A force of nature at the heart of Belfast‘s punk scene, Terri Hooley‘s record shop and label Good Vibrations helped to bring the likes of The Undertones and more to the wider world. With his adventures, and, er, misadventures immortalised in recent film Good Vibrations – out now on TV – the punk godfather put together for Q a playlist of his favourite songs. Remarkably there’s a Beach Boys song in there, but not the one you might be expecting…
Shangri-Las – Past, Present And Future
“Well, if I had only one record to take on a desert island, it would have to be this.”
Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On
“It’s just a fabulous song from a fabulous time, a time of the Vietnam War when I was very anti the Vietnam War. And it’s on a whole album about social conscience, and about social commentary, just all anti-war and it’s just wonderful. It didn’t get great reviews when it came out. In fact, Berry Gordy of Motown didn’t really like the album, but then it went on to sale like 150,000 albums.”
Them – Here Comes The Night
“It was originally released on Decca Records by Lulu. It was written by Bert Berns, the producer. Here Comes The Night is very special for me. It came at a time in my life when I was quite lonely.”
Roy Orbison – It’s Over
“I’m a huge Roy Orbison fan. I often dream of Roy Orbison actually. Your baby doesn’t love you anymore… It’s Over. It’s all to do with teen heartbreak. I can be very romantic. My girlfriend says I’m not very romantic at all, and I say, Well, there’s a reason. Women knocked the romance out of me. And I found out a very long time ago, that I got on by being not so romantic.”
Rudi – Big Time
“This is the first record I ever put out. A band that I always thought that should’ve made it. I think it’s a classic, and it’s just a very good pop song. It’s a record close to my heart, because I’ve never been attracted by the big time, I always stayed away from the big time. I never wanted the big time. I was offered a job in America at Warner Brothers, but I just decided I’d rather stay and be down, out and penniless in Belfast which is my own city which I love.”
NB There Are Too Many Saviours On My Cross is currently unavailable
The Beach Boys – Don’t Worry Baby
“Love the production on it. Just love Brian Wilson’s production.”
The Ronettes – Be My Baby
“I love all the girl bands, but I love The Ronettes very much.”
Darlene Love – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
“Because Christmas is a very lonely time for a lot of people, and I’ve had a few friends who committed suicide after Christmas. I just love this track. The production on it is fabulous, and it’s one of the few Christmas records that I really love. I had a job when I was younger of recording all the Christmas albums that would be playing, and I’ve heard all the Andy White albums.. .but yeah, Darlene Love’s Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), I just think it’s such a wonderful classic record.”
Richard Harris – There Are Too Many Saviours On My Cross
“It’s a poem by Richard Harris which is set to music and it’s very operatic, and it’s about Northern Ireland. It’s about giving us hope.”
Bob Marley & The Wailers – Jammin’
“I always liked, We’re jamming in the name of the Lord. And it’s just such a great record. There’s so many Bob Marley records, but that’s the one I love.”
Good Vibrations (the film) is out now on Blu-ray and DVD from Universal Pictures (UK).
