10 years ago...

[AdamM]

Now I think about it the 1996 was a massive year for me. I split up from a 3 year relationship. My decision but I came to regret it over the next 6 months but had burned my bridges. 

My work life had degenerated into factory Gang work and a bit of weekend bar work so at 23 I took the brave step of going back to college. I'd been an academic failure as a teenager but I went back anyway to prove to myself it was lack of application rather than lack of intelligence. (did well in some more GCSEs and Alevels, all As and Bs)

At college I also made an effort to start playing guitar more again, something else I'd been neglecting. I was involved in several bands at college and also organised Jam nights where I got to play with and impress a lot of people.

Physically I was in the best condition of my life before and since. I had been training in kickboxing / freestyle martial arts for just over a year but by this stage I was training 4 nights a week, running, eating well, not smoking, could put my face on my knees or head kick from cold and I was able to control and beat opponents much bigger and stronger than myself. I was a small kid, was bullied age 11 - 13 fought back and picked on weaker kids 14 - 15 (not proud of it but it was a matter of survival) and kept a low profile at 16+ I was never a tough kid and once out in the adult world I frequented some extremely rough bars. There were also local gangs who handed out some pretty severe kickings to the alternative music kids. The training came to my rescue on several occassions around this time 10 years ago.

Some major turning points in my life.

[Trace]

I had a husband, a 5 year old and a 1 month old baby.

And bliss of blisses as I was on Maternity Leave, I wasn't working!!!!!!    yayyyyy to that....

[Nakor]

96 - was 21 finished Uni.

Massive debt - but a good qualification was it worth it ?  Taught me alot about life but thats about it.
Came home live with Parents after 3 years - that was hard, they had learnt to live without me, as I had them.

I got a manufacturing job to pay debts - what did I do . . . . . Party.

Knebworth 2 days with Oasis - simply brilliant.
No Glastonbury so a summer of wandering for me - new places, new music and new friends.
Dreamscape, United Dance, Cream and bad clothes - the end of Dance music for me.
Phoenix Festival - Prodigy, Bowie, Dylan and many more.

Memories.
Gazza's goal.
Cowboys winning 3rd Superbowl in 4 years.
Michael Johnson in the olympics - amazing.
Following Wigan Ath for the last year.
The bomb in Manchester.
The end of the Ramones.
Tupac shot.
Realising I would never be a scratch golfer again.

If I had been asked I would of said 96 was the best year of my life - not so sure now.

[bolt pp]

Turning up for registration at school then the slipping off to race trollys down the hill for fun all day.

drinking copius amounts of thunderbirds and 20/20

having 678 ralph lauren polo shirts in the wardrobe.

going around 6 or 7 night clubs before my much older mates could bundle me into one.

covering my bedroom wall and ceiling with flyers.

spending every penny i could get hold of in the fruit machine in the kebab.

got a tattoo of what i thought was a man with a mushroom on his head(it was'nt)
My dad was not happy.

dyed my hair bleach blonde.

Always used to watch tfi friday before going out, that program ruled!

I probably shouldnt write any of the really good stuff, this decade SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!
I wish i was back at school

 

[RED-DOG]

   I was almost 40, and I was living on a caravan site with lot of other families, I hated it, I felt like the American Indians must have felt when they forced to live on a reservation, My burning ambition was to find a place where I could live my life on my own terms

My girls were growing fast. My eldest, Muzelley, 17, had just passed her driving test. Kelly, 15, was almost as tall as me, and still growing. Sadie, 13, was at the stage when she knew everything. Boys fluttered around them like moths around a flame, it was a scary time for a father. Thankfully, my youngest, Bridie, was only 4 and still believed that I was a hero.

Back then, I went out to work every day in my truck, and Mrs Red or one of the girls would go with me. A lot of my spare time was taken up looking after my horses, I had about a dozen at the time and there always seemed to be at least one that needed it's feet trimming.

A group of us had discovered Sega golf, still the greatest virtual golf game ever, and many a long winter night was spent playing fantastic courses like Sawgrass or Scottsdale for £1 a stroke, it was a very serious business.

Mrs Red and I went to New York on a shoe-string budget, we couldn't afford to stay in the city so we got a cheap motel in a place called White Plains and took the train in every day, we loved it, It blew us away.

My brother Joe and I bought a tiny rubber dingy from a car boot sale for £3, and we paddled it down the river Soar just to see how far we could get in a day, we went about 25 miles and we had to ring Mrs Red to come and collect us in the car. We waited at a riverside pub, we were starving, the pub didn't do meals, but the landlord's wife cooked us sausage egg and chips and then refused to accept any payment.

