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Dummy

My first experience of Portishead (the place) would have been in '94 when my colleague Martin Robinson invited me to join him and his girlfriend to make up a team for a pub quiz somewhere at the edge of that town. I must have had a reputation as a bit of a know-it-all. As luck would have it, the questions played to my strengths and we won, despite most of the other teams having four or five members.

I think by then I would have already experienced Portishead (the group). I first heard them on (I think) Pete Tong's Radio 1 show, 'Numb' issuing weakly from my bedside clock-radio. I took notice at once, loving what I heard, and bought Dummy on cassette as soon as I could find a copy. I played it a great deal, and got it on CD too a few years later.

The CD ended up with a lot of mileage as well: though perhaps I listened to it too often, as there eventually came a point where its appeal began to fade, whereas its near-contemporary Maxinquaye has better retained my affection over the long run. Nowadays I'm more likely to listen to a track or two on YouTube than to put the CD on, but the disc has fondly sentimental associations and I won't be letting it go.

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