If you're anything like me, your personal record collection delivers great value to your health and well being; maybe not in financial terms, but spiritually, the worth of even the most severely scratched rare find in the $1 bin of your favourite local record store is priceless.

Pulling an old vinyl from it's case, dropping the needle, and listening to that soft crackle prior to the sounds of your favourite artists/bands voice breaking through your speakers has something very homely about it. It brings a great feeling of safety and comfort. A moment of contentment and joy to savour amongst the chaos of life. Reading the inner sleeve of a newly purchased record and discovering the hidden secrets of my favourite records is, and always will be, one of my favourite past times.

To celebrate #recordstoreday I've put together a list of some of the most valued records in my collection. Some shiny and new, some old and weathered, some rare, some not so much; but all are unquestionably special.

1. JJ Grey & Mofro – Ol’ Glory

I first came across JJ Grey & Mofro after opening for them at their Melbourne and Sydney shows during an Australian tour back in 2015 and I’ve been a huge admirer of their craft ever since.

During the shows JJ and his crew were kind enough to gift me a copy of Ol’ Glory on vinyl and it’s become one of the most spun records on my turntable.

This record is all class; from the dreamy sounds of ‘The Island’, to the pure funk of ‘Turn Loose’, the humour and swagger of ‘A Night to Remember’, and the feel good vibes of ‘Every Minute’ which features a ripping guitar solo from none other than special guest Derek Trucks.

2. Freddie King – Burglar

Freddie King was an absolute giant of blues music and is one of my favourite guitarists of all time. Watching old clips of him performing on Youtube is an experience that sticks in your mind; sweat pouring down his face like a broken tap, hugh lamb chop sideburns on full display, and some classic guitar faces as he rips into his red Gibson 335 like a menace.

This record is a rarity. So rare in fact that it isn’t listed in Freddie’s Spotify discography, so if you just happen to spot it next time you’re browsing through your local record store, GRAB IT! If you don’t, you might never be presented with the opportunity again.

A must have for any blues aficionado.

3. Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run

It’s no secret that Born to Run is arguably my favourite record of all time. There’s something uniquely special about this record that speaks to my inner ‘Stuff you, I’m gonna do life the way I want to do life’ like no other.

From the opening harmonica note on ‘Thunder Road’, Springsteen and E Street take you by the hand and lead you on a rollercoaster journey through the streets of Freehold, New Jersey on a mission of freedom, hope and desire.

The arrangements in this record are nothing short of phenomenal. Genius even. It’s well documented that Springteen spent many a painful hour sifting through the minor details of every single track on this record until he had found the perfect musical recipe; cooking up a juicy eight course meal for your ears to chew on.

4. Jurassic 5 – Power in Numbers

Hip-hop has been a genre that I’ve loved to indulge in since I was a confused young adolescent smoking Winfield cigarettes on the platforms of my local train station.

My older brother used to own quite the CD collection back then and I was often inclined to ‘borrow’ disks from it when he wasn’t looking. I remember taking Power in Numbers into my possession on numerous occasions and spinning it silly on my old Discman.

Jurassic 5’s style was different to any other hip-hop I’d heard previously. There was a beauty and a lightness to their music, a strong sense of community in their sound that made you feel like you were a part of what you were listening to, and a uniquely unaggressive political message in their raps that had me addicted from the get go.

5. Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee – You Bring Out The Boogie In Me

Country blues’ ultimate odd couple; Sonny Terry; a lumbering, tall man who’s blindness was ever apparent thanks to his gigantic, ultra magnified glasses that would draw attention to his distorted eyes; and Brownie McGhee; a short, plump man with big sideburns and 70’s moustache who developed polio at the age of four, leaving his right leg incapacitated. Story has it that Sonny used to piggyback Brownie onto stage whilst Brownie would shout directions in an effort to avoid a disastrous crash. What a sight that would have been!

As a duo, their career spaned an abundance of acoustic recordings, but only one album that featured a rhythm section called ‘You Bring Out The Boogie In Me which was released in 1973. This record has groove for days, the sound of Sonny’s harmonica locking in with the drums never gets old. A feel good collection of blues and gospel tracks, this vinyl is essential to any good record collection in my humble opinion.

