Getting to know... Michael Heath
Headphones firmly clamped to his ears and lying on his parents' lounge floor, Michael discovered the genius of song. Since his teenage years, songwriting has been an obsession and he is responsible for penning, or helping to shape, all of The One Beneath's songbook.
Your favourite musician and why?
The great Bill Evans. A searching, exploring style of pianism that never fails to make me swear never to touch the piano again….
What are your three ‘Heritage Tracks’? Three songs you cherish and would want to bestow to the future?
1. The Art Teacher – Rufus Wainwright
2. I Concentrate on You – Fred Astaire
3. La Barcheta – Reynaldo Hahn
The three best songs to make you feel happy?
1. Love Shack – B52s
2. Qu’est-ce qu’on attend pour être heureux? – Ray Ventura
3. Start Wearing Purple – Gogol Bordello
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
“Absolutely’’. I really should start just saying ‘Yes’ but I can be over-enthusiastic sometimes!
Which book changed your life and why?
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown. It broke my heart to read of the slaughter of the Native American tribes and the ache I was left with is there still.
If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one TV or movie boxed set to watch, what would it be?
The films of Fred Astaire. I can’t dance (so don’t ask me) but I mentally glide around the room with sheer joy every time I watch Astaire trip the light fantastic.
