Off Topic: My Desert Island Discs

A few friends and I decided to update an old tradition dating back to the onset of our college years. For the uninitiated, the idea behind the desert island disc list is to decide the 10 or so cds that you would require if stranded on a desert island. Please refrain from the, "how would you have power on said island blah, blah, blah...". This exercise requires a bit of suspension of disbelief. It really is an interesting process. I tend to approach the exercise as literally as I think one can. In this iteration, I decided to come up with the voices and sounds I simply could not live without. Others may choose to pick their favorite 10-12 albums. From my perspective, that process is a bit flawed. I love Stevie Wonder; I have for 20 years and I will likely for the rest of my life. But, in this compilation, I chose only one of his albums (Talking Book) in an effort to conserve space for other artists. Below, please find my most recent attempt. Please keep in mind that the list as compiled is not ordinal. You know, I don't think I have updated my Desert Island Discs in 15 years! Here goes:

Grateful Dead - Skull and Roses
Professor Longhair- Rock ‘n Roll Gumbo
John Coltrane- A Love Supreme
Bob Dylan- Blood on the Tracks
Stevie Wonder- Talking book
Otis Redding- Pain in My Heart
Sam Cooke- Live at the Harlem Square Club
The Rolling Stones- Exile on Main Street
Marvin Gaye- What’s Going On
A Tribe Called Quest- The Low End Theory
Bob Marley and the Wailers- Natty Dread
Pearl Jam- Live at Fila Theater, Milan, Italy

An addendum to the prior post

Are we so devoid of original thought? We live in such a “me too” world. In the prior post, I touched on Hyundai’s innovative Assurance program and Ford/GMs “me too” response. Perhaps the most obvious and egregious example of this is KFCs recent rebranding effort. Are we really supposed to get excited about Kentucky Grilled Chicken? If consumers have a hankering for grilled chicken there are literally dozens of options. But, unless you reside south of the Mason Dixon line, you probably have far fewer opportunities to sink your teeth into transfat laden, shortness of breath inducing, arteries hardening, all American family fun. For eighty years KFC has filled this greasy void. Does KGC really want to throw their hat into this ring? It’s a pretty crowded space replete with players holding a ten year head start.

Why isn’t there a place for Kentucky Fried Chicken? And why can’t KFC just be what they are? Sometimes standing alone bucking the trend, even when your cause is far from noble, is the right stance to make.