Rock Spot – Radio Freedonia Scuppered – A Chat With A Former Pirate
By WTJU Rock
Nick Rubin aka Poubelle avoided walking the plank and other dastardly deeds when long running show, Radio Freedonia, left the air waves, by answering a few questions for WTJU.
What was the first record/cd/download that you bought?
This isn’t the first record I literally bought, but it’s the first one I chose. When I was four or five, my babysitter took me to a record store in Nashville and said she’d buy me a record. I chose the single of “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and His Comets. I remember thinking it was a current song – perhaps because Happy Days had used it as a theme song, sending it up the pop charts twenty years after its first splash. (For the record, my babysitter bought “Signed Sealed Delivered” by Stevie Wonder.)
What song do you strangely know all the lyrics to?
Tough one – I’m not a lyrics person, so it’s strange if I know the lyrics to any song – but if I know the lyrics, the song is probably something massively famous/lyrically impressive, and hence not strange that anyone would know the lyrics.
What song do you wish was played at your birth?
At my birth? I can’t possibly imagine. Maybe when I’m dying I’d like to hear Erik Satie’s “Sur un vaisseau” (Aldo Ciccolini’s version). It’s a musical depiction of a brief sailing trip, and concludes with the ship swaying to and fro as it slowly docks.
Which song did you used to like but now can’t abide?
Wow, not that many – but U2 deserves mention because I LOVED THEM SO MUCH in high school (we all did; don’t believe anyone who says they didn’t). And now, Bono’s voice just makes my skin crawl. Same with Van Morrison (it’s not an Irish thing, I swear)! Astral Weeks used to be my favorite album, bar none – and now I shudder when I hear his bleating. “Besi-ide you! Besi-ide you! Besi-ide you! Besi-ide you!” Jesus, lighten up and let us hear the band!
There are actually many more songs I used to hate but now abide/enjoy: “Baker Street” by Gerry Rafferty. “Careless Whisper” by Wham. “Save a Prayer” by Duran Duran, etc.
What is the most beautiful song in the world?
“Bonaparte’s Retreat” by Doc & Merle Watson.
Hey, if you happen to hear the most beautiful song in the world, and if you do, let us know that, let us know that – and why not answer all the questions and have them feature in the Rock Spot, send them along to anniedeblanco@gmail.com.
