Ailsa's Blog: Meet Our Members: Ian
First record I remember listening to (apart from Radio 2 - Junior choice on Saturday morning) were an album of Souza Marches and Broadway Show stoppers – aged 7 ish.
Mum started Piano lessons when I was about 9 and I asked for lessons when I was about 10 (1973) – failed my grade 5 (twice) at about 14 and got a new teacher who showed me honky tonk and jazz/blues/ragtime – very liberating after grade pieces – played until about 15/16.
Sang in a church choir from age 11 until 14/15 when my voice broke – sang in the school choir as well, was soloist for “Once in Royal David's City” at the school, 9 Lessons and Carols twice aged 12 and 14 (the second time three of us sang the solo as I couldn't get the high notes and the other two didn't want to sing solo).
Sang treble in the school choral society as well – I remember "Dream of Gerontius" especially as it was very long. We performed at Worth Abbey, near Crawley, two or three times as it had a massive round church/worship space.
Was also in two G&S productions with the school Operatic Society - Mikado and Pirates - as a treble.
At age14/15 I discovered Prog Rock - Yes, Supertramp, Black Sabbath - and enjoyed that and heavy Metal, but my tastes were very eclectic, from ABBA to Jethro Tull, to Motorhead to The Police, Bob Marley to The Clash, and they still are. I was a proper muso' and lived for concerts and live music in all its forms (good and bad) except for Hip Hop, Drill, and Garage.
Played keyboards in a jamming band with a couple of mates but never got far and I was almost the lead in a metal band when I was 19ish but lacked confidence and met a girl.
Then from 1980 to 2013 I was a listener. Jobs, mortgage, kids, life took my time up and although I enjoyed music, I was no longer a 'muso'. I don't remember buying an album for ages.
When my kids were small, I sang children's songs to, and with them and my daughter was always dancing and grew into loving musicals and I do too. There was aften singing in the car or round the house and I missed not singing formally.
One of my 50th birthday resolutions was to start singing again and so I joined SCS. That's where I have been since.
Here's a confession, I don't really like listening to choral music!!! I love the challenge of singing it but would rather not listen to it!!!
I like lyric lead melodic songs with a bit of driving Bass and drums.
