40 Records In 40 Years (18/40 - 1991)

When I look back at this year I think that it was one of the best years in my life. Living together with a woman that really loves me, having good times together and also doing my personal things like hanging around with my mates and playing football with great fun. I also was introduced in the Cologne way of life that is very different to the one I knew since then. We often visited Kerstins family living close to Leverkusen for a few days. They showed me all the places a visitor has to go to with a touch of insider knowledge. It impressed me much how all these people welcomed me with open arms - also people you meet in pubs. It is simply normal to join them for a drink and start good conversations. Of course I had to go there when they had carnival season. Everybody has disguised itself and everybody sings drunk her carnival songs. For me it was never to be desirably part of that, why I have also pursued whole more from the distance. So therefore we decided to take the next step and found a family. In October we married with a big party. We had a fine wedding day - it has only disturbed me that we were dared by a priest who is known as a confessing right wing populist. All my efforts to avoid this were unsuccessful. For god's sake he was replaced a few month later from his job.

A few records that impressed me much this year:

MC Solaar - Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo: French HipHop at it's best
Graham Parker - Struck By Lightning: Another great record from Mr. Parker
My BloodyValentine - Loveless: Excellent and a masterpiece in this genre
Teenage Fanclub - Bandwagonesque: Great songs by the Scottish band
Nirvana - Nevermind: A monument
Van Morisson - Hymns To The Silence: Van Morisson returns with a fantastic double pack
A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory: What count is the groove they gave us
Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik: Simply perfect crossover
Primal Scream - Screamadelica: Also a monument but in another direction
Billy Bragg - Don't Try This At Home: His completest album
Lenny Kravitz - Mama Said: He never made a better record than this

Some songs from this year I really enjoyed:

The films we have seen this year and also will look at a second one sometimes:

Terminater II - Judgement Day: Hasta la vista, baby
The Silence of the Lambs: The blueprint  for this genre
JFK: Fantastic - but not the finals answer who really killed  JFK
Cape Fear: Great remake with an extraordinary De Niro
Fried Green Tomatoes: A smooth movie catches the atmosphere of these days
Point Break: Never saw any surf film like this one
The Commitments: Just two hours of fun added with great soul music
Thelma & Louise: One of the best road movies ever
My own private Idaho: Excellent drama

What happened in the world that should be remarkable:

Gulf War I begins with the operation Desert Storm // Beginning of the civil war in Somalia // Iraqi soldiers set fire to the Kuwait oil fields when the retreat // Massive demonstrations against Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrade - tanks on the streets and a few people are killed // Four Los Angeles police officers are indicted for the viedeotaped beating of Rodney King during an arrest // Boris Yelzin is elected President of Russia // From the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia there originate new states // General strike in South Africa lead by the ANC // Magic Johnson announces that he has HIV

Blue Lines by Massive Attack was a milestone for the forthcoming music of the next years. Without this record drum and bass would not happen (trip hop as well) and also Radiohead would have another influences. I bought this record because of the first track Safe from harm where they sampled Stratus by Billy Cobham - a genius track from the fusion sound. I was impressed how they combined breakbeat, samplings and rapping to unforgetable songs. It is still a record I can listen from start to the end without a break. I has a steady flow that makes you relax. Massive Attack introduced me to the fantastic voice of Shara Nelson, who gave them songs their remarkable identity. This record also marks the beginning of a new club era. Sampling was just a legal way to pimp up your sounds. This innovative record is surely on of the best records ever.

Massive Attack - Blue Lines
Massive Attack - Five Man Army
Massive Attack - One Love
Massive Attack - Safe From Harm
Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy