Pikin' Tunes

Every autumn Mr Rob would post on the P&P forum, selecting his travelling music for the coming winter and inviting brother Pikers to do the same. Now this music is important, it sets the scene for the day ahead and determines what frame of mind you arrive at the water in. This season I think I’ve got my selection right, more on that later, but in seasons past I’ve got it badly wrong.

I love Happy Mondays but the ‘Uncle Dysfunctional’ album didn’t work at all. Likewise, I’m a massive fan of the Prodigy but they haven’t got me in a Pikey frame of mind so far, “Invaders must die” or “Smack my bitch up” don’t really accompany a day on the water. I’m quite partial to a bit of hip-hop but playing N.W.A. was a disaster, the fucking boat sank! Rich’s best season came with Led Zep in his motor and I love them but copying other peoples choices won’t work either. I struggled to get the right combination, you can’t force it – can’t think about it too hard, it just has to happen.

This Autumn I got it right, the sounds are personal to me, had me singing along and in the zone when I got on the water.

My first choice was brand new, the latest Red Hot Chilli Peppers album “I’m with you”. An internationally renowned band, which will need no introduction to anybody. If you like the peppers you’ll love this, everything you’d expect from them and more. Stand out tracks are “Brendan’s death song” and “Police station”. Both will go down as chilli peppers classics.

The next was “The essential Eels”. This band played the best gig I saw all of last year, a blinding set played by brilliant musicians. The main man is Mark Everett AKA Mr E, a superb songwriter. Some of his music is very dark, some has moments of euphoria and all of it has humour. "Novocaine for the Soul" brilliant!

Next was a classic, “Leftism” by Leftfield. A mid 90’s dance classic, real steering wheel thumping music, particularly the cameo by John Lydon on “Open up”. This was the soundtrack to a week in Ireland with Giles a few years ago...that is another story!

There is always a bit of reggae in the motor and this season it was “Talkin’ blues” by Bob Marley and the Wailers. Old, raw versions of familiar Marley classics, with some ‘Scratch Perry’ remixes thrown in. "Cold ground was my bed last night, and rock was my pillow too..."

I changed the music selection for the mid-winter period but fishing results were not as good although the Ministry of Sound XX collection really hit the mark. Now spring has arrived and I’ve reverted to my autumn selection again coincidently I’m back amongst the fish!!

Attention to detail. That’s one of the things I’ve managed to get right this season, doing the simple things right. Tackle, line, hooks and traces all razor sharp and top notch. Bait has been the best I can lay my hands on and a couple of brother Pikers have been kind there too. I’ve gone out onto the water in the right frame of mind, confident and relaxed. OK the music might not have put fish in the boat but it certainly hasn’t hurt.

Thanks to Rob for supplying the title