I don’t recall hearing music played a lot but there are certain
artists and songs that have stuck with me throughout the years. These
influences which were primarily from my mother, Joan, read like a list of
guilty pleasures; Right Said Fred, Erasure, Celine Dion, Hot Chocolate, and
Culture Club. I would be raiding her CD collection later in life and her
enjoyment of 90's Soul (Des’ree, Simply Red, Lighthouse Family, Seal, M People,
All Saints) have been the basis for my love of funk, soul and disco. The
album ‘White On Blonde’ by Texas was my favourite of that era and movement.
My sister, Ann, being a few years older than me, was listening to
Jamiroquai, which played a huge part of my enjoyment of funk music. I also
listened to a psychedelia music CD featured on a Channel 4 programme of which I
cannot recall the name of. It would also be through my sister that I would
hear 90's dance music, which I didn't fully take in and enjoy until my late
20's.
My father, Andy, instilled on me a passion for radio. I did
not appreciate his taste in music at that young stage, positively horrified
when country music would begin playing. These days, Cash, Lyn Anderson,
Glen Campbell amongst others, feature regularly in my listening.
One particular cassette grabbed my attention - Jeff Wayne’s
Musical Version of 'The War Of The Worlds', which I shared several times with a
young friend Emma who now leads Emma Morton & The Graces. That is not
to say it is why we are both musicians but it’s a well cited source of
inspiration.
I dabbled with musical instruments around this time, playing
recorder and flute to a questionable standard. I am at times reminded of
my performances of Wallace and Gromit with my back turned to the toy keyboard;
that virtuoso and flamboyant style of performance may yet be seen again!
It wouldn’t be until high school where I first picked up a bass
and the internet would drastically affect my music taste and consumption.
Ian
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