It was 1974, Christchurch. I was 6 or 7 years old, and we were given a new, portable turntable/radio- for Christmas I think.
No external speakers.
Mono.
Maybe only 1 channel for sound, but we did get two new L.P’s- Basil Brush; and “20 Solid gold Hits, Vol. 9”. Formative influences on my musical tastes, indeed.
Before that, it was all Radio Avon, and Casey Kasem’s “American Top 40”. Shifting to Dunedin in 1979 meant later teenage years were all Flying Nun and Radio 1.
So, this blog is a musical journey of sorts, randomly put into year categories. Just for fun.
Comments and recommendations of other songs from the relevant year most welcome- post a clip if you can.
It seems only right that I should start with 1974, the date of release of the masterful "20 Solid Gold Hits, Vol. 9".
Three songs for your listening and viewing pleasure.
The 3D's did a brilliant version of this live; it is also on the flip-side of their 1992 single "Outer Space".
TURN DOWN THE VOLUME- this clip is weirdly loud. The video itself- just wonderfully weird- filmed in MIT's "Experimental Color Studio" in 1976.
Brian Eno- "Baby's on Fire"
In 1974, Bowie released "David Live". On it, he did a cover of a track more famously covered with true disco fever by Amii Stewart a few years later. Here is the Eddie Floyd original, from 1966.
Eddie Floyd- Knock on Wood
First song from Vol 9. A bit faster than the version on the record, but still great. Shirley Bassey introduces them- its the Drifters!
The Drifters- Kissing in the Back Row (of the movies)
