Music That I Grew Up With

[gsx550man]

I have always had an interest in music from an early age. My first recollections are from the late 60’s when my father bought a Leak Varioslope II and Stereo 20 amplifier with Richard Allen speakers. I enjoyed listening to it, although at that time I didn’t have records myself. Dad liked Trad Jazz (Not my thing at the time) Mum, The Beatles, Tom Jones and the Seekers as I recall.

When I was about 10 my grandparents bought me a small portable transistor radio with a plug-in earpiece. I used to listen to Radio Luxemburg and Radio 1. This would have been the early 1970s. I liked T. Rex, David Bowie, Roxy Music, The Sweet etc. All glam rock I suppose. All on AM radio, so quality was not great. At about this time my dad bought a Phillips Cassette recorder, and I would listen to the Top 20 on Radio 2 FM (Better quality) and sit with fingers poised on the record button. As most youngsters did at the time.

I bought my first singles in the early to mid-70’s the first being by The Sweet and then T. Rex. The local newsagent started selling ex jukebox singles at 10p each. So, I was able to get all the T.Rex singles prior to 20^th Century Boy, which I used to play back-to-back.

Towards the end of secondary school, I bought my first system. Garrard SP25 Mk 3, Goldring G800 cartridge, Solarvox Amp and my dad’s old Richard Allen speakers. To my ears it sounded great. Although my music tastes hadn’t changed much. I also bought a cheap FM tuner and listen to Radio. The local station (BBC Radio Solent) had a rock show once a week and I used to listen to local up and coming acts. Joe Jackson being one, and I have been a big fan since. I also started buying HiFi magazines although everything was beyond my income (paper round money). But I could dream. I wanted a QUAD system because of the adverts on the covers on the HiFi Yearbook. Another highlight album of this time was Dire Straits. It was completely different from the punk that was being played.

At sixth form college there was a record library, and I borrowed Steely Dan’s Aja. It didn’t leave my turntable for about 2 weeks. It opened my eyes (ears?) to a whole range of music. The Eagles, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell. At this time, I was also listening to John Peel who seemed to play mainly punk and reggae.

University brought in 1980 with synth pop, Human League Dare was the album of choice for parties. Closely followed by ABC Lexicon of Love. Other groups I liked were The Jam, Rush, Elvis Costello, Pink Floyd, Kate Bush and others. A favourite album from my university days is Donald Fagen – The Night Fly.

Started working in 1983 and was able to upgrade. Sansui SR222 turntable, Sony Amp, AKAI tuner, Aiwa tape deck. Now listening to Level 42, Supertramp, George Benson, Quincy Jones etc. Bought a CD player in about 1985 and the CDs bought with it were Peter Gabriel - So, level 42 - Pursuit of accidents, Simply Red-Picture Book closely followed by Dire Straits – Love Over Gold.

1988 I managed to get the Quad System I dreamed of, albeit second hand. 33, FM3, 303 and a pair of original ESL speakers. A revelation to my old setup. Now getting into Jazz, Miles Davis – You’re Under Arrest, James Moody – Moving Forward, Quincy Jones – Back on The Block.

1992 – Upgrade the Quad System to 34, FM4, 306 and had the speakers serviced by QUAD. Music tastes hadn’t changed much although now mainly bought on CD. Still listening to radio to hear new/different artists. Parenthood curtailed HiFi and music purchase and house had to be child friendly.

Moved house in 1999 and I could not get the QUAD ESLs to work well in the new living room. Have been replaced by B&W 6 series floor standers and now replaced again by PMC Twenty5/23. Marcus Miller, Level 42, Stanley Clark all sound great.

Music streaming has enabled me to have access to a much wider range of music. Artist that I have discovered include Bugge Wesseltoft, Royksopp, Felix Laband. I tend to listen to albums first via streaming and the purchase on Vinyl if I like them. I try and use a record shop (October Analogue Addicts) rather than Amazon.

2020 – Covid and Naim. Replaced QUAD system with Naim. Another step up. I am now retired and enjoy my time listening to music

Sorry for a long post but music has been an important part of my life, and I am pleased to say that I have passed this on to my children. I try and attend HiFI shows and read magazine reviews as a way of being exposed to new artists and music. I still listen to all my albums and find it hard to believe that some of them are over 50 years old but still sound great.

[Johnzappa]

So many similar stories of those of us growing up in the 60s. Parents had a secondhand radiogram from playing Spike Jones and Russ Conway (77s and 45s respectively). I remember listening to the Readers Digest box set of classical music - introducing me to everything from Bach to Stravinsky.

Bought my first ‘separates’ from a Hifi shop in South London at the same time as my dad bought his first (and only - it lasted him from mid 70s to his death in the 21st century!!). Garrard and Rotel with Wharfdale speakers for me, whilst he went all Sony.

Spent many happy hours looking through HMV in Oxford Street buying what I thought at the time was great stuff - only to bin it with embarrasment later in life - as I found much more niche shops, all alas no longer with us.

Same stuff went with me to uni, but after that I upgraded…and, oh the story gets so complicated!!

