Russ Vickers Blog from 2008

The Road To Addiction............

Posted by Russ Vickers, 20 February 2008 ·

It's the Spring of 1977 & my whole life was about to change forever..........working class family, Comprehensive School education, small town or should I say village upbringing in a typical Midlands semi rural setting. I was 15 years old & for almost 10 years the sound of the Rare Soul Underground had been pounding in the hearts of the 'In Crowd'..........to which I was completely oblivious !!!.

I have alway's loved music. My memories from a small child were full of The Beatles, Elvis, Johnny Cash & many other pop hits of the time, that my family would listen to on the radio or the old record player. I was allowed to play the old 45's lieing around too, so from quite an early age, I was 'spinning tunes'.

At school we talked about T.Rex, David Bowie, Roxy Music etc, but filtering thru the 'Glam' via the school disco I started to become aware of soul music, commercial disco really, I would go to my local record store & buy a lot of these 12's, I would also consult Blues & Soul for the recommendations & eagerly await thier arrival to be picked up at the store, much of my pocket money, would be spent in this way, & much to my Mother's consternation & the obligatory cries of 'Turn that Rubbish Down' I would play them constantly........I still have some of those early purchases.........& boy are they embarrassing now, but I wouldnt part with them for the world....... I still didn't 'really' get it, I enjoyed these records, but my heart was yet to be totally captured......the hairs on the back of the neck, had yet to raise to those truly soulful rythmns..............but the journey had began....... oh & what a journey.