Who Introduced you to music?

[Gem]

Having parents who are into the likes of Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis etc, they were my first introduction to music. I remember the first time I heard 'Peggy Sue' by Buddy and 'Jailhouse Rock' by Elvis, I was instantly hooked. Over the years I still tend to go for the 'older' generation of music, suchs as The Who and Led Zeppelin, but still keep going back to the other 3, especially the former 2. So, from an early age, all I knew was 50's icons, quite a lot of other things escape my attention (except the Spice Girls, zigga zigga ahh!) now-a-days as I feel they simply don't compare.

So I was wondering, who were your first musical icons? Who did your parents listen to? Ever had a record/CD you played so much that it pretty much became a dud?

The only modern day group I really like are Green Day, and still then I prefer their earlier stuff.

[The Moos]

Can't really remember who intruduced me to music but I guess it was my parents. They like different kinds of music so basicaly I got some from my mother and some from my father which made me like all sorts of music. The only kind neither listened to was heavy metal like Metallica and stuff like that.

A friend of my family once gave me a tape when I was really young. On it was, as far as I can remember, only Metallica-songs and I really got hooked on that. I've been a huge fan of them since then and I have even got my mother to like them. She doesn't care much for the heavy stuff but she likes quite alot of songs by them anyway and she has even learnt to like the guitar solos and stuff like that.

Apart from that I think I've taught myself to like alot of music. I've always tried to give stuff a chance (apart from things by people such as Paris Hilton). I've found some bands and artists who aren't big in Sweden even.

And have I ever played a CD too much? Yes, I believe I have. Don't think I've even grown tired of any though. I have of course listened to every record by Metallica alot (and I do mean alot) of times. I've also listened to Josh Grobans records over and over again.

The latest record I have played too many times would be one by Andy McKee. Can't remember its name at the moment though. Love his songs anyway.

At the moment I'm listening to alot of the songs from this years ESC (and also from the swedish qualifying rounds).

[Liam]

My sister's boyfriend - Denis.

I was about 14 at the time and he got me listening to Randy Newman, Zappa, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Roy Harper, Freddie White (Clubhappy might remember him), Creedence, Beatles and Lennon, and lots more.

He also kept a collection of page 3 girls which I found in the garage - the closest to porn you could get in 70's Ireland.

He's now a hugely successful property developer in London and the only ex boyfriend that my sister would save were he drowning.

[loz]

It was my parents and it was a clear split between them.

My Dad introduced me to The Beatles, Buddy Holly, Elvis, The Kinks, The Moody Blues, Jerry Lee Lewis, and a whole range of jazz music whereas my Mum introduced me to Dylan, Donovan, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Bowie and other similar stuff.

I got into reggae courtesy of a bloke called Vincent who played in a band on a small Fijian island called Beachcomber andI got into blues and soul music simply off my own back.

Other than The Smiths in the 80s and the Stone Roses I have never really been into bands when they were actually big- I have always been at least 10 years behind the rest of my age group.

[Gem]

The Kinks! Good shout Loz, parents listened to them quite a bit too, especially for long drives.

[yorkleyblue]

I suppose that the earliest musical memories I have are of two-way family favourites on the radio on a Sunday. My mum was a big fan of Tom Jones and Cliff, whilst my dad only really liked Jim Reeves. Not a promising start, you might think. But wait.......

A lot of my mates at school were black kids and I just creamed when I first starting hearing Bluebeat and Ska round their houses and at The Longacre in Bath and the Bamboo in Bristol. That led on to an enduring love of Reggae, which then led me into all kinds of black music. The classic years of Motown, 60's and 70's Soul, Funk in it's wildest moments. Loved Jamaican toasters, but, strangely, never got into Rap.

When I started playing instruments, the easiest sh*t to play is the Blues, so that's what I played. Loved it so much I went and got all anoraky (is that a word?) about Blues musicians, and still collect that sh*t.

However, Blues led me to Zeppelin, Status Quo, Purple, Sabbath, Bad Company and generally most 70's Rock at about the same time that the hair grew and Stonehenge, Watchfield and Worthy Farm festivals were on, and, to be perfectly honest, I LOVED my old Afghan coat.

I remember one college dance at the time that Marley was riding high with "No Woman". The DJ guy had been playing Genesis and Yes album tracks for most of the night and then played Marley. Loads of pimply hippy-esque posers jumped up and tried their skank so I asked the guy if he had any more reggae after that. We looked at what he had and I saw a Laurel Aitken single that I liked so asked him to play it, which he did. The place sort of erupted with whingeing, moaning twats complaining about the music. One of them said "We don't want Reggae, we want Bob Marley"

What that has left me with is a love of loads of different types of music, predominantly reggae, soul, funk and blues with a rock edge.

