This week’s Essential Playlist comes from a band we’ve covered a lot on Essentially Pop: The Rising, from Belfast. Since we first met them earlier this year, The Rising have gone from strength to strength, with it recently being announced that they are up for a British Country Music Award (BCMA), under ‘Horizon Act’ of the year. This award represents excellence and breaking through to the UK and Internationally.
18th Oct: Newcastle (UT) – Live Theatre  SOLD OUT
20th Oct: Nottingham – The Bodega
24th Oct: Dublin – Whelans
27th Oct: Bristol – The Louisiana
28th Oct: London – The Borderline
29th Oct: Leeds – Brudenell
30th Oct: Manchester – Gullivers
31st Oct: Glasgow – King Tuts Wah Wah Hut
As a band we are pretty eclectic taste-wise, covering a wide spectrum of artists that we listen to or take influence from. To pick ten tracks alone is an almost impossible task, but here are ten tracks that jump out instantly.
In no particular order:
Needtobreathe – Drive All Night
Needtobreathe are probably our biggest influence as a band. So much so that we have seem then around 5/6 times live. The reason we went with this song was simply since it features the bands key trademarks and their unique blend of folk, roots music and pop/rock together. Something which inspires us heavily as a band. Obviously being fans of the band we could all probably pick an obscure track from one of their albums but this track is one of the singles released from their simply epic album ‘The Reckoning’. We advise everyone to go out and get a copy.
![NEEDTOBREATHE - "Drive All Night" [Official Video]](https://i0.wp.com/i.ytimg.com/vi/RC7YR11gRUQ/maxresdefault.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
Bruce Springsteen – Lonesome Day
Obviously, we are all massive Bruce Springsteen fanatics. So much so we named the band after one of his albums. This track in particular is the first song taken from the album ‘The Rising’. Everybody in the band owns a copy of this album and its a regular on touring trips.
Fleetwood Mac – Never Going Back Again
Chris: Well simply one of the most iconic bands of all time and needs little or no introduction. Taken from the album ‘Rumours’ which was a major influence on me and one of the first albums that really got me into music. Also, Lindsey Buckingham is in my top three guitar players of all time, his influence on me and my playing style is very clear.
Tom Petty – Learning To Fly
Tom Petty is a massive influence on the band. Once again someone who has fused various genres of music together; Pop, Rock, Country/Rock. This is a song we have talked about covering for a long time.
Bruce Springsteen – Radio Nowhere
Peter: I particularly love this Springsteen song with the up-beat guitar driven feel, definitely a “feel good” song.
Dire Straits – Walk of Life
Peter: Definitely a song up there in my “rock” category with that slight country-ish vibe. For me it’s one of those classic and lovable simple chord songs with a great rock and roll feel.
Chris: Once again, in my top three guitar players of all time.
ELO – Mr Blue Sky
Peter: A great song to start of a sunny day to! A song that’s went through a kind of “Beatles” filter but also sounding very fresh and one of those ageless songs for me. Also love the cowbell….if in doubt use some more cowbell!
Keith Urban – Somebody Like You
Keith Urban’s fusion of Rock, Pop and Country are obviously a major influence. This song in particular is a perfectly crafted song and deserves all the songwriting awards it won.
Chris: Keith is also one of my top three guitarists of all time.
James Taylor – Fire and Rain
Chris: I could listen to this track over and over again for days. James Taylor could sing the phone book and make it sound amazing. Probably my favourite singer-songwriters of all time. In this song he delivers a tribute to his friend who committed suicide, the failure of his first band and his new found fame. A song that has been covered by countless artists but nobody can touch the original.
Queen – These Are The Days Of Our Lives
Chris: Queen are the band that changed my life. When I was very young my folks had a copy of Queen’s debut album on vinyl lying loose with no cover. It sounds really cheesy to say, but, the second the needle touched the vinyl I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. It was only much later that I actually knew what the band looked like. Brian May is the reason I play guitar and I steal from him all the time.lol… This track in particular is a song that I love everything about. It also features one of the best guitar solos ever recorded in my opinion. Obviously, being a super fan this video and song will always be very sad to me since it was Freddie’s last video and he looks very ill in the video.
