The Full Circle (pun intended) by Babu Banerji
I was initially exposed to music because of my Dad who was a music director. However it was initially only restricted to Indian film songs & Indian Classical music.
A fondness for western music started growing when I heard songs being played on Saturday Night Dates a weekly radio program on All India Radio that my dad religiously listened to every Saturday.
I was obsessed listening to Elvis/Cliff/Hank Williams/Tony Brent/Connie Francis(my fav) Trini Lopez/Seekers/Platters/Everly Bros/ Shadows/Ventures & the Beatles.
The family music system was a radiogram comprising a Philips Radio on one side and a Garrard record player on the other.
When I was in school a friend lent me a 45rpm Beatles album to hear. I was hooked. Gradually I collected the entire Beatles compilation in eps & lps. Beatles prompted me to learn and play the guitar & to express myself through songs. Their songs and lyrics are easy to relate to even today. There is nothing that beats the BEATLES for me.
In my school days,(Don Bosco High School/Matunga) I remember distinctly I used to get Pocket Money (which was a sign of grown up) & the amount used to be 4 annas a day. and in those days 4 annas used to cover one time Omlette / Pau & that I would get the day my dabba would not come. And this Irani Restaurant used to be bang opposite my school. Coming back to the topic of the pocket money I wouldn't spend a single pie on anything & saving my daily pocket money In 2 weeks I would happily walk into a record store near Rivoli cinema that was close to my house at Shivaji Park & pick up choice of my 45 rpm.
The owner of the shop eventually became friendly with me & used to allow me to hear a few 45s & then select whatever I wanted to buy. Long playing LPs would cost about Rs.30/ and that I would pick up whenever I would get bonus money (eg.Gift) from relatives or make some extra money doing errands & also used to save some by doing marketing which in today's word I'd say flicking.
With digitization coming into play I got rid of my entire Vinyl collection at Rs. 5 a piece!
I am back to listening to records. How life comes full circle.
Written by Babu Banerji
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