2.

The Cure - Disintegration (1989)

This for me is just a masterpiece.One of those albums you don't skip a single track.It feels seemless almost like a concept album and has a real etheral quality to it that takes you to another place listening to it (particulary if your listening to it on headphones and in dimmed light).

It also imo is one of the best 'love' albums ever written,lost love that is.Stunning album.

Favourite track would be 'Untitled'.

Tek · 02/8/2015 9:19 pm

Album 3.

The Who - Quadrophenia (1973)

Very difficult to decide between this and 'Tommy' but i think 'Quadrophenia' just shades it.I can sing along to every single word to this album,no mean feat as it's 4 sides long and 17 tracks in total.

This was very much a drinking album for me growing up that me and my mates would listen to whilst getting wasted and sing-along to as though we were on a fitba terrace.

It is a very clever concept album though when you analyse the subject matter.The Brighton Mod who has a split personality order.Shouldn't work,but very spectaculary does.

Favourite track would be 'Cut My Hair'

This is tough work Oh i know time for another

Tek · 02/8/2015 9:31 pm

Abum 4.

Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key of Life (1976)

The man is a genius what more can i say?

Born blind and yet in this album he plays EVERY INSTRUMENT.His vocals are also fucking brilliant in some songs.Very underated vocalist imo.

Stevie Wonder has a formidable back catalogue of work but i would regard 'Key of Life' as his 'Magnum Opus'.To have such tracks as the joyous party track 'Sir Duke' alongside an important social comment like 'Village Ghetto Land' on the same record just shows the artistic spectrum this man possesses.

A pleasure to listen to.Favourite track is very very difficult but i'll opt for 'Knocks Me Off My Feet',the vocals are just spellbinding in that track.

Tek · 02/8/2015 9:57 pm

Album 5.

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (1966)

When i was 16 i left school and for 3 years worked for my Dad and the family business.Now i don't know if any of you chaps have ever worked with a family member but if you haven't i wouldn't reccomend it.

Every day for 3 years we were cramped up in his Ford Transit delivering office equipment all over Scotland....for 3 years we fought like Cat and Dog as well...and on an almost daily basis.From Hamilton to Parkhead to Falkirk to Bishopbriggs we travelled and bickered,often so busy and run off our feet that we ate whilst on the move.

One of my enduring memories now when i look back was listening to album cassettes on his tape deck.One of the albums we often listened to was 'Pet Sounds'.We never bickered during 'Pet Sounds',ever.It's wonderous.

Also i don't kow if i'm over romanticising the memory now but it also seemed to be sunny when we listened to it and always a Friday.

Just a wonderful album.Brian Wilson really was an incredibly gifted songwriter and producer.The harmonies of TBB are absolutely water-tight in this too.

Favourite track again tough.I'll go for the 'Here Today' (you hear Brian shout 'CUT' during the bridge,deeming it,at the time,not to be a worthy take).

Tek · 02/8/2015 10:13 pm

Album 6.

Billy Bragg - Must I Paint You A Picture? The Essential Billy Bragg (2003)

Got into the 'Bard of Barking' in my early twenties and now there isn't a week that goes by that i don't listen to at least a couple of his tracks.A bit like 'Quadrophenia' earlier (and most of these albums infact) i can sing every word to his songs,that engrained are they in my psyche.

This is his greatest hits collection upto about 12 years ago.It has everything in it - political songs,songs of unrequited love,songs of lost love,songs about adolescence,songs about equality,songs about death,and some of the Woody Guthrie stuff with Wilco thrown in there too.

Again very hard but favourite track would be 'St.Swithins Day'

Tek · 02/8/2015 10:28 pm

Album 7.

The Delgados - HATE (2002)

A few years ago i was signing-on at my local job centre and the person sitting across from me (an amiable enough guy) was telling me that i was soon eligible to go on a YTS scheme..'whats that' said I.He replied that it could help me get a job in a field of work i was interested in by volunteering myself free of charge,initially.

'What are you interested in'? said the advisor......'Music' said I without a breathe.He then said to me,to my surprise 'have you heard of The Delgados?' I hadn't.

