7. Carole KingTapestry


This was huge, but it’s such an extraordinary album and an extraordinary story. I love the story of this album, how Carole King was behind-the-scenes as a composer and musician for so long, but not comfortable enough, or being confident enough, in the idea that she could be upfront and present her music herself. She had total self-confidence when she was writing for girl groups or 60s bands, but when she plucked up the courage to record these songs that she’d written, produced, sung and played, she made one of the biggest records of all time. And she did it as a woman – I love that! In the 70s it was unusual to be able to get up and do that and have success, but I found her hugely inspiring, although I obviously worked in a very different area of music. The amazing integration of the lyrics and the melody on this record, and her voice, had this incredible richness, and still does.