Out of Bounds
...I rewound the tape and hit play. It tracked for a bit, then launched immediately into In A Rhyme by No Fun At All. I'd missed the start of the show (Rage doesn't have a regular starting time, it kicks off when the last show for the day is done)...
Rage is the oldest still-running music TV program. The first episode aired in 1987 and I believe it's been airing between Saturday night and Sunday morning every week since. As a verified not-night-owl, I decided to tape Rage one night so I could watch it the next day rather than try to sit up bleary-eyed watching music videos by myself. Perfect to watch over breakfast of a Sunday.
I rewound the tape and hit play. It tracked for a bit, then launched immediately into In A Rhyme by No Fun At All. I'd missed the start of the show (Rage doesn't have a regular starting time, it kicks off when the last show for the day is done).
It blew my mind.
I'd never heard anything like it before. The fast drums. The furiously strummed guitar. The harmonies. The little twiddly lead-breaks. My mind expanded and took in this new sound and I couldn't stop thinking about it.
Then it dawned on me that these guys were Swedish - I think there was a sign in Swedish in the music video (of the band cleaning toilets for some reason) - and I was hooked. This was my heritage on display!
The next time I was in Adelaide (I lived in the country at the time) I went to Verandah Music (RIP) and picked up a copy of the album. 36 minutes and 45 seconds of energy boost.
The sound on the album is consistent - much the same distortion tone on the guitars throughout the tracks, same harmonies, same drums. But it works and I love it.
Highlight tracks for me are 4 - In A Rhyme, 11 - Invitation, and 2 - Master Celebrator.
I saw the band walking from the city to North Adelaide one day (not sure when this was, exactly - I think I still had my Gemini so maybe 1997), as I happened to be wearing my NFAA tee, and chased them down to get my tee signed. Great times!