What Jack Listened To When He Was 18 (and wasn't gay).

This was left by my great mate, Jack Thompson as a comment on my previous post. As Molly would say, 'do yourself a favor' and read it through to the end.

Beautiful stuff.


The year was 1991, and I had turned 18 in the April. I was getting excited about going to a Kylie concert in the May.....but I wasn't gay.

Shocked was my fave from the album Rhythm of Love, especially once I had learnt all the rap bit.


Also in that year the local Macedonian club put on an underage disco at a local reception centre once a month. Italo House was still the genre that was popular and I recall busting moves to this classic from Black Box.


Also at these discos there was obligatory slow dance to end the night. Boys and girls would entwine themselves to the sounds of music. This one from Def Leppard always made hands wander and would lead to lots of awkward kissing.

I was often asked why I didn't slow dance with any girls.

I would say something along the lines of "I was outside getting fresh air" or "Me and (insert girls name here), were having a conversation in the foyer"

But I wasn't gay.


That year being able to go to nightclubs legally, and not hiding from police officers doing patrols, I couldn't wait to get to The Metro to dance to this track from Madonna, you may have heard of it?


Another hit from Madonna that I wouldnt dance to until I knew all the moves (but I wasn't gay), was this one.


Turning 18 meant getting my license. Driving around in my skyblue Datsun 180B was one of my favorite things to do, Lygon St or Chapel St. This was often heard blasting through my four windows that were always down.


The Kenwood tape player purchased from Gary's Car Radio produced a high quality sound.
I was disappointed when I had to get a refund on the tickets from BASS when the KLF concert was canelled due to the ill health of Tammy Wynette.

I really was only going to hear this one song.


While I am speaking of concerts, C&C Music Factory toured that year. They played the National Tennis Centre. I was there in a pair of mustard jeans and a green shirt with white polka dots, doing the running man to this.

I could go on forever but these are just a few of the songs that I recall from the year of turning 18. Most of these songs are now on my iPod.


I will finish with the song that I finally danced to with someone at the end of the night. It was more like 6am in the morning.

It was at the Trade Bar in Collingwood, it is now apartments after being left vacant for 7 years and I even tried to buy it to return it to its former glory.

I finally found someone that I could dance with.

His name was Daniel.

And yes, I am gay.