6. CanTago Mago
It was the first rock record I ever heard. Bear in mind that up until 14-and-a-half I didn’t listen to any rock music at all, nothing, I only listened to classical. Then I was on an orchestral course and this very beautiful viola player said to me, ‘Don’t you listen to anything other than classical music?’ and I said ‘No’. She said, ‘Haven’t you listened to any experimental rock music?’ And I said, ‘What you mean like Top of the Pops?’ And she said, ‘No, no, no. I want to play you something.’ She had a tape-to-tape machine – which shows how long ago this was – and then the same girl asked me, ‘Have you ever taken any marijuana?’ And, very shocked, I said, ‘I’ve never taken any drugs and I never would.’ Anyway, I ended up listening to Can, smoking dope and losing my virginity all in one night. And the next day I was wearing black and when my parents came back from holiday I had sold my violin at Sotheby’s and had bought a mini Korg synthesiser and Marshall equipment and was ready to go and they were horrified.
