I love nothing more than a good wallow in nostalgia, and my Generation X era is one to be envied. Newcastle Brown, Impulse, music mags, souvenirs and photos... book recommendations too...
Not at all. I never read magazines online and rarely read books online. I obviously read plenty of online stuff but I love print. And with magazines it’s a satisfying start and finish between the covers which you don’t get online.
💯nothing like reading from cover to cover 🙂 I do miss them. Also the teen mags from way back, like Just Seventeen, Mizz, and More (which my mum thought was a bit rude for me at 13 haha) x
Thanks so much, June, agreed - a tough choice, top 10 even more difficult strangely. Elton’s ‘I guess that’s why they call it the blues’ takes me right back to my dad. It’s a kind of magic isn’t it? That ability to summon up a time and place with just a song or scent x
Aww love this piece, Nat! You have indeed got me all nostalgic.
I recently read Reach for the Stars by Michael Cragg. As a full on 90s pop baby this was absolute gold for me. I couldn't put it down. So much fun and also sad but unsurprising to hear how exploitative it all was.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Janelle 🙃 I haven’t heard of that one. Another one for the TBR then. Love that you’re a ‘90s pop baby. Such a brilliant time for pop. I now enjoy songs from that era that I never would’ve at the time of their release. All that nostalgia tied up with each one ❤️ Ted’s book is a great one to start with.
Impulse body spray. That's a blast from the past. My first weekend job was in Superdrug, in Airdrie. There was a whole bay of Impulse 'flavours'. My first girlfriend had several.
As a Scottish Toon fan, I was well acquainted with the Newky broon, especially that classic 90's kit with the logo on the front. I have that in my cupboard.
Then you mentioned DIY music sites and my brain boiled over. My first writing work was on a DIY site called Moominonline, run Neil who is now Biffy Clyro's tour manager. I started my own, called Too Many Fireworks, and it gradually became a record label that was to take over the next 20 years of my life.
In a serendipitous confluence, I'm reading a book just now on the psychology of nostalgia, which is quite interesting, and last year read Simon Reynolds' Retromania which looks at our fondness for all things nostalgic. The older I get, the more I see nostalgia as a presence in my life.
Oddly enough, I was moved recently to listen to a lot of old John Peel, and Radio 1 Evening Session shows, and fell down an Everett-True-shaped rabbithole online, thinking back to the old Careless Talk Cost Lives, and Plan B magazines. I haven't read Kessler's book yet, but it's been added to my list :)
Thanks, Neil :) loads of good stuff for me to follow up on here. I’m especially curious about the psychology of nostalgia book.
Sounds as though we’re from similar generations. I loved John Peel, Lamacq and Whiley. It’s a time we’ll never get to repeat -- we were honoured, really.
Are you signed up to ‘The New Cue’ (I can’t tag it for some reason)? You may well know it already but, if not, it’s Kessler’s brainchild with echoes of the original music journalism of yesteryear. Great for old and new music/scenes,etc. Good one to follow/subscribe too.
How amazing that you were involved with online writing in the early days; I truly believe those were the halcyon days of writing. The fact that it grew into something so present in your life is incredible.
re: the book on nostalgia, I've only started it so no idea if it's good, but if you write me at lionelsmint@substack.com I have a pdf and can try to get it to you.
Peel... more recommendations, I'm afraid ;) Though this one may blow your mind:
Yeah, the late 90s were a mad time. I remember going to see Idlewild on the Evening Session tour, supporting Catatonia and Travis. in, I think '97. It was bananas.
I didn't know of the New Cue as of yet, but the moment I press 'post' I'm off to find it. Thanks!
Oh, my online writing in the early days was rudimentary at best. For moomin, I think I only did a few things, and too many fireworks was shit, so it was probably best it became a record label :D Those were great days though. Just on the tip of the internet revolution with Q, Vox, Select, then things like Plan B, Careless Talk, Is This Music, and probably a whole host of things from down south that never reached as far as Glasgow.
