Under Milk Wood   (book / record)
An old paperback version sits on my shelf and every so often I will delve into it. Under Milk wood for me captures the true beauty of life and the wonderment of words, describing characters, with such detail. As quiet as a mouse, Bible black. I have it on vinyl too, the original BBC recording with the mighty Richard Burton, and a full Welsh cast.  Everyone should have a copy.

My signed Elvis photos on my wall
I have a series of 10 by 8 framed photos that I keep going back to. This is for inspiration. I have a wonderful black and white, signed picture of Scotty Moore and I have the whole seventies line up signed too, James Burton, Ronnie Tutt, Jerry Shift, Gen D Hardin. These guys made musical history and just to have a bit of that on my wall is just great. Beautiful pictures that from time to time I will look at and feel their energy. Also in my Elvis (signed) collection is: The Jordenaires, Charlie Hodge, The Imperials, DJ Fontanna as well as selected other people. This can be at times a little OTT, but they stare back at me and like it. 

A book shop ‘Vibes and Scribes’
I work from the city and Vibes is not too far away. I love browsing the books. There’s something wonderful and magical about a book shop, a glimpse of other worlds and stories waiting to be read and found out. There’s also calmness there. You delicately step through, like walking through a field of dandelions, not wanting to disturb anything, until you meet the book of your dreams. Okay I’m a bit over the top now, but you get the idea.

24 hour news channels
I know, this is not what you want to read, but I just can’t help myself.  I always want to know what’s going on, I’m just a nosy pants. And the BBC websites are really fantastic, certainly for world news, I’m not really too interested in politics, but I like to keep an eye on our planet. I think arts and news can run in conjunction together. Sometimes not, but with a lot of the stuff we write would be commentary based. So keeping abreast of all the crazy shit that people are doing to each other  is important and very inspiring. 

My CD collection
Built up over time, my most prize possession, each one from a different time, moment in my life. My only real treat. Even going into the record shop and looking is fun, finding, seeking and then taking home. I keep going back to it, pulling out memories. And also there’s a CD for every mood I’m in. You could never replace them all. I have vinyls too. Music, whether played by me, or listening to other people’s, is the constant part of my life that never changes. When all has gone wrong, there will always be a song to sing, or CD to play. They are my friends, hey I’ll stop now, but you get the point.

Carl Plover