Clare Adamson: Political Spin

What was the first record that you ever bought?
The first I can remember buying is A Tonic For The Troops by The Boomtown Rats. I bought it when I was in primary school from a classmate’s big brother who didn’t like it and it cost me my pocket money. That was the first LP I ever bought and it’s one I still turn to occasionally.

What record will always get you on the dance floor? 
Gerry Rafferty, Stuck in the Middle with You. I’m not on the dance floor as much as I used to be but that song gets me there at weddings.

What is your karaoke song? 
Whisky in the Jar, Thin Lizzy is one I do quite often, and Caledonia.

What songs do you want played at your funeral? 
It would probably be a folk song of some kind, maybe Caledonia as well.

What song was first dance at your wedding?
We didn’t actually dance at our wedding, but my husband and I really like folk music and one of the songs we always used to dance to is You’ve Got a Friend by Carole King. 

What song is guaranteed to make you cry? 
I think that goes back to sentimental songs. I went to see Neil Diamond with my mum and hearing September Morn was really poignant then. And Don McLean when he sang Tapestry; it was just amazing. I think when I hear songs from my childhood played live, it really gets me going.

What music would you always associate with your childhood? 
Most of my musical taste comes from the fact I’ve got an older brother and sister, so lots of music that I do like is actually not from my generation. I’m a big Cream fan, big Hendrix fan, and Harry Chapin was one of my favourite folk singers – some of his songs like Cat’s in the Cradle always remind me of childhood.

What record do you absolutely hate but can’t get out of your head? 
An earworm that really annoys me is that song, ‘I get knocked down but I get up again’, [Tubthumping by Chumbawamba]. That does my head in, and once you hear it and are reminded of it, it gets in your brain and I just don’t like the song!

What record would you be embarrassed to owning up to having? 
Me and my husband have got hundreds of LPs so that’s a difficult question. One I didn’t really buy for myself – it was for my son – is the Glee soundtrack.

What was the last band you went to see and who with?
The last band I went to see was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to, and that was the Hoolie in the Hydro, which was a whole bunch of different folk bands – Manran and Trial West and a whole load of other Scottish bands, and Karen Matheson was singing with them. We’ve booked for next year to see that as well. The last standalone band we went to see was Metallica at the Hydro with my son.