They really were the day! Thanks so much for these links and logins. I’m travelling through France at the moment and have a lot of reading/listening bookmarked so look forward to it. I’ll also email you in a mo. I appreciate that :)
I can imagine the Sessions’ tour was immense. Such cracking memories!
I spent the ‘90s writing for local music magazines and ‘zones across Liverpool and Manchester. I had some success with gig reviews/short features in NME, CityLife Magazine, The Big Issue North, but my dream to be a music journo never did come to fruition, sadly. I work freelance for music and gig venues now, magazines (not music), etc, so do my best to stay close to my passions.
Music photography is a big one. I’m spending more time in the pit, which is a whole new world for me that I’ve discovered I love! Wish I’d happened upon it sooner.
It all sounds great, time well spent — even the shit stuff gets us to where we are now :)
Happy trails through France! When I first discovered that Peel archive thing, I thought I would loose it. 4 years of Peel from 2001 to 2004, though 2002 is by far the most voluminous.
The sessions tour was the only one I ever went to, that I can remember, but the Evening Session played such a big part of my life. It was a must-listen when it was on. A big memory for me was lying on my first girlfriend's bed listening to Lamacq introduce the first single from Idlewild's (again) 100 Broken Windows album, Actually, it's Darkness, then leaping off the bed to press record on the cassette recorder, the single not out for several weeks. Remember those days when you would tune into the radio for a 'first play'.
I bet I'll have read something of yours way, way back and would never now know it. Let's err on the side of caution and say that definitely did happen ;)
Those music journo dreams rarely do. Even a couple of my Glasgow friends who earn money from it, it isn't their main source of income. Such a shame.
I came to photography from music and started in music photography back in the day. I tried to get back to it in winter, and enjoyed it, with shows from trail of dead, idlewild, mogwai in December, then the delgados in January, but street photography is the priority. Being in the pit is magic. I have to be honest, I love the job, but as a music fan, the best bit for me are all the photo-pass stickers in a folder. Memories.
I'll email you after dinner and probably blether on there too. Bon voyage.
I am an older Gen Xer and I had a totally different experience of 90s music and culture than you did. At the time, I wasn’t ready to let go of the 80s! Now I can see that the 80s had to go! But the 70s music of my childhood lives in my heart forever.
The 80s were also very special! I can see why you’d loathe to let them go. I have à fond spot for thé late 80s, which really remind me of my dad. Weirdly, I like 00s pop despite not being a fan at the time (I was more into indie and rock). Must be the nostalgic effect again :)
Oh, gee, I'm a boomer (although a late boomer bloomer) so groups like The Eagles, singers like Jackson Browne, Judy Collins, Janis Joplin were the ones I tuned to. I wasn't much of a hard rock (Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, The Who) kind of girl, and yet I couldn't resist Joplin's raspy vocals. During the late 70s into the 80s, I was hooked on The Boss (Bruce Springsteen), Talking Heads. Now I'm catching up with Lucinda Williams, Leonard Cohen, Linda Ronstadt. But I don't listen to music much anymore. Mostly at the gym these days. I don't any of the musicians you mention here, but I can feel your joy of music in your writing :-)
It’s funny how our music fast evolves and we end up in a different place according to our lives. You obviously loved music. Circumstance means fewer opportunities to listen for some. You have a fab taste in music, keep listening if you can x
The music-ish magazine that I miss the most is Interview. Anyone else?
I loved Interview! It's not the same reading online is it?
Not at all. I never read magazines online and rarely read books online. I obviously read plenty of online stuff but I love print. And with magazines it’s a satisfying start and finish between the covers which you don’t get online.
💯nothing like reading from cover to cover 🙂 I do miss them. Also the teen mags from way back, like Just Seventeen, Mizz, and More (which my mum thought was a bit rude for me at 13 haha) x
I read Seventeen, Teen Vogue, and Sassy :)
A great post, Nat. But choosing just one song? Not possible after 67 years of life! But how about these, which were all part of my teen years.
