Photo via In light of what you may think, none of us were born with a refined musical palette. We've all had to trudge through the mud and filth to form our delicate and fickle sensibilities. Having said that, some of us got a lot filthier than others on our perilous journey to the island of good taste. I for one bought Jimi Hendrix: Experience when I was just nine. However, I soon followed that purchase up with "Ghetto Supastar" by Pras feat. ODB and Mya. I know, I redeemed myself pretty quickly with that one in the playground. To get a scope of how good/ bad some of our tastes used to be, we asked random people what the first record they ever bought was. Here are the results.
Wayne, 39: Oh, that’s a trip down memory lane. It’s probably something awful, like Madonna’s True Blue album.
How old were you?
Fifteen.
Do you still find the album as exciting as you once did?
I haven’t listened to it for about ten years.
Thomas, 25: It was Harvest by Neil Young.
What made you buy that?
It had such a nice cover, I saw it in the record shop and it just felt really nice. Something really tactile about it. The word "harvest" is really attractive to me.
How old were you?
Sixteen, maybe.
Was Neil Young your teenage idol?
Not really, you know. I knew about him; I think Zakk Wylde did a cover of one of his songs, which put me on to Neil Young. There is something about him, I don’t want to say his "energy" and sound like a hippy, but…
I don't know how to put this, really, but you do look like a bit of a hippy, Thomas.
Yeah.
Jess, 30: The Beatles! And I’m French! You know, I don’t even know how I bought this record. I was nine at the time, it was the live at the BBC recording.
Was it vinyl?
No, it was a CD.
How did you get into The Beatles?
I think it was my cousin; he listened to lots of AC/DC and Beatles.
What was your favourite Beatles song?
"Let Me Go". No, it was an old song. I know: "Love Me Do".
Who was your favourite Beatle?
I loved all five of them.
Chris, 55: Oh god, I can’t think back that far, David Bowie or something like that.
What was it about Bowie that appealed to you?
I just liked the music, the whole style and the craziness, it was different.
How has David Bowie influenced you throughout your life?
I’m a balding store manager with no musical ability whatsoever, so, I guess, not at all.
Sarah, 21 (left) and Tim, 21.
Sarah: Errr… I think it was Ziggy Stardust.
You're young, why Bowie?
I was brought up on Bowie and I just got my new record player so I wanted something to play and I found it for like two pounds or something.
What about you, Tim?
Tim: Sum 41.
What made you buy that?
The music video got me into them, the whole swimming pool thing. They were the closest thing to anti-establishment in music at the time.
Naina, 20: The Spice Girls album, Wannabe. I’ve always been into that since I was little.
Do you still listen to the album?
Yeah, even more so now, it’s a classic. I could listen to it any time.
Adi, 47: Mott the Hoople, Roll Away The Stone. It was around at that time in the 70s and my dad was playing it, too.
What was the first record you went out and bought off your own back?
It would have been something rock orientated. I can’t remember a specific artist, but I do like Joy Division. I saw New Order two years after Curtis’ death and they did a 20-minute version of "Transmission" dedicated to him, it was amazing.
Claire, 31: I think it was Space, "Avenging Angels". It was a CD single. I loved it.
What did you love about it?
I can’t remember, it was a long time ago.
There must have been something you liked about it?
Sorry, I’m in a rush.
Oh.
Previously - What Do You Say to Homeless People?