My Life In Music part 3: 1986 - 1992

So we're up to the mid 80s and taste has given up hope to be replaced by gaudy, neon bilge. On the side of cultural superiority Moonlighting has been on a year and we see Bruce Willis can act, and does comedy very well, which is a shame because he goes on to appear in Blind Date which is shit to say the least.


Myself, now in the third form was developing an eclectic taste in music as we shall see as we venture into the past that we like to call Metcalfe: the Gay Disco Years


1986: Disco - Pet Shop Boys


I was a latecomer to the PSB, around the time of release my mum and sister loved them, I wasn't too sure, but a few years later I would get a tape of Disco and it was never out of my Saisho personal tape player. At only 6 tracks it's short, and it's a remix album - NOT a compilation but interpretations of songs from Please and B-Sides. Now if you're gonna get shirty about the rules, I've put another album below for the year so be happy.

It starts in fine style with In The Night remixed by the genius Arthur Baker who was doing great things with New Order, as was Shep Pettibone who turns up on Love Comes Quickly and West End Girls, but the album is shit hot for the genius Paninaro and Opportunities, which was great in the first place, but the remix just kicks it out of orbit.

And for those of you being moody about the rules:


1986: The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths

Because no matter how hard you try you can't beat There Is A Light That Never Goes Out as the perfect pop song, and Moz gets funny with Vicar In A Tutu and the title track. Still prefer Strangeways... though.

This was the year I discovered I wasn't doing O-levels but some new fangled GCSE thing. I wasn't too impressed.

1987: Out Of The Blue - Debbie Gibson

I had a massive crush on Debbie Gibson at a time when it was De rigour to fancy Tiffany. I was always an odd one, but Gibbo seemed to have it all, she wrote and produced her own stuff, she wasn't a yank and she seemed quite attainable in the great scheme of things.

And I was convinced Shake Your Love was about wanking.

Meanwhile I was getting into Gay Disco and HiNRG music, a field where classics are ten a penny, but rarely good. With The Circus Erasure took the mantel from The Communards and Bronski Beat with catchy tunes and political-lite lyrics, but it's bloody ace and the start of my last year at school was soundtracked by these two albums at a new school as we moved to Shipley. Down to Nab Wood Grammar for me and my sister on a continental time system but there was one thing more important than claret school jumpers - I was educated with girls - 16 year old girls. Blimey!

1988: Viva Hate - Morrissey


And so Moz goes solo and produces a classic first single with Suedehead and a classic first album with Viva Hate. The bleak world view is still there, and someone started to notice a predilection with Asian culture that would later start the first claims that he had slightly racist tendencies to be blown up by the NME twice. Still, Everyday Is Like Sunday is a piece of genius and he would only better it on the next album .

It's the second summer of love and we move back home to Skipton, meaning I have to resit my fifth form, and not with sixteen year old girls. It was, to my hormonal sixteen year old self, the equivalent of being in Hiroshima the day the bomb dropped.

1989: Technique - New Order

And so New Order go to Ibiza, get fucked up and become pioneers of guitar/dance fusion long before Prodigy. The comeback album was a diamond, and the track Run2 pissed off John Denver enough to sue. Here's the relaunch single Fine Time with it's rambling on about girls with teeth to an Italio house tune

And so I start work in the rates office of the local council. Hated it but went clubbing and learnt to play crown green bowls. It was also the year I went on strike with the union. The first of several.

1990: Leggy Mambo - Cud

Along with The Wedding Present and Ooberman Cud were the pinnacle of West Yorkshire Indie before the likes of Kaiser Chiefs and The Cribs came along. Leggy Mambo was their second album, following on from the indie opera concept album When In Rome, Kill Me. This was the album that got me addicted to the band, and they were the first band I started to obsess over buying 7", 12", remixes, cassingle, CD, and every version of their stuff. Saw the tour last year in Birmingham Barfly and they were still as good a show as they were in 1990.

I've become a man. Happy 18th to me. I'm working in accounts. Boo.

1991: 30 Something -Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine

Crusty hit the world of pop, and Carter USM twat Schofield on the Smash Hits awards. I loved the word play in CUSM songs, and the political message was sometimes corrupted by the puns worthy of Whitley on Countdown. But it was a great time and a great album.

I head off to art college in Bradford and discover the glories of life drawing and 60p a pint nights at Tumblers. I also fall big time for Janet Clegg but never tell her. Tosser.

1992 - Bricks Are Heavy - L7
Barnoldswick/Colne on the Lancs border, I'm working pubs, living off yogurt and baked beans (not together and listening to indie when I discover Faith No More. I then discover L7 and I'm in love. Girls who don't look like they've washed suddenly become very attractive. Then I se them on The Word and dirty takes on a different meaning. Great album, angry as fuck and they look like they'd rip your nads off than look at you. Fan-tastic.