Elton John's Your Song
Joni Mitchell's Blue
Free's Wishing Well.
Thanks so much, June, agreed - a tough choice, top 10 even more difficult strangely. Elton’s ‘I guess that’s why they call it the blues’ takes me right back to my dad. It’s a kind of magic isn’t it? That ability to summon up a time and place with just a song or scent x
It is absolutely a sort of magic. As I get older I can slip back to those times so much more easily through music.
Human magic.
Aww love this piece, Nat! You have indeed got me all nostalgic.
I recently read Reach for the Stars by Michael Cragg. As a full on 90s pop baby this was absolute gold for me. I couldn't put it down. So much fun and also sad but unsurprising to hear how exploitative it all was.
I'm going to check out your reccs. Thank you!
Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Janelle 🙃 I haven’t heard of that one. Another one for the TBR then. Love that you’re a ‘90s pop baby. Such a brilliant time for pop. I now enjoy songs from that era that I never would’ve at the time of their release. All that nostalgia tied up with each one ❤️ Ted’s book is a great one to start with.
Good point -- ‘80s and ‘90s wasn’t it? Swiftly followed by Es and Whizz. What a time to be alive 😬
Impulse body spray. That's a blast from the past. My first weekend job was in Superdrug, in Airdrie. There was a whole bay of Impulse 'flavours'. My first girlfriend had several.
As a Scottish Toon fan, I was well acquainted with the Newky broon, especially that classic 90's kit with the logo on the front. I have that in my cupboard.
Then you mentioned DIY music sites and my brain boiled over. My first writing work was on a DIY site called Moominonline, run Neil who is now Biffy Clyro's tour manager. I started my own, called Too Many Fireworks, and it gradually became a record label that was to take over the next 20 years of my life.
In a serendipitous confluence, I'm reading a book just now on the psychology of nostalgia, which is quite interesting, and last year read Simon Reynolds' Retromania which looks at our fondness for all things nostalgic. The older I get, the more I see nostalgia as a presence in my life.
Oddly enough, I was moved recently to listen to a lot of old John Peel, and Radio 1 Evening Session shows, and fell down an Everett-True-shaped rabbithole online, thinking back to the old Careless Talk Cost Lives, and Plan B magazines. I haven't read Kessler's book yet, but it's been added to my list :)
Oh and talking of the Evening session, apparently Lamacq and Whiley have a podcast on the rise and fall of Britpop! Nice. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/jul/17/suddenly-misfits-became-pop-stars-and-we-were-part-of-it-how-jo-whiley-and-steve-lamacq-made-radio-1s-evening-session
Thanks, Neil :) loads of good stuff for me to follow up on here. I’m especially curious about the psychology of nostalgia book.
Sounds as though we’re from similar generations. I loved John Peel, Lamacq and Whiley. It’s a time we’ll never get to repeat -- we were honoured, really.
Are you signed up to ‘The New Cue’ (I can’t tag it for some reason)? You may well know it already but, if not, it’s Kessler’s brainchild with echoes of the original music journalism of yesteryear. Great for old and new music/scenes,etc. Good one to follow/subscribe too.
How amazing that you were involved with online writing in the early days; I truly believe those were the halcyon days of writing. The fact that it grew into something so present in your life is incredible.
Thanks for the recommendations, Neil!
P.s. looking into the podcast now. I may drowwwwwwn on nostalgia 😆
re: the book on nostalgia, I've only started it so no idea if it's good, but if you write me at lionelsmint@substack.com I have a pdf and can try to get it to you.
Peel... more recommendations, I'm afraid ;) Though this one may blow your mind:
http://mooo.peelwiki.com/dl/Archive/shows/2002/ (username: peelgroup / password: insession ) A lot of Peel.
Yeah, the late 90s were a mad time. I remember going to see Idlewild on the Evening Session tour, supporting Catatonia and Travis. in, I think '97. It was bananas.
