Beth Orton - Central Reservation

Old Pa's Wednesday Club

...MICHELE FRIENDLY

Here is a pic of  Michele & friend

 

BETH ORTON - Central Reservation - Spiritual Life Remix

What is Michele Friendly?

Well it started quite a long time a go, probably in the eighties. You see I had a big problem with Old Ma.  If we were having a drink at home, she just did not like my choices of music. If  Dylan, Van or Joy Division came on, the evening would go flat or we would end up having an argument about how lousy Dylan's voice is etc etc.

What was the solution? well I came up with the Michele Friendly cassette. I would hand pick songs I thought she would like, she did lean towards disco and dance. The song would only get on the tape if I liked it as well. Essential.

I even made picture covers and took a lot of care to make them look appealing and attractive. I convinced OM that they were her tapes and that she had actually really good taste. I made one up every few months and made it out to be a great event. 

'Lets have a drink and we can listen to one of your fabulous 'Michele Friendly tapes'

Of course I would convince her that she had great taste and I was only putting on tape what she liked. 

A typical tape may have Santana, always a few Reggae, as luckily she likes that, maybe some REM or U2. New Order was acceptable so there certainly was room to manoeuvre. I would also have some of the latest dance music which I would of course have to like. 

The big thing for me was to slip on something really daring and get off with it. I did manage to slip on a Joy Division track The Eternal. She even ask who that was as she liked it. I even managed to get off with a Dylan track Belle Isle. Oh how I loved that.  If only you could have seen how I glowed.

It's all a case of doing what you have to do, but at the same time making the best of what is available.

I progressed from cassettes to Cd's, always with carefully prepared covers. I still do MP3 play lists which I know will be compatible with OM.

Anything for a quiet life. That's me!  

I chose Beth Orton remix of Central Reservation as it was typical of the type of song I would put on. I knew she would like it and I certainly did.  

If I ever formed a group (unlikely) Michele Friendly would be high on the list as a potential name.

'You know what Old Ma? you have got really great taste, even if I say so it myself!'

Here is the album version. It is just a bloody good song no matter how you hear it. The Ben Watt re-mix is not to shabby either.

 

BETH ORTON - Central Reservation (1999) 

P.S. Good Job Old Ma does not read my Posts!