This was not quite my first mix tape, but I think it might have been the second.  I came across it the other day.  I think the first one was better and was from about 1983 and had stuff like OMD, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran and all sorts of other good stuff.  I think this was 1984 and is my earliest survivor.  It’s recorded on a TDK D90…

Bird of Paradise – Snowy White

Love of the Common People – Paul Young

Hold Me Now – Thompson Twins

Club Tropicana – Wham

Waves – Blancmange (still think this is awesome)

Electric Dreams – Phil Oakey & Giorgio Moroder

Missing You – John Waite

Hello – Lionel Ritchie (a lot of soppy stuff on this tape…)

Too Late for Goodbyes – Julian Lennon (whatever happened to him)

Against All Odds – Phil Collins (really..?)

White Lines (Don’t Do It) – Grandmaster & Melle Mel (now that’s what I’m talking about)

You’re the Best Thing – Style Council

Small Town Boy – Bronski Beat

Lessons in Love – Level 42

Absolute Beginners – David Bowie

Invisible Touch – Genesis

Happy Hour – The Housemartins

Look Away – Big Country (such a loss)

Is This Love? – Whitesnake

Lies – Jonathan Butler (don’t remember that one at all)

Pretty in Pink – Psychedelic Furs (big sign-off!)

And if that’s not enough, the name of this tape is “Essential Edits”.  This is sooooo embarrassing but somehow I feel much better for it.

In my defence, may I add that the first 12” and 7” vinyl that I bought was Blondie – Parallel Lines and Cool for Cats by Squeeze back in 1978 at the age of 9, so I was a lot cooler in the 70s obviously…