This is the first in an occasional series wherein guest contributors tell us about a first experience which has helped to bring them to where they at. Fittingly we start with one of Bradford's finest sons, Gary Brook, without whom there would likely be no Blowtorch Records. Here Gary tells us about his first 7" vinyl single...
What's the first single you ever bought? For lots of people this question is a welcomed chance. A chance to show how cool you really are or were. If you're a middle aged accountant trapped in a humdrum wage slave existence, you can dazzle with the real badass inner you. 'Oh yeah Anarchy in the UK on orange vinyl. I only bought it for the b-side. Did I ever tell you about the time I gobbed on Joey Ramone.' Now you're elevated to a demi-god of cool. Wow you're instantly interesting and dangerous.
For me it doesn't work because my first single is embarrassing and makes me appear like the nerdy team captain on University Challenge. In the 70s there was a religious show called The Light of Experience. My first single was its theme tune. So while my mates were glue sniffing and smashing a thousand years of Western civilisation, I was listening to Gheorge Zamfir gently caressing the Romanian pan pipes with a sensitive piece called Doina de Jale. It's the sort of thing that makes maiden aunts weep in public. That's it, I've finally said it and you know what, whoever said confession is good for the soul was talking horseshite.