First Dance Friday: Like Someone In Love

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This summer I am finally getting to see Bjork.

I wouldn't call myself a die-hard fan, and yet I'm disproportionately excited. I realised today I don't actually own any of her solo records, and yet I can't believe it's taken me this long to see her live. I think she's great.

Why?

 Bjork is basically an inspiration. A woman in music who doesn't give a fig about anything apart from expressing herself creatively? That's a rare and brilliant thing these days, but it was even more rare and briliant 20 years ago. I'd like to think that she's at least paved the way for us to wear a swan to an awards ceremony, if we choose to.

Or make a batshit brilliant record that's about nothing but art in its purest form.

Yeah, maybe that.

 I remember hearing Debut for the first time in my big step-sister's flat, thinking I would never be sophisticated or adult enough to have my own place with hanging crystals and tie-dye throws (no sniggering at the back). I remember listening to Play Dead for the first time and being taken aback that something so dark and emotionally raw could pop out at me from a Now! That's What I Call Music compilation. I remember screaming along to It's Oh So Quiet in the corridors at school. I remember sitting up until the sunrise with a music obsessed friend and geeking out over Volta.

Bjork has taken me from my childish cluelessness into somebody who is in love with music in all its forms. For people of my generation, she has simply always been there, like a tiny Icelandic pixie-shepherd, guiding us through life in hi-fi.

As far as first dances go, there's a load of Youtube videos of people doing choreographed dances to It's Oh So Quiet. You can google that, if you like. But I'm not sure it's in the spirit of today's post.

So I give you this.



Beautiful. I am purchasing Debut as we speak.

Now tell me - who is your musical inspiration?