A NEW (DIGITAL) AGE...

I began 1993 with a new medium to hear music through: the Compact Disc. I still played my vinyl 7"s, and still used my walkman, but i was definitely excited by this new format, where the sounds seemed bolder, brighter, crisper. (There will always be an argument about whether vinyl sounds better, but i would say that all formats have their own unique qualities).The ability to skip tracks, program your own track sequence, put an album on shuffle,: all opportunities. I even made intros for tapes, featuring advert-like snatches of the hits! I only had a few albums at this point: 3 Madness titles - Divine, Mad Not Mad, and Madstock!, and The Police Greatest Hits, all of which i'd had for Christmas. As you can probably guess, they were played constantly, broadcasting my music collection to the street from my bedroom window, much to the annoyance of my Mum, promptimg her demands to "turn it down a shade". It would be a few months before i made any additions to my small collection: i was still at school, having stayed on in the 6th form, with no real idea of what i wanted to do with my life, and no longer working a paper round meant no cash. But more music was to come by way of the Britannia Music Club, a mail-order service which was usually advertised in the Sunday newspapers. The incentive to join was a beginners offer where you would receive 4 CDs for a £1 each, but were then expected to buy another 6 at full price in the first year of membership. Having persuaded my parents to sign me up, i made my choices: Duran Durans' "Decade", a best of: Tears For Fears "Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82-92): R.E.M.s' "Out Of Time": and, for reasons i can't fathom now, Right Said Freds' "UP". I imagine my parents were glad to hear some different music blasting out of my room! One of the perks of ordering from them was that you didn't have to pay for a cd if it was returned within 7 days, a great scam that would have the "Home Taping Is Killing Music" nuts of yesteryear pulling their hair out: i imagine many of their members pulled that trick. I had a few more albums from them, although i can only remember The 2-Tone Story compilation and Utter Madness. After leaving school in May i started my first proper full-time job, and a regular wage meant more music. Well, that and going to the pub.....