Don't like very much recorded in the last 20 years or so except for Prince (before he went mad), Nickleback and some odd singles that I hear from time to time. My brother-in-law keeps sending me CDs of whatever Timeout or The Telegraph magazine tells him is the latest cool thing to listen to and like, and they are very nearly all sh*te.

Sorry, I've rambled on now - I'll take my tablets and have a little lie down

Kev

[midlandblue]

my earliest memories of the music in our house (which has to be where we are first introduced to music) is of Jim Revves, The Bachelors, Tony Orlando and Pussycat.

which explains a lot.

[Scott]

Mom and Dad's music as I recall in the mid 60's: Herb Albert, 5th Dimension, Glenn Campbell................ yes they are all in my ipod now.

When I was 9 the boy next door played me Steppenwolf's "The Pusher" never was the same.

First rock LP: Deep Purple "Who Do We Think We Are" 1973

[lauren]

just me and my friends I guess, it was the 60s and the music was amazing and new, the Beatles etc (though my mum did take me to see the Beatles in 66).

sneaked off to Dylan and the Stones in Hyde Park late 60s with a friend - we were about 11 or 12. anyone old enough to remember the New Musical Express awards gigs at Wembley Empire Pool? went to 2 of those late 60s and remember Steppenwolf being the first band at one doing Born to be Wild.

[High Street Ken]

my earliest memories of the music in our house (which has to be where we are first introduced to music) is of Jim Revves, The Bachelors, Tony Orlando and Pussycat.

which explains a lot.

I never noticed you round at our house!

[BlueBeard]

My parents were wonderful in so many ways, but their taste in music is probably best ignored!

I first started listening to music on the radio in the '60's - and there can't have been a better time to listen to pop music! There were the Beatles, Stones, Who, Small Faces, Kinks, Hollies, Troggs, and so many more - even now, when I play certain tracks they bring back memories of my childhood.

I didn't really develop my own taste in music until a bit later. Towards the turn of the decade I still loved a lot of the pop music that was around, but I also got into ska & reggae, especially Desmond Dekker, and loved Motown too.

My musical education began when I started my apprenticeship though - the other apprentices were about 3 or 4 years older than me, and introduced me to all kinds of music. One was a huge Who fan, and it was he who persuaded me to buy 'Tommy' - I've never regretted it! He also lent me a load of albums by the Small Faces, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, etc......

One of the other apprentices was a Chelsea mad Jamaican lad, a complete lunatic. I'd love to meet him again, he was a great bloke - he introduced me to the music of Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, I-Roy, U-Roy, Big Youth and the great Bob Marley.

Most of the other musical influences came from other mates - we all lent each other our albums, and the musical tastes just grew. That's how I got into the likes of The Groundhogs, Free, Pink Floyd, Creedence, Sabbath, Purple, Zeppelin, Grand Funk Railroad, Hawkwind, Pink Fairies, Rory Gallagher, etc.....

I'm a bit like Loz in the way that I seem to 'discover' bands about 10/20 years after everybody else did. For some reason I hated them at the time, but eventually came round to liking them. The Smiths are a fine example - I'd happily hated them for over 20 years, and now I think they're great! (well, quite good anyway)

This is actually true of a whole category of music for me - I absolutely loathed country music for many years, probably due to my parents disinclination (is that a real word, or have I spent too much time listening to George Bush speeches?) to play anything else. But one evening when I was working behind the bar at a country & western night, I found my foot tapping to a Johnny Cash song........! I still loathe quite a lot of country music, but I like some of it too - Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Hank Williams Jr., etc.....

So, in summary, my musical tastes (such as they are) have come from all kinds of sources. And I like all kinds of music - with the obvious exception of opera and modern jazz (what the f*ck is that all about???)

Albums/CDs that I've played too much? Unfortunately yes. A pity, as the magic of those albums that I loved so much will never be the same due to overplaying!

Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon

Deep Purple - Machine Head

Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Live At The Lyceum

Rory Gallagher - Irish Tour '74

Heavy Metal Kids - Heavy Metal Kids

and plenty more.........

[Scott]

Good call BB !

It's been a long time.

[clubhappy]

Yeah Liam , remember Freddie White well .

