An occasional music spot - remembering places around the World

On Tuesday 14th January 1975 my recording career began !

Of course I'd been taping the radio and music for years, but that had been very Low-Fi compared to the step-up of buying a Cassette Stereo Tape Recorder. A receipt dated 14.1.75 would indicate roughly how long I'd been saving for this expensive item, as I'd been working for over 5 years and had been slowly upgrading music equipment over that time. Compatibility of different manufactures equipment was always an issue and I was planning on using my brand new recorder with my old amplifier, until April when I could afford to buy a new upgraded one. 

On 15th January - I have found some notes I'd made saying "We have a problem Dave !"

(This was a clear reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey and HAL's message to crew member Dave Bowman.) My way of documenting that something was not working as it should - incorrect stereo separation and play back between tape deck and amp. Other notes followed with question marks against various possible causes ? The problem was solved by a work colleague who's father-in-law worked at Decca, he run a test and create a special lead for me to use until I could buy my upgrade. 

So strictly speaking my recording career didn't actually begin immediately, but soon after the date when I bought my Akai GXC-46D Tape Recorder. With Dolby Noise reduction, VU meters, Index counter and sliding recording and volume controls. All very fancy and Hi-Tech - for £109.95 !

The advert above is from a magazine for 'Analog Audio'. This was not to be entirely accurate 'a place I remember all my life' because without the receipts I had completely forgotten the name, but clearly I'd spent a lot of time on reviewing prices and purchasing the equipment from the shop 'Analog Audio' in the Fulham Road, near where I worked. And I'd be back there in April to buy my amplifier - a Rotel RX202 AM/FM Stereo receiver, for £75. 

As for remembering what I first taped, I don't have dates on cassettes or in a book that listed my recordings, just a vague memory. The work colleague asked me to record some of his records, so he could listen to them in his car on his cassette player: he liked jazz - Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett - it was the least I could do to thank him. While another work mate lent me his Eagles LPs, which he raved about. 

I later went out and bought 'Desperado' and the under-rated 'On the Border', which included this almost forgotten gem that never makes any 'Best of' compilations. It's the Randy Meisner song 'Is It True?' >

Anyone remember 'Analog Audio' or any of these ? 

Laskys (Ask Laskys), Southern Audio, Lindair, REW Audio, Comet ?

Or perhaps Servio Radio in Merton Road or Ready Radio in The Broadway, Wimbledon.