At the end of my elementary school years, when there was finally some real music on the radio, there were soon two camps: you were either a Beatles or Stones fan. I belonged to the latter group, although I wasn’t averse to a bit of ‘screaming twaddle’ either. A lot of cool bands that played nice rock ‘n’ roll but…, no money to buy all those records. Solution was a good Akai tape recorder with Glass-Ferrite heads, they didn’t wear out and therefore didn’t mishandle your tapes either! Everywhere records were exchanged, borrowed, and recordings shared.
At one point we discovered the program “Superclean Dreammachine” by Piet Velleman on the radio, the latest records from the U.S., lots of Underground etc. Three of our friends had a tape recorder and soon it was agreed that everyone who was at home would record the program integrally so nothing would be lost and we could fish out the gems later.
And then it happened: Velleman played Voodoo Child! Electric Ladyland, of course I had to have that record. I was already a fan of Jimi’s work, but this was different, long songs, rough, but also sensitive, not made to score a quick hit or to show off your virtuosity. At least three rhythm and/or mood changes per song and quietly playing the most ridiculous bass solo in pop music when the mood calls for it. (1983… A Merman I Should Turn to Be) The screeching seagulls on the beach, the screeching flames (House Burning Down), the musical use of the Wah pedal and stereo effects. (The solo in -Come On- that suddenly goes into counterphase so it sounds wide open in stereo, but nothing is left of it on a mono radio).
Jan B., a mate from school, got it for his birthday, complete with ladies on the cover! Now a collectors item, I hope he still has it. I played it to death, as far as you can tell from a band of course. Later, when I was travelling a lot for my job, this became one of the two cassette tapes that sometimes stayed in the player for weeks on end! (The other was “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd.)
I still use the talking guitar at the beginning of -Still Rainin’ Still Dreamin’- as a ringtone on my cell phone! “Hello, how are you?”