a hip to the hop to the hippety bippety bop (or something)

remember when people used to have "ghetto blasters" and breakdance on street corners and carry their music on their shoulders rocking the block with the electro beat?

it only happened in movies didn't it?

at my school, as with (i imagine) every other provinicial school across the UK, there were a few boys who got into breakdancing.
they'd flatten big boxes or steal a sheet of linoleum and play herbie hancock's "rockit" endlessly while pretending to be a robot or having a seizure on the floor.

and, for my sins, i joined in.
only for a short while i hasten to add!
i learned how to do the windmill and had brusied elbows and shoulders for a fortnight.
this also coincided with not having a girlfriend.
funny that.

anyhow, other than herbie hancock i didn't really get the electro thing.
it left me a bit cold.
i'd much rather jump over things and ride around backwards for a bit on my BMX.

i did however like the idea of wandering about carrying an oversized portable stereo.
it didn't last long.
but i have to admit that it did happen.

you'll be pleased to know that i look back at that brief time with huge embarrassment.
especially when i think about the old-timer who crossed the road to politely ask, "would you mind turning that down please son?"

as i've pointed out i didn't really like electro or hip hop very much then.
so what was my favourite thing to annoy the neighbourhood with?



it was a pastels bootleg i found at a record fair.
it had two live recordings on it, some demos and a bunch of session type things.

it was tinny and a bit weedy.

i've currently misplaced it but if it turns up you can be sure i'll let you know.
the highlight was "truck train tractor" in it's original form when it was called "25 unfinished plays".

wandering the streets making everyone listen to the pastels didn't last long - perhaps a couple of months at most.
honestly.
i quite quickly realised how silly i looked.
and my arms ached.



it wasn't until "3 feet high and rising" came out in 1989 that i got hip hop.
it had rapping and beats and samples.
but it also had an indie kinda sound - scratchy, a bit thin, wonderful.
i loved it.

after all, it was the daisy age.