Every time I did something that was fun, I missed my son. I wondered if I always would. Today, I know the answer. I try to do my best, and I enjoy life as much as possible. I still miss him, but I wouldn't be without the bittersweet memories, they remind me of what's really important.

[Poppet7]

There are some interesting stories on here, thank you all for sharing them with us.

[Claw75]

Number one in the singles chart on this day in 1996 was Fastlove by George Michael.

Top ten singles in 1996:

   1 Fugees Killing Me Softly
   2 Spice Girls Wannabe
   3 Babylon Zoo Spaceman
   4 Spice Girls Say You'll Be There
   5 Mark Morrison Return of the Mack
   6 Gina G Ooh Ah Just A Little Bit
   7 Baddiel & Skinner & The Lightning Seeds Three Lions
   8 Robert Miles Children
   9 Spice Girls 2 Become 1
   10 Oasis Don't Look Back In Anger

[Poppet7]

Number one in the singles chart on this day in 1996 was Fastlove by George Michael.

Top ten singles in 1996:

   1 Fugees Killing Me Softly
   2 Spice Girls Wannabe
   3 Babylon Zoo Spaceman
   4 Spice Girls Say You'll Be There
   5 Mark Morrison Return of the Mack
   6 Gina G Ooh Ah Just A Little Bit
   7 Baddiel & Skinner & The Lightning Seeds Three Lions
   8 Robert Miles Children
   9 Spice Girls 2 Become 1
   10 Oasis Don't Look Back In Anger

I rmember all of those, I was definitely a spice girls fan!  I was 9 though, thats a good enough excuse

[Poppet7]

I went on my first holiday abroad in 1996, as I said, I had been living with my aunt for a while so she took me on holiday with her, my uncle and cousin to Salou, Costa Dorada in Spain. I was a bit of a pain in the arse and my aunt refused to ever take me on holiday again because I mucked around... guess who is taking me to Zante in July?! I was punished for 10 years but shes finally allowing me to go with her again!

[Hairydude]

Number one in the singles chart on this day in 1996 was Fastlove by George Michael.

Top ten singles in 1996:

   1 Fugees Killing Me Softly
   2 Spice Girls Wannabe
   3 Babylon Zoo Spaceman
   4 Spice Girls Say You'll Be There
   5 Mark Morrison Return of the Mack
   6 Gina G Ooh Ah Just A Little Bit
   7 Baddiel & Skinner & The Lightning Seeds Three Lions
   8 Robert Miles Children
   9 Spice Girls 2 Become 1
   10 Oasis Don't Look Back In Anger

Man the music was shit back then-never realised til then-only 2 out of the 10 were good- Oasis and fugees and robert Miles and Mark morrison were ok the rest is terrible-including three lions

[bolt pp]

Number one in the singles chart on this day in 1996 was Fastlove by George Michael.

Top ten singles in 1996:

   1 Fugees Killing Me Softly
   2 Spice Girls Wannabe
   3 Babylon Zoo Spaceman
   4 Spice Girls Say You'll Be There
   5 Mark Morrison Return of the Mack
   6 Gina G Ooh Ah Just A Little Bit
   7 Baddiel & Skinner & The Lightning Seeds Three Lions
   8 Robert Miles Children
   9 Spice Girls 2 Become 1
   10 Oasis Don't Look Back In Anger

Man the music was shit back then-never realised til then-only 2 out of the 10 were good- Oasis and fugees and robert Miles and Mark morrison were ok the rest is terrible-including three lions

what??? your having a laugh!!!

Spaceman; i always wanted you to go into spaceman, that was a TUNE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AdamM]

10 stinkers if you're a rock fan like me

[Nem]

96 was a brilliant year, hot summer?

'95 was the hot summer. I remember miserably that it was nice and hot in London up until we lost to Germany and then, straight after the penalties, it started to rain, and it rained and rained and never got warm again!

[Hairydude]

96 was a brilliant year, hot summer?

'95 was the hot summer. I remember miserably that it was nice and hot in London up until we lost to Germany and then, straight after the penalties, it started to rain, and it rained and rained and never got warm again!

Funnily enuf it got helluva sunny up here in scotland after the penaltys- and what u on- that spaceman tune was utter crap

[bolt pp]

96 was a brilliant year, hot summer?

'95 was the hot summer. I remember miserably that it was nice and hot in London up until we lost to Germany and then, straight after the penalties, it started to rain, and it rained and rained and never got warm again!

Funnily enuf it got helluva sunny up here in scotland after the penaltys- and what u on- that spaceman tune was utter crap

how can a levis tune be crap?