As a man who's done a whole lot of driving in his time as a travelling musician, I'd like to let you in on a little secret I've come to discover during my many hours of venturing from place to place...

Let me tell you, that the greatest 'road trip' music that you will ever hear coming through your car speakers to help you pass the time to your destination, is by far, well and truly, Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Allowing the sounds of Creedence to guide you down the highway will take your boring, painstakingly long, are we there yet? journey, and magically transform it into what feels like the opening or closing scene of a Hollywood blockbuster; instantly making you feel like you're the lead character, cocked back in your seat with your hands up on the wheel as the credits roll across the screen and the camera pans to a wide shot of your car gliding across the countryside.

To celebrate the release of #RequesThis Episode Two (now airing across my Facebook, Instagram and Youtube pages), here's a list of some of my favourite CCR tracks of all time for you to wrap your eyes and ears around.

1. Born On A Bayou

"Now when I was just a little boy, standin’ to my daddy’s knee
My papa said “Son done let the man get ya an’ do what he done to me”

Talk about a killer opening line!

Delivered with an aggression and resentment, John Fogarty’s vocal commands your attention from the get go. His tremolo drenched lead guitar oozes swamp and takes your mind straight to the murky surrounds of a riverbank whilst the bass, drums and rhythm guitar sit in the pocket with perfection, pushing the song to it’s conclusion. Enter a cowbell preceding the guitar solo at 2:36 and we, my friends, have ourselves a Creedence classic… Cause let’s face it, who doesn’t love a track with cowbell?

2. I Heard it Through the Grapevine

I’ve already spoken of my love for this track in a previous top 5, but it’s so good that I think it deserves another mention. Creedence take this 1968 Marvin Gaye Motown classic and transform it into an 11-minute garage band masterpiece. Doug Clifford on drums powers through the verses beautifully with high hat filled, ‘four on the floor’ groove, before transitioning to rumbling tom drum jungle beats as John rolls out those dark, instantly recognizable, ‘Heard it Through the Grapevine’ licks on the bottom strings of his guitar, echoing the heartbroken nature of the lyrics…

"You know that a man ain’t supposed to cry
But these tears I can’t hold inside
Loosing you would end my life you see
Cause you mean that much to me
You could have told me yourself
That you found some one else
Instead I heard it through the grapevine"

3. Keep On Chooglin’

Surely one of the greatest one chord jams of all time, I love this track simply for the somewhat comical fact that Tom Fogarty on rhythm guitarist was designated the job of hitting an E 7th chord on the 2 and the 4 for the absolute entirety of the 7:42 track, whilst the rest of the band got to blissfully jam like crazy around him till their hearts content.

What discipline it must have taken to resist changing up the chord just the slightest, in an effort to make life just a tiny bit more interesting… My hat goes off to you Mr Fogarty.

Listening to this track always makes me wonder about the level of banter that must have gone on in the studio during it’s recording. Tom complaining of his utter boredom whilst the rest of the band pissed their selves in laughter at the entertainment value of his humiliation!

4. Bootleg

Not one of Creedence’s more prominent numbers, Bootleg is one of my absolute favourites!

Creedence were the kings at producing that classic, thin, sparkling acoustic rhythm guitar sound. You know the one… Where the guitar acts more like percussive instrument as apposed to a melodic one, and the sound of the guitar pick strumming the strings clicks away so close to the front of the mix that you can almost feel it scraping the wax out of your ears..

As I listen to this track, I’m always filled with a deep envy for Creedence’s amazing sense of groove. They really were one of a kind. John’s lead vocal and lead guitar bounce back and fourth of each other like a rubber ball; Fogarty’s overdriven guitar licks responding to almost every vocal line he fires through the microphone, creating 3 minutes of call and response brilliance!

5. Long As I Can See The Light

From what I’ve read, this track was written from the perspective of an American soldier sent to serve his country during the civil war. It was a tradition back then for the families of soldiers to leave a candle by their window whilst their loved one was away at battle, only to be blown out upon their return.

The track opens with a thick electric piano that’s tone makes me drool. The slow groove and dynamic melody in Fogarty’s vocal delivery purveys a message of hope, as line after line he rounds off with a slow, delicate vibrato in his voice.

