The Essential Weekly Playlist of: Mike Hukins

We bring the Essential Weekly Playlist of Mike Hukins from Molly Anna Band. The video for their new song, ‘Horror Show’ , will be out at midday today.

Sum 41 – ‘Handle This’

Bands like Sum 41 and Blink 182 were the reason I started playing guitar and taking an interest in music. This song takes pride of place as the first guitar solo I ever learned and still remember 14 years later.

Imogen Heap – ‘Hide And Seek’

I think I fell asleep to Hide and Seek every night for 2 months when I first heard it. It was probably my first encounter with really good chord voicing though I had no idea what that was at the time.

Tower Of Power – ‘Ebony Jam’

I got into Jazz and Funk music through the Red Hot Chili Peppers but Tower of Power were the first band I really got into outside of Rock. This song also sparked my love of contemporary instrumental music.

Linkin Park/Jay Z – ‘Numb/Encore’

As a teenager I remember feeling enormous social pressure to listen to music which ‘fitted in’ with what my social group. This was the first song I heard that made me think ‘screw that, this is awesome’. Also my first experience with a really good mash-up.

Tommy Emmanuel – ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’

Tommy Emmanuel can still do things with a guitar that truly baffle me. The opening cascading harmonics on this arrangement are spellbinding and the rest of it is gorgeous regardless of how many times and ways I hear him play it.

Sergei Rachmaninoff – ‘Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini’

Not so much a song, but massively musically important to me. The first classical concert I saw live and the first display of true virtuosity. Stephen Hough was awesome.

The Notorious B.I.G – ‘Nasty Girl’

The song which I first bonded with my best friend over. Molly Anna Band wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for this song.

John Mayer – ‘Neon’

When I first started liking pop music at the time it came out! Also, one of the greatest guitar riffs ever written.

Zero 7 – ‘Destiny’

Zero 7 were probably the band to spark my love of music production. I also loved that it was basically a 2 man outfit embellished by their favourite session players and close friends.

Porcupine Tree – ‘Trains’

The song which really summed up the aesthetic of the music I wanted to make! Minus the banjo solo of course.