So I know that all of you caught the Pistols in Manchester, saw Led Zeppelin in 1968 when they were billed as the New Yardbirds, Beatles at the Cavern, etc. Me?

The Spinners, the UK ones with the yellow smocks. It would have been at some point between 1975-77 at Bristol Colston Hall. They played in the round, because I can clearly remember a guy behind them yelling furiously while they were singing “Deep Blue Sea” – I don’t believe he was overcome with emotion, just a little disturbed – he was gently led away. Perhaps it was the blue light they switched on for that song? This is the only real detail I can remember from the night beyond them standing in a thin yellow line. I was about 5 or 6 at the time, so I would probably have enjoyed “The Rambler”, “D-Day Dodgers” and “Everybody Loves Saturday Night” if they played those as they were my favourites.

Prior to this, music was a mysterious thing held on plastic C90 cassettes that frequently regurgitated their spool into the guts of my dad’s expensive looking “separates” system – two cassette decks, amp and tuner, but no turntable (it’s » Continue Reading.