Polly: It would have been something like Crazy Horses by The Osmonds, a heavy rock back beat, played whilst wearing studded, Elvis Vegas-style jumpsuits, featuring early electronica coupled with a serious message and a catchy chorus – what’s not to like! Previous to this and before actually buying records for myself, my parents would sometimes buy me a record for my Birthday or Christmas. Over the years I remember being given the Mary Hopkins LP “Postcard” which I still have, the original cast recording of Jesus Christ Superstar and a cassette of Simon and Garfunkel’s greatest hits. When I was 3 years old I asked for Mark Wirtz’s “Excerpt from a Teenage Opera” (Grocer Jack) but my Dad said that because it was on the radio so much I didn’t need it. He was missing the point of heavy rotation.
Ruth: In 1976, my grandma sent me a record token for Christmas. Prior to this, I only listened to my parents’ records (Val Doonican with Sgt Pepper and The Supremes) or Radio 1. I went down to Boots and picked through the LPs, choosing Abba greatest hits as I liked their songs.
Just found you – perfect.
First single was when I was tiny – My Boy Lollipop.
First LP bought with my own money – Parallel Lines, Blondie, Christmas 1978
Wow! I have purchased both of those records, but I only got “Crazy Horses” in 2005-6 on a CD single with Utah Saints remixes, but the original was the reason I bought it! I had tried to buy the 45 in the late 90s only to find it was hard to get even at the best oldies shop in town. Ah yes, I think back to the day The Osmonds woke up and decided to compete with Black Sabbath! The actual first record I went into a record store and bought with money given to me while my parents waited out in the car [they would get very used to this by the late 70s] was “Imagine” by John Lennon. At the time I picked it out, I had not yet heard it on the radio, but I recognized the artist’s name, so there we are. I was seven.
Thanks for writing about our blog in your blog! https://postpunkmonk.com/2018/06/26/ruth-miller-of-po-and-polly-hancock-are-bringing-a-womans-perspective-to-punk/#comment-12362