THIS IS A JOURNEY INTO SOUND

When other people at school were raving about the Grunge scene in 1991-1992, i was less than interested: my listening habits consisted of mainstream Pop, some Dance, a bit of Indie, and from '92, Madness. I found the music and lyrics depressing, and the look of long hair, lumberjack shirts and scruffy jeans bored me. It wasn't until a few years after i had left school that i began to appreciate some of the music, and this was chiefly because of one band whose videos were constantly on MTV: Soundgarden. A much heavier and more metal-influced band than most of their contemporaries, their 1994 album Superunknown had become their biggest success yet, and the videos for its singles were how i heard about them, particularly "Spoonman" and the psychedelic metal classic "Black Hole Sun". They split up a few years later, but i gradually got to hear a few more of their songs over the years. Singer Chris Cornell had forged a solo career, and also fronted Audioslave, a

As 2003 began, i knew i had to make some changes in my life, chiefly getting off working nights on my own and getting out more. A job opportunity appeared on the horizon in the shape of a new supermarket being built in my town, and as nothing else seemed to be forthcoming i applied. It was still working in retail, but the prospects of better wages and working with other people were too much to resist, and i was soon employed in the petrol station. It was nice to be part of a team again, and their friendship would later prove important. My record buying that year was less busy and less current than the previous one, as i bought less singles and new albums. I was still basking in the brilliance of 2002's music, and although a few new acts entered my collection, i began investigating the past. I discovered a new (well, it opened in 2001) record store in Nottingham that sold CD's, DVD's, and books for as little as £5, and once i'd stepped through the doors i was in my own