THERE are always loads of CDs in my car, but I’m not very organised with them. They’re usually all over the place so I can never find what I’m looking for. Generally, though, my in-car music all tends to be quite easy listening. I like things that ar
e familiar – things I can sing along with while I’m driving: James Taylor (below right), Carole King and I like Sarah McLachlan as well. I have her CD Afterglow in the car and a couple of others by her as well. In fact, I have copies of her stuff everywhere.
When I’m relaxing I like to listen to a bit of Mozart. I have a CD of his music but it’s not a real CD – somebody made it for me, so I’m not exactly sure what’s on it. I have a Mozart one – Great Piano Concertos – and I have a Beethoven one – Symphony No 9 by the Berlin Philharmonic – and I like to put them on when I’m in the house by myself and there’s nobody else around, just me and the dog.
My father comes from Rathlin Island [off the cost of Northern Ireland], which is actually only an hour from Scotland, and when I’m up there I only ever listen to traditional music. It’s probably my first love. I’m a big fan of Altan and of Seamus and Brendan Begley and I love Sharon Shannon, too. My father was a musician – he played the mandolin. He passed away a while back, but I still go up and stay in his old house, where he came from and where all his family came from. It’s really in the back of beyond, but it’s a beautiful place – not unlike Scotland actually.
When it comes to music to dance to, I love a bit of Kylie, but if I’m going jogging I would probably listen to Thriller by Michael Jackson. There’s a great beat, a great rhythm that you can run to – it keeps you going because it stops you thinking about the exercise.
• Frances Black plays the Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow on 18 May. Tel: 0141-353 8000 or visit
www.glasgowconcerthalls.comThe full article contains 387 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
