Greatest tracks by Bowie, Prince, Amy Winehouse, Spice Girls by the man who knew them

Alan Edwards worked for the biggest stars in pop and here he picks out some of their greatest tracks in a quickfire interview.

Transcript

00:00What's the track that stands out?

00:10Well, it's definitely difficult. There's so many to choose from. I mean, Rebel Rebel,

00:16Gene Genie, Young Americans. Young Americans because I could always play it on jukeboxes.

00:20And then All of Lo. So that'll do for starters, hopefully.

00:25Blondie.

00:27Genie Genie for me. Genie because that was a track, one of the first crossover track I was working on.

00:34I loved the way it switched to French halfway through. I also love Ratchet, which I think was great.

00:39And it's a really innovative song.

00:41Sadie Beningrath.

00:43Gotta be Love Tee Cow. Gorgeous song. I mean, epic.

00:47Spice Girls.

00:48Spice Up Your Life. It's great fun and it reminds me of just being up.

00:53Prince.

00:54Well, I'm going to go for Diamonds and Pearls because I was listening to it this morning and I thought,

00:59what Rosie Gaines with the vocal, what a beautiful soul song that is and a different side to Prince's character.

01:06Amy Winehouse.

01:09I think. I'm hesitating here, aren't I?

01:13I think it's got to be Rehab for many, many reasons, but also because in the book,

01:18I tell a story about being at the record company where the decision is made for Amy to go to rehab.

01:24So that's a reason. But, you know, Valerie, there's a lot to choose from.

01:29Bob Marley.

01:32I love Bob Marley.

01:36I'm going to go for No Woman No Cry because it's a beautiful song.

01:42And I was there at the Lyceum when it was recorded.

01:45And so that's always, you know, I thought I'd make a joke.

01:49I sang background vocals of the song, which I did, along with 1,500 other people.

01:54So that's that's a great track. But Lively Up Yourself is pretty cool.

01:58There's no shortage of Barneys to choose.

02:01The Cult.

02:02She Sells Sanctuary. I went and re-watched the video the other day and it's incredible, sensational.

02:08And I forgot in a way how innovative they were, the look, the style.

02:12It's a great song.

02:14And The Stranglers.

02:17A lot of Stranglers songs I love, but I think I'll go for No More Heroes.

02:20I mean, the lyrics are great. Shakespeare-o's and let him get in the night.

02:25No, it wasn't. Chomsky getting an ice pick through his head.

02:27I mean, who could put that in a song that goes in the top of the charts?

02:30You know, great.