hi
the first time i heard joni was in '81/82 - the album was shadows & light. i was in the air force doing national service, based in walvis bay, in what is now namibia, but was in those days considered to be a part of south africa. a friend had just been on leave, and had come back with an ample supply of the green stuff to smoke, and a whole bunch of new tapes to listen to. that morning we had got nicely stoned, then sat outside in the sun listening to david bowie's gravedigger song (not too sure of the official title - please mr. gravedigger??) - what a freak out!!! we were alll quivering wrecks by the end of the song... then that evening we were in his room, smoking a one hit bong. he then put on this album, and told us we were in for a treat. i wish i could say that i had this instant revelation/epiphany which so many people seem to have had, but quite frankly i just didnt get it... it was totally different to anything i had ever heard, it just didnt make sense, and what the hell was that guy doing to his bass??? i was a huge bass fan at that stage, & quite capable of tuning in to the bass only, & not even hearing the other instruments. but it intrigued me, i kept coming back, and within a very short time it just started to work for me. when he left, i had to go out & buy a copy for myself. just after that stage of my life i went into a huge depression, suicidal, and totally shut off from everyone - i would hardly ever speak to anyone, and run a mile if anyone spoke to me. spending an entire day in bed, not eating, not reading, just crying, was a fairly regular ocurrence. somehow shadows & light got through to me. amelia became one of my all time favourite tracks, & god must be a boogy man just spoke volumes to me. the inner conflict described in the song helped me realise that it wasnt just me who was in turmoil. then i saw some more joni albums, two double albums, consisting of two single albums joined in the middle, with the original covers. my introduction to her earlier albums - hissing of the summer lawns, blue, ladies of the canyon, and another (court & spark??). by now i was ready - it was a great intro to her other music. but to this day, i still rate shadows and light as the finest album ever produced by anyone.. ron'
