Back in 1973 music was a communal thing. You didn’t walk around with air buds in your ears, playing out your own private soundtrack to life… it was not ubiquitous. If you wanted to listen to an album that people were talking about, you had to find a mate who had a copy and beg a listen in his or her bedroom as you pretended to be doing homework. Thus, I associate different albums with different people. For example, Dark side of the moon, will always remind me of Trevor Wilkinson and smoking players no.6 out of the window. Early Bowie and the Bonzo dog doodah band will always be associated with Philip Millington, and the Cuthberts, as it was the soundtrack to our subbuteo league which was a passion before we found girls. My best mate, Gary Millward used to torture me with Queen albums, A day at the races, A night at the Opera, hence we didn’t spend that much time in his bedroom!
My specialities? I had Slade, John Lennon, David Bowie, The Beatles early albums, Joan Armatrading, and later Skids, penetration, Siouxsie and the Banshees etc.
Fifty years on this world we shared has completely disappeared. If your enthusiastic about an album, lets face albums are barely a thing these days, if you discover a brilliant band you will send an url to your mate on the phone, and he/she will listen to it in isolation, you will not share the moment of discovery, it is all done in solitary confinement.
I’m not sure this is a better world.
happy birthday Dark side of the moon. and greetings to all those old friends I shared the discoveries with.
Dale M
future daze 