1:: Total volume of music files on my computer: I have no music on my work computer, but I've got about 14GB on my home computer. Except it's not technically on my computer, it's on an external hard drive that I had to buy because I had too many mp3s and my computer couldn't cope any more.
2:: The last CD I bought was: Embarrassingly ages ago - Bjork's Medulla, which I bought in DC in January. The last CD i acquired through non-buying means was Okna Tsahan Zam's Journey in the Steppes, which is Mongolian khoomei (throat singing) - I saw him live last week, and then borrowed the CD from a friend. It is pretty amazing.
3a:: The last song I listened to before writing this was: I was listening to 'I have the moon' by the Magnetic Fields when I got to work.
3b:: Song playing right now: Nothing. But the next song on my iPod is 'Happy Phantom' by Tori Amos.
4:: Five songs or albums I listen to a lot or that mean a lot to me:
Like
- Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, by the Beatles. One of the few records we had in the house when I was a kid, and it was probably the first album I listened to as an early adolescent coming out of my 'I only listen to classical music!' phase, which made me realise that pop music could be as amazingly moving and cool as classical music.
- Under the Pink, by Tori Amos. I bought this when I was 15, and was probably the first comtemporary album I bought, following my 'I only listen to music made before 1980' phase. I just remember being absolutely astonished by it, and I still think it's great; in my opinion, the best of all her albums (not a popular opinion, but then I'm hardly a die-hard Tori Amos fan, so I can say that).
- Graceland, by Paul Simon. Again, one of the few albums my parents had when I was a kid, and I used to listen to it obsessively. It is probably at least partly responsibly for igniting my love of 'world' music (a term that I hate, but you know what I mean).
- Living in Clip, by Ani DiFranco. The first Ani DiFranco album I bought, and listened to over and over in my second year of university when I was trying to build up the courage to break up with my evil ex. He once came into the room when I was listening to 'Untouchable Face' (which has the chorus 'fuck you, and your untouchable face') and whining 'I don't see why you have to listen to music that's so aggressive towards men'. This coming from a man who used to listen to 'Diane' by Therapy? at top volume when he was drunk. Yep, the boy had issues.
- Tigermilk, by Belle and Sebastian - oddly enough, for the same reason
5:: Which five people are you passing this baton to, and why? Anyone who wants something to entertain them on a Friday afternoon! But I'm going to say