I love this common experience of the transistor radio under the pillow, late at nite. My grandparents bought it for me Christmas’63. Loved it so much I actually would polish it. Home was an unhappy place. Grim for a 10 year old. BUT……at nite, that happy music, the happy DJ’s. So cool. The world out there was calling. I remember one nite thinking, there’s nothing wrong with me,,nothing wrong with the world out there. Right here was bad, but this is temporary. Part of why I’ve had a wonderful life when others didn’t.
Being alone with your music
I’ve always enjoyed being alone. Being alone with my favorite tunes playing adds a new layer of ‘Being here NOW’.
I remember well the first time I heard ‘In my room’ by the Beach Boys. That wonderful angst of being young and not knowing my future overwhelmed me. Those emotions we’re trained to suppress burst forward, changing me forever.
From that moment forward music became a personal thing. A private wonderful world that I had control over. It was 1966, I was 13 years old.
When we’re young, very little is under our control. Now music could set us free. It was up there with the first time, 3 years later, when I drove my car alone the first time. In preparation for the big moment, I installed my first car cassette player (by Norelco). Now I was truly free to be me.
Your stories would be much appreciated.