5 Songs

Good evening!  It is day four of the WWLOH TAKEOVER and as our Wull is off galavanting in Inverness at this years goNORTH! you have me (Alice) for now.  We are continuing our '5 Songs' feature tonight with our very own Ali!

Alison Cochrane (Violin)

1. Song that got you into music - There's not really any particular song.  I remember hearing Bruce Springsteen, The Eagles, Adam And The Ants and Joni Mitchell when I was younger.  I think the first album I bought as a kid was Good Charlotte's 'The Young And The Hopeless' as my mum was always into punky/rocky music so I ended up going down that route for a few years.

2. Song that made you want to write - 'Machines' by Biffy Clyro.  I was about 11/12 when I was in my neighbour's house, and they had posters from the Blackened Sky and The Vertigo Of Bliss albums up.  I was intrigued, and have spent the years since loving Biffy's albums.  When Puzzle came out I listened to it on repeat for weeks, and I adored 'Machines'.  It's such a beautiful song to end an album on, and it made me realise that strings could work with any kind of music, not just classical or folk.

3. Song that changed your musical direction - Again, not a single song, 'Diamond Mine' album by King Creosote and Jon Hopkins.  I started listening to more Fence Records stuff, and eventually Jon Hopkins' own work.  I never knew that style of music could have so many layers through it that are both subtle and complex.   It completely changed how I think about song structures and dynamics.

4. First song you learned - On violin, it was 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'.  I was 8.  As an only child I ended up teaching myself new hobbies (for a lack of siblings to wind up) and I taught myself Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata on piano.  Took me months and I can't play it now to save myself!  

5. Song that makes you happy to be alive - 'Hakuna Matata' from the Lion King.  If you can listen to that and not smile, you have no soul. 

Coming up on the WWLOH takeover we have more interviews (that are not just with members of WWLOH!), a goNORTH diary from our Wull and before the week is out we should have some music for you!