Author Koh Lin ◦
I was never musical…
Whilst there was one time, an attempt by my parents to give me piano lessons, that sadly failed — yet music did play a special part in my life. Interestingly I have in the drawer next to my computer, a Chrometta 14 (M HoHner – Made in Germany). This instrument, dating back to our time in the early 70’s when my father and our family were stationed in Germany. I do not have any recollection of it back then, only becoming aware of it at my parents house here Australia, and I remember the odd occasions when my father would take it out of it’s case and blow a few notes.
We were not really a musical family, but there was always music played around us.
One of my friends at that time in Dortmund, was Peter Sanderson, who played the french horn. Unfortunately, my life had taken me in another direction and I left the past behind… so now Peter is back in my thoughts, it is most likely too late, even with the internet, I have been unable to find him, and the only tangible memory left is this photo…
In the early 70s one of my favourite song was Vincent by Don McLean… I would often sing to myself, the lyrics to the song….
Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and grey
Look out on a summer’s day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
The song struck a chord, maybe it was because I was a troubled youth at the time, being overwhelmed with nightmares and not understanding some of the “growing up pangs”. It was strange, when I look back, I now realised my father understood me more then I did.
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Having retired from army life, my father brought us all to Australia, to live close to his brother and their family. It was a great move, soon to be joined by other family members from both sides of our family tree, all migrating to Sydney, Australia.
It was here, that my interest in music grew. The late seventies was the disco era with Saturday Night Fever and Grease, that were often celebrated by drag queens miming and singing to their songs. The seven inch singles, became 12 inch anthems, extended dance tracks that kept people on the dance floor. Everytime I heard a track I liked, I would rush out that weekend to buy a copy.
I had a friend back then Sam… he was a DJ spinning records at clubs along the strip. There were places like the Stranded nightclub in the basement of the Stand Arcade (in the early 80’s), and the many bars and nightclub along Oxford Street in Darlinghurst. Some memorable places included Les Girls, Palms, the Midnight Shift, Tropicana and the Exchange Hotel. I remember the 90s buzzing with people, disco and dance music. This was the time when dance parties were the norm, at converted warehouse spaces and pavilions in the Showground. The pavilions were packed with thousands of people, all there for a good time and the shows were spectacles, with amazing drag queens, dancing troupes, backup dancers and guest artists such as Grace Jones.
All that seems like such a long time ago… it was on my recent return visit to Sydney to see my mum, that my youngest brother, drop off some of my vinyl records. Among the records was the Roxy Music albums, including the first studio album (released 16 June 1972) that my father brought me on return from a tour of duty.
To be continued… check out my blog Fragments… my father
