Although I’m an iPod owner, and an avid iTunes user, until this morning I’d never downloaded a song from the Apple Music Store (or anywhere else for that matter). Call me old-school, but I like having the CDs.  I do have all of my CDs ripped to my iPod, and some I’ve never even heard straight off the plastic, but I still feel happier having the physical backup.
A couple of days ago I read a buddy’s ‘blog entry describing how he’d recreated a vinyl-only compilation from yesteryear by purchasing the individual tracks online. Co-oncidentally, at the same time, my service provider (Belgacom) announced that they’d come to an agreement with Apple to give away 10 free downloads a month to broadband subscribers. So this month I decided to build my own compilation of songs from yesteryear that I love, but probably not enough to buy a whole album by the artist. Here’s what I ended up with:
- Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Geno
This is one of the first singles that really excited me. It still lifts me up even now. - The Vapors, Turning Japanese
Another classic single from back in the day. A great tune, with lyrics that would do any obsessive stalker proud. Who was to know it was about onanism? - The Ruts, Babylon’s Burning
A friend had the single of this at boarding school, and we’d sneak into the study of a sixth-former who actually had a record-player to listen to it over and over again. - The Clash, London Calling
I was never a big Clash fan – I could never take them seriously after hearing Lost In The Supermarket. But this is and always will be a standout song – a statement of intent and call to arms, rolled into one. - The Only Ones, Another Girl Another Planet
A staple from an ‘alternative’ disco I used to go to at college. I’ve got Blink 182’s version, but you can’t beat the original. - The Buzzcocks, Ever Fallen In Love With Someone
The best song ever written, bar none. And a love song it’s OK for a bloke to like. Fine Young Cannibals should never have covered it, because you can’t better perfection. - Althea and Donna, Uptown Top Ranking
Another one I remember from my past. I didn’t have a clue what they were singing about, didn’t know my Roots from Reggae, but as soon as this started up I’d be skanking like Natty Dread. Pure genius. - Clint Eastwood and General Saint, Stop That Train
Another one from my (alternative) disco days. I don’t know why, but this one has been swimming around in my head ever since. I had to search on the lyrics to find out who it was by, but it’s a worthy addition to my free compilation. - Motorhead, Overkill
I was a huge Motorhead fan as a kid. I got over it, but Overkill still remains an essential track. Philthy Animal Taylor’s drumming is blisteringly fast from the outset, and never lets up. I know Motorhead were Heavy Metal, but this is pure punk – speed (both types!), attitude, and agression, it’s got it all. - Bob Dylan, Things Have Changed
I did want Seventeen by The Regents, which would have rounded out this retro-compilation perfectly, but Apple’s Music Store didn’t have that, so I settled for this. It’s a classic Dylan track, but isn’t on any of his official albums apart from the Essential compilation, and I refuse to buy that as I have everything else on it on the actual albums. Life of a completist, eh?
And that’s it. I’m now officially a ‘downloader’. I don’t think I’ll be paying to download anything in the near future (Amazon’s share price would dive if I removed my patronage), but I’m already planning what to get with next month’s 10 free downloads…
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