"Put a candle in the window
Cause I feel I’ve got to move
Though I’m goin, goin
I’ll be coming home soon
Long as I can see the light"

Beautiful.

It's fair to say that my life has changed a lot over the past couple of years; from a state of constant anxiety and stress, to a much more grounded lifestyle filled with purpose. With today marking the International Day of Happiness, I want to give you a look into some of the strategies I have implemented to improve my health and well being for the long term.

1. Meditation

It wasn’t until only recently that I was very much of the belief that meditation was purely for Buddhists, Hindus and Hippies; and that anyone who practised it was on another spectrum of the universe that I would never venture towards. The idea of sitting in silence, alone with my thoughts horrified me quite frankly.

But after discovering the benefits of mindfulness in mid 2016, and learning how go for a walk in the morning, be fully present with my surroundings, and undistracted by my thoughts (a phenomenon I was previously unaware of), I eventually found myself wanting to dig deeper into the world of meditation.

Last year I began practicing breath awareness meditation, and was pleased to learn that I didn’t need to dress up like a monk in order to do so. Fitted in my black denim jeans and t-shirt I started small with short 2-5 minute meditations and have now worked up to 10-20 minute transcendental meditations (using a mantra repeated in your head as your centre point) at least twice a day.

If you often feel edgy, stressed, anxious or rushed, I can’t recommend meditation highly enough as a means to a calmer, happier life.

2. Strict Routine

We humans often speak of wanting more freedom in our lives, but not many of us would concur that routine and structure is what will actually create it.

I’ve always been a sucker for a routine heavy lifestyle, but this year I’ve taken things to a whole new level.

After reading Gary Keller’s ‘The One Thing’ late last year, I’ve put in the effort to introduce ‘time blocking’ into my day to day life, a period of the day by which I am unavailable to the world and focused solely on what it is I truly love to do; writing, playing and rehearsing my music!

Time is the most valuable asset we have. Once it’s gone, its gone. Period. So I want to make the most of mine whilst I’m alive and have learnt that if I’m going to achieve the things I’d like to achieve, such as a life long global career as a singer, songwriter and producer, it’s going to require a commitment to strict routine in order to stay fit, happy and focused.

Here’s a little glimpse at what my current daily routine looks like…

6:00am – Wake Up

6:10am – Meditation

6:30am – Stretching

6:45am – Exercise (Running, Strength Training or Walking)

7:45am – Breakfast

8:00am – Leisure/Relaxation Time (Hang out with Anita, play with my cat Harper, read a book or water the garden)

8:45am – Shower

9:00am – Emails & Phone Calls

10:00am – TIME BLOCK BEGINS

10:01am – Meditation

10:10am – Object Writing (Free Writing)

10:20am – Writing, Recording, Practicing

2:00pm – TIME BLOCK ENDS

2:10pm – Lunch

2:30pm – Creative work such as writing this blog, brainstorming ideas ect.

5:00pm – Emails & Phone Calls

6:00pm – Time in the Garden

7:00pm – Dinner

7:30pm – Leisure/Relaxation time

9:30pm – Write journal/Read a book

10:00pm – Bed

If you often find yourself saying “I’ve got no time”, I would strongly encourage you to start recognizing that we all have the same 24 hours in the day; some people just utilize their time better than others. With a little bit of planning, there’s no reason why you can’t be one of those people. It might bring you more happiness!

3. Cold Showers

I began implementing cold showers into my day-to-day life earlier this year after the hot water system at our house broke down; leaving us with only icy water running from our taps for a number of days. Fortunately for me, the malfunction turned out to be a blessing in disguise, and encouraged me to make a start on something I’d become intrigued about following various conversations with friends, and watching videos of Win Hoff (The Iceman) on Youtube.

Taking a cold shower comes with many health benefits including an increased mental alertness, stronger resilience to stress, better immunity and circulation of the blood, weight loss, muscle recovery, and less susceptibility to depression; all of which help me to live… yep, you guessed it, happier!

Like any new habit, at first, taking cold showers was a real challenge and felt pretty uncomfortable; but our minds and bodies are amazingly flexible and before I could say “Bob’s your uncle” mine had adapted to my new morning ritual.

