Letter to Tracey and Ben from Jane and Stephen

In 1986 we owned a Cocteau Twins album; "Victorialand" was beautiful and melodic and special to both of us, until a friend pointed out that it wasn't an album - it was an EP and we'd been playing it on 33rpm instead of 45rpm.

This goes some way to apologise - we are crap fans. We've just read Tracey's book and were both struck by how you have been the backdrop to our lives. And we missed so many of your albums. We're not true fans. Don't read this! But, that said, your book made us realise that you were always there.

We met at Bradford university and it seems that you were there from the very beginning. Everyone had "Pillows and Prayers" which included songs by both of you as solo artists, the Marine Girls and EBTG. Four out of 17 songs! Jane also had "Lazy Ways" and "A Distant Shore" - on her stereo all the time. Stephen can picture her in her room with the latter.....

Eden was really cool and "Each and Every One" symbolises our time at Uni. We remember all of the women on the Tube were dressed like Tracey. We even had haircuts like you.

But the next memory is driving through the outback in Australia. The two albums that bring back the best memories of that time in 1986 were Paul Simon's Graceland and "Baby the Stars Shine Bright". We remember our Australian friend Geoff, hearing the lyrics to "Come on Home" - especially "I've been behaving myself for too long" - and howling with laughter as we drove across New South Wales.

The next time Stephen remembers you was when "Protection" came out. It brings back a painful memory of a car shunt when he was listening to the album....But it's like we'd grown up with you. Had we matured? Jane loved the Walking Wounded album.

And then we came full circle. Our first son was born a few months after your twins and to take you up to 2010, we played "Oh the Divorces" to the kids in the car. And New Year 2012, playing "Plain Sailing" to our Neice, who loved it.

Jane's got the Xmas album but it's still in its cellophane wrapper. Because we're not diehard fans. Sorry.... But we both appreciated Tracey's book. Because Stephen used to shop at J and J Records, because we met as a couple at a Yorkshire University, because we've had our share of challenges, but because there was a time when we hogged each other's time. No one else got a look in. Now, two young people do! But mainly we appreciated it because you were always there for us. I can't think this is the end.

Your book was about you - but it was also about us. So thank you.

J and S.  

Tim Booth fell over Royal Albert Hall

James in April 2010. Tim Booth came through the crowd at the start, only to fall over

I prefer this one though - I got right up close and personal

I'm a bit freaked out by this. It was taken 27 years ago. One of me and my friend Ian at the 'Remember A Child At Christmas' event where I threw 'stuff' at him - I'd collected it in a jar for about a month. I've got the full list written down in pencil. Ian died in 2006 and I wrote about it. If you put in '1982 Bradford' it comes up first. I mean it was important to me but I'm not sure if it was the only thing that happened in Bradford that year. Oh yes, we started at Bradford uni..........

What Dad would have done with technology

Chris and I were out last night and talking - we got to talking about whether Dad would have embraced the new technology. He died in 1997 and that means that he just missed out on the revolution. Chris reckons he wouldn't like mobiles. I think he'd love emails and how I'd love to email Dad now to say hi. I also think he'd really embrace itunes as he'd love to get all his classical music on playlists.

Email to Dad:

hi Dad, met up with clp last night and we had a chinese meal in soho. it's the place we usually all go and we had traditional crispy aromatic duck. had a great chat. did i tell you that eon are trying to charge us £2,500 for a meter we no longer own? don't worry....I've got the old meter and have sent in the reading from when it was taken out. h is really excited about his birthday - i bought him a wrestling dvd which i'm sure you'd disapprove of. simon's also 50 tomorrow as you know and I've got him a tape thing that goes in the car so he can play his ipod. why don't you get one. you can order it online from http://hmv.com/hmvweb/simpleSearch.do?searchUID=&pGroupID=-1&adultFlag=false&simpleSearchString=cassette+car&primaryID=-1
stan's fine - i'm going on the radio tonight to talk about ds awareness week. you know me! there's been one or two articles in papers. J's still doing the m'ment thing! Did c say that h has an exam today but that oliver did well in his? love ya. s

my dad online