I never quite realised how 16-year-old me was such a revolutionary, forward-thinking, free-spirited music pioneer. Until yesterday when I read it in the Times. Not in those words, precisely, but a lot of boxes were ticked.

When the first Roxy Music album came out in 1972 I was indeed 16 and had a Saturday job in the ‘world famous’ Mr Byrite chain, in Ilford High Road. Class. My Byrite sold ultra high fashion, mega-ultra-low quality clothes for young people to have a great night out in, then throw away. Cos they were cheap, so something had to give. And in Ilford in 1972, that something wasn’t going to be style.

There were about 20 of us working there on Saturdays and between us we’d buy about 4 or 5 albums every week. And that week, Roxy Music’s first offering came along and we played it. As with everything, we played it deafeningly loud. Well, loud enough that you couldn’t hear someone say “DO YOU HAVE THIS IN BLUE, SIZE 15????”

I never realised until yesterday what a total game-changer that album was. And that the band was. I never realised that it had a sound that was original and unique combing many existing musical styles and incorporating new ones into the mix. Songs without a chorus. Songs that changed half way through. Odd time signatures. An even odder voice with Bryan Ferry’s falsetto yodelling away. Well, in fact, I did realise all of this at the time, and more. I explained it more in these terms: “iss fuckin’ great, dat album, innit?” Sorry, that’s how one spoke in Ilford, circa 1972 (and 73, 74, 75… still do).

I went to see Roxy back then too, at the Astoria Finsbury Park, and they were simply brilliant. Like Bowie, like Talking Heads, they were not ‘merely’ musicians, they were art graduates and believed in the integrity of the entire performance. From the songs to Bryan Ferry’s socks. Everything.

But what really sold that album to me, back when I was was 16, was the cover. Judge books by covers, albums by covers, its all the same. That’s why so much marketing budget is always invested in cover photos. A beautiful girl, scantily clad, that was fairly standard. But that look of fragile vulnerability… that’ll sell an extra 400,000. If only to 16 year-old boys.

I played the album yesterday (well, the cd) and its still brilliant. Matured with age. Even though Mel hates it. But really, its a game of two halves. Cos the first ‘half’ (don’t really have ‘halves’ on cds, but ya know what I mean) is mind-blowingly brilliant, the rest merely ok. Unlike Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust album, which also came out in 1972, which is 100% genius. But in Virginia Plain (the solo single track wasn’t on the original album but is always included now) is the best lyric ever. “… where my Studebaker takes me, that’s where I’ll make my stand…” Simply love that. Note: doesn’t work if you substitute ‘Studebaker’ with ‘Prius’ or ‘Gee Whizz’.

Lila’s dad said something interesting yesterday, that WASN’T about the conservative party, pointing out that the Alexis Sanchez swap-move to Manchester United brings Henrikh Mkhitaryan to Arsenal in a straight, no cash swap. So how is that ‘good business’ for Arsenal? To swap a world class superstar with a proven record for… someone else. Its like swapping Harry Kane for a goalpost, straight swap, and trying to convince everyone its a ‘good deal’ and good for the club.

I think Wenger’s going a bit senile.

Happy Monday

A xxxx