About a South Manchester lass...

I used to think I should have been born earlier, so that I could have lived through the musical revolution of the 60's. However I was born in 1970 & I grew up with disco singles (courtesy of mum), the carpenters, Radio 2, and Top Of The Pops.
I fell in love with pop like Wham! and Culture Club, but also other 'credible' bands like Blondie, The Police & The Jam.
I grew up through the 80's wearing flourescent socks & ra-ra skirts and all the other dire fashions of the day.... but I wouldn't change a thing. I found I loved music.

During student days I loved indie music - I still have a soft spot for Depeche Mode (they'll always be the most enduring band for me), The Smiths, New Order etc and started going to live gigs.
Around 1988 I got caught up in house music & the Manchester dance scene.
I heard The Stone Roses and fell in love with them (their debut album has to be my all time favourite). I saw them live at Blackpool's Empress Ballroom, a gig that has gone down in music history, and i'm still gobsmacked that I WAS THERE!
Spike Island was not so memorable, although I have stories to tell!
Saw The Happy Mondays & The Inspiral Carpets many times, and other MADCHESTER bands of the time.
Most of my money went on 12" vinyl, going to gigs and just following music.
From the Manchester scene I picked up on the past too. I started getting into The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones & The Beatles. I wanted to know who had influenced my idols.
90's dance was to follow, when I came out on the gay scene - Show Me Love (Robin S)& Space Cowboy 12" (Jamiroquai) are a couple that I recall from that time that I totally loved.
Oh... and kd lang!...

Then came a dire time in my life for music... I fell in love & my girlfriend got me into R&B and Celine Dion for gods sake!
Why? Why? Why?
I have to admit i'll sing along to a few tracks if they come on the radio but most of it i'm embarrassed by now.

Ok.. so we broke up & my current girlfriend has near perfect taste in music.
She got me onto Groove Armada, Air & The Chemical Brothers.
We see live music when we can, and prefer non-stadium gigs, although an exception was Madonna in 2006 in Amsterdam (superb show!)

Music is a passion for me - I couldn't imagine living without it.
When I hear a track on the radio from my past, it instantly throws me back to a time & a place in my life, and I don't know anything else that can do that.

Thanks for listening!