Asking The Simple Questions,

The Vinyl Scratch

Over the coming months I will speak to people,both in person and online,who have carved a career for themselves in music,either directly as a musician or for the important roles they play in the music industry.My aim is to see how the vinyl record has influenced them into a career in music,but also their love affair with that all important record and how it started.
At the end of I'm sure that the albums spoken about will create quite a collection.

I would like to personally thank everyone who spared their time to talk openly with me.

Charlie McGettigan

Donegal Native singer/songwriter,winner of the Eurovision Song Contest alongside Paul Harrington in 1994.
28/10/2017

Myself:Hi Charlie I was looking to know can you remember your first single or album which you bought on vinyl? What is the album you go to most? Mine being the Rolling Stones let it bleed which I've listened to over the last 25 years,and finally what album would you say influenced you most in your songwriting?

Charlie;"The first single I bought was “Keep on running” by Spencer Davis Group. First album I bought was “Sergeant Pepper’s lonely hearts Club band”. The album that would have most influenced my songwriting was “Rubber Soul" by you know who."

Myself:Beatles albums are wonderfully inspiring,and their impact on music and culture will never be repeated,

Charlie;"There was always a "them and us" situation when I was growing up in Ballyshannon. The Stones fans went to Coyles" cafe and us Beatles fans went to McIntyres. Even today mye good friend Eamonn Daly and I gently provoke one another about the merits and demerits of both "Groups" as they were called back in the day."

Myself;Yes I remember a great quote 'The Beatles want to hold your hand,the stones want to burn your town down',It was a great time for music,but Ballyshannon must have been a hive of activity musically,even with the likes of Rory Gallagher springing from there with his deep rooted blues playing.

Charlie;"The funny thing was that Rory was rarely if ever mentioned in Ballyshannon until after he died. I remember in 1968 having a discussion with a few musos in Bundoran about who was the best Irish guitarist. I was plumping for Henry McCullagh but Paul Braqdy who was in the conversation said there was a guy playing with a Belfast band called Taste called Rory Gallagher. That was the first time I heard of Rory. I saw him play many times and he was a phenomenon. It's kind of scary to know the name of the hospital he was born in was the "Rock" Hospital. My brother was born there too."

Myself;The festivals every are amazing,and I think it's a great celebration of music let alone Rory Gallagher,thank you Charlie you've been inspirational and insightful.

Charlie's latest work can be heard via ITunes and on CD,the albums 'The Man From 20','Stolen Moments',amongst others,and singles such as 'Rockin' Crazy World' are all readily available.

Aonghus McAnally

Dublin Born Singer/Songwriter,Performer,Actor And Television Presenter.
29/10/17

Myself;Hi Aonghus I was looking to know can you remember your first single or album which you bought on vinyl?
What is the album you go to most?
Finally what album would you say influenced you most in your songwriting?
Thank you Aonghus,you were after all my connection to all things music on a Saturday mornings in the 80's,

Aonghus;"Hi Kevin
The first single that I remember buying was thunderclap Newman something in the air. I heard it on the radio and I went into town and sang the riff in the record shop and said have you got this one and they did! as an album probably goodbye yellow brick road the Elton John double album. For songwriting it would be anything by carol king or billy Joel."

Myself;Thank you Aonghus,I would have thought so,Carol Kings Tapestry was a huge influence on the singer/songwriter generation,and from that album sprung a lot more into the mainstream,like James Taylor,Neil Young and Billy Joel,thank you again,great to see you doing so well touring.

Aonghus is currently touring the Christie Hennessey Platinum Collection.An astounding performance by all accounts.

When I wanted to write about the influence musicians got from the records they remember and bought in their youth,I also wanted to ask people in the broadcasting side.
A key area is always the music we are exposed to,and without broadcasters who go out on a limb to play music not normally in rotation,we would not have discovered so many wonderful sounds and artists.
So first off I spoke to Ian Dempsey,a household name and extremely popular broadcaster.
I asked Ian,
"I was looking to know a little about your love of vinyl,how it felt to hear your first Record and what was the record you fell in love with? No doubt it will be bowie,but also the nostalgia and fondness that records bring to mind".

Ian:
"Hi Kevin,
I hope you're well. Best of luck with The Vinyl Times.

Although you would presume that my first vinyl was Bowie it was actually Ireland's 1972 Eurovision entry "Ceol An Ghrá" by Sandie Jones that I bought with my hard saved cash. I was 11 and needed something to try out my new Philips 'auto repeat' record player. By today's standards the sound was appalling but it did the job. I mention the 'auto repeat' feature because my sister Susan bought Smokie's "If You Think You Know How To Love Me" in 1975 and played it 47 times in a row on a Saturday afternoon while she did her ironing and I banged my head against the wall. The Bowie albums came quickly after my first purchase and I remember the pride at getting off the bus with the big Golden Discs bag and its mysterious contents that only I knew! Myself and my friends used to sit around our various houses trying to interpret what David Bowie was trying to say in his lyrics. Vinyl was about the music but it was also about the sleeve notes, the cover artwork (front and sometimes even more interestingly, back) and the inscriptions on the inner circle of the disc. I remember Aladdin Sane being the first album for me and after being bowled over by that, I went backwards to the classic Ziggy Stardust. After that I was completely hooked on Bowie, which has been a lifelong chronic addiction, and was even more impressed to also buy Transformer by Lou Reed and see that he (Bowie) was the producer of that in the same year as Ziggy was released. The record sleeves begged so many questions from all of these classics:
"Drive In Saturday" - 'pour me out another phone' - what the hell is that about?
"Starman" - Let the children lose what?, let the children use what?
"Walk On The Wild Side" - Who was Holly, Candy, Jackie and Sugar plum Fairy?
It's all too easy nowadays!

Cheers,
Ian"

Thank you Ian,a complete gentleman as always,and not just a casual fan of music.

Ian can be heard on Todayfm,Monday to Friday 7am until 9am,without doubt the most worthwhile part of the day.