Teenage Kicks

[Baggiejacko]

For me it would probably be Our House by Madness. Fourteen at the time. There was a lot of upheaval at home, plenty of disruption but it seemed that as a family we'd close ranks when it mattered and flick the Vs to the outside world. There was always some kind of chaos or bedlam for mom and dad to sort. At the time I didn't realise just how much strain they must have been under.

Working on opposite shifts under the seemingly constant  threat of redundancy in jobs they largely hated in 80s Smethwick. Providing for kids who for the most part couldn't stand each other, couldn't wait to get away but always came together when it mattered. Our House seems like the perfect soundtrack. They'd be so sad at the way things turned out between the rest of us once they passed away.

Madness.

Our House was the first single I bought and I played it to death.

The song that became the default song for my teenage years and today was Wonderland by Big Country. 

This thread does make you feel old though!!!

At least you never had to wear flares, platforms and big collar shirts mon

[Arti]

In an' out of Grace by Mudhoney, I reckon. The first proper grunge band and the best. Barrel Organ 1989. Genius. I was 18, had (long) hair and finally found 'my' music. It literally all went downhill from there.

Honorary mentions to You Made Me Realise by My Bloody Valentine, the entire Surfer Rosa album by The Pixies, and Thee Hypnotics.

The late '80s made up for the shite dished out by guitar bands earlier that decade.