When the first
Traveling Wilburys
album was released
we took a drive into
Hastings – Friday night, late
night shopping…it was
me and my brother in the
back of the car (our
usual spots) and mum
and dad up front. They
bought the album – on
cassette tape. No CDs
then – not in our house
anyway. And so we drove
in, got told on the
way that the folks would
be buying an ‘important’
album. And then, when
home, and we all sat on
the floor by the stereo – and
they played it. Mum and
dad told us about how this
was one of The Beatles, and the
guy from ELO and
that Roy Orbison was a rock’n’roll
legend. And Bob Dylan a poet
and a prophet. Tom Petty was
the young guy – the new kid on
the block. But he’d been around the
block riding on a tune or
two….we sat and listened to the album
right through. And then again – a second
time straight away. We were allowed to
stay up late to take it all in (or try,
at least). They fuck you up, your mum
and dad…and you hardly ever remember
to thank them…