Monday 2 August 2010

AAH, THE MEMORIES...



I work in a small office with all-female health professionals who get by in their day (when not out visiting in the community) by listening to the radio in the background. We listen to Radio 2 and love Chris Evans and the Ken Bruce show. Just lately we've been listening to Magic radio which predominantly plays music from the 70's, 80's and 90's. It plays some great stuff and it's funny to stop to listen to nurses, OT's and support workers singing away (badly) through a variety of tracks mainly from the Motown era. This afternoon, for the first time in yonks, I heard the first record I ever bought. Well actually I bought two records that day. Picture the scene... it's 1974. I'm in Woolworth's on Bond Street Blackpool with my dad and I hear playing in the record department... You Little Trustmaker and Ms Grace by The Tymes. Each 45 vinyl single was 35p I think. It took all my pocket money and as a 9 year old I realised that despite taking vast amounts of my money even into my 40's, I would be forever hooked to music and the pursuit of owning numerous tracks. Initially, my obsession began with vinyl singles and bought one of those lockable bendy plastic storage carrier boxes for them. And years later when I began working in a Saturday job, I would begin my love affair with vinyl LP's starting off my collection with Fleetwood Mac's Rumours. I would literally nearly cack myself with excitement at buying an LP during my lunch hour from work then poring over the album sleeves on the bus journey home. Most of my musical influence came from my older brothers or from from listening to Radio 1 or Radio Luxembourg and setting my tape cassette to record the top 20 on a Sunday night. My LP's were often played to death and I remember being on a one-woman mission to learn all the lyrics so that I could show off my repertoire of skills to my schoolmates on Monday morning. Of course learning the song lyrics was supplemented and helped by purchasing the 'Disco 45' magazine and if I was really flush, I might stretch to an NME and a Jackie. Do young people today get the same thrill from downloading from iTunes? Perhaps they do. But I doubt they will feel the hairs stand up on the back of their necks in 30 years time when they hear N-Dubz or Ne-Yo. And I doubt they get that same rush of excitement going through racks and racks of albums in a record shop whilst some geeky shop assistant plays jazz one minute or soul music the next on a top of the range Denon sound system - with turntable! 


So, here's for another hair-standing-up-on-neck-when-I-hear-the-rather-fabulous-but-sadly-forgotten.... The Tymes singing You Little Trustmaker. 
Ahhh.. pure nostalgia. Feel free to share your first ever record (the more embarrassing the better).. I'm thinking my colleague Ms Smith and her rather daring first record 'Like a Virgin' by Madonna. Wanton hussy...



2 comments:

  1. Ha - what memories about buying records in there - one fond one was going to timothy whites and boots in blackpool and listening in the "sound proof" booths - then getting him to turn it up full blast :) lots of EMI stickers on the windows and lapel badges ha - now u got me trawling thru you tube listening to oldies

    This one brings back some memories as well -

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLrM3K8cFbk

    Dave P

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  2. Sound booths! Remember Melody House and Sinfonia record shops? oooh, showing my age now!
    Thanks for checking in x

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