Festive 50 1988 Number 49

Hard to think now how difficult it was to find music before mp3s and the internet. Before I discovered the basement of Doncaster's Our Price, with its myriad of tapes, and later the dingy Track records near the bus station, I bought records from WH Smiths, Woolworths, Boots. They didn't tend to stock anything outside of the Top Twenty, although searching for Big Area by Then Jericho, I instead found Just Like Heaven by the Cure. Of course I'd heard of these "alternative" bands, they were in Smash Hits, but I was a purely pop girl until about 1987. The Cure and Morrissey (I was slightly too young for the Smiths) were my gateway drug to the more obscure echelons of indie. Later, I had a penpal who made me cassettes and the Wedding Present featured a lot on them. Take it away, Gedge!