10 from Kylie

I'm really looking forward to Kylie at Glastonbury this Sunday with her hit packed set due to be broadcast live on BBC1. Oh to be there as Kylie takes a sun soaked crowd on a glorious pop journey through her greatest hits. Her new Step Back In Time collection is out today.

Kylie is a pop princess who I grew up with, from Neighbours, through the Stock, Aitken and Waterman years, indie Kylie, duets with Nick Cave, the second coming in the 00's, several heartbreaks, cancer and becoming a national treasure.

Kylie at T in the Park in 1995 was a dream. I was determined to get to the front of the stage and ducked and dived through the crowd, looking round to find I was leading a conga with one guy saying 'we're following you wee man, keep going'. I still regret not buying a Kylie Kat t-shirt in the style of the Kit Kat logo.

The second time I caught Kylie I was in the second row of the SECC Armadillo. What a night that was! My friend Phil and I spent the afternoon in McChuills and jumped a cab. We sang and danced our hearts out. This was post Spinning Around and Kylie was on the way back up after some years in the wilderness. Gold hot pants that Kylie bought in a charity shop became a national talking point!

The third and final time I caught Kylie was in the SECC and again I was right down the front losing it to her pure pop perfection. What a show she put on!

Of course I fancied Kylie, I still do.I love her songs, I love her attitude, her performances and her personality. I think she will be incredible at Glastonbury.

Here are my top 10 favourite Kylie songs

1. Better The Devil You Know

Pure euphoric pop. Hi NRG with Kylie smouldering in a thin black dress. I love Kylie's hair in this one - stunning. I used to play this song when I DJ'd and by the end I would turn the chorus down to hear the crowd singing. Even if it was the first time people had heard it they would be singing along. The power of pop. Pure pop perfection.

2. Spinning Around
This was a kind of comeback single. Kylie hadn't featured in the UK top 10 since 1994's Confide In Me before the release of this incredible pop gem in the summer of 2000. It was everywhere; Kylie was back, Kylie was everywhere and the world seemed like a brighter and happier place.

3. All The Lovers

Dance, it's all I wanna do, so won't you dance?

What a line to open a song and then you have the chorus;

All the lovers that have gone before, they don't compare to you

How would you feel if Kylie sang that to you?!

It's 2010 and this is a different Kylie; more mature, assured, giving advice rather than doubting herself. The song takes off with a glorious synth solo, the video has Kylie crowdsurfing on top of underwear clad models in downtown LA, sounding breathless, sexy, in control.

4. I Believe In You
A co-write with Jake Shears from the Scissor Sisters (apparently there is a long lost album of co-writes) this is stunning pop that flows superbly, lifting for the chorus. The synths bubble into action and as the beat kicks in. Pop perfection.

I don't believe I'd love somebody just to pass the time

I, I, I believe in you

5. Love At First Sight
Released in 2002, Kylie was riding high on a run of sensational pop singles that started with Spinning Around and took in Kids with Robbie Williams, Can't Get You Out Of My Head and In Your Eyes.

Kylie bopps about in the video, looking sensational. The song grabs you instantly and takes off into Donna Summer at times. It's Kylie pop brilliance.

6. Can't Get You Out Of My Head
WHAT. A. TUNE! Written by pop genius Cathy Dennis, Can't Get You Out Of My Head is an earworm that you can't get rid of. It is a pretty simple song, but it's hook heavy and the hooks are rammed home.

2000 TO 2002 was peak Kylie for me, a pop princess was crowned during this iconic performance at the Brits when the song was mashed with New Order's Blue Monday. CLASS!

7. Some Kind Of Bliss
A co-write with the Manic St Preachers, this single only reached number 27, incredibly low for Kylie, but I love it. It's indie Kylie, it's refreshing that guitars are to the fore and synths are banished, with key strings underpinning the chorus. And Kylie sound very fresh, natural and it is clear that she is enjoying singing it. Another fave Kylie hairstyle of mine.

8. What Do I Have To Do?
Catchy, cheeky, hi energy pop, this comes during the first of Kylie's two current career peaks (in my opinion). Released in 1991, it was the 3rd single in a glorious run of Better The Devil You Know, Step Back In Time, What Do I Have To Do? and Shocked. The Stock, Aitken and Waterman glory years!

Kylie looks fantastic, smouldering on a throne like chair in a blonde wig, tearing up the dancefloor in as a brunette pixie and looking fresh in a pool. The chorus takes a minute to kick in but when it does it is absolutely HUGE and it is repeated for good measure.

What do I have to do to get the message through

How can I prove I really love you

9. Put Yourself In My Place
It would be easy to place Step Back In Time or Shocked in my top 10, but I'm going for Put Yourself In My Place from 1994. It's a different side to Kylie and I love the way her voice soars when the chorus comes in with the line you know the circle will come around

Kylie had left the Stock, Aitken and Waterman stable that had brought her so much success and signed with indie label DeConstruction. Kylie was now working with the likes of M-People and Brothers in Rythm to widen her artistic credentials.

The video is pretty incredible! Inspired by Barbarella, Minogue floats around in a spaceship shedding her clothes. As an 18-year old this blew my mind!

