My favourite musically year 1979

I have written a lot about my music on here because I love it, most anyway. I recently read a blog where the writer considered 1971 to be the best-ever year for his taste in music and albums he enjoyed.

My annus mirabilis was 1979 and at the grand old age of 19 years-old I got it and found a tribe to follow and embrace the music. Some might think 19 was pretty old to make that discovery but I always liked a variety of different music growing up. As I maintained earlier, it was the only time I followed the herd, which opened a vast array of new music to me.

 

Coming late into tribe mentality I still had a berth of music tastes as I remember listing to the radio on a Sunday afternoon before the charts show playing what’s called today easy listening to some crazy stuff today. From Nat King Cole singing "When I Fall in Love" in the early days to Evanescence and “Bring Me to Life”  about as heavy has my music taste reach on my favourites list.

 

There were probably others I could have added to the list below but these are the standout albums in my book. I have written plenty about 2Tone, and The Specials and the nutty boys of Madness but the others were just as important to my musical education.

 

Squeeze were part of the British new wave scene happening around the time and Cool for Cats was the group’s second album, released in 1979. The album was a hit in the UK and included a number of tracks on the album that stood out "Cool for Cats",  "Up the Junction"  and a particular favourite "It's Not Cricket". Reggatta de Blanc was also released in 1979 and a favourite reaching No. 1 in the charts for the Police. It was also their second studio album and featured the band's first two UK No. 1 hits: "Message in a Bottle" and "Walking on the Moon". As with every album, there is always a track that defines your listening experience and with this album in was "The Bed's too big without you".

 

I had been a long-time admirer of reggae back then and still am today. Where I lived back then helped because it was hard to miss. It was even beginning to chart but I could honesty say I had no idea who Linton Kwesi Johnson until I heard him on the radio. It must have been John Peel who introduced us it’s was the place to listen for new upcoming sounds. I quickly went to Spillers (the oldest record shop in the world) to dig out a copy of Forces of Victory and loved It with "It Noh Funny" my favourite track.

Steel Pulse are a roots reggae band, out of Handsworth area of Birmingham, England. I had previously bought their debut album Handsworth Revolution so I was well equated with them thanks to the aforementioned John Peel radio show. David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar) voice is mesmerising and tat it’s brillent best for Biko's Kindred Lament and the equalling thought provoking Uncle George

• The Specials – The Specials
• Reggatta de Blanc – The Police
• One Step Beyond – Madness
• Forces of Victory – Linton Kwesi Johnson
• Cool for Cats – Squeeze
• Tribute to the Martyrs – Steel Pulse