When I was growing up in Glen Innes I was living in a family home with three older siblings - an older sister and two brothers.
Each member brought their own musical preference - and each preference based on the musical changes of the 70's.
The oldest was my sister - and she loved disco and reggae, where my love of Bob Marley started - in fact, I was with her and her boyfriend when the news broke on the radio (no internet here, folks) of his untimely passing.
The next youngest brother loved Heavy Metal - classic British bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath.
The next brother was into New Wave and Punk - and though much of the material I re-discovered in my later years - his musical difference was noted in my youth, such as the Jam, XTC and the Buzzcocks.
Throw into the mix an even older brother (nine siblings in total) who played guitar and had a love of early sixties (inspiring us all to pick up a guitar), and my father and his country music, and you produce my skewed vision of tasteful music.
Of course, when I was growing up my musical tastes were early hip hop - an influence I rarely cite when writing music (probably just as well as I rap pretty poorly), but I still have a soft spot (and deep appreciation) for Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five.
The battles around the household in my fomative years was heated and unresolvable - but it was a love affair none-the-less - each with their own desired affiliation that carries through to today. In a strange way, you could say music brings us together to pull out the worst in us.
But rivalry is a dynamic that keeps my creativity charged - no difference between the Beach Boys, Everly Brothers, Oasis, Black Crowes etc.
Family and music does not always mix, and when it doesn't - it's magic...
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