Monday 3 November 2014

Bring The Noise


Well hello. How are we all? Fine of fettle I hope. I've been reading all your blog posts avidly. Last week was full of fun. And meeting new friends And hanging out on the beach. And baking. And garden tidying. And falling foul of a bug that required a lot of trips to the smallest room. With the water cut off.

I'm feeling old. I won't lie to you. Thirty years ago today, Duran Duran released 'Wild Boys' I bought the 7" and the 12" singles. I still have them up in the loft. I was rather a fan. Actually I attribute failing my Maths O Level to my obsessive conversations about them at the back of the class, with Kerina Balchin . For about four years, they were my whole world.

Me, Ben & Jane in 1985. In my Nick Rhodes jacket.

And then I discovered Rap. And James Brown and the R&B and Funk inspired clubs of late 80s Bristol. I discarded Duran Duran to a cardboard box and I moved on, hanging out at Manfred's decks at The Moon Club. He let me, because he fancied my friend Catherine. Those days everyone fancied my friend Catherine.

And then I discovered Madchester. I played my Stone Roses and Happy Mondays albums relentlessly. I kind of fell in love with a lad in massive flares and a The Las tour t shirt. He dumped me, but I kept the shirt. I'd wear it to bed and cry myself to sleep, listening to I Am The Ressurection and thinking about learning to play the guitar. I didn't get round to it though.

And then I went to see Paul Weller live. I had seen The Style Council live. I was too young to see The Jam. But my love for him was re-kindled and it has never died. I watched him play at V97 with Ocean Colour Scene supporting and Noel Gallagher screaming at us to bow down to his genius. And I did.

And let's not forget my mania for the female vocalist. From Kate Bush to Madonna. Arethra Franklin to Nena Cherry. I adored them all

Last week I was cooking tea, and Olly asked me to put the radio on. As if by magic 'A Town Called Malice' blared out of the speaker. I jumped around the kitchen. I was euphoric by the end. And a little out of breath it has to be said. Later I realised that Olly had taken a lot of one and two second videos of me on my phone. There I am, completely caught up in the music, dancing and singing at the top of my voice!

I'm not sure what I'm trying to say here, other than I miss my music. For so long I have craved peace and quiet, and so I rarely listen to it anymore. And I loved my music growing up. I bought my first record in 1978. It was Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats. I saved up all my pocket money for months to buy the first Duran Duran album. I had the second one for my twelfth birthday. Any spare money I had went on records. I used to go and hang out in Rival Records at my local shopping centre, flipping through the albums and savouring the smell of the shop. I have an almost encylopedic knowledge of music from the sixties up until about the time that Alfie was born. Go on test me. I always win pop quizzes.

Then I kind of stopped listening. I sometimes heard. But my ears were tired of the noise of babies, their toys, the news, constant chatter, the fuzzy head. I'd had enough. From then on it was silence I craved. I got used to and comfortable with silence. I was very good at holding silence in the counselling room. I liked it's cocooning warmth. And how you were allowed to just be.

I have decided to turn my Radio from 4 to 6. Maybe I shall buy a turntable and get those records out of the loft. Perhaps I turn the volume up, wind down the window of the car, and let the music play.

It's not about filling the silence.

It's about embracing the noise.

And maybe not feeling so old.

Leanne xx










21 comments:

  1. I love you. No, seriously. I'm a little younger than you are, so the music is slightly different in my experience, but I know exactly what you're talking about. Recently, I was watching some documentary where they were showing various 90's concert footage and I actually had to stop and remember what year it was, and how old I was, because nothing looked dated to me. It was like watching MTV in real time, 20 years ago. I listen to the radio every evening while I cook and I always sing, and sometimes dance, along.

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  2. Hi Leanne. You make me smile, thank you. I have to admit I am completely utterly hopeless when it comes to music. There is something wrong with my brain and I cannot for the life reminder most of the music I listened to. I recognise the songs when I hear them but naming them? Not me. The worst part at quizzes is always the music.... Duran Duran was there for sure. I have always quite liked the leather clad head-banging kind of bands. I still crave silence, so much so that I don't even have Radio 4 on....
    Are you going to post one or two of your wild singing??? It is so good to read that you are feeling better! Christina xxx

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  3. Sometimes, yes, I just want quiet, total silence, but, especially in the car, I need loud music and I turn up the volume, find a station that plays the kind of thing I like and just go for it and sing! You have to let it all out don't you!! I so remember Wild Boys - the words are going round in my head now. I still have all my old singles, and we still have a record player - that hubby uses when I go out to play his old records on! Nothing like some good 80's music! xx

