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For some, disco might be a genre counted as a guilty pleasure, but for the band Ancient Heat, it's a springboard. When it comes to disco and electronic-infused groove, the eight-piece certainly has its bases covered. It was super fun watching the group onstage recently as a part of the PDX Pop Now/School of Rock benefit show at the Crystal Ballroom, and the performance made me all the more curious about what songs get its members pumped.
Brendan (bass)
"This was tough for me, I feel guilty for pretty much everything in
life that gives me pleasure. Though after much consideration I'd have
to say that Splack Pack's classic, 'Scrub the Ground' tops the list. I
feel so good when I'm listening to it but I feel so bad because
everyone I'm with usually hates it so much."
Krista (vocals)
"Who knew that the woman who brought you the totally not awesome 'Gloria' could also bring you this amazing bit of fabulous? God, this
song is so good. It gets me feeling all sexy sexy one minute then I'm
all like, 'Yeah, I'm here living in the midst of something nasty and I
LIKE IT!'"
Breanne (vocals)
"This is my favorite music video, and I could watch it over and over
all day long. I love that the video is all done in one take, and
Robyn's dancing and singing is fabulous. I love this song!"
Pete (guitar)
"My affinity
for flannel shirts and gospel music was born in 1993 with this
song/video. It's when I found what I was looking for."
Chris (Rhodes/percussion)
"R. Kelly has been a long-time guilty pleasure of mine. He can make
infinite 4-minute pop songs that find new ways to say 'I want to have
freaky sex with you.' The song "Be My Number 2" off of his untitled
album has a great Michael-Jackson-Off-The-Wall feel to it, plus the
message of the song is basically 'You're not wife material but you
definitely get the silver medal.' With lines like 'Girl, you are so
fine and so fun/but you will never be my number one,' it's like a love
song to two women at the same time. Also, I'm a sucker for spicy
brass and harmonized oohs. Why do you think I'm in Ancient Heat?"
John (trumpet/synthesizers)
The Prodigy, "Firestarter"
"Towards the end of my time in middle school, 'Firestarter' was my
jam! I think this was at the peak of the English techno invasion. I
bought the CD single with my allowance, recorded it to cassette and
listened to that shit every fucking day. The video is hilarious. Look
at the way Keith Flint dances! And that shirt! It's like Eddie Izzard
collaborated with Jeremy from Peep Show and made this 'awesome' video.
I still think the song is pretty good."
Christina (synthesizer)
"What I am is what I am is what I amâ¦"
Devin (drums)
"This song is the best. It always pumps me up in a playful way." [original video was not available for embedding. -Ed]
WWeek 2015