And the Stars Look Very Different Today
I hadn't heard much contemporary music when I was a teenager, because, as I mentioned a couple of days ago, we only had one record player, and that was in the living-room, and I didn't have my own radio either. The only one we had was also in the living-room and - at least as far as I knew - it only did The BBC Home Service, and whatever it was that later turned into Radio Three.
So the music I did hear was limited to when I was out and about at friends' houses. This didn't happen very often because I went to the kind of school where they gave us quite ridiculously large amounts of homework and threatened us with really scary things if we didn't do it. So between the ages of eleven and eighteen we weren't really expected to do very much at all except learn mnemonics for adjectives that keep the e in Latin (no, don't ask. If you were there, you'll remember, and if you weren't, you won't care).
But I managed occasional bursts of freedom, and made some friends outside of school through summer drama courses, and on one of these I met Fran Cohen. (Yes, it's her - amazing what a bit of Googling can do!)
One night, very late, round at Fran Cohen's house, we were sitting on the floor in the kitchen and some boys were eating most of the contents of the fridge, which worried me slightly.
Someone put a record on. I hadn't heard it before, but that was hardly surprising. It was David Bowie. And as soon as I heard him sing "Ground Control to Major Tom" I was hooked. I was interested in space travel anyway and I loved this song's other-worldly, melancholy feel.
Work of genius, I thought. It'll be a classic forever. I thought this too the first time I heard Bohemian Rhapsody, and I was right. Which could perhaps show what good judgement I have. Except I should possibly mention that the first time I heard John Lennon's Imagine I thought it was a pile of triteness with no tune and that nobody would buy it.
Anyway, whenever I hear this song I'm back in Fran Cohen's kitchen in a long-distant summer. I haven't seen her for over thirty years, but thank you for inviting me that evening, Fran.
So the music I did hear was limited to when I was out and about at friends' houses. This didn't happen very often because I went to the kind of school where they gave us quite ridiculously large amounts of homework and threatened us with really scary things if we didn't do it. So between the ages of eleven and eighteen we weren't really expected to do very much at all except learn mnemonics for adjectives that keep the e in Latin (no, don't ask. If you were there, you'll remember, and if you weren't, you won't care).
But I managed occasional bursts of freedom, and made some friends outside of school through summer drama courses, and on one of these I met Fran Cohen. (Yes, it's her - amazing what a bit of Googling can do!)
One night, very late, round at Fran Cohen's house, we were sitting on the floor in the kitchen and some boys were eating most of the contents of the fridge, which worried me slightly.
Someone put a record on. I hadn't heard it before, but that was hardly surprising. It was David Bowie. And as soon as I heard him sing "Ground Control to Major Tom" I was hooked. I was interested in space travel anyway and I loved this song's other-worldly, melancholy feel.
Work of genius, I thought. It'll be a classic forever. I thought this too the first time I heard Bohemian Rhapsody, and I was right. Which could perhaps show what good judgement I have. Except I should possibly mention that the first time I heard John Lennon's Imagine I thought it was a pile of triteness with no tune and that nobody would buy it.
Anyway, whenever I hear this song I'm back in Fran Cohen's kitchen in a long-distant summer. I haven't seen her for over thirty years, but thank you for inviting me that evening, Fran.
posted by Daphne at 12:13 am
4 Comments:
How fantastic that someone you knew 30 years ago is behind something called Bagatidy. You should get back in touch with her. You have told us so many times about the vast contents of your bag so it is obvious you must need a Bagatidy!
Also Fran is a show biz journalist and her business partner used to work in casting for YTV - it's the perfect networking opportunity!
I can also remember the place where I first heard the Ziggy Stardust LP: in my friend's bedroom overlooking Armley cemetery, listening to it on a squeaky Dansette cassette player (remember Home Taping is Killing Music - how right they were).
But unlike you I thought Bowie was too weird and would never catch on. I went back to my Queen album and didn't get into Bowie for another five years!
You were right about 'Imagine' as well then. Apart from the bit about nobody buying it, unfortunately.
Hello Daphne
This is Francine here! I was studying our Analytics website and saw we had visitors from your blog. and there I am, immmortalised! Ah yes, late nights and David Bowie, I remember it well. Get in touch, the e mail address is on the Bagatidy website. F x
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