I dunno, but it seems most of those i have left are essentially digital.

Which for some reason reminded me of something from my school days. Back in the 70's, in the UK, we didn't have the same access to music that's available in the first quarter of the 21st Century, we got our exposure from Radio One, Top of the Pops and if you could pick them up, the pirate stations like Caroline. As a result, music styles were fewer but more enthusiasticly followed, whether it was glam rock, folk rock, 'hard' rock, metal or 'soft' rock / pop. I was never a one style kinda girl, a wide variety of music made its way into my record collection. Then came punk, a style which changed things forever. For the musicians and older 'fans' it may have been anti establishment, for mid teens it was a new exciting style away from the tamer stuff around in 1976/7, i was sort of hooked along with many of my peers.

School uniforms and parental control meant the fashion side of things was somewhat muted but that didn't stop us buying and listening to the music, a 45 was 79p, an album @ £4.99, given most of us had an 'allowance' of @ £5 a week at most, you only bought the album if you were really convinced of its quality and it would be shared around to be pirated to tape amongst your friends. Singles on the other hand were a bit more affordable, i'd listen to the chart show at the weekend then usually on a Tuesday, i'd use my lunchtime to walk from school into the town to visit Revolver, what today would be called an indie record store, in the new fancy Arndale Centre. And so i discovered all manner of artists, the vinyl collection grew and i was hooked.

Are Friends Electric? Well it seems that most of mine are, at least for the most part, i get to see them physically very rarely indeed, some who i used to see all the time i've not physically seen in years, i'm only vaguely in contact with one of my school peers and thats only on FB! What happened to all those friendships? Memories of shared experiences are all that remain, we can't live in the past but sometimes it feels like that is all we have left.

The latter part of this week has been hit by weather of the H2O variety, i've managed a couple of short walks and a short ride and whilst today is currently dry, the forecast is for more wet this afternoon. And not only that but i've laddered my best Wolford tights! Oh woe is me!

I've posted chapter four of Smell of the Crowd, Getting gig-ie for your delectation and delight, I hope you are enjoying this new Gaby tale.

Well now i must bring this missive to a conclusion, i'm cooking roast beef for Sunday 'lunch', i need to get things going or it'll end being Sunday supper!

I'll be back on Wednesday but for now,
Tschussie,
Madeline Anafrid

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