Listening to E8 4AE

Regarding the heading  Listening to E8 4AE; at first, I chose to use the word ‘listening’ simply because music is the way in which I wanted to use in order to memorialise ‘E8 4EA’. Later,  I’ve realised that this headings could have a much deeper meaning.

The song choice to remember myself of E8 4AE (Dalston), my first address in London, wasn’t done only because the song’s lyrics has the word Dalston on it. Back in 2006, the district of north-east London wasn’t the cool, hip and vibrant  area that it is today. There were not as many decent places to go out to, unless your plans were to get high as the area was filled with crack dealers. Living in a place where the Turkish and Caribbean community were majority (they still might be) and sharing a flat with 4 Brazilians, my first contact with the British culture was done by the music.

It is true that British bands are well know all around the world. In my case, however, my  huge musical ignorance had restricted those bands to four: The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Queen and The Spice Girls. But, after my first year living in the UK, I got a bit less ignorant, music-wise. The work of bands such as Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys, Snow Patrol, The Kooks and Razorlight were presented to me by a flatmate;  who also  made me listen to Don’t go back to Dalston  by the first time. I’ve chose this song also to represent my musical taste expansion.

I remember listening to these bands on my second-hand-bought pink iPod (2nd generation) while traveling on one of the articulated buses of the route 38; seating close enough to reach to an Oyster card reader, in case of a ticket inspector got on. Music also was a constant companion on my short walk to the Turkish shop to buy groceries; which  consisted of Pringles and Foster’s.

I hope  in the future, while I will be listening to Don’t go back to Dalston, all my memories of E8 4AE return.