If you had to go away for awhile and you could only take five of your favorite albums with you, which ones would you choose? Yes, we know it isn’t a fair question, but that hasn’t stopped us from asking music fans who happen to be recording artists in their own right. This edition of Desert Island Discs comes courtesy of She Wants Revenge bassist Adam Bravin. Check out the new She Wants Revenge album Valleyheart, which is in stores now.

Depeche Mode, Some Great Reward

The first album I really connected with that wasn’t something I heard my parents play. It connected with me emotionally as well as musically and was a huge inspiration on who I would become as a musician. My favorite album by my favorite band, including some of my favorite DM songs, “Lie to Me” and Blasphemous Rumours”

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Prince,  Sign ‘O’ the Times

I think Prince was peaking when he made this record and all the songs that he recorded at the time that didn’t make it on this record are just as amazing. Many of my favorite Prince songs are on included, “If I Was Your Girlfriend” “Adore” “Strange Relationship” “Forever in My Life”. This was also the record that he introduced his alter-ego “Camille” on “Housequake” “Strange Relationship” and “If I Was Your Girlfriend” taken from an album of the same name (Camille) and broken up and spread across a number of albums that would follow or never be released commercially.

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Esthero, Breath from Another

I became obsessed with this record when I first heard it and listened to it non-stop for months. “Superheroes” is on of my favorite songs of all time and accompanies so many amazing memories from that year. I was so moved by this record, I would later “kidnap” Esthero one night from a party and we have been best friends ever since.

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Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life

I remember growing up listening to both my parents play this record constantly. In my opinion it’s the best album ever made. There are so many levels of genius on this album, so many amazing feelings and sounds, moving lyrics, a very personal look into Stevie Wonder’s life at the time, I still listen to it constantly, it’s very moving and super inspiring. Some of the greatest dance songs of all time including “As,” “Another Star,” I Wish” and “Sir Duke.” Every song on this double album is perfect.

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Vangelis, Blade Runner Soundtrack

Probably the most inspiring soundtrack for me as a musician. A perfect blend of live interments and electronics make this album one of my favorites and something I’ve listened to almost exclusively right before we’ve made all of our three albums. We based a lot of the second record off the movie as well as this soundtrack, even to the point of digging deep and doing research to find what keyboards Vangelis used and scouring the earth for them until I finally found them all.

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Thanks to Adam for a great selection of desert tunes! Visit She Wants Revenge online and check out regular updates on the band via their blog!

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About the Author

Matt Wardlaw

Matt Wardlaw is a music lifer with nearly 20 years of experience in the industry. Of course you all have shoes older than that, but that's okay, Matt realizes that he's still a rookie. His byline has appeared in the Riverfront Times (St. Louis), Cleveland Scene, Blogcritics, Music's Bottom Line and Ultimate Classic Rock, among others. In addition to writing for Popdose, Matt also has his own music blog called Addicted to Vinyl where he writes about a variety of subjects including but not limited to vinyl. In his spare time, Matt enjoys long walks in the park, Cherone-era Van Halen and driving long distances to Night Ranger concerts.

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