A child is coming (Paul Kantner/ Grace Slick)

Music is love (You may say I'm a dreamer - Chapter 7: The Eighties)

The expanding Jefferson Hot Airplane Tuna family in the eighties

AJ is the third part of my musical journey/ memory/ celebration (for now). The AJ (After Jacky) period takes in 1983-1990 and takes in the New Plymouth, Auckland and Nelson locations.

When I met and married Jacky, and we started a family, many things changed, including the big three mentioned in my earlier post. 

The big three? To summarise: I now lived in New Plymouth, so no Marbecks; discretionary money had disappeared, I had others to think of and provide for; the self indulgent years were history!

Yes, sobering up via a mortgage and fatherhood will do that to you! 

I still bought records whenever the budget allowed but nothing like I had before. So, my big record cupboard that I'd brought down to New Plymouth stayed pretty much as it was for a while. I even sorted out some non essentials to sell off from time to time. I know, I know.

Jacky and I did manage to go to a few concerts during these years and in the nineties - big deal things like Dire Straits at Western Springs, Michael Jackson at Mt Smart and...erm, The Little River Band (with Johnny Farnham) at the Bowl of Brooklyn - mostly concerts I would not have bothered with previously. Apart from Pink Floyd that is. The Momentary Lapse Of Reason tour was a must see, as was The Rolling Stones during the Voodoo Lounge tour - I went with Roger and Deirdre.

At the time, Jacky's tastes were of the Human League/Duran Duran/Yazoo/New Order sort - again - things I would not have listened to previously. True love is never a snap.

She is not a great lover of music and so our collections stayed separate. Mine became known as 'hillbilly music' - hers as 'fashion parade music'. Eventually they kind of combined as we learnt to live together.

I love my MTV...um...metal. Jacky hates all of them.

Returning to Auckland to teach at Macleans College from 1986 to 1990 meant a reconnection with Marbecks records - I again worked some of the holidays, and this again meant beefing up my collection.

During this time while living in Windmill Road, Keegan decided, one day, to use a few of my records as skateboards. Jacky broke it to me gently when I got home from work. Aside from that and drawing large black crayon circles on his Dornwell Road bedroom wall, he was a perfect child!

In 1990 we were a family of five and on the move down to Nelson and a new life.

And, so - to the eighties Top 20: 

1 The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses (1989)

I first heard this at Roger and Deirdre's place in Birkenhead. They had a great old funky place - worst house in a great street idea and I loved it! Before dinner one night Roger had this playing - I Am The Resurrection actually, and I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

2 Reckoning – R.E.M. (1984)
The Pink House in New Plymouth  heard this album throughout 1984/85 as we settled down with a baby Keegan (after cleaning the cat pee and dealing to the roaches). 

3 Tunnel of Love – Bruce Springsteen (1987)
Bruce's disintegrating marriage was a sobering experience. I was three years into a happy marriage with two young children and this record gave me some mature thoughts about what marriage is all about and what being a man is all about. Yes, with a beat!

4 The Lonesome Jubilee – John Cougar Mellancamp (1987)

5 Spoiled girl – Carly Simon (1985)

A tape that Roger gave me introduced me to this amazing album. I didn't know who it was at the time. I normally wouldn't have bought Carly Simon's stuff. This was a good lesson - don't be a musical snob Wozza!

6 Purple Rain – Prince and the Revolution (1984) 

I bought this after working again at Marbecks. It was huge at the time and I had passed first time around. Then I heard it a lot in the store. Then I got it!

7 East – Cold Chisel (1980)

8 Swingshift – Cold Chisel (1981)

Roger and I played this a lot as we dug out his basement! Loud. And I mean LOUD!

9 Surfing with the alien – Joe Satriani (1987)

10 Eliminator – ZZ Top (1983)

Lorna Street in New Plymouth bopped to this!

11 Fables of the Reconstruction – R.E.M. (1985)

12 Remain in Light – Talking Heads (1980)

13 The Joshua Tree – U2 (1987)

14 Life’s Rich Pageant – R.E.M. (1986)

15 War – U2 (1983)

For a while in 1983 it looked like Jacky was going to end our relationship and go overseas and I was gloomy thinking of that possibility. I had a Sony Walkman and listened to this a lot on morose walks down to the seafront in wet and windy New Plymouth. It was a good soundtrack to my mood. Luckily for me, she decided to stay!

16 Nebraska – Bruce Springsteen (1982)

17 Closer – Joy Division (1980)

New Order isn't really my cup of tea. Give me Joy Division any day!

18 Making Movies – Dire Straits (1981)
Greg loved this record and I really didn't for a long time. I eventually saw the error of my ways.

19 Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen (1984)

20 What up, dog? – Was (Not Was) (1988)

Love and peace - Wozza