Michael Lovett: My Life In Records, The Deathbed Q&A

Videos by American Songwriter

Michael Lovett, of Nashville, Tennessee, won the Sept/Oct On My Deathbed contest, presented by Alvarez Guitars. Read Michael’s picks below plus a short Q&A about some of his favorite records. Michael wins an Alvarez WY1K Bob Weir Model acoustic guitar.

Moondance, Van Morrison
Workingman’s Dead, Grateful Dead
Appetite For Destruction, Guns N’ Roses
Chronic Town, R.E.M.
Highway 61 Revisited, Bob Dylan
Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club, The Beatles
My Aim Is True, Elvis Costello and The Attractions
Never Mind The Bollocks…, The Sex Pistols
The Chronic, Dr. Dre
Check Your Head, The Beastie Boys

What was the first album on your list that you discovered?

I think it was Workingman’s Dead. I used to ride to school in the mornings with my sister, who is four years older than me, and she held dominion over the tape deck in her hand-me-down Subaru wagon. She would get all these second generation dubbed cassettes from her friends, and Workingman’s Dead was one of those. The first time I heard the opening chords of “Uncle John’s Band” and “Dire Wolf” squeak out of those crappy speakers I was hooked. There was something magical and “other” about the sound of the record at 7:30 in the morning. The warm quality of the melodies coupled with the Spaghetti Western-infused lyrics made the ride to school much more bearable. Eventually the UR-90 cassette gave out and I got my own copy of the album. I still think of school-day mornings whenever I hear that record.

Does your list follow a progression of your own listening habits through life?

Actually, these records follow both my education and my work history, as well as my listening habits. See, I hated Summer Camp, so when I was 13 my mother made a deal with me. If I could get a summer job, I would not have to go to camp. So I convinced the owner of a local record store to hire me as a stock boy/cleaning person. Local labor laws prevented me from actually being paid any money, so the owner decided to keep track of my hours at minimum wage and pay me in records at the end of each week. He also took a large role in how I spent my “wages.” He did not want me to waste my money on “crap.” He also wanted me to know the stories behind all these records, and how they related to each other. I would leave on Friday with an arm full of records and cassettes, and listen all weekend. On Monday he would tell me about each of the records I had spent the weekend with, and how it was influenced by another artist, or how that artist influenced someone else. We started with the ’60s and jumped around through other decades, and genres, with him cherry picking all the best records. It was the best job I have ever had!

Are there any albums that you wanted to include on your list, but in the end, just didn’t make the cut?

Yes, there tons! Just about all the Police records, Thelonius Monk’s Monk’s Dream, Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Mother’s Milk, John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme, The Allman Brothers Band’s At Fillmore East, Led Zeppelin’s II and so many more. There are so many great records I have been turned on to, and I am very grateful for all of them.

Pick one of the albums on your list and tell us why you chose it.

Sex Pistols’ Nevermind the Bollocks…. This record just oozes attitude. From the cover art to the opening chords to the final seconds, it just comes into the room with no apologies and makes a wonderful mess all over the place. The snarl of Johnny Rotten’s voice leaves just enough room for the growl of Steve Jones’ guitar to blast through, and together they pack a punch that leaves knuckle marks on the inside of your skull. It’s sloppy and it’s earnest. It is so human. Given that this is a “Deathbed” list, I figured I oughta have at least one record with me that kicked in the door to whatever comes next, and announce my arrival.

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