One Day author David Nicholls – prog rock, Live Aid and making tapes for girls

The Netflix series of David Nicholls’ worldwide hit novel One Day was Top Ten in 89 countries and he’s been heavily involved in its soundtrack album, a process as enjoyable, he says, as devising the compilation tape the fictional Emma made for Dexter in 1989 featuring the Smiths, Prefab Sprout and Public Enemy. We talk to him here about the glorious pitfalls of using pop music to broadcast your personality. All bases covered, from the Geoff Love Orchestra to Joy Orbison, along with …

 

… prog rock drummer replacement fantasies.

 

… when a compilation tape is a Valentine’s card.

 

… music as a way of telegraphing a time.

 

… what the 1812 Overture does to a five year-old.

 

… the eternal impact of Shipbuilding and Running Up That Hill.

 

… “punk terrified me”.

 

… classic male musical taste paranoia.

 

… memories of Live Aid – Bowie onstage, Kiki Dee in the car park.

 

… buying a knock-off cassette of Sgt Pepper.

 

… remembering every note of a record you haven’t heard for 50 years.

 

… and the greatest record of all time!

 

Order the One Day Netflix soundtrack here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jessica-Jones-Morrish-Anne-Nikitin/dp/B0CXJNM4WV

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