The Year was 1979 and my Dad’s cousin Lou (Lobelia) introduced me to popular music. I was 10 and she was in her late teens. In those days you would buy vinyl singles called 45’s and Lou had 2 of them to play. I sat on the floor of my Great Aunts Living room, while Lou opened up the cabinet that was half bar and have record player and placed the first record on the turntable. 

She started this musical session with the sounds of ABBA and their hit Song Fernando which was released in 1976. Up until this point music had been a background sound, playing on the kitchen radio, TV, movies and on our console record player where my Dad would play Portuguese marching band music (his favorite). 

As the song starts with flutes and the guitar, the volume increases and the vocals begin I’m immediately sucked in and mesmerized by the melody and how the song tells Fernando’s story. We listened to Fernando several times before Lou put on the next song. 

That next song was fast, electrifying and equally infectious. That song was I Was Made For Loving You by KISS, I had no idea who this band was and that music could be distorted and have melody wow what can I say the heavy guitar with a disco groove just finished the transformation I was addicted to music and this was the day it happened, it started my journey as a music lover and eventually a music maker. 

Do you remember what song or songs hooked your love for music? Comment below I would love to hear where you're love of music began.

The Hung