He informed me that they were a really good band that he'd recently helped get work in a rehearsal room (helping set up the instruments and recording bands etc etc.)

I looked out for them soon after as they were local (Motherwell) and i was blown away at just how good they were (i thought they'd be pish).

This album is just brilliant.

Favourite track is 'Woke From Dreaming'

Tek · 02/8/2015 10:38 pm

Album 8.

Neil Young - After The Gold Rush (1970)

This is another of me and my Dad's 'van albums'.And it was him that got me into Neil Young.Again we never bickered on the days Neil Young was on and again i'm not sure if i'm over romanticising the period in time but it always seemed to be sunny,to be Friday,and would be the day we took one of our scenic runs.

Just a great emotional album and if i was spending the rest of my life alone on the island i think i would certainly need something reflective like this.

Favourite track would be the beautiful 'Birds'.

Tek · 02/8/2015 10:47 pm

Sieb22 wrote:
You can take 2 books with you.

1 that you've previously read and 1 that that you always meant to get round too.

Which books and why?

The book i've read previously but would like to re-read is 'Glue' by Irvine Welsh.

About being a young lad growing up in a scheme in Scotland and the scrapes,loves,bevvies,and tragedies you and your mates go through together.

It made me laugh (and cry) and i could really relate to a lot of it,as no doubt quite a few of you could too.

Book i haven't read that i really should get round too is '1984' by George Orwell.

He actually wrote that book in East Kilbride.He was stationed as a patient in Hairmyers Hospital and was being treated for TB during the 2nd World War (it specialised as a tuberculosis hospital at that time) and was there for 6 months.In this time,and (possibly due to his claustrophobic situation) he wrote his most iconic work.

Hairmyers is a stones throw from my house so i feel as though i owe it to him to read it somehow.

Tek · 02/8/2015 10:56 pm

Sieb22 wrote:
Which person would you miss the most?

I would miss all my family and friends and even in a laughably perverse way Mrs Tek ,but the one person i couldn't live without seeing again would be my Son.

Never thought i'd be a parent a few years ago.I wasn't a particulary paternal person and had no designs on having any kids.Suffice to say wee Tek was a bit of a 'surprise' but it's the best thing that's ever happened to me being a Dad.

It makes you less selfish i think,having to think of someone who's needs are suddenly greater than your own,and furthermore 'wanting' too.

Don't get me wrong,it's a tough gig at times,as many of you will know,and i more than anything at times wish i could lie in all day whenever i wanted too,like i used to Pre-Fatherhood.

Everyday though i'm grateful for being able to experience seeing my son grow up.The innocence of kids+their sheer lust for life is a joy to witness.Shame we all lose that tbh.

Anyway...getting a wee bitty too deep so on with the next question

Tek · 02/8/2015 11:07 pm

Sieb22 wrote:
If you could take one Dundee Utd match on video to watch over and over again...what match would you choose?

I think it would be this.

Make no bones about it the whole clubs reputation was on the line that day.Not just the players and management against a '2nd division' side but also the fans.

To see 13,000 of my fellow Utd supporters going into the Lions Den defiantly and roaring the team to victory still gives me goosebumps everytime i watch that.

Never felt hostility like that towards our club and you could cut the atmosphere with a knife.

The goals will live with me forever.Such ashame all 3 scorers that day were at Celtic just a little over a year later though

Tek · 02/8/2015 11:14 pm

Sieb22 wrote:
What one other inanimate object would you take with you on the island if you could?

The logical answer really should be a lighter as i don't think starting a fire with two sticks of wood would be as easy as it looks on telly......but i'd gee it a go nonetheless

I would take an acoustic guitar.

Tek · 02/8/2015 11:20 pm

Sieb22 wrote:
What one alcoholic drink would you take with you if you could?

Would be impossible to keep beer or cider cold on a tropical island and i can only drink either freezing.

Same goes for spirits i need them with ice and mixer.

So that only leaves wine.White and rose should be chilled...so red it is!!

This is lovely