Radnor & Lee – DREAM TOUR

In this Dream Tour segment, the folk duo, Radnor & Lee, let you know who they would like on their ultimate tour lineup. You can check out the feature, after the break.

Ben Lee’s Choices:
JONATHAN RICHMAN – Jonathan is probably my favorite songwriter of all time. He was an original punk guy who basically rebelled and started making music for kids.I find his records beautiful, simple and totally heart opening. My first band Noise Addict covered one of his songs “Back in Your Life”. He might be my single biggest influence and such an underrated artist. I met him a couple of times and was totally starstruck – I couldn’t get any words out properly. I’ve only been starstruck like that twice ever – Jonathan and Jarvis Cocker. It’s funny who has the power to reduce you to a babbling mess. I would like to redeem myself one day.

THE GRATES – The Grates are one of my favorite Australian bands. Their singer Patience is a true original. I’m not sure why they never broke big time around the world, but they just have this infectious joyous effect on the crowd. A powerful female frontperson is one of my favorite things to watch. I’ve always found women are able to enter a shamanic space as performers a little more easily or less self-consciously than men. Patience is the sort of rock star I hope my daughter looks up to and wants to be like.

JILL SOBULE – Jill is an incredible, seminal American songwriter, best known for a hit in the 90s called, “I Kissed A Girl.” But she’s kinda like a Brill Building songwriter – a pure craftsperson. I was lucky enough to act as producer for her new upcoming album Nostalgia Kills and the quality of the material really floored me. I think Jill is on the verge of being recognized as a true contributor to the tapestry of American song.

Josh’s Choices:
GANG OF YOUTHS – I first found Gang of Youths via a thrilling cover they did of LCD Soundsystem’s “All My Friends.” (I prefer it to the original if I’m allowed to say such things) But I only became a hard-core fan with the release of their latest album, Go Farther in Lightness. Raw, painful, sincere, questioning, it felt to me on my first listen like an instant classic. I’ve been recommending it to everyone. From what I can tell from clips online, their live shows are equally thrilling.

LAKE STREET DIVE – These guys are serious musicians and serious fun, their original tunes as rich and deep as their early covers. And I think Rachael Price is one of the great vocalists in music today. Mostly I’d want to tour with them so I could request “Just Ask” and get to hear Price hold that one note in the latter half of the song longer than any human should possibly be able to hold a single note.

LISA HANNIGAN – In 2003 I was gripped with a slightly worrying Damien Rice obsession. I saw Damien and Lisa play live (I think) eight times in one year. Lisa was such an integral part of the whole experience, I remember after her first couple of notes the audience would often spontaneously burst into applause. Her voice is really special and has only grown richer and more interesting with time. I love where her solo work has been going, and in my fantasy tour, I’d be delighted to hear her sing every night.

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