Hi and welcome to the latest newsletter. Today is a special issue reminding us why we’re here in the first place! We’re diving into that initial spark that connects us to music, inspiring us to write, perform, buy records, attend concerts, and feel that thrill when we find a band or song that speaks directly to us.
This picture of Kevin proudly sitting on his first bass drum epitomises that moment we go beyond hearing music to wanting to express ourselves in music.
Most of us have a defining moment from when we’re young, an early musical experience that resonates deeply. Whether it’s from the radio, a record, a film, or even a mother singing, it’s that first time you truly “get” music—how it communicates with something beyond just words and melody. There’s a third layer of meaning, something almost secret, that you feel uniquely. It’s exciting and can sometimes set you on an unexplored path, saying something about your individuality.
For me, that spark happened when I was very young, sitting in a small-town cinema, wide-eyed at *The Beatles: A Hard Day’s Night.* The joy, the energy, the pure rush of hearing those songs in that setting, our first visit to a cinema, hit me like lightning. Sitting beside me was Kevin, my younger brother, and I could tell he felt the same thrill. It was our first shared love for something that wasn’t a toy or a game but something that made us feel more alive than we’d ever known.
Music has a magical way of meaning something unique to each of us. Songs carry layers—words, notes, and that intangible third layer that only some people feel. It’s almost like a secret between the song and the listener. Cognitive Semiotics, the study of how we make meaning from experience, shows that music taps into emotions, memories, and imagination in ways words alone can’t touch. We each have that moment, that first musical experience, that somehow speaks to who we are or who we’re becoming.
For Kevin and me, the excitement soon led to making music! I managed to get a 3/4-sized acoustic guitar—just right for little fingers!—and Kevin got a snare drum, and we would hammer along to records, trying to figure out what was going on! We would call it a ‘bang and twang’ session!
Beatles records, of course, were our first go-to—though we quickly learned they weren’t as simple as they seemed! Their songs used complex chords, and, as I learned later, they were often sped up or slowed down just enough to throw them off-key, making them exciting on record but leaving us fumbling to play along in tune. That’s when we turned to something a little more “reliable”—the three-chord treasures of The Rolling Stones’ repertoire!
Records like 'Out of Our Heads' and 'Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!' were played endlessly, becoming our first crash course in rock 'n' roll.
We “borrowed” them from our older sister, whose mod collection had it all: Motown, Stones, Beatles, Beach Boys, and, of course, 'A Hard Day’s Night.' Each album taught us something new about sound, energy, and vibe. And then came our big breakthrough—getting our hands on a tape recorder.
We’d record our rough attempts by singing or playing into the mic, then play the tape back through a speaker while singing or playing along again, into another cassette recorder, stacking up layers of sound without a clue we were building a multitrack. It was rough, messy, and pure magic. Eventually, we managed to get a real four-track machine—the TEAC 3340S, which felt like reaching the big time!
From there, we started taking things more seriously—listening back to our recordings, writing new songs, and dreaming up all sorts of musical ideas, all long before we ever thought of forming a band. When we finally “shopped” our tapes to record companies, the feedback was clear. It was Mark Perry from Step Forward Records and Sniffin' Glue fanzine, who gave us the advice we needed: “The songs are great, but you need a band! Get a band, and then come back!” And that’s what we did. We combined our songs with Squire’s energy, honed our sound, and hit the ground running.
The journey from those early recording sessions to releasing records is a story many musicians know well—the joy of experimenting, playing around with what you have, and the thrill when things start to take shape. It all traces back to that initial spark of musical discovery, the moment you go from being a fan to wanting to create something that captures that feeling and gives it back to the world.
That magic moment of experiencing 'A Hard Day's Night' was a cultural experience that still shapes how we reference and feel about music today.
The film embodies the spirit and aspirations of the 1960s—a time when The Beatles symbolised youth, freedom, and limitless possibility. With its exuberant view of The Beatles’ early fame, it remains a powerful presence in modern music, reminding audiences of an era that now feels both immediate and distant.
The film captured an idealised, youthful moment in music history that still reverberates today, connecting the spirit of the 1960s to our own story.
And for us, the enduring appeal of the Mod scene, which our big sister introduced us to through music and fashion, became a perfect fit!
For us, the Mod scene became more than just music and fashion - it resonated with our musical influences and memories of where we had first encountered the excitement of understanding how music and culture fitted together. The clothes, the records, the attitudes... they weren't just echoes of the past, but something living and breathing that spoke to us in the present. While some might see Mod as pure nostalgia, we knew differently. Every generation that discovers it brings something new, makes it their own, while keeping that core spirit of style, energy and forward movement.
Looking back, A Hard Day's Night wasn't just our introduction to The Beatles - it was the spark that lit up our whole world of music-making. Through our sister's record collection, we eventually found our way into the 1979 Mod scene, and everything clicked into place. The music, the look, the attitude - it all felt right, like a cultural resonance of what we had grown up with - it was in tune with how we heard music, with a contemporary identity and ideal.
What about you? What was your first foray into making music, or the album you just had to play on repeat? Whether it was singing into a hairbrush, strumming a guitar with friends, dressing like your favourite artist, or covering your bedroom walls with posters, those early moments stay with us, shaping everything that comes next.
All the best from Squire