I didn't know of the New Cue as of yet, but the moment I press 'post' I'm off to find it. Thanks!
Oh, my online writing in the early days was rudimentary at best. For moomin, I think I only did a few things, and too many fireworks was shit, so it was probably best it became a record label :D Those were great days though. Just on the tip of the internet revolution with Q, Vox, Select, then things like Plan B, Careless Talk, Is This Music, and probably a whole host of things from down south that never reached as far as Glasgow.
Those were the days...!
They really were the day! Thanks so much for these links and logins. I’m travelling through France at the moment and have a lot of reading/listening bookmarked so look forward to it. I’ll also email you in a mo. I appreciate that :)
I can imagine the Sessions’ tour was immense. Such cracking memories!
I spent the ‘90s writing for local music magazines and ‘zones across Liverpool and Manchester. I had some success with gig reviews/short features in NME, CityLife Magazine, The Big Issue North, but my dream to be a music journo never did come to fruition, sadly. I work freelance for music and gig venues now, magazines (not music), etc, so do my best to stay close to my passions.
Music photography is a big one. I’m spending more time in the pit, which is a whole new world for me that I’ve discovered I love! Wish I’d happened upon it sooner.
It all sounds great, time well spent — even the shit stuff gets us to where we are now :)
Happy trails through France! When I first discovered that Peel archive thing, I thought I would loose it. 4 years of Peel from 2001 to 2004, though 2002 is by far the most voluminous.
The sessions tour was the only one I ever went to, that I can remember, but the Evening Session played such a big part of my life. It was a must-listen when it was on. A big memory for me was lying on my first girlfriend's bed listening to Lamacq introduce the first single from Idlewild's (again) 100 Broken Windows album, Actually, it's Darkness, then leaping off the bed to press record on the cassette recorder, the single not out for several weeks. Remember those days when you would tune into the radio for a 'first play'.
I bet I'll have read something of yours way, way back and would never now know it. Let's err on the side of caution and say that definitely did happen ;)
Those music journo dreams rarely do. Even a couple of my Glasgow friends who earn money from it, it isn't their main source of income. Such a shame.
I came to photography from music and started in music photography back in the day. I tried to get back to it in winter, and enjoyed it, with shows from trail of dead, idlewild, mogwai in December, then the delgados in January, but street photography is the priority. Being in the pit is magic. I have to be honest, I love the job, but as a music fan, the best bit for me are all the photo-pass stickers in a folder. Memories.
I'll email you after dinner and probably blether on there too. Bon voyage.
I am an older Gen Xer and I had a totally different experience of 90s music and culture than you did. At the time, I wasn’t ready to let go of the 80s! Now I can see that the 80s had to go! But the 70s music of my childhood lives in my heart forever.
The 80s were also very special! I can see why you’d loathe to let them go. I have à fond spot for thé late 80s, which really remind me of my dad. Weirdly, I like 00s pop despite not being a fan at the time (I was more into indie and rock). Must be the nostalgic effect again :)
Oh, gee, I'm a boomer (although a late boomer bloomer) so groups like The Eagles, singers like Jackson Browne, Judy Collins, Janis Joplin were the ones I tuned to. I wasn't much of a hard rock (Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, The Who) kind of girl, and yet I couldn't resist Joplin's raspy vocals. During the late 70s into the 80s, I was hooked on The Boss (Bruce Springsteen), Talking Heads. Now I'm catching up with Lucinda Williams, Leonard Cohen, Linda Ronstadt. But I don't listen to music much anymore. Mostly at the gym these days. I don't any of the musicians you mention here, but I can feel your joy of music in your writing :-)
It’s funny how our music fast evolves and we end up in a different place according to our lives. You obviously loved music. Circumstance means fewer opportunities to listen for some. You have a fab taste in music, keep listening if you can x
Occasionally my husband and I “rock out” when we’re cooking dinner 😄
Haha LOVE that :)