I was an 80’s punk rock teenager who sported spiked hair, delighted in the unconventional, read voraciously and snuck into bars to see bands way before I was legal drinking age. We weren’t the Nazi skinhead types – instead our agenda was “Ban the bomb” and an intolerance for intolerance – finding it absurd that anyone would have a problem with same- sex partnerships or different cultures, communities and traditions mixing, mingling and blending in new and fascinating ways.

Our Winnipeg “gang” mid-80s (Photo: ??)

There were a few films and books that not only had an impact, they spoke to us even across continents:

• My Beautiful Laundrette was one such film that connected… with the phenomenal Daniel Day-Lewis
  

  My Beautiful Laundrette (Photo: IMdB)

• To then have it followed by Sammy and Rosie Get Laid with the gorgeous Roland Gift? Come on!
• And London Kills Me…? The street life link and efforts to turn things around had a familiar feel tho my suburban upbringing sheltered from 1st hand experience…
• Then came the Buddha of Suburbia – both the book and somehow managing to get hold of the BBC TV series
• Fast forward a few years to when My Son the Fanatic came out. I had just returned from living in Delhi the first time…

So when my partner said “Oh by the way hon, they’ll be a couple more people coming for dinner… Hanif and…” Stop! As in Hanif Kureishi?! Flashback as 20+ years melted away and was instantly inundated with a flood of memories of the 80s and early 90s.

Is there any author / screen writer / set of films that triggers a different time for you?

Let me close with a fine piece of 1980s pop with the  Fine Young Cannibals …..

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