Press Play:

My never ending Juke Box, carrying a lifetimes worth of tunes.

The Year: 1971

I turned 18 in the April of this year.

So, young free and single.

By the end of the year that will all change as I fall head over heels in love as only a teenager can do.

This will not be the first time that I receive one of Cupid’s arrow, (that was in 1969) and it won’t be the last.

It’s 1971, my hair is now seriously long.

The ‘LP’ has pretty much replaced the ’45’ in the early 70’s for me.

So, an inordinate amount of time is spent poring over lyrics and album sleeves, if not at home, at one my friends.

The singer/songwriter and ‘serious’ rock music has firmly entered our lives.

( I still  maintain my huge love of soul.)

Before we move on to a few of the albums that were game changers in 1971.

Let’s start with a few 45’s that rocked my world in 71.

Curved air.       Back Street Luv

(This probably had as much to do with Sonja Kristina who fronted the band, as well as being a good tune. I’m 18 remember )

Family.   In my own Time.

Family, one of the first of many great bands that played Stockport College in 71.

Curtis Mayfield.   Move on Up.

As I said, I still loved soul, and I loved the energy on this track.

Jackson 5.   Never can say Goodbye.

Ah!, now this is a bit of a summer holiday crush track.

Not so much “Never can say Goodbye” More, Never really got to say hello.

Fairly certain that the girl in question fancied my best friend!!

How many can remember that particular scenario?

The Who.   Won’t get fooled again.

H’mm.

One of the standout singles of 71 surely has to be.

The Rolling Stones.   Brown Sugar/Bitch.

At time of writing, the Stones are ‘still’ playing live.

While we are on the subject of great bands.

Free.      My Brother Jake.

They too played Stockport College in 71, with this song being  introduced as their next single and was the follow up to the classic ‘All Right Now’.

What a band, what a voice!

Speaking of voices.

In September of 71, another voice we will all come to know very well, releases a single from his third solo album.

Rod Stewart.   Maggie May/Reason to Believe.

The rest as they say……..

 Also in September 1971, the birth of the Old Grey Whistle Test. 

The track has to be.

Area code 615.    Stone Fox Chase.

A fantastic choice for a theme tune.

Much like Peel with the Radio, “whispering” Bob Harris has a huge influence what I listen to, only this time through the medium of television. A chance to watch some bands playing live that you would not get to see unless you lived in London. 

 T. Rex.      Jeepster.

Bolan will play a huge part in the memory bank this next year.

The Faces.      Stay With Me.

In December The Faces release a single taken from their latest album ‘Nod’s as good as a wink to a blind horse’

This track flew out of the radio, wow!

It will be another year before I see Rod and the rest of the Faces perform this song live and raise the roof at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester.

Brilliant night. (I still have the program)

That wraps up just some of the singles for 71.

As I said, Albums were now a huge part of my teenage soundtrack. The early 70’s really delivered some classics!!!

As 1971 drew to a close, I receive a handwritten invitation to a New Years ‘Adam’ Party.

Delivered by hand by the girl I have had my eye on for months…..

I believe it was Mark Twain that wrote “life would be infinitely happier if we could be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen”

While I am still some years away from Eighty, I find listening to certain tunes, I can gradually approach eighteen (again).

Coming up! The first ‘serious’ albums in 71 plus!

Guess who is coming to town!!!  Led Zeppelin.