In the 70's I grew up in a run down neighbourhood in west London that was I guess a UK ghetto. Mostly black families, relocated there from the West Indies in the mid 60's. A lot of my friends were the sons and daughters, the next generation of those first immigrants. I absolutely loved living there. In fact I lived in the same neighbourhood for 36 years. Those early years shaped my entire life. I was working at a hardware store called Nu Lines in '79 and every lunchtime I would go across the road to a small cafe, see my mates and have a couple of tokes on a spliff (yeah, I still remember the lingo) before going back to work. It was always packed in there. One day I walked in and this was playing on the Hi-Fi. The place was jumping. I was blown away. I knew the baseline very well and heard toasting many times but this was new and different. It was one of those moments I will never forget. It's always amazing to me how music can pin point memories. I went straight round the corner and bought the 12" from Rough Trade records when they were still on Kensington Park Road with that wagon wheel hanging up outside. Most likely the only record shop in the UK that would of carried it at that time. I still have it, I still listen to it and it still sounds brilliant.
Matt.
Great blurb Matt, you would've been blessed with so much cool shit, I still have my copy too in its goldy-brown cover, the song still does it for me everytime I hear it . . . Bernard Edwards the bassist from Chic thought it was pretty cool as well apparently.
ReplyDeleteHe did indeed mate. I think Bernard was one the most influential bass players of all time. Have you ever seen that interview with him where they ask him what strings he uses? his replay was "Erm, I don't know. They are just the ones that came with the guitar when I bought it"
DeleteAbsolutely, his lines have been hacked so many times, part of a sensational rhythm section in a shit hot outfit, I'll check out the interview, cheers for the tip Matt.
DeleteCool scoot!
ReplyDeleteWasn't that tank mounted on the flying dutchman's bike? Painted by Max if i remember correctly?
Or is it even Maurice's?
Anderson, Indiana 1979, 4th grade, Mr Dates class, 25th St Elementary. We listened to this record every indoor recess that winter. It was a portable, fold up institutional record player and we were left completely unsupervised for 30 minutes after lunch. 10 or 12 years ago I watched a PBS documentary on the history of Rock n Roll. They discussed this song at length. It was an Earth mover, like nothing that came before it. I still know most of the words and I cant help but sing along if only in my head. But to this day I have no idea how us 8 and 9 year old kids got ahold of that record. Thanks.
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