Hattie Cooke on the first and last albums she bought and the one she always turns to in an emergency
FIRST
The Kinks
‘Kinda Kinks’
(Pye, 1965)
“I was 13 and limited to what they had at the local Tesco, so Norah Jones’ ‘Feels Like Home’ was the first CD I bought. But the first vinyl album was ‘Kinda Kinks’ by The Kinks. I spent all my savings on a record player and then realised I could only afford to buy one record, so it got played on repeat. It’s probably the only album I know all the words to.”
LAST
ABBA
‘The Singles: The First Ten Years’
(Epic, 1982)
“I honestly think Björn and Benny are among the greatest songwriters of all-time. Plus I’ve discovered they’re a good measure of people – folks who don’t like them tend to take themselves too seriously. Well, I say life’s too short to be worried about being cool, whack on some ABBA and have a boogie.”
ALWAYS
Al Bowlly with Ray Noble And His Orchestra
‘The Dance Band Years’
(Pulse, 1997)
“If I want to feel really cosy I’ll play Al Bowlly. When I was very young my dad bought and sold records, particularly 78s, and whenever I listen to Al Bowlly it transports me straight back to being six or seven years old, watching my dad work the horn gramophone and dancing around the living room. It’s a very happy memory for me.”
