Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
Inside every man / Lives the seed of a flower / If he looks within he finds beauty and power / Ring all the bells, sing and tell the people everywhere that the flower has come / Light up the sky with your prayers of gladness and rejoice for the darkness is gone / Throw off your fears let your heart beat freely at the sign that a new time is born
What’s the difference? If I was to guess it would be the little things in life? I don’t know, but I do like using a “question” as a muse for a playlist. Flipping through my crates, I came across my old Smiths albums. I remember hearing “What Difference Does It Make?” on Rodney on the ROQ. Thinking back it was a fascinating time in music.
The punk movement I adored as a teenager had essentially faded, replaced by new wave, which had it moments. California hardcore punk was still fun—and then there was this new music called rap. By this time I was a hip art student at UCLA. I found myself making blacklight graffiti paintings for the coolest underground nightclub in the Hollywood scene. The Rhythm Lounge played only rap and ’80s dance records (like Tyrone Bronson’s “Sticky Situation”).
At the time my stereo was still at my mom’s apartment in New York City. I actually bought a cassette of The Smiths’ album before the vinyl—I would guess a purchase at the legendary Tower Records on Sunset.
I can see it now, the young hipster me driving my VW Rabbit listening to my Smiths cassette. I gather I’ve had this vinyl for over 35 years. It must have made a difference.
Summer is here! Enjoy!
Idelic Single of the Week: Dry Cleaning – Don’t Press Me
Artist/Nightclubber circa ’84–’85.
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