MEMORY TAPES: 1ST JUNE

This might be one of the indiest stories we've ever had on Memory Tapes; the story belongs to Kate Diamond, who writes....

"Back when I was doing my Alevels there was a (now sadly defunct) music magazine called Select. We used to read it on the bus on the way to college. It had a penpal section in the back. My mate replied to one of the ads and started exchanging mix tapes with some Welsh indie lad, so I decided to do the same.

"'Male, 18, Becoming more like Alfie...' the ad started. I replied, we exchanged a few letters, and he sent me my first mix tape. Side A was 'All About Alfie' (songs that represented him) and Side B was 'Songs for a Lady' (or, in my case, a chubby 17 year old with a bad fringe). Track list below.

"This was September 1998. I lived in Leicester, he was in Exeter, 200 miles away. We met for the first time a month later. (via National Express, continuing the Divine Comedy theme!)

"After numerous trips up & down the M5 visiting each other, I finished my Alevels the following summer and moved to Exeter to spend some proper time with him. 6 months later we moved back to Leicester together. We'll have been married for 7 years this July. Our daughter Cecilia is one and a half. I'm a stay at home mum, so we listen to 6Music all day, when we're not at the park."

Here's the tracks:

Side A : All About Alfie

Divine Comedy - Becoming More Like Alfie

David Bowie - The Laughing Gnome

The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black

Pet Shop Boys - It's A Sin

Boomtown Rats - Rat Trap

Monty Python - Camelot

Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear The Reaper

Roxy Music - Do The Strand

Suede - Film Star

Pulp - Mis-Shapes

Elastica - Waking Up

Side B : Songs For A Lady

Pulp - She's A Lady

The Yardbirds - For Your Love

Divine Comedy - I'm All You Need

Shed 7 - You're The Greatest Thing

Blur - You're So Great

The Beatles - Something

Manic Street Preachers - Further Away

David Bowie - Rebel Rebel

Bernard Butler - Not Alone

Sparklehorse - Wish You Were Here

Do you have a mix and a story? Email Lauren and tell her.