Brierly Hill 90210

I became a teenager in 1979 and my passage to manhood was marked by switching my weekly comic subscription from Beano to The Crunch while still deciding if the world was better served by Match or Shoot magazines. Almost passing unnoticed to the young Miller, punk rock moved aside to make way for post-punk and new wave. Nobody knew what that meant then and nobody knows now. As happens most Januaries, the year started in winter. But 1979 started with a winter of discontent.

In 1978, James Callaghan was Prime Minister of Great Britain while leader of the opposition, Margaret Thatcher, hovered in the wings. The brutal Khmer Rouge regime led Cambodia under leader Pol Pot. But in the sheltered world of the Gloucestershire countryside, I was 11 and, at the turn of the year, had been at “the big school” for 6 months. I was becoming aware of the importance of music and that it gave me an identity that was more than just “child of my parents”. Unfortunately, as I would only learn later in life, my choices in music did not mark me out as “one of the cool kids”. See if you can spot which music I liked at the time and what I learnt to love later in life.

After covering the years from 1953 through 1976, it may seem strange to describe 1977 as the start of the story. But it was a true beginning for me personally. I turned 11 and, in September, left Northleach CofE Primary School to start Westwoods Grammar School. I made friends there that I discovered and created music with for many years to come.

I often consider myself incredibly fortunate to have come of age at that time. Though I was oblivious to it at the time, huge changes were taking place around the world. 1976 saw political change with a new US president and a new UK prime minister. It ended with London families settling down for tea in-front of early-evening regional television, only to be shocked by the filth and the fury of The Sex Pistols.

As the sun sets on 1976, it's subsequent rising bears witness to a new dawn. You just know it's going to be a lovely day. Welcome to 1977.