Monday 27 February 2012

My Top 5: Gregg Etches


Gregg Etches is one of our very best friends and the lovely man who, along with Suzi his wife, helped us to make our Corsican home firstly habitable and then, into a much loved home. 
Here he is (right) eating what he thinks is a sea urchin ('oursin', a local delicacy'). 
Whisper it, but he's actually scraping out the innards of a wild boar's testicle.... sea urchins are not meant to be that chewy and tough.
Still, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger...
As you can see, he later took the bitter taste away by coiffing copious cups of the local grog; impressive, as he seems to have lost the use of his lips...
Here's Gregg:



Tim & Eric,
What a challenge, I had to almost close my eyes and point at the albums as MM & Jones are the only albums I have listened to and love every song and never get bored.
So I started a list of songs which have special links for me; because I couldn't choose only five. 

I got to thinking maybe I could bend the rules a little. 
I could have 5 lists of 5: 
1. memories 
2. meaning 
3. uplifting 
4. lyrical 
5 genius

I'm still finding it difficult so just have 2 at the moment. 

You know a man has to eat, a man has to work...

List one: 'Memories'
1. Hopeland: 

Because Katie (my daughter of 4yrs old) sings along and says I love uncle Trevor. She makes my heavy days feel lighter
2. Pickle:

Katie's first realisation that she was a MM fan. But she was only 6 months old at the time
3. Harry's Hands:

This has special meaning to the start of a dear friendship.
4. Coffee and Stars:

A gift of extraordinary connection.
5. Lights of Home:

The whole album has great memories of our wedding time and the whole process; from choosing everything, to the beauty of the day; the whole weekend really, which was at a refurbished country home used by the military in WW 2;  ideal as we had a 1950s feel/theme to our wedding, based around music, outstanding food, friends and family and the people who shared it with us. In particular two people who gave part of their heart and soul to make our wedding an incredible one; that would be Trevor and Di. 
They are a force of creative beauty. 
'Lights of Home' is my time machine to that moment.

List two: 'Uplifting' (these just make me feel good)
1. Weatherwise
2. Hopeland
3. Way Back When
4. Starwatching
5. Glow

I have now run out of time so hope there is enough info. 

I look forward to see what others choose.
Kind Regards,
Gregg Etches

5 comments:

  1. I must remember to read these blogs before I put my mascara on.
    xxx

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  2. My God! Is that the Osmonds? Look at those toothy smiles!

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  3. We are quite toothsome there; although Gregg's teeth were never quite the same again after that night...

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  4. Eric will be pleased to see "Harry's Hands" pegged, one of his favorites too. I guess I've skirted it because of the "C" word. An unflinching musical character study, tempered by the giddy outro... brilliant touch.
    I also recently noticed the naughty intro to "Deaf Face" too. Another of Myrna's singalongs... a heart-ripper.

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  5. That's Di, Gregg & Suzi on the outro of 'Harry's Hands'; recorded in our old bathroom...

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