Nice thread, Jack Schitt. An opportunity to crystallise a few memories.
I lived in Coxford in the early '80s. I’m going to cover that. We lived in semi-detached house which was very bright by the standards of today. The prize possession in the house was an Amstrad stack system, which allowed you to “tape”. Remarkable. I remember us buying the first ever edition of Now That’s What I Call Music on vinyl.
I’ve got a lot of memories of that place. I’m going to do the fond and non-controversial ones,
We rode bikes a lot. 50p was your pocket money, and it bought you a fucking big mix-up from the shop on Aldermoor Green, if you were that way inclined. There was an old people’s block just up the road and I’m ashamed to say we spent some time playing knock door run. One old fella proper gave it. Used to gesticulate and shout stuff at us as we disappeared into the distance. He looked quite co-ordinated, so he got the tag “Kung Fu Man”.
I got into my first ever fight. Was getting bullied off the nipper over the road, used to run in crying to my mum, until she eventually said “If you come in here crying again, I’ll give you something to cry about. Stand up for yourself”. I did, it wasn’t pretty, and the lad ended up going to hospital for concussion checks. He never bothered me again, though. Mum not quite so hawkish afterward.
Film shows. An ephemeral thing which involved some bloke turning up with a projector and a screen, showing you the best bits from Superman and Star Wars. I’m not sure it was entirely legal, if I’m honest.
First ever girlfriend. Didn’t really have a lot to do with it. I was just then informed and then subsequently snogged in my bedroom. Didn’t last long. Her dad was a medallion man. For the best, probs.
I owe my dad a few firsts. In true Jeremy Kyle style, I didn’t know unionhotel was my dad at the time, but I was acquainted with him, and he did seem to lend us loads of shit. First of all, computer games. Went round his gaff, and played on the Atari 2600. Superman and Combat, iirc. There was one bit of Superman I was total shite at, but the old man was very gracious and didn’t say so.
Also; VHS. We were lent a video and a vast quantity of tapes when me da went off on hols. That was pretty rare at the time, and I remember being blown away by it at the time. Being able to watch whatever you want? Amazing.
Finally, I remember gigantic British Bulldog games on Aldermoor school’s fields, and getting into shit every night with the old dear because I had grass stains on my knees, and you were expected to wear your jeans for a couple of days at a time back then.