Old Enough to Forget

Joan Armatrading is a name I've known for a long time, but I've never really heard anything by her. I've caught snippets here and there but that's about it. Then a while back I was reading up on the original Joe Jackson band, and Gary Sanford whose guitar work was so interwoven into those early albums would spend some time in the '80s playing guitar on a couple of her albums. Well, that was intriguing. Maybe I should keep an eye out for some of her stuff. As fate would have it I managed to score a really nice copy of her 1977 release Show Me Some Emotion. For me, the draw here was the production credit: Glyn Johns. It was recorded at the legendary Olympic Studios and if nothing else this would be a really good sounding record. Joan released her debut album in 1972 and Show Me Some Emotion was her forth album, and the second album to be produced by Glyn Johns. Apparently her 1976 album simply titled Armatrading is considered essential listening - this one, not as m...

Joe Jackson was never near the top of my list of favourite artists - he wasn't on it at all. Back in '79 I remember actively disliking "Is She Really Going Out With Him" and didn't think much of the new wave reggae stuff that was coming from across the pond. Time would slowly wear me down and I'd be able to listen to it without having to swallow down breakfast. I vividly remember the turning point for me - it was 1986 when three sides live, or as it is officially known Big World came out and I heard "Home Town" that was it for me. Something in how that song was structured and the meticulous way the guitar was played just laid me out. I'll also admit I wasn't as excited about the rest of the album, but I would listen to it at least. A while back I found in the bins a great copy of Night and Day and I figured it was time to go back and revisit some of my  musical prejudices. I was enthralled by young Mister Jackson and found myself having to r...