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  4. I know just what you mean about craving the silence after having children. I too came back to it when they grew older but I'm more of a Classic FM girl myself. Love the short You Tube clip at the end! x

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  5. You're a star Leanne. You've reminded me of so many things, a real trip back in time. It was more rock music with me - the Granary and the Crown in St Nicholas Market. Boys in black leather with motorbikes and long hair. Guns N Roses at Donnington Rock Festival and Dogs D'Amour at the Bierkeller. Oh my. CJ xx

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  6. Oh I did grin at Olly's short vid :o) L and I still turn the ipod up to full blast and rock around the kitchen singing at the top of our voices on occasion. Music and Silence (Rose Tremain)- have you read it? Cracking book. xx

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  7. You rock! It was great to meet you, and yes a trip to St Ives without a kamikazee small would be lovely. If I need to get moving then I put on MC Hammer 'You can't touch this' and defy anyone to sit still! The dancing is v.silly but it puts a big grin on my face. We sometimes play musical statues to all my favourite 80s and 90s tracks. See you soon Antonia x

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  8. The local radio station I wake up to in the morning is called an "oldies" radio station. I keep thinking that they will play my parents music....Elvis, Buddy Holly, perhaps the Beatles. This morning, I awoke to Simple Minds, "Don't You...Forget About Me". 1985 is considered to be an "oldie"!? Well, in my opinion, it is an oldie and a goodie. I say dance away! Music takes us to places long lost in our memories and for me it is like therapy. Dust of your records and keep dancing!

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    1. A classic song that reminds me of all kinds of teenage angst and thinking that The Breakfast Club was the most profound film I'd ever seen! Thanks for dropping by Xx

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  9. Honestly, Leanne, I can't believe how alike we are sometimes! I was a Duranie too, and would spend hours talking about them with my best friend Joanne. She loved Nick and I loved Simon. I also saved up all my pocket money to buy records and listened to music all the time. But like you I also started to crave silence (blame noise of children at home and at work) and stopped playing music.

    Beautiful photo, by the way. Thanks so much for taking me back to the rocking eighties!
    xxx

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  10. Being older than you my era was punk and ska, I read NME and Melody Maker avidly. When the children came along there just didn't seem to be so much time or money for music and gigs. Now I am re living my youth and dragging The Bearded One to gigs and jumping around the kitchen to 6 Music. Sadly no videos of my epic dancing to Born Slippy the other morning.

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  11. I loved John Taylor. I just couldn't get enough of Duran Duran or Adam Ant. Then I moved onto The Smiths, Madchester stuff (I love The Stone Roses - What the world is waiting for) and now love listening to 6music (sshh even at work) on my phone. This morning the girls and I were dancing round to David Guetta.

    Love the vid!

    (Btw - Tell me I'm right, Bring the Noise...Public Enemy??)
    xx

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    1. Top pop quiz pounts, N!! Absolute best rap outfit ever!! Awesome live too x

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  12. Wonderful, wonderful post. Wow, you do love your music! And I'm afraid that you might be way too cool for me now. I've been told (by John, repeatedly) that I have terrible taste in music. A gay friend told me that I had the taste in music of a gay man, which I took as a huge compliment. I basically listen to my music in the car, and radio 4 in the house. But last winter we bought a Sonos and it has really changed the way we listen to music now. It's on pretty much constantly throughout the evenings and weekends. I'd really recommend it. xx

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  13. Gillian my love you are one of the most genuine and cool people I have only once met. Total babe. Xxxx as for me; seriously I am a complete knob!! Xx

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  14. *blushes* I can't think of a witty comeback so I'll just say thank you very much. Xx

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  15. Read this earlier in the week and meant to comment so sorry for delayed response. Believe me you are not old - I was in my first years of teaching in 1985 and remember supervising kids who looked like you (great photo) in a school disco around that time - Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet's 'Gold'. I love how music can take you back to the past. Last night we were listening to 10CC and I was back in the 70s which were my teenage years. And I loved Brian Ferry who is in his seventies now. That's old.

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  16. I am now feeling very old ... I was married with a new baby when you were still at school ... married young but all the same. BUT I was jigging that baby up and down to the same stuff you were listening to!

    I was a huge Tears for Fears fan and I have a pop quiz question for you ... which Duran Duran song influenced Mad World?

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    1. I think it was Girls On Film? I read an interview with Roland from Tears For Fears a year or so ago. I liked that song very much. Sort of tapped into teen angst very well.
      Leanne xx

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