Purple Rain by Prince 1984

One night a bunch us of went to see Purple Rain. Wasn’t expecting much though I did like a few of his songs like 1999. But even though it was some ways preposterous, I mean turning up for a gig on a motorbike with your guitar (no case!) on your back! Yeah right! But I remember sitting there mesmerized by some of the concert sequences. Prince was utterly brilliant. At some points lubricated by a cask of wine passed between us we jumped up and danced. Well some of the others did anyway.

Afterwards I couldn’t wait to go and get the album. I was living at the top of a block of flats in Murphy Street South Yarra. Three flights up with a balcony which overlooked the city when the trees weren’t green. Lots of windows. Pretty cool. The kitchen was basically a cupboard but I never cooked anyway. I’d play this album at home a lot. It was the album to put on when friends dropped round. Tracks like When Doves Cry were just mind blowing. 

Then I made a copy for my Fiat 128, My mate Chris had helped me put in a brilliant sound system so I had Prince pumping out as I drove than Toorak Road. Could never stop the car in hot weather though because it would never start up again for at least an hour later. Something to do with the carburetor.

Band on the Run by Wings 1973

After the Beatles split up Paul got a good going over in the press by John Lennon. Next to the seriousness of John’s songs Paul’s were very lightweight ditties. The worst-case being Bip Bop of Wildlife. That song drove me nuts. However, I always thought McCartney and Ram were great albums. The first two Wings albums didn’t do anything for me.

When I went to England in 74 my cousin Neil only seemed to play only two albums. Bridge over Troubled Water and this. He’d come home from work at lunch and put on one of these two. While we ate Cheese and Onion pie Aunt Sheila had left in the oven.

So I soon found myself liking particular songs. The Lennonesque “Let Me Roll It” was the first one I went mad over. Band on The Run, Jet, Mrs. Vanderbilt..the album started to grow on me. (Strangely the UK version of the album was shorter missing Helen Wheels..never understood that because the lyrics seem to be about the characters on the album)

Back in Australia, the album was all over the radio. It was inescapable. So I avoided listening to it. But as years go by I’ve kept coming back to this album. Yeah, a lot of the words are rubbish but McCartney always had a habit of choosing words that just sounded good, but overall Band On The Run just seems to have that magic that withstands repeated listening. And Let Me Roll It is the best John Lennon song he never recorded. And it’s even better played on the car stereo!

Substance by New Order 1987

I was shopping for records in Prahran one Saturday morning in the mid-eighties when I heard this amazing sound coming out of the shop speakers. I couldn't believe how good it sounded. I couldn't believe it was New Order. I hadn't been paying much attention since Temptation other than thinking Blue Monday was a blinder and Confusion was rubbish but the track they were playing had me spellbound. The track was Perfect Kiss. When I asked the name of the track the girl at the counter also put on Subculture. I was sold. But I decided to buy the normal album instead. Loved the albums, got all of them but it was those 12 inches that grabbed me so when Substance came out I went for it.
The sound of New Order was made for the nightclub and though I played a few at Beehive and Kaos it was the Lizard lounge where I really pounded them out. Bizzare Love Triangle was the top one but I had to be careful since Dan might play the shortened version before I got a chance.
But it was also an album I could play at home. The only trouble was girlfriends of mine didn't really get into it. (and don't even mention my liking for the Pet Shop Boys) So most the time it was in the car especially later when I picked it up on CD. For a while there I had a convertible. And what a blast it was to travel around with New Order blasting out. Driving down Acland Street. Of course, when I see people do that now I gather they must be wankers. But then they don't play New Order do they?

The used tickets to New Order at the Myer Music Bowl from earlier this year turned up the other day. What an amazing gig that was. The version of Temptation at the end was spellbinding. The crowd knew the world was about to change and came for one last hurrah before everything went into lockdown. 

Stardust OST 1974

 
While I was in Blackpool, England Xmas 1974 the film Stardust came out. A week after I got there I had been to see That'll Be The Day the first David Essex movie because I'd heard so much about it but never got to see it in Australia. I doubt it was even released widely. Great film. But Stardust looked even better. David Essex was now a huge star. The film's opening night in Blackpool was at the biggest cinema and everyone was going. All the people I'd met at the dance clubs and ice skating. I even had a girlfriend Suzanne. She was into Bowie and thought the latest Queen single was crap. She had a theory that every second song they put out was rubbish. This one was Killer Queen. And she only liked songs that faded. She liked me and Phil Green but I was first to ask her out. This was a new world for me. Sitting on a double decker bus holding hands. Going to the pictures. We'd meet at the bus station. Just like in all those English films I watched.
Film was great. So the next day I went down to WH Smith and bought the soundtrack. This was like the history of sixties music on one album. I didn't really own much sixties stuff except of course the big ones so this introduced me to singles. "She's Not There" by The Zombies..Summer In The City and so much more.  From then on I'd be searching out sixties records wherever I went. My copy is pretty worn out. It's one of my albums that served time at the Rubber Soul.

