Evolution: Sock Hop

I don't remember exactly how it happened but when I was about 11 I became fascinated with the 1950's and my parent's school days. They pulled a huge stack of 45's out of the attic and I dug through them and I dug them.

I don't remember what all was in that stack but I think my favorites were Tequila, Purple People Eater and (My Baby Does) the Hanky Panky. Really, Hanky Panky is pretty punk rock for that era. I got pretty fired up about The Four Seasons feat. Frankie Valli and anything by the Coasters. I mean, Yakety Yak, Poison Ivy and Love Potion # 9 ruled my brain.

It became clear that those records weren't going to satisfy my thirst. A year or so into this obsession, my Dad recognized that I need to dive in. He had a friend at work who had purchased a huge collection from Time Life????? of music of this era. There were different years represented and some focus on things like Doo Wop and Elvis. His friend made tapes and he brought one or two home every week or so. The biggies that I remember were;

Chuck Berry

Buddy Holly

Little Richard

Jerry Lee Lewis

Everly Brothers

Fats Domino

I liked it all, including the cheese;

Rockin' Robin, At the Hop, Peggy Sue, Be-Bop a Lula, Tutti Fruity, Book of Love, Duke of Earl, You Send Me, ..........

I loved Sea of Love and I loved loved Runaway by Del Shannon. That song got me pumped.

Evolution: my walkman keeps falling out of my pocket

When I was between the ages of 11 and 18, I was the manager of grounds maintenance at 263 McCullough. In other words, I mowed the yard all summer. Funny thing is, I don't remember a riding mower... Anyway, my parents have way too much yard. We lived in the country at the top of a hill with a long driveway, a big front yard and like 3 back yards.

It was just the right size so that if I mowed every chance I got in the early spring, by the time I was finishing up the back yard(s), the front yard had grown back, so I never had to worry about where to store the mower.

From ages 13 - 15 or so, I remember having a cassette walkman and I burned through an outrageous amount of batteries with that thing. I have a distinct memory of the tapes that spent most of their time in there and I know every word, musical phrase and breathe from those recordings. There's something about listening on headphones (regardless of the hum and vibration of the mower).

U2 - Joshua Tree

Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers - Conscious Party

INXS - Kick

John Mellencamp - Lonesome Jubilee

Midnight Oil - Diesel and Dust

Terrence Trent D'Arby - Introducing the Hardline According to TTD

Beastie Boys - License to Ill

..... many of which I had bought bootleg versions at Court Days. The tapes were white and the writing wore off.