Soundtrack to my life: Charlotte Ryan

Every week, we invite music lovers to share the songs that have soundtracked their lives. This week, we speak to Charlotte Ryan, who starts as the host of RNZ’s Music 101 this Saturday at midday.

1 Cyndi IKO IKO Lauper

True Colours was my first ever tape and I loved Iko Iko, which is a cover. It’s a traditional South American song but I was addicted to Cyndi’s version. I was 6 years old and did a jazz dance to it because I did jazz dancing. That tape is so iconic and such a brilliant album. I loved her. She was so cool. It wasn’t the first album we had in the house — Mum and Dad were always musical — but it was the first one that was mine. I treasured it.

2 PAINT IT BLACK Rolling Stones

A question I used to debate with friends at dinner parties was, “Who’s your favourite: Rolling Stones or Beatles?” I grew up on the Rolling Stones. Dad had an amazing music collection. He was a real tape guy, because tapes were way cooler and modern. We lived on a farm so there was lots of downtime of me dancing around the house listening to his tapes. He was a massive Stones fan and at the end of the night if he’d had a couple of beers he’d say, “Charlotte, let’s put the Stones on.” Dad wasn’t into folk or Michael Jackson or anything like that, so I had a great education and I have fantastic memories of discovering this awesome music. Going back to the choice between Rolling Stones or Beatles, in the old days it was the Stones. Now, however . . . with age . . . I like the Beatles more. But it’s a very hard call.

3 SHOOP Salt-N-Pepa

I remember being really into the American Top 40 radio host Rick Dees. One of our stations would play it on the weekend and I would listen religiously. I was addicted and would make my own mixtapes. For my birthday Mum and Dad got me a little ghetto blaster and I taped Shoop off his show and wrote all the lyrics out by pausing, rewinding and writing them down. I loved that song so, so much. I still know all the lyrics.

4 BEST GIRL Miss June

One of my favourite things is discovering new music and going to gigs. Miss June have been around for a few years and I liked them, but when they released

Best Girl recently it totally resonated with me. It takes me back to my teenage days when I loved grunge music. When I was 14 I was obsessed with Nirvana and I loved Hole. These guys take me back to Hole. It’s invigorating and strong and powerful. I love that energy that music can give to you.

5 RULER OF MY HEART Irma Thomas

Growing up I loved the Big Chill soundtrack and on that there’s lots of soul. I’m a sucker for beautiful love songs and have a real soft spot for Phil Spector and any big, orchestral, epic love song. I heard this for the first time in my 20s and whenever I hear it now my heart swells. It’s so, so beautiful and empowering. Recently I went through a break-up and this probably isn’t a break-up song but it is a beautiful love song. The lyrics aren’t why, it’s more the sound, and the hope it gives me. It was recorded many years ago and I love the graininess of the recording, the distorted nature of some of the instruments. It sounds so good. I’ve got it on vinyl and playing it with the crackle and everything brings joy and elation to me. It fills my heart.

6 BAM BAM Sister Nancy

One of my first radio shows was on Christchurch’s student radio station, RDU. I was on a children’s radio show because no other show would have me. They were like, “Children’s radio show, 8am on Sunday morning, if you want it you can have it.” It was my only chance to do radio, so I took it.

I did it with this guy, Roger and he was a total reggae-head. He would DJ reggae and I’d always go see his sets. I was educated through him and since then I’ve just loved this song. I did that show for more than a year and I still couldn’t work a record player. I was sleepdeprived or hungover but I liked being on the radio and in the zone. Kids’ radio was awesome.

7 Fleetwood TUSK Mac

I worked for Neil Finn for almost four years as his assistant. It was amazing and I got to know the family really well. When he was asked to join Fleetwood Mac it was the same day he was playing at the Auckland Arts Fest at Wynyard Quarter. We were heading down and Neil and his wife Sharon had this weird excitement and stunned faces. He was about to do this big show but I could tell there was something going on. I said, “Are you guys okay?” and they just smiled.

They told me in the car, “Neil just got a phone call, he’s been asked to audition for Fleetwood Mac. What do you think?” I was like “OH. MY. GOD. They’re like my favourite band!”

Such an amazing part of working with Neil was him joining that band. First, he auditioned and it was such a good vibe that he got in. Neil’s so creative and he can do so much stuff on his own that he didn’t need to join. I admire him so much for doing it.

I went to three shows in L.A., and it was amazing seeing Neil up there. I love, love, love Fleetwood Mac. I was so proud of him.

As told to Karl Puschmann