10. I Should Be So Lucky
It is pure unadulterated pop, simple, catchy and you find yourself singing on first listen ... on every listen. Minogue dancing through her living room and into the bath captivated the world, but the video needed the song with it. What a song; imagination, dreams coming true, lucky in love ....

20-years of T in the Park

There is a show coming on BBC2 later on tonight that will celebrate 20-years of Scotland's largest music festival - T in the Park.

The journey of the festival and the people behind it has been truly remarkable in that time. While I've not been every year, I have certainly been to my fair share. Looking back at the line-ups, I think I went the first 7-years to start with.

It is almost a right of passage for teenagers to head to Balado for a weekend of music.

I thought I would write a blog with 20 memories of my own journey's to T in the Park;

Oasis at T in the Park, 1994
Still one of my all-time fave gigs, only it wasn't a gig, it was a cup final with Liam and Noel even playing football on stage. They were on the crest of an unstoppable wave, a tsunami, they were incredible. I would LOVE to see a video of this.

Rage Against The Machine and Cypress Hill turn up, 1994
Back in 1994 we didn't have mobiles or the internet, so festival rumours swept like wildfire. Back in 1994 we also couldn't believe that someone had booked some of the biggest and coolest bands in the world to come and play in a field in Hamilton!

With announcements that the bands were held up, things were not looking good. However they both played and even jammed a couple of songs together. Both had massive hits back in 1994 and remain cult bands to this day.

A human pyramid to Crowded House, 1994
I popped my festival cherry in 1994 and have a lot of fond memories. People building a human pyramid to a huge cheer during Crowded House in glorious sunshine was just a real festival moment that brought everyone together. Neil Finn egged them on and it was pretty impressive!

Pulling a Levellers fan!, 1994
Yeah I pulled a crusty. She was from Manchester and she was gorgeous!

Kylie Minogue, 1995
Kylie played in glorious sunshine and i was determined to get near the stage. I ended up leading a conga and snaking my way through the crowd to see her in the flesh. Poptastic!

Black Grape, 1995
Quite a few memories from this year as it was just so glorious. Black Grape kicked up a dust storm with their party set. A crowd of us were right down the front and it was brilliant.

The Charlatans, 1995
One of my fave bands who have played T in the Park on countless occasions. The Charlatans have a lot of love up in Scotland and it was displayed in full. Their brilliant singles from The Charlatans album were perfect for the sunshine.

Someone over turning a portaloo at the campsite, 1995
Funny but quite sickening at the same time. Especially when the person came out - eeuuggghh!

Going to see the Bluetones instead of Radiohead, 1996
Not my best memory of T - totally the wrong choice, as much as I love The Bluetones.

Camping - 97
Another sunny year - the first one at Balado. Their was a huge crowd of us that went up from Carluke and we got there really early to set up camp and drink some beers. Then some lads challenged us to a game of football. It was brilliant, that year was just really special. Lots of friends, sunshine and good music.

The campsite cheer, 1997
A cheer started going around the campsite, everyone started joining in. It was incredible, building and building, getting louder and louder, it was tribal. Then everyone started heading in one direction to congregate near a tent with a huge soundsystem and started dancing. If only we had had phones to record the footage. The guys tent got trashed!

Natalie Imburglia, 1998
I was in love with Natalie and in love with 'Torn' - still a stunning piece of pop music that sounds fresh to this day. Natalie wowed the crowd and me. I was maybe a little easier than others!

Echo & the Bunnymen, 2003
Skipping a few years as we head to 2003. The Bunnymen were first or second on the Main Stage, where my sister Carla had just texted to say she was rather ill after drinking a bit too much the night before. The sun was out and The Bunnymen blasted through their back catalogue.

Polyphonic Spree, 2003
Talking of my sister, she introduced me to a rather special band that year; the technicolour explosion that is the Polyphonic Spree. They were absolutely superb, that debut album was brilliant. Wearing tartan robes had the crowd in the palm of their hands from the off.

Underworld, 2003
One of the best live acts I have ever had the pleasure of watching; ranging from the Barrowlands to Benicassim with T in the Park in between. On this occasion they closed the NME stage and they closed it in epic fashion with Karl Hyde really getting the crowd going.

Orbital, 2004
What a show this was. One of the brothers last before they called it a day, only to come back again. We were down the front, 'Belfast' and 'Chime' were just perfect. And did they drop Bon Jovi or Belinda Carlisle - or both? Good times.

Chemical Brothers, 2004
We hot footed it over to the Slam Tent after Orbital where the Chemical Brothers blew the place away with hit after hit. Tim Burgess joined them on stage looking rather worse for wear but the romp through 'Life Is Sweet' was a hit with me.

The Magic Numbers, 2006
How could the sun not shine for a band like The Magic Numbers. Their debut album was the sound of summer for me that year and they attracted a huge crowd to the main stage.

The Charlatans, 2006
The Charlatans again. I've seen them more than any other band. This show was one of the best I have ever seen them at.

Vigo Thieves, 2012
And so to last year when Vigo Thieves played the BBC Introducing Stage - I say played, they tore it apart with a euphoric set that showcased exactly how big their songs are. Check this incredible fan footage for 'Heartbeats'.