Want to know what’s playing in iconic designer Paul Smith’s head when he’s designing? The 70-year-old has partnered with Apple Music to create a series of playlists to celebrate his taste in music and the role music plays in his career.
“From the album artwork to the friendships I’ve built over the years with musicians, it’s all a part of my creative process”, says Smith, who has crafted three themed playlists now streaming on Apple Music. Each playlist explores one particular aspect of his relationship with music: There’s ‘Around the World in 20 Tracks’, dedicated to his travels around the world; ‘Something old, something new...’ that blends past and present influences; and ‘From Herbie to Holiday’, a tribute to his favourite jazz musicians, who he was lucky enough to see in the flesh as a younger man.
The three playlists also come with a short film that was shot in various locations around Notting Hill, including Smith’s favourite record shop, Rough Trade, and his office in Covent Garden.
“My taste in music is pretty varied. I’ve always said ‘you can find inspiration in everything’ and for me this certainly applies to music. From listening to blues as a kid, to driving to London as a teenager for tiny gigs with people like the Stones, to dressing Annie Lennox and Jimmy Page from my shop in Covent Garden to designing collections inspired by Jim Morrison and Bob Marley. From David Bowie to Jake Bugg, music has always been a part of my life and inspired me in so many ways,” he says in a statement.
“Growing-up in Nottingham with dreams of becoming a professional cyclist I’d listen to a lot blues and jazz. I’d travel all over the country to see these amazing musicians coming over from the US to perform in tiny venues. After a bad accident ended my cycling dreams I fell into this world of creativity,” he adds.
“Most weekends I’d drive from Nottingham to London to hangout with friends living in Notting Hill. We’d go to gigs in rooms above pubs and see bands like the Rolling Stones playing in front of no more than a hundred people. Sometimes I’d even silk-screen a few t-shirts and sell them at the gigs to pay for my petrol home.”
Here are the playlists:
Songs that got me around the world
Most of these may seem pretty obvious but they remind me of all my years spent travelling around the world on trains and planes gradually growing the my business from just a little shop in Nottingham, England to selling in more than seventy different countries. I have lots of personal connections with people on the playlist. From Van Morrison who bought my house from me, to Led Zeppelin and Jimmy Page who I recently collaborated with to Bowie and Patti who have both been good friends throughout my life.
I don’t have as much time as I used to unearth new music and so these are just great songs that I always come back to.
Playlist
1. Astral Weeks, Van Morrison
2. London Calling, The Clash
3. Starman, David Bowie
4. Layla, Eric Clapton & Derek & The Dominos
5. Redondo Beach, Patti Smith
6. Take Me To The River, Talking Heads
7. Hallelujah, Jeff Buckley
8. Stairway to Heaven, Led Zeppelin
9. A Day in The Life, The Beatles
10. Blowin’ In The Wind, Bob Dylan
11. Black Magic Women, Santana
12. I’m Waiting For The Man, The Velvet Underground & Nico
13. Picture This, Blondie
14. Piece of My Heart, Big Brother & The Holding Company
15. Space Cowboy, Steve Miller Band
16. Marrakesh Express, Crosby, Stills & Nash
17. Living For The City, Stevie Wonder
18. Mercedes Benz, Janis Joplin 19. Your Love Is King, Sade
20. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, Aretha Franklin
Something old, something new…
This playlist is split into four parts. The first five tracks are old classics that you can’t go wrong with. Tracks six to ten are all from newer acts that I’ve been listening to lately. Jake’s from my hometown of Nottingham and I’ve got to know him well.
The Lumineers I discovered listening to the radio recently and now love and Julia Holter, Father John Misty and Christine and the Queens are always playing in the studio. Tracks eleven to fifteen I’ve borrowed from recent catwalk show soundtracks.
From Bob Marley to Jim Morrison, I’m constantly taking inspiration for my designs from music. Then the last five are my “something blue”, all of them are amazing blues tracks that I’ve always loved.
Playlist
1. You Can’t Always Get What You Want, Rolling Stones
2. Move On Up, Curtis Mayfield
3. Walk Like An Egyptian, The Bangles
4. Addicted To Love, Robert Palmer
5. On The Road Again, Canned Heat
6. Lightning Bolt, Jake Bugg
7. Ophelia, The Lumineers
8. Feel You, Julia Holter
9. I Love You Honey Bear, Father John Misty
10. Tilted, Christine and the Queens
11. Jamming, Bob Marley
12. 54-46 That’s My Number, Toots & The Maytals
13. Pretty Thing, Bo Diddley
14. Dreams, Fleetwood Mac
15. Touch Me, The Doors
16. John Lee Hooker, Dimples
17. Sonny Boy Williamson, Help Me
18. Muddy Waters, Hoochie Coochie Man
19. Howlin’ Wolf, Smokestack Lightnin’
20. Green Onions, Booker T. & The M.G.’s
From Herbie to Holiday
I have brilliant memories of listening to incredible jazz when I was young in tiny venues all over the country and I feel very privileged to have seen a lot of these artists in the flesh. Listening back to their music everything always comes flooding back. I often treat myself to a quick listen first thing in the morning. At 6am when I get into the studio, I put these records on when no-one else is around.
Playlist
1. Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage
2. Thelonious Monk Trio, Blue Monk (1952 version)
3. Charles Mingus, Wednesday Night Prayer Meetin’
4. Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, Moanin’
5. Wayne Shorter, House of Jade
6. Stan Tracey, Starless and Bible-Black
7. Chet Baker, I Fall in Love Too Easily (1953 version)
8. Gerry Mulligan Quartet, Line for Lyons (1952 version)
9. John Coltrane Quartet, My Favourite Things
10. Miles Davis, Milestones
11. Donald Byrd, Cristo Redentor
12. Jimmy Smith, Midnight Special
13. Horace Silver Quintet, Song for My Father
14. Jimmy McGriff, All About My Girl
15. So What, Miles Davis
16. Billie Holiday, I’m a Fool to Want You