It’s been approximately two and a half months since I’ve touched a hot tap in the shower and I feel like cold showers have built a new willpower within me that I’ve never experienced.

If you want to discover one of the greatest life hacks going around, I highly recommend becoming a member of the cold shower revolution!

4. Exercising Towards A Goal

Exercise has always been a big part of my life. Back when I was in school I was participating in sports on a daily basis. Football, cricket, basketball, athletics, karate, soccer; you name it, if it meant physical exercise, I was there with bells on. When I hit adolescence I began skateboarding daily; and by the time I was old enough to drive a car I was a regular at my local gym.

But never before has my exercise routine been carried out with a particular goal in mind. I had always approached exercise with an “I just want to stay fit and healthy” attitude; and whilst this approach was great, it meant that my commitment would come and go like the wind.

This year I’ve begun working towards a goal of completing a half marathon, which has given me structure to my exercise like never before, and is helping me stay more committed than ever. Since beginning my training back in late December, my energy levels have increased dramatically; I’m sleeping better, and of course, smiling a whole lot more too!

If you’re the kind of person who’s wants to stay fit, but finds it hard to stay enthusiastic, try setting a goal and get excited about what you could achieve (as apposed to how much work it’s going to take). Tell all your friends and then start taking little steps towards the goal. As herd mammals, we don’t like to let others down, so telling as many people as possible will help you to commit.

5. Psychologist Appointments

As the very proud son of a mother who practices as a psychologist, and someone who’s life has been literally transformed by one; I cannot put enough emphasis on the importance of this habit for anyone who might be feeling mentally ‘unfit’.

Unfortunately, there still seems to be some people in society who are stuck in the 1900’s and think that booking an appointment with a psychologist is something to be ashamed of; like it’s some kind of sin; and that by doing so must mean you’re crazy. This old mentality couldn’t be any further from the truth and I am now making it my personal mission to do my part to change this notion.

For me, I see my psychologist as no different to a personal trainer who can help me to stay physically fit, or a dietician who can keep me nutritionally fit. My psychologist helps me stay in shape mentally; and as a writer who has to dig up old memories and experiences day after day in order to produce new work with authenticity and credibility, I need that workout like the desert needs the rain.

I’ve been attending sessions with my psychologist since early 2017 now (when I was deep in my depression) and have seen my mental fitness gradually improve ever since. Every 2-6 weeks I amp myself up in the car on the way to my appointment like Usain Bolt before an Olympic 100 metre sprint; I lay all my cards on the table and I cry, and cry, and cry, a lot, with no shame; because I know that with every tear I shed I reap the rewards, and in putting myself through short term pain I move towards long term happiness.

After baring my soul last week and opening up about my recent battle with depression & anxiety that I've now been recovering from for over two years, I thought it would be fitting to share a couple of books that have helped me along the journey.

Self help books can be real a hit and miss topic for many. I used to be one of those people who would turn their nose to them, but in recent years my opinion has flipped and I've become a real advocate. What I've learnt is that the reason so many people don't get anything out of them is because they're looking for some kind of miracle quick fix to their problem, and don't actually take the time to implement the strategies they read about, leaving them feeling like self help books don't help them.

One thing I can not stress enough is that the reason I got some much out of these books is because I acted on what I read. Taking action is the key!

1. The Happiness Trap – Russ Harris

Hands down, without a doubt, the book that has had the greatest impact on me during my recovery is The Happiness Trap.

Harris’ teaching of ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy) was a real light bulb moment for me. His knowledge and theories of mental health were like the key to a door that had yet to have been opened during my lifetime. A door that once unlocked would lead me to a much greater understanding of myself, and a contentment that I didn’t know was possible.

So many self-help gurus preach that the key to our happiness is to simply think positive, as if it's just some simple flick of a switch. Not Harris. Whilst thinking positive can without a doubt play a big role in improving one’s mindset, Harris explains that the problem to the theory that positive thoughts are the be all and end all is that we humans do not have the ability to control our thoughts, and are naturally built to think 80% negative as a primal survival instinct that we’ve inherited from our stone age ancestors who needed to be weary of hungry sabre tooth tigers.