I think i introduced myself to music . Early 70s and the only decent radio station we could revieve here was Radio Luxembourg 208 . I really started listening to hear the DJs but then the music made an impact . I used to listen to the top 20 countdown every tuesday night , then it was the powerplay every hour . Great djs like Everett were gone by then but we still had Bob Stewart, Stuart Henry , Mark Wesley and many others. About 1973 i progressed to the local youth club , run by long haired dope smoking jean clad legends. Every Friday night you'd enter to the sounds of Dark side of the moon , Bowie , Cream, Uriah Heep , Rory Gallagher . One night somebody brough a Gilbert o Sullivan tape in , played it , and the place cleared

From then on i just went through stages , a sort of an identity crisis. I started listening to Bowie a lot , then Floyd , Zeppelin , Deep Purple ,T Rex , even Quo , jesus i adored Quo . About 75 i started wearing tartan , not because i liked the Rollers , i just wanted to have something to go with my Doc Martins . 8 months later the ear ring appeared .

My sisters listened to Barry White , who i admit i think is a legend , but not at that time , they were also big Osmonds and Jacksons fans . It was hell growing up in our house . I then got a tape recorder for Xmas . A whole new world opened up for me .

From then on it was ELO, Lizzy, Kinks [ Ray Davies a genius ], Wings, Pistols, and my love affair with music got stronger.

Went to a party in 77 , a dj , yes , a real live dj was there . Id never seen one before in the flesh . All the girls were hanging around him so i thought , thats what im going to do for a living . Also the fact he couldnt que records to save his life made me more determined. bar steward wouldnt play the pistols , insted he played all the girlie favs so my initial thought was to try change all that . So i bought records every week , for months , i even stole them . Did my 1st gig aged 16 . Played MY songs , the ones i liked . Never got a gig again for months.

Part 2 to follow.

Great thread Gem .

[BlueBeard]

Good call BB !

It's been a long time.

You've gone and done it now, Scott!

I've got "Irish Tour '74" on vinyl, cassette and CD - but seeing that pic compelled me to go to e-Bay and buy a copy of the DVD!

If that wasn't bad enough, I then got a bit carried away and bought the DVD of Cream's Farewell Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, and Pink Floyd's "Live At Pompeii - Director's Cut"

I've just noticed that I'm bidding for another couple of DVD's too, namely "Woodstock" and an Otis Redding concert - is e-Bay addictive? I think I need help

[Lofty]

I've only got Irish Tour on vinyl (and on mp3 but we don't talk about that do we). I hardly ever play vinyl these days, but to this day, one of my proudest possessions is the Otis Redding box set my misses bought me a fair few years ago. Fairly recently I've been collecting Trojan box sets, got about 25 of them so far; I've been into all kinds of sounds over the years, but old reggae and late '60s/early '70s soul is what I always go back to. Then there was the post-skinhead phase, where it seemed that musically anything went, and I got into Bowie, Dylan, the Stones, the Who. Later still I got into some of the punkyish stuff, the Jam, the Clash, Uk Subs and even later still, I got into jazz. I mean proper jazz, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Art Pepper, Stan Getz etc etc.

At one time I used to get loads of albums from Goldhawk Road; some I'd sell round the pubs, some I'd keep. If I still had all the albums I've ever owned, I'd need a couple of artics to tow them around. Yes that's right, I'm a music nut. Start me off on music and I could bore for England.

So I'll do you all a favour and knock it on the head before I get carried away. Or carted away!

[loz]

Just the name Otis in conjunction with vinyl reminds me of my most bitter music related moment. When I lived in Toronto I took the opportunity to build up my vinyl collection with some items which I would not expect to get at home. Anyway one of my prize finds was a record in a clear sleeve which had, on its A side, Otis' set from Monterey and the B side was the Hendrix set from Monterey.

Got it home, cared for it like a child and then 8 months later was broken into and lost a stack of CDs and that one record. Absolutely bloody livid!

[BlueBeard]

Just the name Otis in conjunction with vinyl reminds me of my most bitter music related moment. When I lived in Toronto I took the opportunity to build up my vinyl collection with some items which I would not expect to get at home. Anyway one of my prize finds was a record in a clear sleeve which had, on its A side, Otis' set from Monterey and the B side was the Hendrix set from Monterey.

Got it home, cared for it like a child and then 8 months later was broken into and lost a stack of CDs and that one record. Absolutely bloody livid!

Arrgghh! My mate used to have that album - I taped it and still have a copy on cassette. Mind you, I taped it about 25/30 years ago so I can imagine what kind of state the cassette's in now And I haven't seen that mate since leaving London in 1986, so not much chance of borrowing it again in the near future

Just had a look on e-Bay - Otis Redding & Jimi Hendrix at Monterey - vinyl - it's a Froggy copy, but might be worth a punt.

