Eighties zone

For various reasons, my CDs are hard to get to at the moment. But, I came across several of my cassette-sorting ''briefcases'' (remember them?!). Because of the time period that CDs starting coming into their own, my cassette tapes reflect the late '70s and the 1980s. So, I've been methodically going through the cassettes, starting at one end of the interior tray and working my way to the other: Men at Work; INXS; old R.E.M. and U2; Flock of Seagulls...

I also re-discovered my older ''Weird Al'' Yancovic tapes. Listened to them, and found that even though it's been yonks since I've listened to them, I can still -- mostly! -- sing along to the words.

Many thanks to Guitar Cousin for introducing me to Weird Al, and to Men at Work... many, many years ago. I remember us heading upstairs at our grandparents' house at family get-togethers, sitting on the landing between his dad's old bedroom and my dad's old bedroom. Guitar cousin had a small boom box that he'd use to play these tapes for me.

I think upstairs at our grandparents' house is also where I first heard the initial guitar compositions of his -- including the instrumental piece that later became our first co-written song ''Is This Love?'' (his music, my lyrics).


--GG