Is it heavy stuff, man? Will it blow me away?

That was a fabulous Bowie 1973 article in MOJO 354. It took me right back 50 years to when I got into Bowie. I was one of a bunch of 12-year-olds at my prep school, Dr umley House in Ayrshire, who bought glam rock singles and occasionally albums and played them on the school record-player. I was a Slade, T.Rex and Sweet fan at the time and taped the chart rundown on Radio 1. In summer 1973 there was a student teacher who I got to know and this kind young lad, who was probably only six or so years older, lent me some of his albums. I was given Aladdin Sane,

Led Zeppelin IV, John Lennon’s Imagine and taped what I then considered the best tracks onto my Philips cassette recorder.

Aladdin Sane was probably my favourite of the three records, and I have great memories each time I hear it, especially the title track, with Mike Garson’s unique piano playing. I have sometimes described the piano solo as sounding like it is played by Vishnu on speed. So many fingers on the keyboard everywhere at an incredible rate. I’ve still never heard anything else like it, and the way he plays it over Trevor Bolder’s repetitive bass line is hypnotic.

Later that year I got Pin Ups by Bowie and was introduced to See Emily Play, which would send me on a lifetime’s obsession with Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd. So if there is a retired school teacher in his late sixties reading this who was at Drumley House in summer 1973, I am ver y grateful to you! You’ve got a lot to answer for, but I’m sorry that I can’t remember your name…

Angus Self, Edinburgh