https://youtube.com/watch?v=B2_NPX7bEEs&feature=share

The above YouTube link?

Come on now. Show your age! I am possibly, yet probably, tapping into the psyche of a specific age bracket. What follows here? Maybe substitute vinyl for other mediums that allow music to be listened to. Although, as time has gone by, Cassettes and CD’s meant still buying the music. However, there are the easy options of both downloads nowadays and Spotify, Alexa, et al. which cause frequent trend glances. Does anyone have some artist that they are so mesmerised by, they want to collect the real touchable items of their work, and simply hold it, with reverence, in both hands. Once was that a hunt for your favourite song was a task of greater focus. How did it work? Well……….to explain.

Catch a bus to town. A bit of money in your pocket that needs a bit of vigilance because it only stretches so far before it’s a wasted journey. It’s enough for your purpose excitement buy. And a bag of hot chips. Chips? Buy a large portion? You’ll forfeit the return bus journey and end up walking 5 miles back home. So you watch that extra shovel and a half full of chips added to the pile and grin. Walking ain’t so bad. Not with a piece of 45 vinyl in your hand. As long as the weather isn’t so bad it snows, rains, wind ways knocks you sideways and ultimately affects your mood and well being. But that piece of precious vinyl? Mood is hard for anything to tap at and wreck the euphoria of a few new songs to be played over and over.

So……intentions to the main theme. Buy a vinyl single from your favourite music ‘go to buy’ shop (Jill Hanson’s was mine) and play the ‘A’ side. In this case. ‘Hot Love’. Because you knew Marc Bolan and Tyrannosaurus Rex from the hippy daze and now loved this first inclusion of a solid drum set sound. A first for me after Ride a White Swan and previous beautiful, oh so very, very beautiful songs from Marc. Heard it first from Radio 1 DJ AirPlay. Ecstasy. Then, after getting Hot Love home, A side listening for a few dozen times, you think…..ok! flip over. B side? Hope it works. And then?

WOW! It blows your ‘B’ side mind and ecstasy extends into the profound experience of a life long vinyl loved. Actually. No one will ever understand the vibe of this personal ‘yours and yours only’ experience. It belongs to that moment in time that is exclusively yours. Then you play both the A and B sides all day long. Flipping and turning with a constant smile on your face. Has a ‘B’ side on a piece of vinyl ever left you feeling the best you ever hoped for? That you realise that here is someone I will forever love as an artist, as said, forever. Why? For being so prolific in song writing skills that his and his band’s music stood the test of time ……..again…..simply life time forever? Even now, I find a YouTube song of his that I haven’t heard for decades and think to myself…….’Yeh! Holy damn. A fine song. A really fine, fine song that actually wasn’t appreciated for what it was all those decades ago’.

When artists have a backlog of genius writing? You simply cannot take it all in at that time. And when you have the likes of The Beatles, The Monkees, Harry Nilsson, David Bowie, Deaf School, Morrisey, and more. There are thousands of songs to tap into. And when you simply love music. There are thousands more to add.

I have recently been listening to Disco Dance Floor from the early 1970’s. Rock The Boat, Sideshow, et al. Hauntingly beautiful melodies and vibes. Mr. George’s nightclub, Brut or Jacomo Eau Cendree aftershave or Charlie or Kiku perfume surrounding the senses and oodles of lager. Was Kiku in a bright yellow container? Do they still make it?

Anyways. This song? Played for the first time this B side. Mesmerising first part with closed eyes, sitting crossed legged at the Dansette with head floating dreamily side to side aka ‘hippy vibe’. 2nd part? 15 seconds in and up on my feet dancing around with hands and arms waving around ecstatically with both floating circles and flappy happy stab pointing to both the multiple billions of stars and then down towards hell. 3rd part? Got the acoustic guitar in my hands and shaking out the riff thinking……’Jeez! I wannabe this rock and roll trip’.

And your heart simply leaps at this triptych of build on build energy. God! I love this. It carries me back to a much simpler existence where my youth was a joy and the future glistened in hope and desires.

B sides that added to this story. The Beatles did. Status Quo did. Bowie did. The Beach Boys and the Monkees did. Then? The Punk Years. The Sex Pistols and subsequent others. Did! Bolan? Always and forever always……simply delivered and …..Did!

When you have lived these years of bedroom ‘lock yourself aways’. These joyful personal ‘self analysis’ with personal ‘this is my… own….written …..for……me…….music’ alongside your realisation of ‘my God, Yes!, that really is me!’ stories from profound belong to you only lyrics that are simply yours. And yours alone. Mind you………….

Since Angst and Maelstroms. Unfortunately……..nothing since vinyl. Too clean. Need a bit of scratch noise. And a few skip a scratched out beat or two that establish the way you listen to same song from that moment on. Love vinyl. In all it’s thump as the needle engages, scratch only intro and bang into intro with subsequent blips…….It establishes the imperfection of life that shows the reality of imperfection that IS life