Recherche Du Temps

Again. This is what music does.

2 things happened today; I read an article in this months 'Uncut' and I heard a song on Radio 6 that I haven't heard for a while. And both pulled a full 'Time Machine' job on me, spinning me back 20 plus years.

The article was on Simple Minds recording their breakthrough first top 20 hit 'Promised You A Miracle', the song was 'Peek-A-Boo' by Siouxsie &The Banshees and you'll get more of an idea of my life story from these (and it will be a damn sight less boring) than if I sat down and actually gave you a sequence of vaguely related events.

So. 'Promised You A Miracle' is a month in hospital with a weird blood disorder, baffling medical science, something you can catch when you're under 6 or over 60. Obviously I got it at 18. 'Promised...' Was all over the radio at the time, as was The Associates' 'Party Fears Two' and Dexys' 'Celtic Soul Brothers'

'Peek a Boo' is better. J sat on a beach in Minorca, last night of our second ever holiday, we'd been together 2 years, we were 2 years away from marrying.

What else?

Radiohead 'Creep', a cold April in Majorca, sat in sweaters in bars early afternoons, they played the full unedited version, we were the only English tourists in a German part of town, we were the only ones laughing at the F word.

Martin Stephenson & The Daintees 'Slow Loving', our wedding song, I got Martin to dedicate this to J at a gig in Leeds, I'd met him that afternoon and (being a thoroughly lovely bloke) he was more than happy to do it despite it not generally being in the set. Got home, had to persuade a lovely wife who'd had a bad day at work to go the gig without telling her why. Worth it.

Dexys again 'This is What She's Like' for the fact that despite J has never seen Dexys live (other than on DVD) she knows and loves that the question "So, Kevin, what WAS she like?" is followed by 12 minutes of glory and is a wonderful moment. She is also prepared to quote Half Man Half Biscuit's assertion that there is no greater feeling in life than writing on the sole of your slipper with a biro, despite never actually listening to a full HMHB album. Two of the many things I love my wife for.

Oasis 'Dont Look Back In Anger' an uncertain future, still between homes, owning a home in Leeds but living in Liverpool, the soundtrack to the result of a pregnancy test. Everything changed during that song.

The Manics 'A Design For Life', when Tom was born this was number 2 in the charts, number 1 was 'Return of the Mack'. I don't count that.

Elbow 'One Day Like This' me and J, Tom and Matty in a chalet. In Butlins. Proper family holiday, that's Matty's memory forever. 

The Super Furry Animals 'Fire in my Heart'. Tom's favourite song when he was 2. Except he thought it was 'Fire in my HAT.' I like his version.

The Icicle Works 'Hollow Horse' J again ( most things are, obviously. Good that isn't it?) the first song at the first gig I ever took her to. As a sidebar - The Bunnymen at the Liverpool Empire, we're in the second row, the lights go down, the backing tape of monks chanting starts, the entire theatre comes over the seats from behind us, we are the mosh pit. My wife to be, all 5'1" of her is elbowing grown men out of her way and hurling strangers from blocking her view. Smart.

The Pogues 'Sally McLennane' the floor filler at The State, the best night out Liverpool has ever had.

The Waterboys 'The Whole of the Moon' and Big Audio Dynamite's 'Medicine Show' the first songs
we danced to on the first night we met, the start of a conversation that hasn't stopped.

Just slices, just parts of a life but every moment stays, every moment returns with the song that was there at the time.

Nothing else can conjure emotions and memories in the same way, nothing else pulls the important parts of your soul to the front like this.

This is what music does.