In The City by The Jam 1977

Only 32 minutes long but enough to kick start all those ideas floating in my head and get them out there. NME was always banging on about the new groups but it was the review of The Jam live that really got my attention. Superlatives not needed, a faster Dr. Feelgood, a cooler Eddie and The Hot Rods..children of the Who.I couldn't wait to hear this record. I kept checking down the record shop for it to come out. Then it was in my hands. And what a blast it was. Those guitars. That drumming. The Who DNA. Art School, I Got By In Time and Away From The Numbers. This is the kind of music I wanted to make. Well, this and The Clash combined.
I was living at my brother Tony's house in Blackburn. My mum had gone back to the UK so I was a bit alone. I had borrowed my mate's huge portable tape deck/sound system he'd bought in Thailand. I put the speakers on the mics and recorded the Jam onto a cassette for my car. automatic levels on the mics made the sound even more dynamic and hot for the car stereo. And with the music that was coming out in 77 how could anyone feel alone. I had a guitar anyway.
Not long after we were wearing skinny black ties and op shop suits. The seeds of the new Mod had been planted.

Station To Station by David Bowie 1976

Basically, by 76 I was sick of Bowie. I didn't like most of the Young Americans album and neither did I like the David Live album. Going back to stuff like Pin-Ups and Diamond Dogs the albums now came across as unfinished or quickly put together. Especially Diamond Dogs. So after many years of Bowie fandom, I decided not to buy the new Bowie album. Golden Years the single they played was more plastic soul. No thanks!
Then it turns up at the Brashes regular sale for 2.99. So I bought it. Actually, I bought Dr Feelgood first album the same day for 1.99. Anyway, I listened to the Feelgood's first. That was great and hearing the clean sound of Wilko made me want to practice the guitar. 
But Station to Station was something else altogether. I couldn't believe no one had told me how good this was. Word on A Wing and TVC15, Wild is The Wind and Station to Station. Great song after great song. Even Golden years made a lot more sense in the context of the album.
Then he came and played the MCG. The Thin White Duke. We got seats right near the front. The Boys Next Door were closer and they milled around the front of the stage before the show began. Nick Cave waiting for his hero. The Angels opened and they were pretty good. Very minimalist with their guitars. Never a big fan at the time I enjoyed their set and their music has grown on me over the last few years.

Bowie came out and the heavens opened. The rain just poured down. Fans were shouting at each other to put down the umbrellas so they could see Bowie. I stood there wishing he had come sooner and played Ziggy Stardust. but still loving the fact that I was seeing David Bowie at last. The concert was brilliant and my clothes were ruined. This great cord jacket I loved shrank. My boots were destroyed by the MCG pitch. Getting home was cold and miserable.
By the time I got home to Oakleigh, I never felt so happy to get into pyjamas and into a warm bed. Went to sleep with a smile on my face. I saw David Bowie live at last.

Every Picture tells A Story by Rod Stewart 1971

In 1971 there was no one bigger than Rod Stewart when this album came out. I'd already read in Go-Set how he had the number one album and single (Maggie May) in both the US and the UK. How he was one of the new bunch of songwriters coming through at the time. So I was dying to hear his record and it didn't disappoint. Firstly I heard Maggie May. I was at the back of Inala Village delivering medicines to old people on my Chemist Round. My transistor radio glued to my ear. Then I guess it would be played every hour.
I ordered the album through the record club and had to wait agonising weeks before it arrived. But when it arrived ...straight on the record player and what a brilliant opener..no chorus just a straight-ahead rocking journey with Rod around the world. This song still remains exciting 40 years later. Then you've got the quieter moments. The acoustic stuff. Bob Dylan songs. By side two I'm looking in Mum's wardrobe for a tartan scarf.
I think it was also my first gatefold sleeve. It was brilliant to open up the cover and just find more and more stuff to look at while you listened to the album. The cover was kept near at hand while solidly listening.
Later on a youth camp, I would mime to "Know I'm Losing You". I would hold the stand just like Rod on the cover. And I would walk into the crowd and touch the hands of my fans. Well, the other kids there. While the band mimed away behind me. We called ourselves Flashco.
This album led me into the glorious world of the Faces. Went to see them at the Myer Music Bowl. With no tickets, we just sat outside the fence. Near the end, they let everyone in. So we entered the gig to all these soccer balls flying through the air as Rod kicked them off stage. Magic!