"The Girls' Tapes" ... Part 3

Dear friends,

the third part of the series, and I know you couldn't wait, could you at all?

Of course I know that you all have been wondering why it is that I got all these tapes from girls who were just friends, but there isn't a single one from a "real girlfriend". Well, I started rather late with relationships, I must admit. Not that this was some cunning plan of myself in order to protect my freedom, the truth of the matter simply is that I was too shy to approach girls when I was young. But here's - to rectify this situation - a tape I got from a girl I was together with for a few months when I was 27 or so: Petra J. And you can stop laughing at this point: no, she was not my first girlfriend.

Petra was obsessive with music, just like me. She listened to loads of new music and really was open-minded, very contrary to the rest of the village girls whose horizon ended with the disgusting Scorpions. I even have three tapes she made for me, the songs below are from the best one of the bulk.

It also was her who introduced me to Tocotronic, in my humble opinion one of the five best German bands ever, easily the best one in the mid/late 90's. A great racket combined with very clever lyrics made them very important for bands to follow, even nowadays. Listen to the song, please, although you might not understand the words. It absolutely is worth it, believe me. Perhaps this gives you a clue how crap it is having to listen to music sung in a language which is not your own for thirty years: scribble down the lyrics of Mo Ho Bish O Pi's 'Hear The Air' for me and I'll send you a translation of this Tocotronic tune in exchange: deal? Plus a huge box of German sweets if you want ...

mp3: Petra J.: Chumbawamba - 'Not The Girl I Used To Be' ('95)

mp3: Petra J.: Tocotronic - 'Jetzt Geht Wieder Alles Von Vorne Los' ('96)

When we were together Petra worked in the wellness department of a hotel a few villages away. I fondly remember her skills in facial massages ... ah well! She used a TDK IECII 90 and I think she married some village guy I never liked very much when I still lived there. Most probably they have half a dozen of children as well .... so any potential future contact in village pubs with her is rather unlikely!

I met Frauke (last name unknown) in the orbit of the Aachen independent scene when I was 19. These days it doesn't exist any longer in any meaningful fashion, but back then there was a shitload of brilliant clubs to go to, great gigs on a weekly basis and always interesting people you would get to know. I think, although I am not absolutely certain about that any longer, for a time in 1987 we used her flat as a kind of "warm-up base" before we would start going out to town, you know, the ladies dressing up in bondage gear leather and us gents drinking Pernod whilst waiting for them to get ready to party. Most probably though the truth is that the girls just did their make-up and we had a can of beer.

What I know for a fact though is that at the time Frauke was with us, we occasionally hung around with Rodney Orpheus (big-headed) and Andrew Booth (great geezer) out of Cassandra Complex, who moved from Leeds to Aachen in 1987 in a venue called Jakobshof. But again, I digress. Good music on the tape, I'm listening to it right now whilst typing this. Some old B-52's stuff as well, which is always good ...

mp3: Frauke ?: Claw Boys Claw - 'That's Life' ('86)

mp3: Frauke ?: The Scabs - 'Trapped By The Rain' ('83)

Frauke used a Maxell XLII-S 90, and I think she studied arts at the time. I don't have the slightest idea whatever became of her. Perhaps she is now married to good ole' Rodney, who knows ...


Enough for today, you lovelies, see you soon!


Dirk