Since my favorite band of all time is Cocteau Twins, it is only fit that I talk about them in my first post.
If you haven't heard of them, I would advise checking them out. They started out in the early '80s in Scotland as a gothic band. Then they evolved into something that could not be defined or classified. Their most distinguishing point was their vocalist - Elizabeth Fraser. She rarely sang in words, but rather non-phonetic sounds. And if she did sing actual words - good luck in trying to make sense of them. Her vocals would flit and flutter like a bird on a wing. For me, what always set Cocteau Twins apart was the guitar played by Robin Guthrie. His music would swirl and eddy like liquid, the guitar never sounding like an actual guitar.
Their music was ambient, ethereal and magical. I loved it from the first time I heard it (back in 1985). From that point on, I devoted my time and hard-earned money to collecting their back catalog.
The problem with this - Cocteau Twins were featured on the elite British record label - 4AD. And I was a teen boy growing up in the small, desert town of Casa Grande, Arizona. And this was in the days before internet. Yes, sure, their were record stores in more urban areas like Stinkweeds or Zia Records in the Phoenix area that carried alternative records. But those were an hour away, and I didn't have a driver's license.
My solution was J.P.'s. This was the only record store in Casa Grande, and J.P. soon came to know me as the kid who only ordered import records. I got to know his thick catalogs by heart, and little by little, as I saved enough money, I ordered every EP or album put out by Cocteau Twins since 1981 - on vinyl, of course.
I was very excited at the end of the summer of 1988. I had just graduated high school and spent time in Belgium as an exchange student. I had just started classes at the local community college. Cocteau Twins was coming out with a new album, and it was their first record to be marketed by a major label.
It was still going to be hard to get this in a small town, so I made sure I ordered the new album on cassette from J.P. When it arrived, he called my house, and I set out on a hot summer day to pick it up.
J.P.'s was in the mall all the way across town. It was a hot day, so I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. I carried my trusty walkman with me, and walked a few miles to the record store to pick it up.
My heart was beating with anticipation as I unwrapped my new copy of Cocteau Twins' "Blue Bell Knoll". I popped it into the walkman and pressed play. The first dulcid sounds started... I walked out of the store, listening intently. I stepped out into the hot sun and stepped off of the curb onto the parking lot.
As I stepped off of the curb, my tighty-whities got caught on one of my testicles and twisted. A pain that no one should ever experience radiated through my whole nether-regions.
I stood there in public, unraveling this killer wedgie within my shorts and waited for the pain to subside. When I was okay and coherent, I resumed my walk towards home, enjoying the new Cocteau Twins album.
For some reason, I never forgot this episode. I never forgot that my first experience hearing the new Cocteau Twins album was marred by excruciating pain in my nutsack.
I was devestated when Cocteau Twins broke up in 1998.
In the year 2000, they came out with a greatest hits collection called "Stars & Topsoil". I was using CDs by then. When I bought the CD, I read the liner notes written by Alan Warner. There was a peculiar line:
"I remember I missed Blue Bell Knolls for ages. What was the pain the balls again? Oh yes, I was mucking around in Spain and none the wiser for it..."
I had chills go up and down my spine (and other places) when he talked about "Blue Bell Knolls" and "pain in the balls". Was this some sort of universal experience? Anima mundi? Did anyone else experience pain in the balls when they listened to this album? Should the album have been called "Blue Balls Knoll"?
I look forward to the day when Cocteau Twins reunites and makes another album. But rest assured - when they do, I will be wearing protection. A cup... something...
I had no idea they were your favorite band. Did I tell you (and Tony) that I was hanging out on their tour-bus with them before that show at Saltair in 94?
ReplyDeleteI mostly talked with Robin, he has pictures of me in front of the Salt Lake behind Saltair-I got nothing.
My first album of theirs was The Pink Opaque and I couldn't remember the name whilst talking with Robin-I probably seemed like the dullest fan ever.
I remember mentioning that. I remember being pleased that you, also, were into Cocteau Twins, and feeling jealous that you had spent the day with them!
ReplyDeleteTony and I broke down and had to walk home all the way from Saltair that night. I might have to save that for another post.