When I retired my colleagues put together a tribute video that I will always treasure.
One of them paid me the ultimate compliment. He said they would miss my deep knowledge of anything worth knowing in the 1970s and 80s – not so much about news or current affairs but about rock music!
He was mistaken of course about my expertise on the subject, but correct in identifying one of my greatest passions.
In my early teens I got my music ‘fix’ from local radio programmes like the Top Twenty Show that I would record on a basic cassette player and curse every time the presenter spoke over a song’s beginning or end.
As I listened contentedly to the likes of Sweet and Slade, Gilbert O’Sullivan and Gary Glitter (oh dear!), I was unaware that a whole new musical world was out there waiting to grab my attention.
That all changed in 1974 (I was 16).
A schoolfriend lent me his copies of Machine Head:
…and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath:
and – well, there was just no going back was there!
Every now and then I’ll write about my favourite bands/albums/concerts (I saw Sabbath in January) . But I’d also like to hear about yours. Why not drop me a line?
