When people say such and such an album, song, gig whatever....

[Trueno]

1 hour ago, tegs07 said:

I can’t speak for the OP but I wouldn’t describe myself as a musician. I’m just a ham fisted bodger that noodles around on the bass. 

I think you’re putting yourself down. I describe myself as the guy at the back who makes thumpy noises.

 

Anyway… “I am the Walrus” changed my life… forever… irrevocably… inexplicably… seriously.

[Linus27]

It was 1985, I was 14 years old and it was a very hot summer's day. I was doing what I was always doing, riding my BMX outside, practising stunts to perform as part of a freestyle team that performed at school fetes, village fairs etc. over the summer holidays. I was aware of music as my mum, dad and two older sisters were all music mad and would be constantly playing Jazz, 80's and all sorts of music throughout the house round the clock. I was aware that Live Aid was on throughout the day and would dip in and out to watch some of the artists I was aware off, mostly artists that I knew from my sisters playing them but if I'm honest, I found a lot of it a bit boring.

 

However, by chance I caught U2's performance. I didn't really know the songs or the band but quite liked it but what caught my attention was Adam Clayton. Remembering this was the 80's, he was strutting around stage looking super cool, pixie boots, confident and looking mega cool. As a geeky, spotty teenager, I wanted a piece of that. I had no idea he was playing a bass, let alone a sunburst Precision but from that moment my mind was made, I wanted to be in a band.

 

36 years later, I've been playing bass for 33 years now and made a career of it. I've been on TV, radio, multiple tours, written music for adverts, done 2 John Peel sessions, XFM, Virgin and Radio 1 live sessions and many other incredible opportunities. Even better was getting signed and the producer of our album was a gentleman called Mark Wallace (It Bites, Travis, The Primitives). It turned out Mark was the engineer on U2's Joshua Tree and produced all the b-sides so it was great to have a connection with where it all started for me.

 

So I'm not sure if you would say it changed my life, possibly you would as it steered me into a life and a career in music, giving me some incredible opportunities that I would not have experienced if I have not by chance caught U2's performance at Live Aid.

[Barking Spiders]

On 17/09/2021 at 13:00, SteveK said:

@Barking Spiders

You say that you have "several other long standing interests". Would you say that one of those interests has had an impact on your life? Surely, any interest that you regularly commit a part of your life to can be said to "impact on my life"... even going to the pub!

Thinking about it, regularly going to the pub has probably impacted some peoples lives more than intended😟

Yes, for sure.  As a kid I had a great love of science and making things out of Meccano, dismantling my parents TV, radios and trying to put them back together etc which led to me studying physics, maths, chemistry and biology at A level then going to to do civil engineering at university which led to a career in civil and structural engineering. I've also got a deep interest in environmental science and 'green' issues, as does my missus, which brought us together.