Back in the 1960's, when I was a young teenager, I used to spend a lot of my time, with my friends, in the local coffee bars listening to the various records that were available in the juke box.
It used to be the unspoken word that everybody drinking coffee in the shop would take their turn to feed the juke box, and by doing this you were announcing to the world (or at least those in the coffee shop) what type of music you enjoyed listening to.
I used to spend a few hours in the coffee bar (I dread to think how much coffee I drank) and then I would make my way home and straightaway tune in to Radio Luxemburg.
Radio Luxemburg was what a much loved and respected radio station. Do any of my readers remember that station?
We were lucky in so far as having quite a number of radio stations beaming their programs to us night and day, and many of these radio stations being found on ships which lay somewhere offshore. I just can't remember any of their names so if anyone can help me with this it would be appreciated.
I also cannot recall now whether Radio Luxemburg was a ship, or whether it was based on land, in Luxemburg. Again, if anybody can enlighten me it would be appreciated.
It was during these nightly vigils by the radio that I first acquired a taste for the guitar. That became the one instrument that I wanted to hear and hear again.
However it was not until something unusual happened that I thought about learning to play for myself.
If you have ever driven in the UK you will know that from time to time you come across a roundabout, something which is designed to ease the flow of traffic without actually stopping it. These roundabouts are like a large circle in the road, and they often have grass in the middle for appearance sake.
This curious event happened when I was passing one of these roundabouts, one day. I discovered an old friend of mine sitting in the middle of this roundabout, happily strumming away on his guitar.
Every car that passed had a good look at him, it was almost as though the roundabout was his stage.
I went over and joined him on his 'stage', and quietly wished that I had a guitar to play.
But that started me on the path from which I have never turned back. I saved up furiously until I had enough money to go out and buy my own guitar, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Over the years I have played in many bands, and have made music all around the world, but I have never forgotten that roundabout experience.
And I enjoy having the opportunity to show other people how to get started on the guitar and so have their own roundabout experience. - 16459
It used to be the unspoken word that everybody drinking coffee in the shop would take their turn to feed the juke box, and by doing this you were announcing to the world (or at least those in the coffee shop) what type of music you enjoyed listening to.
I used to spend a few hours in the coffee bar (I dread to think how much coffee I drank) and then I would make my way home and straightaway tune in to Radio Luxemburg.
Radio Luxemburg was what a much loved and respected radio station. Do any of my readers remember that station?
We were lucky in so far as having quite a number of radio stations beaming their programs to us night and day, and many of these radio stations being found on ships which lay somewhere offshore. I just can't remember any of their names so if anyone can help me with this it would be appreciated.
I also cannot recall now whether Radio Luxemburg was a ship, or whether it was based on land, in Luxemburg. Again, if anybody can enlighten me it would be appreciated.
It was during these nightly vigils by the radio that I first acquired a taste for the guitar. That became the one instrument that I wanted to hear and hear again.
However it was not until something unusual happened that I thought about learning to play for myself.
If you have ever driven in the UK you will know that from time to time you come across a roundabout, something which is designed to ease the flow of traffic without actually stopping it. These roundabouts are like a large circle in the road, and they often have grass in the middle for appearance sake.
This curious event happened when I was passing one of these roundabouts, one day. I discovered an old friend of mine sitting in the middle of this roundabout, happily strumming away on his guitar.
Every car that passed had a good look at him, it was almost as though the roundabout was his stage.
I went over and joined him on his 'stage', and quietly wished that I had a guitar to play.
But that started me on the path from which I have never turned back. I saved up furiously until I had enough money to go out and buy my own guitar, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Over the years I have played in many bands, and have made music all around the world, but I have never forgotten that roundabout experience.
And I enjoy having the opportunity to show other people how to get started on the guitar and so have their own roundabout experience. - 16459
