Pop Riffs: The first and last albums bought by faithless vocalist Maxi Jazz

Something, Anything Todd Rundgren

IT WAS a great white soul record, which is the nearest you'd get to soul music growing up in Croydon. I had to move to Brixton to hear anything different. If people wanted to be derogatory they'll call Rundgren blue- eyed soul - then I would say the honesty in the album is true soul. But I am quite eccentric. The album has a big effect on me to this day. It was a huge sense of relief to hear someone singing about himself, especially when you are 16 and going through all these changes, and think you might be alone in experiencing them. And the compositions are fantastic.

Soul Survivor

Pete Rock

This is one of a few records for which I've gone to the local record store, put down a tenner and reserved a copy. I rate him as the best producer in hip hop, in modern music, anywhere. Rock has worked with brilliant rappers, from Method Man to Red Man, and uses collaborations when recording and performing. It is possible to make a commercial killing with rap music these days - at a cost. But Pete Rock carries the intonation and rhymes of old, and uses his platform to approach serious topics with wit. A lot of rap has become generic - musicians want some money, fair enough. But always look to the underground to find out where it's at.

Faithless headline the Lynx Voodoo Eclipse, with Fatboy Slim, Carl Cox, Sonique and Tina Cousins, around the Solar Eclipse on 11 August. Tickets: 09009 662277