When that song played I was . . .

The boys are over and playing Guitar Hero tonight on an enormous TV that my brother decided to put in the pool room. I'm sitting here plonking on the computer, smelling Adam's delicious scalloped, lime and pepper potatoes and chicken kebabs and every song that they play reminds me of some event or place.

Alice Cooper - "School's Out ". . . Eating left over KFC which we'd bring home after working there on Saturday and Sunday night during our school and uni days. A whole heap of friends worked at the same place making it more fun than work. We'd spin a few records (yep, the old black vinyl) and "Only Women Bleed" was my favourite song from that album.

Santana "Black Magic Woman" . . .takes me back to their Abraxus album and schooldays. I was in my teens and tried hitch hiking against the best advice of my parents. I always felt incredibly guilty doing it but there were always two of us. I look back now and realise how dangerous and foolhardy it was. I'd end up at my friend Susan's place and play this album over and over and thank my lucky stars that some madman hadn't had his way with me!

Smashing Pumpkins "Cherub Rock" . . .one of my 1995 favourites. I went to their concert at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney but I was in my 40's. As my friend and I went through security with our tickets, the much older than 40 security guard said "Well you're a little older than our usual crowd! . . ." Should have bitch slapped her to Tuesday but we smiled and walked into one of the best concerts I'd been to for a long time . . I was very careful to sit next to a couple who were much older so I didn't feel my age! I should have paid heed. I went to the Chemical Brother's soiree about 4 years ago and felt ANCIENT! So the next concert I go to I'm chaperoning a tween!

Sex Pistols "Anarchy in the UK" . . God I remember my mother having kittens when we first saw this bunch on "Countdown" a "Top of the Pops" style show that we'd watch on Sunday nights. She was horrified, not so much at the punk music but the suggestion of Anarchy and the references to the Queen and the pogo dancing and the piercings. Rebellion never made sense to her at all. She loved the Queen. She loved Princess Diana and came over to our flat to watch the wedding because my father refused to have it on telly. We sat there like a couple of old maids "Awww, isn't she lovely . . awww her dress looks nice even though it's all creased . . Oh look at the Queen, she's so nice in blue . . " Funny night but I remember it so well. Johnnie Rotten just didn't work for her in any way shape or form!

Pearl Jam "Even Flow" - Last time Pearl Jam toured, I was just about to sit down to dinner and a friend rang and said that a friend of a friend of a friend, worked in the Virgin record shop and had a hot tip that Eddie Vedder was going to make an appearance in the Snake Lounge (Local Metal club). So I left the kids to their devices, picked her up and we pootled off. The place was full of metalheads with long hair, lots of black and leather and the warm up band had them bouncing up and down, long locks swishing everywhere. . . we put up with metal, black metal, death metal until . . . the room was full of anticipation and . . you guessed it . . Pearl Jammed, a local cover band hit the stage. Man was I disappointed! So be warned, never listen to a friend of a friend of a friend of mine!

Cream "Sunshine of Your Love" . .I was about 14 and I went with my parents to have lunch with one of their friends on a really hot day. I felt very cool, being allowed to wear a slightly older than me 'tent dress' with psychedelic green and purple swirls. Their daughter, who I now know was a predecessor of the Goth movement was playing Cream. My parents were horrified that this 18 year old had the run of the stereo and was playing such rubbish. She was forced to turn it off so the two of us swanned over to the cool of the shopping centre whilst the 'olds' did their thing. I felt very grown up in my super groovy (in retrospect simlply awful) dress and hanging with this 18 year old . OMG if only my folks new the talent in that band . . .I do remember my father once saying that Eric Clapton wasn't half bad! Needless to say my parents were less than contemporary in their musical taste. Who'd have thought that 20 years later, the old girl would be bopping along to Robert Palmer's Addicted to Love!


Is there a memory attached to a particular piece of music for you?

There are loads more but I'll save those for a rainy day . . .I need to practice Black Magic Woman. I'm having trouble even on the 'easy' setting! You know the old fella's still got what it takes!