Ah Debra

Musicians are an odd bunch. Moody, mysterious, cranky and often riddled with flaws, they none the less are latched onto the gate of reality by a pair of ears that swivel and arc themselves in the direction of anything interesting. Aural inspiration.

I was well on my way to being the consummate progressive rock bass player (if you don't know what progressive rock is, ask your computer nerd dad) and had a hatful of disdain for anyone who didn't listen to music that tapped out a 7/8 beat or a band that didn't include a rack of ancient synthesizers and stage set designed by Roger Dean (again, ask yer Dad). Needless to say I had a pretty high opinion of myself and a heightened awareness of the impending beating I would receive by playing my Gates of Delirium album at 10.

Still, I was curious to know what the big deal was. I went to the dance and for the most part was pretty unimpressed with the music. Then the band played a song that forever changed my perspective and I discovered the art of the perfect pop song. If there is any one reason I'm not in a Genesis (circa 1972) cover band doing the northern Quebec circuit it's probably Donnie Iris. It started simply, a couple of verses, the tension building over the steady pumping of the bass and drums, the voice growing more and more hysterical until it smashed into the chorus of "AH Leah" and I was crushed. It took him about three minutes to turn me into a musical anthropologist searching for elusive 'perfect pop song'.

Top Ten List of Songs That Stopped Me Dead In My Tracks (in no particular order)

1. Ah Leah-Donnie Iris
2. Got To Get You Into My Life-Beatles
3. My Name is Jonas-Weezer
4. Carlotta Valdez-Harvey Danger (Hey, this is my list-make your own!)
5. Solar Sister-The Posies
6. Jane Says-Janes Addiction
7. Your Ex-Lover is Dead-Stars
8. Subterranean Homesick Alien-Radiohead
9. God Only Knows-Beach Boys
10. Debra-Beck