[Brian]

Agree with the many complications

[By-Tor]

I’d like to share a different perspective as this thread made me smile…

As a state secondary school teacher in the UK from the early 1980s I often discussed music with my students. We’d exchange tapes and this led to ‘extra curricular trips’ to see occasional bands - I remember taking two students to see Marillion in Poole early in their career. As ‘rock’ music became popular again they introduced me to Extreme, RHCP, Thunder etc and I fed them Zeppelin, Floyd, Rush and Queen. We even talked PJ Hi Fi in Guildford into giving us a big discount on a system for the sixth form common room.

Trips in my car became minibuses and then with the help of a youth worker we took 30+ teenagers to Monsters of Rock, Hammersmith and more. Great times and fantastic relationships that continue to this day.

Looking back on it, I wonder if it happens now. I was mad driving so late at night and the unknowing safeguarding risks we took make me shudder. We had no way of controlling access to alcohol and while no students ‘got lost’, they could have done!

I’m glad nothing went seriously wrong - I could bore for hours with stories from those outings and many ex-students are still in touch to reminisce. Please forgive my diversion into ‘Music that I (helped kids) grow up with’ but it made me reflect for a bit on the different ways we inspire people.

[AntonSmith]

That is lovely. I fear that teachers who did more than teach the curriculum are a thing of the past. I still meet my secondary school music teacher (86-93) for lunch every now and then; he is about to turn 80. His school choir and band, with concerts, did for me what team sports did for my peers.

[badger1963]

None of my business and please don’t answer if you feel uncomfortable at all. But an RGS teacher by chance?

[Innocent_Bystander]

@Johnzappa

only to bin it with embarrasment later in life

Why embarrassment? Maybe your taste changed, but that does not negate the fact that you liked something at one time – after all, we are all the product in our pasts!

[By-Tor]

Thanks @AntonSmith , the memories certainly make me smile. I suspect extra-curricular activities are still alive and well but it probably varies quite a lot.

The school I retired from five years ago had four or five clubs each night plus sports teams, drama productions and concerts. Then there were holiday trips skiing, adventure, foreign exchanges etc. We even had a group writing apps for the Apple platform. This was a strong secondary comprehensive school, so not fee paying, but not untypical of others in our area.

[By-Tor]

Hi @badger1963 . No problem at all - very proud to have worked for seven years at Park Barn School which (although it has since been renamed) was one of the state comprehensives in Guildford - not like the selective and fee-paying RGS. Different strokes for different folks!

[Innocent_Bystander]

I wish they’d been a teacher like you at my school! However we did have a 5th+6th year film club, held in school in the evening, for which the English Lit teacher hired a variety of art films of the day – I remember included the likes of Repulsion, Viridiana and If . And for the sixth form only there was also a theatre club: The school was in a West London suburb, and we’d meet up at the nearest tube (London Underground) station to the school, many of us travelling up to 5 miles also to get there – for me it was a five minute walk from home plus 15 minute tube ride. We would then go into the West End by tube. Returnn was the same, with us dispersing once we reached the school station, some staying on the tube are heading off differently. On the way back back we usually talked about what we’d seen. It was a fantastic introduction to theatre. Remember the first production we went to was Shakespeare’s taming of the shrew, and on the way home I remember somebody saying, “But sir! [we couldn’t get out of the in-school habit], we understoid it because they did it in modern language!”, to which he replied: “No they didn’t but it was just performed well making it fully understandable to you.”

None of the modern concept of ‘safeguarding’, I’m not even sure that there was a letter to parents or anything, though they had been for the fifth year film club. However with the theatre club we were of course all over 16, so more or less adult.

How wonderful it would have been if if there had been a music club going to concerts and geeks (provided the geeks were music I liked!).

[Nick1940]

Early fifties. Mum I recall didn’t like Frank Sinatra or Johnny Rae. American nonsense. Vera Lynn fan.Father used to hum some indistinguishable tune if upset.
So left to my own devices. Radio Luxembourg…. It was not a constant signal subject to fading. Pre war radios were not of the best.
Must not forget the Billy Cotton band show on BBC. Or Jack Jackson’s record round up.
By 1954 I was interested in jazz and discovered AmericanForcesNetwork from Garmisch Partenkirchen. Wilis Conover. M&D bought me a small Phillips radiogram for doing well in my GCE exams. Two paper rounds and then a job gave me access to the local record shop’s record ordering ability. Not much has changed.

[DUUH]

My Dad loved MJQ, my Mother despised it .

They both liked the pop of the time, Beatles, Dave Clark 5, Shadows etc.

The Radio was always on in our house, My Dad would sometimes play his records, apart from MJQ he had a passion for this album. He would play it quite a bit.

I loved the Beatles, my first LP was Help, bought for me asa Xmas present in 1965, I soon found my way to the Island samplers , Nice enough to eat, You can all join in, Bumpers etc.

The Radio on Saturday mornings used to play a lot of novelty type music, “ it was on the Monday morning” “ I know an old lady who swallowed a fly” etc etc.

Happy days I’ll try to find a copy of the above album, another reminder of my Dad.

