Fifty Forgotten Records

R.B. Russell
Tartarus Press

The follow up to Ray's 'Fifty Forgotten Books' from a few years back is a musical memoir of a life spent immersed in music.  Through it's pages Ray takes us on a journey of discovery that takes in his early finds amongst his parent's record collections - sappy love songs (Ricky Valance) and stirring military epics (The Dam Busters soundtrack) - through the incidental music of TV faves - the BBC Radiophonic Workshop wibbling of 'The Tomorrow People' and the suave soundtracking of the James Bond movies.  He wanders through teenage obsessions - The Fall, The Television Personalities, Kate Bush, and a host of wonderfully obscure Peel show 7 inchers - and eventually into an adulthood of continuous musical exploration - Stars of the Lid, Labradford, Current 93, Antony (now ANOHNI) and the Johnsons - as well as his own musical endeavours.

Personally, growing up I was never much of an indie rock lover - it was music or the posh kids - but like Ray my tastes were ever for the obscure and I chuckled several times as he gently discounted some of my favourite bands and albums and cringed occasionally as he praised those that I, in turn, have discounted.  A number of his choices were distinctly personal and those were the most interesting to me, but in combination with his reflections the entire book made for an affectionate read that revealed the crucial role that music has played in his life and the ways in which it has interwoven with his work with Tartarus Press, and one that both introduced me to some new artists and gave me pause to reconsider some others.

Addendum: in the interest of full disclosure I should note that I - in my musical guise - am mentioned twice in the book, and Ray is entirely correct on both occasions.

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