Today's Suggested Topic:
- Share a period of your life through the music of the time
- Write a diary entry from a certain period of your life, focusing on music you've heard
- Tell us about how your musical tastes have changed other time
- Make a list of artists/songs that have influenced your life
The Artists That Helped Me Grow Up
Childhood:
Listening to my parents records. The music I rememember most was Cliff Richard and the Shadows. I know Simon and Garfunkel & The Beatles came in their somewhere as well.
I used to have a tape which billed itself as Children's Classics but was full of songs with lots of innuendo in them. They included comedy songs like 'I'm a pink toothbrush, you're a blue toothbrush', 'The Hippopotamus Song' and 'Right Said Fred'. It also had 'Yellow Submarine' and 'Puff the Magic Dragon' on it. I think 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' may have been featured as well.
Teenage Years:
When all my friends started becoming interested in boy groups, I decided that I had to find one enjoyed as well. This was the beginning of my crush on Take That. My favourite band member was Mark Owen and I used to hve a poster of him above my bed. I was gutted when they split up, having become a fan quite late and only having experienced the last couple of albums.
For a while I listened to the Radio 1 Charts and watched Top of The Pops in the hope of finding another group that I liked, but was mostly unsuccessful.
Eventually I decided I wanted to be different from other people. I'm not quite sure what made me choose Steps as my rebellion band, maybe it was their energy that attracted me. Not too proud of this period now.
Onwards and Upwards
I was watching 'Party At The Palace' when I first noticed Brian May's fantastic guitar playing. This led me to find out who his band were and I quickly became a Queen fan. My favourite member continued to be Brian as I joined the official forums and, finally, the fan club.
It was thanks to Queen that I started exploring different classic rock artists. I became interested in Bowie and, later, Status Quo. If anyone asks me what music I prefer nowadays I always say Classic Rock.
What's playing in my car?
A whole range of things really depending on where I am, what mood I'm in, and what speed I'm likely to be travelling at. Choices include new Take That stuff, Brian May solo albums, music from the musicals and The Beatles. To these may be added other music from my collection as and when the moment takes me.
I love having a range of music available and being able to look back on what's inspired me in the past.
How about you?
