Dear Cat & Fi: The One Where I Spin at 45

Dear Cat & Fi,

Hello. Firstly apologies for no blog these last couple of weeks. I had plans to write it early last week i.e. Tuesday, and then those plans kind of fell through. Reasons of which I shall go into as this blog progresses. Rest assured I am deep in blogging once again and even with a fortnight’s no show, had a pretty rad time all things considered.

So. Why my no show? Well, I can’t entirely place blame on this, and I’m sure Mum’s mentioned this in passing to you both, but last week, I decided to invest in a brand new toy… *drum roll please*

Oooh yars. I have only gone and got myself an Audio-Technica, all purpose, fully automatic, USB compatible vinyl record player. Isn’t it gorgeous?! The reason I decided to invest in one now was partly for a couple of reasons. Firstly, because a lot of artists that I’m a fan have bought out assorted releases of theirs – singles, picture discs and the like – over the last 10 years, of which I have obtained a few. I sold some of them off last year to raise money for the Movember campaign, including my prized signed 12″ picture disc of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Me and My Imagination” (which I sweet talked the press lady at her old label out of via email in 2007. Sch-weet).

At the time, I thought it was a bit of a shame I never really got to properly listen to any of them as Pa Mac does have a record player downstairs but it’s A) incredibly difficult to get to and B) very very old and it’s not automatic like mine and I would probably rip and fuck it. And also, even though I have Spotify playlists that I post on here from the free account I have, I generally find that proper music streaming is expensive and leaves me cold. Hence my decision to go vinyl. Well. Not completely. I mean Olly Murs for example hasn’t released anything on vinyl yet (I will be lobbying his management for one with the next album, naturally).

But I have, however, already accrued a very fine collection of my own from previous purchases as well as eBay, charity shops, some donations from Mum and Dad’s collection, the fabulous website Discogs and even HMV, where I purchased a brand new vinyl of Paul Simon’s greatest hits. In said collection so far, along with Mr Simon, is the following:

• Pet Shop Boys – Actually (LP)
• Enya – Shepherd Moons (LP)
• Now That’s What I Call Music Vol. 10 (Double LP)
• Eurythmics – Be Yourself Tonight (LP)
• The Beatles – 1967-70 (Double LP)
• Kylie Minogue – Rhythm of Love (LP)
• McFly – Obviously/That Girl (7″ Picture Discs)
• Girls Aloud – The Promise/Love Machine (7″ Picture Discs)

Oooh yes. So Tuesday. After going to pick up my record player after work I met up with Mum, Mairi and the little ‘uns for a coffee. It was so nice having a bit of that unprecedented uncle time, especially because Mia’s starting school soon (I still can’t believe that time has come around to be quite honest, bless her cottons). I think recently I’ve been valuing family time more and more. You forget even being an uncle and aunt like we are (and a mum in your case as well Trina) that they don’t stay certain ages forever and it’s important to treasure that time whilst you have it.

Hence why I take silly selfies with them at every opportunity:

So what else have I been doing…? Oh yes, there is one more thing I’m doing. It’s my birthday coming up in a couple of weeks as you both know. And as it’s my 26th on the 26th, I’ve decided to do a little fun thing on my Facebook and Twitter called, appropriately enough, #26in26. Basically, this’ll be for a future blog post which I intend to post on my birthday, in the form of a Spotify playlist, and each day in August I am picking a year from the last 26 years.

Then I’m getting my followers and friends to pick their favourite from a list of three songs that were hits in the year I’ve chosen for that day. We’ve got as far as 1997 (tomorrow’s is 1998), and the playlist is already shaping up very nicely with everything from Spice Girls to James to Soul II Soul to Dee-Lite. A veritable hotchpotch of sounds from four decades, and something that’s proving to be great fun already. Any of your votes sisters Mac would be greatly appreciated 🙂

Trina – glad bro in law had a nice birthday recently. Mum showed me the new videos of Indi, bless her cotton socks. I have a surprise for her when you come down next.

Fi – glad to hear your new job is going well hun, it was nice talking to you the other night as well Patricia Nelson hehehe. Can’t wait to see you when you come down at end of the month.

Until next week, in the words of Paul Simon, if you’ll be my bodyguard, I can be your long lost pal.

Luv-oo, Alex

x x