Keeping The Faith

Over the past 10 or so years, my music taste has changed quite considerably. 10 years ago I was 17 and in my final year of high school out in the burbs of Cherrybrook. My friends and I were the grunge kids of the year, hanging out near the art rooms, smoking loads of ciggies and always ditching PE and sport to smoke pot in a stranger’s backyard underneath a trampoline. I still to this day don’t know whose backyard that was. There was a lot of punk music thrown around back then, and we always talked highly of old school bands of the day, like Soundgarden and the Offspring (Spoonman is still an all time classic). At the time my sister was working full time and as with any older sibling, you did take notice of their tastes but not so they would notice. My sis Vikki kept talking of this dance group and I quite liked them. I remember playing them so loudly through mums record player in between 3-5pm so she wouldn’t yell at us and also so my “alternative punk” boyfriend at the time didn’t know I was listening to dance music. It was my dirty little secret.

However 10 years on, 5 studio albums and 1 Greatest Hits later I am still head over heels for the band Faithless. And im sorry anything that the three grounded members of this group touches turns to gold for me. Maxi Jazz, Sister Bliss and Rollo seem to make every single mix tape I make for myself or a friend.




















They spark some of my favourite moments in time, like in 2006 when I was full of depression after a long term relationship break up and I ran away to London, listening to Faithless when I was touching down at Heathrow and I couldn’t help but smile knowing that I was going to be alright. The actual song was “I Want More” off their 2004 album No Roots, and when Maxi Jazz comes in it gets me every time.

More oneness, less categories,
Open hearts, no strategies.
Decisions based upon faith and not fear.
People live right now and right here.
I want the wisdom that wise men revere

Although it was probably a sad moment in my life so far, all I remember of that time is Faithless and returning to London to find my feet again, which I did on the dance floor at Fabric. Other moments in time with Faithless are driving back down the coast and listening to Salva Mea so loud that I blew my speakers in my old car and then getting those goosebump that you get when some electrical happens. Seeing Faithless live in 2004 was just amazing and I will never part with the shirt I bought on that balmy October evening.
















2006 saw the release of To All New Arrivals, the bands latest studio album. This album has many undertones, both soical and political. It also features Robert Smith on vocals…Wallop to that. I mean can this group get any better? They have teamed up with George Michael, Estelle, Cat Power, Robbie Williams and Anthony & the Johnsons, gave Dido a leg up in her music career (bad move leaving Dido) and have provided us with so many dance floor anthems.


If you have 4min 40sec spare in your day today, please go and listen to Music Matters, it will put a smile on your face. Oh and remember, God is a DJ, it’s a girl too and I have the t shirt to prove it.