Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

During my time at CH there were a range of musical 'fashions' if thats the right word. For example there was a period when everyone seemed to be listening to Psychobilly music e.g. King Kurt, Long Tall Texans, Guana Batz, Demented are Go, The Cramps and The Meteors (whom allegedly Alison Muir a one time CH French teacher had played bass for at one time). There were a number of revivals of music by The Clash, there was a big Goth movement, a lot of indie music fans. It seemed that as one person found a new band or type of music it slowly seeped through a house and sometimes the whole school. Anyone have fond memories of specific fashions or styles.

I happened to see that King Kurt are touring again which reminded me of those fashions.

I still reminisce strumming along to Kiss me, Kiss me, Kiss me and other Robert Smith classics - in fact you woudl appreciate this little fact that a mate of one of my friends is Porl Thompson's brother, and runs Parched Art who did all the late 80's and 90's cure artwork.

I remember the goth thing being big, but still being in a minority of one of Electronica fans - Depeche Mode, Kraftwork, early New Order etc.

cstegerlewis wrote: you would appreciate this little fact that a mate of one of my friends is Porl Thompson's brother, and runs Parched Art who did all the late 80's and 90's cure artwork.

Undy Vella! Yep still a big Cure fan....

cstegerlewis wrote: I remember the goth thing being big, but still being in a minority of one of Electronica fans - Depeche Mode, Kraftwork, early New Order etc.

I remember your Mute artists devotion. Few of us also liked DM meaning frequent viewings of 101 in the Octagon on that massive telly..."GOOD EVENING PASEDENA"

Well he tends to go by his real name of Andy Vella - when I first met him he showed me a 'Curesque' bit of artwork and claimed ownership of the various stylised fonts used, but as he was stoned and I was very drunk I just said OK and didn't believe him - then I went to his and saw his portfolio of unused Cure artwork - very humble apologies!

adlop wrote:During my time at CH there were a range of musical 'fashions' if thats the right word.

During my time The Beatles reigned supreme - at least in 6s.

Munch, Liz, Alex, Mary - any memories of crowding around the radio one Sunday (?) evening, eagerly awaiting the first play of The Beatles latest single (Hey Jude)?

I seem to recall, but hope that my memory is playing tricks, that I was wearing my school jumper as a pair of leggings. No idea what might have been covering my top half.

In our/my defence, Oh Younger Forum Members, back in our day the only clothes we had to wear were the various items of uniform.

I think back with nostalgia - the House Record Player - stacking it up with singles. It's hessian trim side, it's raspy bumpy sound, the "tone" switch which made no difference. It had a stylus somewhat similar to a small knitting needle, but this only added to the effect.

And Caroline wearing her jumper as leggings!

Wild nights! Bed at 20.30hrs, heads reeling with dreams of freedom.

The music of the mid 90's was of course mostly grunge and Oasis etc...

There was a lot of 'urban' (I use that word loosely) music as well...

Jazz and blues was surprisngly popular...

and then there was me and Andy Friend, who used to confound people by loistening to Van Morrison, Genesis and Pink Floyd...

Thornton A seemed to be obsessed by the Smiths for a while. We had Eurythmics in Col A which always reminds me of wet weekends and keep fit in the prep block whenever I hear it now. I never had any records at school, but would listen to Esther's very eclectic collection which included Ry Cooder, Ruby Turner, Grateful Dead (esp Ramble On Rose in Turkey 1986) and The Pixies. Listened to Where is my Mind the other day and felt like I was 15 again struggling with Maths homework. Oh, and Jay and I would sing our way through Dark Side of the Moon on a regular basis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8RelagWfoQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqFHX-pzeh0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGXdXcpN ... ed&search=

Smiths and Pixies still loom large on my Ipod - scary thing is that most of that stuff was released 20 years ago - 20 years before we were at school was the 'first' summer of love - sergeant pepper, woodstock, Jimi Hendrix etc.

I have to say that my early Barnes B exposure to David Bowie, The Cure, Siouxsie & the banshees etc still influences my music tastes today, and I have more recently got into Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead etc.

Did someone mention The Smiths? Ali Zaldua got me into them back in 1984... I still listen to them a lot today. Likewise my beloved iPod hosts a ton of Cure, Mission, Sisters of Mercy, etc ... all the usual goth suspects, the taste for which I acquired at C.H.

Although I tend to play (and perform) mostly acoustic fiddly-dee folk music nowadays...

Alison Muir... good lord she was cute! I don't know how the elder boys kept their hands off her... perhaps some of them didn't.

Funny how tastes change...

I can't stand the Smiths...

Angela Woodford wrote:I think back with nostalgia - the House Record Player - stacking it up with singles. It's hessian trim side, it's raspy bumpy sound, the "tone" switch which made no difference. It had a stylus somewhat similar to a small knitting needle, but this only added to the effect.

And Caroline wearing her jumper as leggings!

Wild nights! Bed at 20.30hrs, heads reeling with dreams of freedom.

Those were the days...............

Like you we only had our uniforms to wear although by Headmaster's decree flannels and blazers could be worn on hot afternoons in the Summer Term.

My musical memories include Chris "Ernie" Shawyer and Charlie Wintle in particular blasting the dayroom with Cream, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple in Rock or The Who. One of them had an amp and they got some serious decibels out of it! I think Ron Lorimer, our Housemaster, was either deaf or he had adjourned to The Common Room or The Bax!

Alternatively, when they had a chance, the Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Roy Harper fraternity, Dave Clark amongst others, would have a go. I have to say that was generally more to my personal taste although I did occasionally enjoy a real "blast" with Ernie and charlie.

On Sunday nights of course there was always Pick Of The Pops on the radio with the late lamented Alan "Fluff" Freeman.

Not 'arf!

Great Plum wrote:There was a lot of 'urban' (I use that word loosely) music as well....

If we're talking rap then Phil Messenger is responsible for my love of Run DMC, Public Enemy, Eric B and Rakim and loads I can't remember. he was the rap king.

cstegerlewis wrote:I have to say that my early Barnes B exposure to David Bowie, The Cure, Siouxsie & the banshees etc still influences my music tastes today.

Me too, I recently bought a load of the Banshees remastered albums, listening to Happy House reminded me of being forced to sing along to it at times of 'friction' in the house.

Reuben wrote:Did someone mention The Smiths? Ali Zaldua got me into them back in 1984

Hated The Smiths until I was doing my A Levels and listened to What difference Does it Make before each exam... it helped at the time now I'm a big fan. As for Ali Zaldua, fairly sure he is responsible for my adoration of all things Jesus and Mary Chain. Where is he now?

Having an Ipod has meant I've re-discovered loads of stuff I haven't listened to in a while, The Mission, Spear of Destiny, Chumbawamba, The Bodines, House of Love, The Cult, The Primitives, The Neurotics, The Darling Buds..ok I'll stop going through my ipod. Every band takes me back to specific memories.

Del Shannon and Connie Francis.

The Beatles crashed onto the scene around the time I left C.H.

adlop wrote:As for Ali Zaldua, fairly sure he is responsible for my adoration of all things Jesus and Mary Chain. Where is he now?

I last spoke to "Duda" by email a year or two back... he teaches music at a university in Germany now, and is married with one son.