Guided by Voices’ Robert Pollard once picked his favourite album of all time
Owing in part to his unrelenting creativity and having released three LPs in the space of a calendar year, the name of Robert Pollard and his band Guided by Voices has been uttered more regularly of late. The band were a driving force for alternative rock in the 1980s and have continuously operated against the mainstream ever since, gathering up a heap of fans in the process.
While the band are rightly considered one of the underrated greats of the decade, much of their driving force comes from frontman Pollard. Guided by Voices gained recognition for their lo-fi sound, catchy melodies, and Pollard’s distinctive songwriting. The singer’s lyrics are often cryptic and surreal, reflecting his love for abstract and poetic expression. GBV’s early albums, such as Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes, became cult classics and influenced a generation of musicians.
What sets Pollard apart is his staggering output. He’s renowned for his ability to churn out a vast number of songs, with over 2,000 compositions credited to his name. His songwriting process is unconventional, often involving snippets of melodies and lyrics recorded on cassette tapes. This unique approach contributes to the raw and unpolished charm of Guided by Voices’ music and sets up Pollard as one of the most well-read songwriters in the world.
It means if there is one man you should listen to when selecting the best records of all time, then Pollard certainly throws his hat into the ring for contention. When Pollard spoke to Spin in 2004, he offered up a view of his favourite in the form of nine records that shaped his life.
There are many notable names within the list. There is The Beatles’ single ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ which stunned the young Pollard, as he recalled, “I couldn’t believe there was actually a group of guys who could grow their hair long and just play this kind of music and have girls chase them around.
Elsewhere, Pollard noted his love for Michael Stipe’s unique vocal tone on R.E.M.’s Chronic Town EP: “The thing that turns me on is when I’ve never really heard it before. Michael Stipe’s voice was so different. It reminded me of Peter Gabriel’s, and I was intrigued by this whole ‘mystery of the South’ and all that shit.”
Within the list studded with legendary musicians, there are also nods to The Doors, The Breeders, Wire, Devo and more. But Pollard saved special praise for The Who and their 1971 record Who’s Next, which Pollard labelled his most treasure: “My favourite album of all time. The Who was totally my model. We’re the drunken Who.”
Pollard was a keen fan of the band during their heyday, as he relates: “I was at the show in Cincinnati where everyone got trampled. I had a broken arm, and I went by myself.” While the mayhem that ensued may have scared many of the world of rock and roll, for Pollard, it was exactly what he needed.
“It was pretty hectic,” he remembers, “But it didn’t seem any different from the shows at that time. Back then the concerts were, like — you saw Heavy Metal Parking Lot? The whole arena would be a cloud of pot smoke with people passed out and puking and cherry bombs being thrown. It was a magical time.”
The Who may be considered conventional rock now, but they offered something bright and dangerous when they first broke into the collective consciousness. For Pollard, they represent a better time.
