I always enjoy Jools' interviews with his guests at the piano. Especially the bit when he asks them what was the first music they heard. He gets all orgasmic if they answer "Ray Charles".
This week the guest at the piano was the great Grace Jones. She didn't disappoint me.
Jools: You grew up in Jamaica, is that right? What was the first music you heard there?
Grace: Oh, boring.
Jools: Boring music? You didn't like any of the music there?
Grace: No. It was church hymns, basically.
Jools: Did your dad...
Grace: It wasn't like the Pentecostal Church like you get outside. When I was growing up, Pentecostal in Jamaica was very, like, hymns and, you know, a lot of people sang off-key...
Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Jools!
The first music I can remember was the Beatles. Which is about as lucky as you can get. I had brilliant music in my head right from the off. Imagine being three years old when Duran Duran were kings of the pop scene!
The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig
5 hours ago
The first music I remember was Carole King. Or Leon Rosselson.
ReplyDeleteEveryone always remembers where they were when they saw their first Jools Horrend interview.
ReplyDeleteNormally it is sitting in front of the telly.
Retching.
So he didn't get clobbered like Russell Harty...pity.
ReplyDeleteI first heard music before music was invented - like 'How much is that Doggy in the Window?'.
Um Actually. I was about three years old when Duran Duran were kings of the pop scene.
ReplyDeleteThe only way is up, really. Although I still have a fondness for synth beats.
Afrika Korps POWs singing 'Lili Marlene'.
ReplyDelete(Waves free bus pass at Kaz)
Too depressed to comment as Vera Duckworth just died.
ReplyDeleteBilly - Your parents played records in front of you? I had to make do with the radio.
ReplyDeleteMurph - If you say "Ray Charles" you're Jools' best friend. So even if it was Ray Charles who you first heard it's probably best to say someone else.
Kaz - And Russell Harty was a lovely man. Grace still flashes her knickers at 60 which is absolutely dis-Grace-ful. Better Lita Roza than Guns & Rozas.
Boz - I apologise for my generation's awful taste in music. There was lots of good stuff around, though. I am currently listening to China Crisis.
Christopher - An excellent introduction to music.
MJ - You'll be even more depressed when Molly's Auntie Pam moves in.
Did you say that you're listening to Axel's long awaited Chinese Democracy?
ReplyDeleteMy girls were born in the 80s but I played a little bit of everything for them and they turned out OK.
My oldest musical memories are Dean Martin, Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Harry Belafonte, Louis Armstrong, Elvis and Kate Smith.
I hate Guns & Roses!
ReplyDeleteI'm not so sure parents can influence kids' taste in music. A child who is dancing to The Fall at three will be kissing the back of their hand to Westlife at eleven. And that's just the boys!
Were Elvis and Kate Smith brother and sister or married?
Just reading the Philip Norman Lennon biog.
ReplyDeleteBloody hell, that Auntie Mimi, eh?!
Talk about a dark horse....Bet Goldman's spinning in his grave. Not to mention Uncle George. Runcle Tod Cobbly and all...etc
(....I wonder if she gave him a bit off the rent too...?)
xxx
Bob
p.s. wrod vrecfiifictattaiotoin: ONOLIK
(You couldn't mek it up, could you???)
I liked Norman's Beatles book and his own autobiography. Has he done one for each of the Beatles? The man's obsessed!
ReplyDelete