Peter Barker - what's rocking sport

Hallelujah! A sportsman's ipod is cracked open to reveal something other than rap and supermarket trolley 'lifestyle music'.

Intriguingly, Peter Barker's listening preferences strike a maudlin tone not usually heard in the testosterone-sodden locker rooms of professional sport ...

Right: An interview with Barker after winning the World Teams

An interview for the Guardian's 'What's rocking sport' column a couple of weeks back uncovered a fondness for Jeff Buckley and Leonard "Godfather of Gloom" Cohen.

Was it the tear-jerking success of Alexandra Burke in the X Factor that stirred Barker's love for the "Bard Of The Boudoir" (I'm looking these up, btw), or is his interest more authentic?

Also on his list is a right-out-of-left-court penchant for Modest Mouse, who I have heard alot about and who have played ATP, so they must be cool.

I had no idea who Sufjan Stevens is, but apparently he has made an album called ... er ... Enjoy Your Rabbit.

Apologies to Nick Matthew who apparently accompanied Barker to a Beth Orton concert in the US, thereby atoning for mentioning the words J***s B***t in the same feature a while back :)

What's rocking sport: Peter Barker

1. Jeff Buckley - Grace
2. The Killers - Hot Fuss
3. Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen
4. Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
5. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

Squashblogger's top Leonard Cohen nicknames:

1. The Grocer Of Despair
2. The Poet Laureate Of Pessimism
3. Master Of Erotic Despair

Matthew rocks the Guardian
His name is ? - and he is funky