If you’re stuck in a rut, feel like your thoughts have taken control of your actions, and want to step back into the real world please read this book!

Biggest lesson I learnt: That it’s completely normal and human to feel negative emotions. It’s how you ACT on those emotions that will decide whether they have a negative effect on your life or not.

2. Mindset – Dr Carol Dweck

The way that I stumbled upon this book still blows my mind to this day. Whilst holidaying on the other side of the world, in a foreign speaking country (Croatia) last year, I was in need of a new book to read during some quality relaxation time. My only dilemma was that of all the books available in the stores, minuscule percentages were actually printed in English. After hunting through many a bookstore to find that the tiny English sections, hidden away out of plain sight, usually contained only fictional books (not really my style), I finally came across a store in Split with an English section that appealed to me. When I saw the word ‘Mindset’ crammed tightly in the middle of a shelf full of books, I instantly new I had to read it.

Dweck’s studies of ‘fixed’ and ‘growth’ mindsets in humans is fascinating, and is very much the reason I am so excited to be alive right now. If you’ve come to a point in your life where your hobbies, interested and everyday activities that once filled you with excitement and enthusiasm no longer feel as fun as they used to, this one could change your perspective and reignite a fire in your belly just like it did me!

Biggest lesson I learnt: That our IQ is not a set in stone figure that we're simply born with and stuck to for the rest of our life. Like a muscle, our brains have the ability to expand over time if we are willing to invest in the process of learning, and understand that we have to fail in order to grow.

3. The Confidence Gap – Russ Harris

Following a sequence of career events that had a negative impact on me, my confidence had spiralled to an all time low by early 2016. I was becoming more and more uninspired and it was affecting my ability to write and perform with freedom.

I was still writing, but the time I was dedicating to it was becoming less and less, and with that came more and more of the hollowing feeling that I was failing and not getting anywhere. I was still performing, but felt like I was loosing touch with my audience, which lead me to promote myself less and book shows that I wasn’t particularly enthused about doing.

The Confidence Gap taught me how to begin regaining the confidence that I had once felt and was beginning to believe was a thing of the past, never to return again.

Biggest lesson I learnt: That confidence is not something that just comes to you from time to time, out of the blue. It is built over time, in small steps, and takes dedication and practice.

4. The One Thing – Gary Keller

I read this book throughout December last year and it has very much shaped how I am approaching my life in 2019.

Admittedly, the old me was an avid ‘multi-tasker’, and for a long time I believed that that was a totally realistic approach to both my work and personal life. Answering emails whilst trying to spend quality time with my loved ones, or taking phone calls in the middle of a recording session in the studio; all in an effort to try and keep on top of things. Little did I realise how much time I was throwing away, and that my multi-tasking ways were actually helping me to fall behind.

Looking back, I believe that my multi-tasking lifestyle was one of the main contributors to my depression. It had stained my ability to be in the moment, as my mind bounced from once place to another at a thousand miles a minute. Things that once brought me great pleasure and purpose slowly grew stale, with the feeling that I was constantly short of time to pursue them.

Nowadays, I’m forever trying to be conscious of when I’m becoming distracted. I dedicate at least 20 hours of ‘blocked time’ per week to being in the studio. In this time I am completely unavailable to the world. I turn off my phone, I shut down my emails, I close the door and I write with a focus that was completely foreign to me before reading the Keller’s paperback.

Biggest lesson I learnt: If you want to truly excel at something, you must create structure in your life that will allow you to dedicate time to it with no distractions.

5. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck – Mark Manson

One of the most talked about books in the media of recent times has been Mark Manson’s ‘The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck’. For a while there, I couldn’t walk past a shop window without the bright orange cover and bold black title slapping me in the face a screaming “READ ME FOR FUCK SAKE!”. Overcome with curiosity, I decided to see what all the fuss was about.

A lot of people talk this book up to be of great comical value, and yes, at times Manson’s wording and straight down line, ‘say it how it is’ attitude did make me smirk. But I also couldn’t help but notice the many valuable lessons that I was learning as I flicked through the pages; from self-entitlement, fear of failure, the importance of suffering, and becoming comfortable with death. Sounds pretty grim doesn’t it? It’s not.

