April 26th 1973

“mark came up in morning, borrwd Deep P & St.Quo cassette and returned Tarkus. In afternoon went in – bort p. of trousers and went to thing at C66″
What was this C66?
What was the ‘thing’ there?
Do you often wonder why you’re still reading this?

April 19th 1973

“Bit boring all morning with Mormor – in afternoon went into eastleigh;- lent Mark P Tarkus and bought For Your Pleasure – Roxy Music – smart!”
Poor old Mormor. For the second time in these diaries I have referred to her staying with us as “boring”. What an complete git ungracious grandson I was in 1973.

In apparently [...]

January 19th 1973

“Lent Tarkus – E.L.P. to Johnny M and borrowed Machine Head and Deep Purple in Live Concert off Gra” / “T-1 day to get Moving Waves (If I have got enough money mite get Focus 3 instead)”
OK, I have officially confused my 50-year-old self here
Most of this is straightforward stuff, but I am having a [...]

Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Tarkus

“Tarkus” can’t really be described as my favourite ELP album, but its certainly the one I know the most intimately.
Side One features the 7-part concept Tarkus suite, mostly composed by Keith Emerson, that is supposed to tell the tale of the peculiar half-armadillo/half-tank represented on the cover.
Emerson has apparently stated in his autobiography “Pictures of an Exhibitionist” [...]

January 16th 1973

“2nd Maths Mock o’level – BLOODY hard” / “After two weeks of solid revision, had to do piles of copying up” / “Got Quid for Focus ticket” / “Got Tarkus tape back from Precision”
A diary entry that has made me both remember AND forget things in equal quantities.
Firstly, conveniently forgetting that my Maths mock was [...]

October 13th 1972

“argument still on verge” / “got tarkus back from rob”
Mum & Dad are still arguing. (I have actually stopped myself from publishing every date when I write “argument” or “arguverge” as my one and only diary entry for the day. Too painful)
Plus, proof that I didn’t just filch albums from other people, I actually lent [...]