I started writing this a couple of weeks ago and it turned out to be quite the SAGA. So i’m going to, with thanks to Joe, break it into chapters. So here we go…

Chapter One – The Beginnings

There was a conversation chucked around a few weeks ago regarding music choices. The topic “Nirvana or Pearl Jam?” it was interesting to hear the responses to what appeared to be a simple question.

My honest answer was that at the height of their popularity I could not be any further away from being a fan. To quote my email response “I was a black T-Shirt, skin tight marble wash jeans wearing METAL lover”.

This conversation got me thinking about the soundtrack to my life and what bands go in putting it together.

As a young fella on the weekends I would sit in my dads mini panel van playing with the 8 track listening to bands like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Mamas and Papas, Neil Diamond, Leo Sayer, Cliff Richard.

1982 was a big year for me, I was 9, I had been doing chores for weeks, cleaning, dishes, lawn mowing and various child labour jobs so I could buy my first album. Mum picked me up after swimming on a Saturday morning and off we went to CC Records at Tea Tree Plaza. I handed over my cash and walked out a happy lad with Micheal Jacksons Thriller on tape.

The next 5 years would be only period in my life that I actually listened to and bought pop music. Bands that made the rotation were INXS, Icehouse, The Angels, Micheal Jackson, and plenty of “Up in fire” Mix taps.

While at high school my cousin introduced me Heavy Metal. Bands like Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, S.O.D , M.O.D, Suicidal Tendencies, Megadeth and various others. During school holidays I started working with my Dad as Trade Assistant. Each week on pay day I would head to Verandah music and purchase 2-3 albums, thats right no CD here.

Metal Albums always had the best art work. Most of the time I would buy a new band on the strength of the album artwork.

In a Metal magazine “Hot Metal” I was reading a interview by the once great Lars Ulrich in which he mentioned that on the “Justice for All” tour he pretty much only listened to a Rap band by the name of N.W.A. I got to school the next day and made a bee line for the resident Addidas wearing, sculptured crew cut sporting B-boy and asked if he had any of this N.W.A. To which he respond BOY Straight outta Compton IS the SHIT. I gave him a blank tape and the next day I was walking around school listening to such lyrics as “So when I’m in your neighborhood, you better duck. Coz Ice Cube is crazy as fuck”. And so began the almost 20 year love affair with Hip Hop.

It was in magazines like these I found that Metal bands were my early inspirations for trying anything once. Why restrict myself to one type of music. Just check my iTunes you’ll find music from Phil Collins all the way across to Slayer with plenty in between.

I still remember the exact moment Metal died for me. I sat in the lounge room of a TAFE buddy while he toked away on his bong and I put in the newly released Black Album. After “And Justice For all” we were excited to hear the latest offering. Half way through the album I stood up yelled “They’ve sold out and I’m out of here”. Oh Lars you let me down. I went home folded up my before mentioned T-Shirt and never listened to them again. I pretty much stopped listening right there to Metal period. It was nothing unless Metallica was a part of it. I went out the next day bought baggy jeans and cut off the Mullet and never looked back.

That will do for now. Next time we’ll visit such Genres like Techno, House, Drum n Bass and a secret love affair with Janet Jackson.

Until then leave your comments and thoughts about the subject.

Rock HARD!!!!