[BlueBeard]

Start me off on music and I could bore for England.

You and me both, mate

I've only got Irish Tour on vinyl (and on mp3 but we don't talk about that do we). I hardly ever play vinyl these days, but to this day, one of my proudest possessions is the Otis Redding box set my misses bought me a fair few years ago. Fairly recently I've been collecting Trojan box sets, got about 25 of them so far; I've been into all kinds of sounds over the years, but old reggae and late '60s/early '70s soul is what I always go back to. Then there was the post-skinhead phase, where it seemed that musically anything went, and I got into Bowie, Dylan, the Stones, the Who. Later still I got into some of the punkyish stuff, the Jam, the Clash, Uk Subs and even later still, I got into jazz. I mean proper jazz, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Art Pepper, Stan Getz etc etc.

I've got an Otis Redding triple-CD set, not sure if it's the same as yours - brilliant stuff though

Those Trojan Box Sets are brilliant, there are some real gems to be found in there. Sounds like you've got similar taste in music to me - apart from the jazz stuff, can't stand that!

[Lofty]

For years I was the same as you, couldn't stand jazz - then one day I borrowed a copy of "Mellow Miles" by Miles Davis - and I was hooked, shooting off on a massive jazz kick. I've never been the same since.

My Otis set is on 4 vinyl albums. I've also got an original copy of his live at the Whisky a Go Go album, but somehow managed to lose the sleeve. I think the best way to describe my musical taste is ... schitzophrenic

[yorkleyblue]

This is all too spooky for words.

Lofty and BB - YOU ARE ME!

[Lofty]

Something I'd forgotten ... around 1969 Woollies were having a massive sale on LPs for as little as 25p a piece, as I recall. And among those sale items were albums by ...

Otis Redding

Aretha Franklin

Sam & Dave

Joe Tex

Arthur Conley

Wilson Pickett

The Bar-Kays

The Mar-Keys

Rufus Thomas

Carla Thomas

Eddie Floyd

William Bell

Isaac Hayes

The Staple Singers

Booker T & The MG's

For instance.

And albums by just about any Motown artist you care to mention, including lesser known artists like Shorty Long. I had loads of them - Motown, Stax, Atlantic classic albums ... and I sold the lot.

[loz]

Just had a look on e-Bay - Otis Redding & Jimi Hendrix at Monterey - vinyl - it's a Froggy copy, but might be worth a punt.

Cheers mate, bidding on it

[yorkleyblue]

. And among those sale items were albums by ...

Otis Redding

Aretha Franklin

Sam & Dave

Joe Tex

Arthur Conley

Wilson Pickett

The Bar-Kays

The Mar-Keys

Rufus Thomas

Carla Thomas

Eddie Floyd

William Bell

Isaac Hayes

The Staple Singers

Booker T & The MG's

For instance.

And albums by just about any Motown artist you care to mention, including lesser known artists like Shorty Long. I had loads of them - Motown, Stax, Atlantic classic albums ... and I sold the lot.

Lofty

I do a lot of replacing all of these on vinyl albums these days in charity shops. Mostly 50p or a quid, but watch out for Oxfam because they have some young smart-arses with the latest copy of the Record Buyer's Price Guide, and so they put ridiculous prices on them.

Charity shops is where I get most of my 60's and 70's singles for the jukeboxes these days as well.

Good hunting

Kev

PS - I am desperate for a 7" single of Curtis Mayfield "Move On UP" if you spot one (and yes I do know that there are svereal on e-bay, but not at sensible CS prices!)

[Lofty]

I've still got a few Stax albums, some of them well scratched, but then it's so rare I play vinyl these days, they take up space as much as anything else. But actually .. almost the entire Stax catalogue, or at least the post Atlantic era Stax stuff is available from EMusic. I joined years ago at a time when you were still allowed unlimited downloads. I've just looked through that list again - can't believe I missed out Johnny Taylor. But there you go. Not Stax I know, but there's a quite wonderful Joe Tex 3-CD set available from Amazon - 60 tracks and not a bad one among them. If you're into stuff like this, for ?7.99 this is possibly the best value you'll ever find.

Doubtful I know, but if I happen to spot a sensibly priced copy of Move on Up, I'll let you know.

[loz]

Move on Up 7 inch on ebay (finishes in 4 hours form now though)

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this one finishes tomorrow

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as does this

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