Right. Let's talk music. Specifically, first records bought. I am usually a touch disbelieving, if not slightly jealous, when someone announces that the first record they bought was by The Clash, The Specials, The Jam, Bowie, or some other cool and significant act. I always think you needed hip parents who had their finger on the pulse of good music, or an older brother or sister, who was into the good stuff and passing on their influence. For me, I had neither. There were the ubiquitous Beatles Greatest Hits tapes which my mum and dad owned and were great to listen to, there was also plenty of Cliff Richard and Showaddywaddy in our house. I had to find my own way. We didn't have a record player at home, so when I got a 'music centre' from Dixon's for my twelfth birthday, in August 1985, it was a revelation. At that point, I followed the charts, which were a big deal in those days. Any record in the top three, I deemed worthy of recognition. The first record I bought, to be played on my stereo, was by Red Box - I've had to look up the title - called Lean On Me (Ah Li Ayo,) which got to number three in the Top 40. I can still picture my bedroom at that moment and recollect the excitement I felt as Red Box came out of my speakers, in my bedroom, at a volume I had not heard before. It felt amazing. Watching the vinyl spin around, bringing the arm ever closer to the centre of the turntable was hypnotic. I had bought tapes of Madness, Adam and The Ants and Michael Jackson albums up to that point but now, with a record player and the chance to purchase vinyl (the format debate can be saved for another time,) I could now embark on a musical education - a journey of discovery - in which you have to mine the dirt before you come across the gems...
(Next up will be my first gig...)
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