My Life as a Music Dork

Peter Rukavina

One of the things that the hipnocrats and I discussed at the putative blogger meeting was music. I admitted to having stopped paying attention to popular music about 20 years ago, and asked for an update on what was going on.

This prompted me to try and remember, this morning in the shower, all the 45s I’d purchased before I was 18. There weren’t many of them:

I also owned a copy of Barry Manilow Live.

I realize, as I type this, that I was (am?) a complete music dork. And this is me, son of a man who owned Sgt. Peppers, Clouds and an excellent collection of jazz music from the 60s and 70s.

Who knows where Oliver’s musical tastes will lie.

Comments

Submitted by Cyn on

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I bought my first 45 when I was 10 years old at the just past the Subway Train Bridge in Moncton in 1972. You think you were a music dork…how about “The Candy Man” by Sammy Davis Junior. That was only the beginning of my weekly saunters downtown to purchase other goodies like, “The Streak” by Ray Stevens, “Seasons In The Sun” by Terry Jacks, and some stupid rendidtion of “Mary Had A Little Lamb” by some loser guy.

Submitted by Steven Garrity on

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The first album I ever bought was Huey Lewis and the News - Fore!. I thought the guy on the right had a really cool suit.

Keep in mind that I was only eight-years-old when it was released. I dropped the cassette case and cracked it the day I got it. I was devastated, until I realized I could switch the plastic case with my parents’ Peter, Paul, & Mary cassette and they’d be none the wiser.

Now, I am very hip and host my own radio show (session #2 coming later today).

Submitted by Alan on

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I’d be much prouder of Huey than Barry but then again Barry was a general malaise - like watching Greatest American Hero, we thought it was ok. We never dreamed it would end up in A&E holiday specials. I still have my Barry 45, bought mere months before I was struck on the back of the head by the 2 by 4 of punk rock. I saw Huey on the Fore! tour in Halifax. It was fun and tame. An eight-year old could have gone. First 45 was “Locomotion” by Grand Funk Railroad.

Submitted by Matt on

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My first 45, bought with my own money after much deliberation, was The Police’s “Spirits in the Material World.” (funny, this is the second time today I’ve brought up The Police on the web)

Looking back, I’m okay with that choice.

However, some of my later 45 choices (Gino Vanelli’s “Black Cars,” Limahl’s “The Neverending Story” and Feargal Sharkey’s “A Good Heart”), I’m not so proud of.

Submitted by Nils Ling on

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My first 45 (my kids are mystified by the whole concept of 45s, of course) was “Monday, Monday” by the Mamas and the Papas. Bought at K-mart for 75 cents. Later that summer I bought “Paint It, Black” by the Stones, “Green Tambourine” by the Lemon Pipers (?), “Pied Piper” by (OK, drawing a complete blank on that one); “Let’s Spend the Night Together” b/w “Get Offa My Cloud” (Stones again, although I never was a Stones fan in a big way); “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)” by that guy, you know, the guy who sang that song; and … well, I could go on (usually do) but essentially, I bought the playlist of any Goldies station. First Album: Paper Soul.
And yes, in the late 70’s, I did own Barry Manilow Live - but not the album .. the frigging 8 track!

Submitted by Peter Rukavina on

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If you need musical reeducation from a youngish hipster, I can think of no better source than Acts of Volition Radio. Steven will probably be in RIAA/SOCAN jail soon, so tune in while you have the chance to profit from his musical wisdom.

Submitted by Mandy on

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Don’t be down on your Barry Manilow records Peter.. without his musical stylings my name would be Danielle today.. I have a long and sweet story about my name, but the long and short of it is Barry was on the radio at the right time and place.

I fancy myself “in the know” of what’s going on in popular music these days, but for the most part it all as to go… give me a good strong 80s new wave band any day.. preferably a British one. Nothing better then a scratchy old 45 of Bronski Beat or Depeche Mode.

Submitted by RSimpson on

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this may support the thesis that there is a genetic connection between “geekism” and “dorkism” I hate to think that Barry Manilow is in some way responsible for the digital revo……
incidently I think I may predate Nils with “Sink The Bismarck”

Submitted by Nils Ling on

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My sister brought home “Sink the Bismarck” … but before that, the first 45 in the house was “Hats off To Larry”. But yes, I feel happily predated. And Mandy, just be glad your parents weren’t in the back seat when a Dalziel’s Auto Body commercial was playing …

Submitted by Mandy on

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Nils.. I to shuttler to think what I may have been called based off what music was playing when my parents were “in the back seat” … that would have been 1978.. I could have been named after ABBA’s Agnetha or something awful..

At least the choice Danielle was after off my dad Daniel till my mom heard “Mandy”..

Submitted by SOCIEDAD BAKOPROSA on

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Movimiento Literario Independiente.
Espacio Para el Libre Pensamiento Dominicano.
Sociedad Dominicana.

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Photo of Peter RukavinaI am . I am a writer, letterpress printer, and a curious person.

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