My Top 5: Phil Hogarth

Toronto Tim issued a challenge: 

Name your top 5 Miracle Mile/Jones songs.

Why not email me here with your own top 5.

Phil Hogarth lives in Israel and is a long term 'friend' of Miracle Mile.

Alright Trev, I love this sort of thing. 

I spend far too many hours making up all kinds of 'favourites' and 'best ofs', but cutting your total output down to just 5 tracks I found a mite difficult. Firstly let me say, I've been hooked by your music since buying 'Candids' back in 98 after seeing a few adverts for it in my monthly Q magazine, comparing it to Prefab Sprout and, if I remember correctly, Aztec Camera who are two of my favourite bands. I loved it on first listen and so tried to get hold of a copy of 'Bicycle Thieves', which I remember was really difficult from over here in Israel. Eventually I got in touch with you and you told me you had some copies for a tenner, and I still remember the CD arriving before I'd managed to send the cash off! 

Anyway, to get on with my top 5:

I have to start with the opening track from 'Bicycle Thieves', 'Walking John Wayne.

There's something so simple about the song , but it just stands out as something rather special, and even today 14 years after first hearing it, I find it still just jumps into my head every so often. I liken it to Aztec Cameras best (in my opinion) song 'Killermont Street'. Mainly acoustic, simple and class!

Now from an oldie to a fairly new favourite' 'Folding Sheets'. I love a song that just gives me a strong image of something and I can see the mother and daughter doing the 'folding sheets 'dance on their rooftop. I don't know why but I picture a dusty Mexican shanty town! and both the mother and daughter are sultry latinos (think Salma Hayek!)

Next up, the opening track to 'Limbo', Lights of Home'. 

Again a strong image , this time of my childhood home, a big old farmhouse on the outskirts of Whitby in North Yorkshire. As the road leads to the village the farmhouse lights are the first you see and also the last as you leave.

Next up, from my favourite album 'Glow', comes 'What Kate Did Next'. This was a hard one to choose. I had to pick a song from 'Glow' but I love the whole album. I remember when I first got hold of my copy. I spent a good hour just reading to booklets before I listened to the album.

I remember how I listened to the whole album and then played it again and for a third time and I knew this was the best album I'd ever heard. I played it every night for weeks washing it down with vintage Glenfidich! Wonderful times indeed!

Now, to finish off, my favourite track by MM, 'Milk Moustache'. 

This song takes me back to my childhood From the opening bars that remind me of a kids TV program from the 60's that I can't for the life of me name! I picture my family round the kitchen table. Me as a young kid and my older brother and sister and my younger sister sitting between my Mum and Dad.

Happy, simpler times.

So there you have it!