| I suppose my first realisation that music was | | | | today. To say we were spoilt for choice is not to |
| something more relevant than learning the words to | | | | overwork a phrase.I haven't even mentioned the many |
| carols for the school Christmas concert was | | | | folk clubs sprinkled about which I visited with my friend |
| appreciating my Dad's collection of 78s'. He was a | | | | Lucy as a guest singing duo, where we shared stages |
| man with unusual tastes in music. My contemporys' | | | | with the likes of Bert Jantz, Duster Bennett, Cat |
| parents listened to American crooners, like Bing | | | | Stevens . . We would travel to isolated venues in the |
| Crosby, Dean Martin and the like, or the big band | | | | heart of the Berkshire countryside and find ourselves in |
| sounds of the day.But my Dad had individual tastes | | | | a barn somewhere, with people sitting on hay bales |
| which included Eastern European folk music, Scottish | | | | and listening to the stirring voices and lyrics of Sandy |
| bagpipe ballads and Welsh miners choirs; plus my first | | | | Denny, Davy Graham and John Remborne, or even |
| introduction to classical such as exciting pieces like | | | | the Wurzels (bring your own cider!).If you wanted to |
| Aram Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance".My Mother, a | | | | dance, but strictly not ballroom, you could stomp the |
| dedicated Crosby fan, disliked these strange sounds to | | | | night away at a selection of 'trad jazz' clubs. Bands of |
| the extent that she banished any playing of the | | | | various styles were always on tap; Dick Morrisey, the |
| 'caterwauling' to our barn, a large wooden structure at | | | | aforementioned Ken Collier, Acker Bilk; It really was a |
| the back of the house. This suited my Dad, and me, | | | | golden age for live music of every kind. And it didn't |
| just fine.He would mend bikes and tinker with | | | | cost an arm and a leg to indulge yourself. If we paid |
| machinery in one corner, while I would curl up on a | | | | more than a couple of quid to get in we felt hard done |
| battered leather sofa looking at pictures in old movie | | | | by. Even special occasions, like seeing the Who or |
| magazines, giggling at jokes in back copies of Lilliput | | | | Cream at the Hammersmith Odeon were cheap at |
| and reading girlie type books (Little Women, Black | | | | the price.Wherever we hung out with our mates there |
| Beauty etc.) while the haunting strains of Bulgarian | | | | was music. This was the age of the coffee bar, |
| womens' voices, Highland airs or the overwhelming | | | | always with a juke box in the corner belting out such |
| sound of Welshmen giving it their all emanated from | | | | classics as 'Dock on the Bay', or Buddy Holly's latest or |
| the old wind up gramaphone; memories are made of | | | | Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix, Joan Biaz; where to stop! |
| this.Musically I've come full circle. With the increasing | | | | Before the fashion for 'personalised music' (catered for |
| popularity of 'world music' I am, once again, enjoying | | | | firstly by the Walkman and now in it's newest |
| Bulgarian women's harmonies and Welsh folk songs | | | | incarnation, the ipod) the latest tunes brought like minds |
| along with the exciting newcomers from African and | | | | together. A normal Saturday outing was to the local |
| Latin American roots.Every generation, mostly, think | | | | record shop where friends would crowd into a booth |
| that they have experienced the 'best' period of topical | | | | together to hear the latest in the 'charts'.Maybe it was |
| music, but I do feel that the sixties were a special | | | | all just 'fashion' but, as the years race by, that sixties |
| case. Consider this; any weekend my friends and I had | | | | music has stood the test of time. Many of our heroes |
| a difficult decision to make. Did we go 'up town' to Ken | | | | are still household names. Our children still appreciate |
| Colliers to see American blues stars like Big Bill | | | | such giants as Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and Otis |
| Broonzy or jazz giants like Dizzy Gillespie; or perhaps | | | | Redding. The likes of Paul Weller, Rod Stewart, the |
| to the Marquee or 100 Club to listen to the up and | | | | Rolling Stones still tour all over the world. Am I showing |
| coming Britishers like Paul Weller in the Jam, Eric | | | | my age when I find it hard to appreciate modern day |
| Clapton and the Yardbirds and Georgie Fame with the | | | | offerings? Of course I am but no more than any other |
| All Stars.Or did we stay closer to home and go to the | | | | person who has let music into their life.From the |
| Riki Tik in Windsor and risk asphyxiation in the tiny | | | | moment the first cave man (or woman) discovered |
| room listening to an exciting new group called the | | | | how to make musical 'sounds' from reeds or rocks, |
| Rolling Stones. And that was only the start; what about | | | | water or wood, we have enjoyed the privilege of a |
| Osterley where you could hear John Lee Hooker, | | | | great gift. How to explain the catch at the back of the |
| Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee and any number of | | | | throat when we hear a familiar song or melody? How |
| other Southern American blues stars; or Windsor Drill | | | | to describe the pure feeling of exhilaration and joy as |
| hall where, on a Friday night you could enjoy the best | | | | many human voices come together to sing some |
| of Cyril Davies and the All Stars, which usually | | | | particularly uplifting work. I dare anyone to say they |
| featured one of my favourites, Long John Baldry.And, | | | | have never felt that. And if some hardened souls insist |
| if you were willing to risk parental wrath, it had to be | | | | that is the case; well I feel very sorry for them.Fabio |
| Eel Pie Island in Twickenham, a den of iniquity where | | | | whiles away the hours in his Tuscan villa writing and |
| you could hear the best of new rhythm and blues; | | | | enjoys plying his trade especially on the Internet. He |
| smell strange substances burning in the air and where I | | | | enjoys his music and often visits Quality Original |
| first encountered psychadelia in the shape of Pink | | | | Recordings where you can find a fine selection of rare |
| Floyd whose innovative light shows of coloured lava | | | | imports. You can reach him here: Internet Traffic and |
| lamp blobs popping and forming ever different shapes | | | | Brand Building. |
| were the precursor of the giant video screens of | | | | |