DEVIL'S ISLAND featuring Ghosts of Sunset
Welcome to this weeks edition of Devil's Island! Every week we maroon a band or artist on the island and see what they get up to, how they cope with being all alone on a small island in the middle of the ocean. It's not your average desert island and we'll see just how each person copes with the extreme conditions.
This week when we arrived at Devil's Island we found John Merchant, singer, songwriter and guitarist of Ghosts of Sunet sat on the beach. The island is far from his home, but how did he end up on here and how did he cope with life on Devil's Island?
Find out now...
Welcome to The Razors'e Edge and our somewhat lovely, warm desert island. Don't worry about it's name I'm sure it's not as bad as that would suggest.
So you're marooned here on this island, but before you ended up shipwrecked you chose one album that you couldn't live without. Which album did you each chose and why?
John: Definitely something from the Beatles. With the Beatles at least, I’d get multiple styles of music. They had pop stuff (I Want to Hold Your Hand, I Saw Her Standing There), singer-songwriter stuff (Rocky Raccoon, Yesterday), heavy stuff (Come Together, I Want You, Helter Skelter), and even country flavoured stuff (One After 909). I’d get all of that and more from the Beatles. Plus, Ringo knows all the sea creatures from Yellow Submarine so maybe he could get a hold of them for some help.
Just behind that palm tree is a shack for each of you to stay in, with enough space for you to put up a poster on the wall of one album cover. What album cover do you each chose?
John: Roxy Music “Country Life”. Nothing to do with the music…
There's also a bar on this here island. But alas each of you only get to chose one drink for the entirety of your stay. What's your tipple of choice?
John: Coffee. I’ve been sober for many years so coffee is my main ride these days. Way back when? Most likely beer but I assure you an island couldn’t have housed enough for me!
Your suitcases were lost when your ship sank, but you each managed to salvage one item of band merch. Whats the merch and for what band?
John: A Hanoi Rocks t-shirt. I need people know exactly where I’m coming from.
You’re sat on the island thinking “I’m stuck here on this island with my bandmates for eternity”… who would you rather have been shipwrecked with?
John: My wife, son, and dog. If they were unavailable I’m sure Jennifer Aniston and I could figure out how to pass the time.
There's a walkman in your pocket, on the tape inside is the recording of the one live show that stands out for you. It could be any show, from any band, anywhere in the world. What show is on that walkman?
John: The Black Crowes, Sam Houston Coliseum. That band just SLAYS me. This show is on Youtube during the “High as the Moon” tour. It’s how I want my live rock n roll to be.
You're getting desperate, you decide the only course of action is to put a message in a bottle and hope someone finds it. Your message could be to any member of any band, but should be the most suitable for a rescue attempt. Who is it?
John: I’d send it to Sting from the Police. He seems to be familiar with the process.
You've been stuck here for a while and food supplies are running low. There's only one thing for it... which fellow band member gets sacrificed to help the others survive?
John: Me! A good monkey can sing and dance, drummers and bass players are the foundation of any great band.
Finally, when the ship sank you each managed to save one person from the wreckage. That person is the one musician that has influenced your career the most, shaped your way of thinking and your outlook on life. Who did you save?
John: John Lennon. My favourite Beatle. He was always a little snarky, motivated, and seemed to be driven toward some greater good. Yoko however would not be making the trip with us!
