Sign 'o' the Times

I remember seeing Thomas Dolby’s promo video for ‘Hyperactive’ in 1984. I was blown away by it.  Even at the formative age of 10, I knew I had to hear it again, right away. I had never bought a record before. The next moring I went down to the newsagents, with my £1.25 pocket money, and proudly presented the 7” copy to the cashier and ran all the way home. After the song had finished, as soon as the needle hit the run out groove, I’d return it to the beginning. My parents would walk past and tease, but I didn’t care. ‘Hyperactive? Very appropriate’. Yeah. So be it. Bring it on, I internalised.

New romanticism was prevalent at this time. I sort of liked Duran Duran. However, I found Spandau Ballet a bit mushy and Culture Club a bit naff. Then Frankie Goes to Hollywood released ‘Relax’ with ‘Two Tribes’ hot on its heels. Being from Liverpool, they were all over local radio, and their buzzword T shirts were all over the breasts and pecks of the local teens.

 My folks were averse to the sexual content of the lyrics, but I was too young to understand. I still think Trevor Horn’s production has its qualities. The beat was what Trevor called his ‘shagging beat’. They didn’t like me listening to Frankie, so for the first time I felt I was being edgy and mysterious.

I bought releases by Prince. He seemed like a cross between a pimp and a leprechaun, astride a purple motorbike. ‘Ponce more like.’ was the paternal judgement. Looking back, the music I listened to was quite futuristic, electronic and most importantly forward thinking.

My Dad at this time was listening to the Eric Clapton, Dire Straits and Bruce Springsteen. He tried to move with the times. When I was very young he used to play Aladdin Sane and Transformer by David Bowie and Lou Reed. My favourite record in his collection was ‘DIY’ by Ian Dury and the Blockheads. The track I liked was ‘Quiet’. This was because it contained the words wee wees, plop plops, prune juice and ah ahs. At the ripe old age of four the thought of setting what were, in my world, swear words to music was mind blowing. I laughed so hard I got cramp in my puny abs.

 Now, music takes up about a third of my life. I’ve been through many genres as diverse as hip hop and folk. While I never really joined a tribe or had a particular look, I carried a mind-set and had a certain attitude towards life that changed whenever I got interested in something new.

I walked in on my dad, a few years ago, who was watching the Scissor Sisters live performance at Glastonbury. ‘What are you watching this for?’ I said. ‘Aren’t I supposed to say that to you?’ Suggesting I was a stick in the mud. I stormed upstairs and blasted the NWA’s F*** the Police as loud as I dared. Yeah take that, you square.