[By-Tor]

@Innocent_Bystander We can all tell horror stories from our school days (students and teachers!). The reality is that most young people are simply wonderful and we should all be remembering these rather than moaning about problems. The times you describe are wonderful and experiences like this - in class and outside it - are what making teaching such a great job. More people should try it!

[Bipestuff]

Just finished reading all these wonderful posts, lots of different perspectives for sure.

I grew up product of post WWII in a small town in MN (USA). I loved music my whole life, starting out with an AM transistor radio and listening to a pop station from MPLS and at night I could pick up WLS in Chicago. I had a single earpiece so sound quality was poor at best, but I was happy to have what I did!

We did not have a lot of $$ as my father passed when I was quite young. My first “player” was a cassette player. I thought I was in heaven when I could listen to music from home recorded tapes. Later when my oldest brother moved away, he would record tapes of his music and mail them to me. I was so excited to get a new tape every couple of weeks. He was my main influence in music back then, mostly pop rock like Beatles, Stones, etc. but also many “one hit wonders”.

My other brother was still at home and in high school. He had bought a Symphonic stereo receiver and built his own speakers. I thought it sounded fantastic, and was blown away when he gave the entire system to me when he upgraded to a new system. I would output my cassette player into the receiver and also play music from FM radio.

Then in 1972 I purchased a new Marantz 2270 through my older brother, as he was then working for a stereo shop in the twin cities. The home made speakers were OK, but I wanted something better, so updated to some Electro Voice speakers and a BIC turntable. Then my record collection started to grow. I was a big Yes fan, as well as Jethro Tull, Deep Purple, Three Dog Night, and other pop rock artists of the day.

Then came vocational school, a wedding and moving out of state with my new bride. Children soon followed so my music habit and listening time was cut down to an occasional new album. By now I had switched to CD’s but kept my record collection and listened to both. I remember my first CD player was a Sharp model and was almost $300, a lot for the times.

Forward to the early 90’s and I was ready to update my system again. I ended up with a Luxman integrated amp, CD player and some NEAR (New England Audio Research) speakers. This would be my system for quite some time. My CD collection kept growing. While I stayed true to my rock roots, I also expanded into “New Age” music and some classical. I became a Windam Hill fan and enjoyed many of the WH artists (and still do). In fact I just recently purchased some used CD’s of Windam Hill “A Winter’s Solstice” collection, and Windam Hill Chill.

I also listen to music via Spotify and Tidal, especially after upgrading to my current system which is a Naim Uniti Star and Goldenear Reference speakers. Streaming services are great in that they put together playlists for you based on your listening style. These playlists suggest other music of similar styles, and I’ve found new artists that I love based on those suggestions.

I still listen to rock artists from the 60’s and 70’s but also newer bands from later years. Not into punk, rap or similar styles, but do vary my listening taste to Jazz, Blues and Classical. Also like different genre including Nissie, Avent Brothers, Dianna Krall and others.

When I travel I have to have my tunes, so use a pair of Focal Bathys noise cancelling headphones on the plane. Nice to sit back and tune out all the airplane noise.

I dream of updating my system again someday but for now will stick with what I have. My hearing is not the best and I use hearing aids, so I debate spending a lot of $$ on a better system in fear I won’t be able to appreciate it. I do enjoy this forum and the input from all of you members. Thanks for your feedback, information and love of music!

[Blythe]

The Island samplers ! Great stuff and some (now) obscure bands to be found.

[bruss]

Still have Bumpers.

A child of the sixties, a teen by 1968 so similar stories to many of the above. My big break through from pop though was via folk clubs and my 2 year older brother introducing Leonard Cohen in to the house. I then became a James Taylor/Simon & Garfunkel/ Loudun Wainwright ‘ americans in England fan, along with Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell/west coast fan. Singer songwriters and words have always been my thing since.
Edit: I forgot to mention kit. Dad had a Murphy radiogram, record player and radio with light programme and Hilvershum etc on the dial. Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, etc but Mum liked Johny Cash. Dad had a Grundig TK stereo and multi track (4?) tape recorder. The Murphy was replaced by a Sansui A101 and an Pioneer PL12D along with a Pioneer tuner, dad having been heavily influenced by older brother and myself. The Grundig was then used by mostly me to make mix tapes from the tuner and albums taped from whoever I could borrow them from.
The Murphy became my first hifi project, separating the tuner from the record player and adding two stand alone speakers. That lived in my bedroom until I became the proud owner of a Bush all in one radio/ cassette/ record player. Once I’d left home that was sold and replaced with my own PL 112D and SX receiver with a pair of Bose 301’s. The rest is history and the Naim journey started in 1987. Has it been that long?

[Blythe]

“Bumpers” and “You Can All Join In” were well played in our household, in part due to the inclusion of tunes by The Clouds. The keyboard player is my first cousin.
Many years later possibly around 2020, coincidentally I met the chap who took the cover photo for “You Can All Join In” and he remembered it being taken on a cold miserable early morning. He even named, without seeing the cover, most of the bands included on the album, even my cousin and Clouds.
I spoke to my cousin after meeting the photographer, who also clearly remembered the shoot - he said everyone was really miserable, wet, cold and tired !