The First Music I Ever Wanted to Buy
I’ve said before on this blog that my descent into music obsession was a relatively gentle one. It was sort of like boiling a frog. One year I was making slightly more mixtapes for people than most of my other friends and then, merely twenty years later I’ve quit my job, burned my clothes and disappeared off into the depths of the Forest of Musicdale with nothing but a spear and a loincloth for protection. And it was so gradual I never even noticed it happening.
Tracing this kind of mania back to the very start is kind of tricky. I mean, I remember liking children’s programmes, but only under duress. Even at age four I thought I was far too grown up for that sort of thing, so if my mum ever caught me singing along or doing the actions I used to hate her for a bit.
I progressed from children’s television to liking songs which were borderline children’s songs, but nevertheless in the pop charts. The first songs I actually remember liking at all were probably Shaddap Your Face by Joe Dolce (for obvious reasons) and Shakin’ Stevens’ This Ole House (oh fuck off, I was five). See? Still basically children’s songs.
I can’t remember the first actual song I really liked, although my parents could probably tell you a lot more. Tina Turner’s 1984 definitely appealed, as did Rio by Duran Duran and We Gotta Get Out of This Place by the Animals. There are still pretty obvious, although decreasing, links to the kind of music which would appeal to children in there; lyrics about “beware the savage claw” and lines like “we gotta get out of this place” are probably an easy enough sell to kids.
But the first time I actually remember hearing something on the radio and actively wanting to buy it was probably when I was about eight years old or so. It was a bit of a bonding moment with my mum if I recall, as she had pretty much the same reaction the first time we heard The Reflex by Duran Duran.
I don’t remember if there was any excitement about the release date, but I do remember the anticipation when we actually brought the record home for the first time and put it on the record player. I have no idea if there was dancing, although knowing my mum there almost certainly was on her part. I have no idea if I even liked the album. But it’s definitely the first time I can ever remember actively wanting to buy an album for any reason at all.
So that was where it all started: with Tina Turner and Duran Duran. And it was years before my dad’s far more hipster-friendly music collection even got a look in.
Duran Duran – The Reflex
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