Sinister: Memories Filled with Music

[Madeleine McNeil]

Sunsat said, about her dad:

>I watched as he cleaned the vinyl with  a red sponge and plucked stray 
>hairs
>of the stylus in between tracks.

This made me go all melty inside, as I remember exactly the same thing from 
my childhood. My Dad would play his records, and if I was really good and 
promised to be careful, he would let me sweep the brush over the vinyl as he 
held it. This may sound sappy and useless (in which case, I apologise) but 
my dad and I didn't get on particularly well until recently. No major 
fights, but just the lack of comprehension and respect that exists between a 
twenty two year old girl and her old dad. Within the past year, though, as 
I've grown up and removed my teenage blinkers (no slight on teenagers at 
all, just that I was stroppy and self absorbed when I was one), I can really 
begin to understand why my mum married him and didn't leave as soon as he 
became a pedantic, work obsessed, moody and slightly autistic old man.

I think my attitude towards music has been shaped not only by my folks but 
by the autistic traits than seem present in my family. The kind of 
obsessions I develop about things are the same kind of obsessions that my 
Asperger's brother has (Asperger's is a form of autism). My brother, bless 
him, has dug out all my old copies of Select, NME and Melody Maker from the 
attic and memorised them. So I can ask him "Which copies have articles about 
Belle and Sebastian?" and he says "I'm not sure of the month, but it was 
1998 and the cover was orange, with a woman on it". And he wonders off to 
his room and returns two minutes later with the December 1998 copy, the 
cover showing Alanis Morrissey on an orange background.

The other day my parents sorted out their will, which I suppose is slightly 
morbid. They did tell me the songs they'd chosen for their funeral though: 
"Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who, "Yes" by McAlmont and Butler and 
"Another Brick in the Wall" (my dad's a teacher). My mum unnerved and 
probably frightened her solicitor by saying (about her own funeral) "It's 
going to be brilliant. I can't wait!"

Must insert some content. Erm....

I'm going to see Belle and Sebastian soon. It's going to be grand. ANd I'm 
looking forward to the new single/EP type thingy.

Love
Madeleine
xxx

PS A message for Miss Marybeth: expect some post soon.


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