The final chapter of this book is one of the most intense and riveting pieces of writing I have ever read, and literally sent my body into a state of tense discomfort as Manson painted a picture of the day he decided to sit at the top of a cliff face on South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope and stare over the edge in order to better understand just how lucky he is to be alive and how close to death he could be at any moment.

This is a must read!

Biggest lesson I learnt: I am entitled to absolutely nothing, and no matter what life throws at me throughout my years; whilst it may not necessarily be my fault, it is absolutely my responsibility as to how I respond and deal with things.

Ahead of the impending debut episode of #Requesthis, my brand new cover song request show which drops tomorrow across Facebook, Instagram IGTV and Youtube, I thought it would be fitting for me to give you a little insight into some of my favourite cover songs of all time.

There's really nothing like hearing your favourite artist cover a track that you know and put their own unique spin on it as a tasty little surprise at a live show or on a new record release.

No doubt I could have included a thousand more tracks in this list, but for now, these were some of the first that came to mind.

Thanks for reading,

Shaun

1. Bruce Springsteen – Jersey Girl (Live at Meadowlands Arena, NJ – July 1981)

One of my favourite artists of all time covering one of my favourite artist of all time. I’m not sure I could ask for anymore? Springsteen’s version of Tom Waits’ ‘Jersey Girl’ live in New Jersey is pure magic.

The roaring reaction of the crowd when Bruce sings the words “Tonight I’m gonna take that ride, cross the river to the Jersey side” is spine tingling stuff. Throughout the performance you can hear ever so clearly that this was Springsteen and the E Street Band in their absolute prime. As they walk gently through the track with grace you can’t help but drift off into the distance and dreaming of being in the crowd that night. And just when you think it’s all over after five minutes and thirty seconds, in steps a very late delivery of a Clarence Clements ball busting saxophone solo like icing on a cake.

2. The Black Keys – Nobody But You

Junior Kimborough was one of ‘last Mississippi bluesmen’ that Fat Possum released records for in the late 90’s/early 2000’s. Story has it that he was an 'interesting' character to deal with and also fathered some 36 children (somebody get this guy a vasectomy!). His songs were smothered in raw groove, as well as some very tasty blues riffing.

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of The Black Keys. Their rendition of ‘Nobody But You’ from their 2006 ‘Chulahoma – songs of Junior Kimborough’ record is all class. Dan Auerbach’s tape saturated guitar tone is to die for. His vocal tone and phrasing are silky smooth, and Pat Carney’s drumming sits in the pocket perfectly to deliver a killer cover of a killer track.

3. Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah

I was one of those kids who got into Jeff Buckley through their adolescent years and would listen to ‘Grace’ on repeat for days. For a long time, like so many others, I listened to Jeff Buckley’s ‘Hallelujah’ ignorantly thinking that it was written by the man himself, only to discover years later it is actually a Leanord Cohan cover.

If you’ve been living under a rock and yet to discover Buckley’s beautiful rendition of this masterpiece, please just take six minutes and fifty three seconds from your day to step out into the light and take a listen. You won't regret it.

4. Creedence Clearwater Revival – I Heard It Through the Grapevine

This one is an absolute classic, chances are you’ve heard it blearing on some speakers whilst hanging out at your favourite local bar or through your best mates car stereo on a road trip to nowhere.

Originally written by the late great Marvin Gaye, Creedence take a 3 minute Motown masterpiece and transform it into an 11 minute garage band jam that threatens to groove until the end of eternity. What a band!

5. Gary Clark Jr – If Trouble Was Money (Live)

Arguably my favourite blues artist of the modern era, when Gary Clark Jr released ‘Blak and Blu’ back in 2012 it was the only thing I listened to for 6 months, whilst I drove for hours on end across the country.

He followed the album up with ‘Gary Clark Jr. Live’ in 2014; a live album made up of performances recorded in various locations across the globe. The album features a number of old blues classics including ‘Catfish Blues’, ‘Three O’Clock Blues’ and ‘When the Sun Goes Down’ but for me this is the pick of the bunch.