How I became a fan

Hillegom, The Netherlands, March 2006

This is how it all started:

2004:

I was watching a video on MTV. It’s about a guy going through his summer holiday photos. I don’t know who it is from, or what it is called. I watched the video two more times on MTV. Every time I saw the video, it’s from halfway to the end, and MTV never showed me any information.

In the pub Murphy’s law in Hillegom (my hometown), I hear the song on the Juxebox. I asked Bart (the owner/barman of the pub), who picked the song. It ‘s an English guy, Bart said. Bart pointed the guy out for me. I ask the guy what this song is called and who it is from. The guy says: “It’s Fit but you know it from The Streets.” “Who?” I asked, He said again, smiling: “The Streets”. It’s from their album A grand don’t come for free. And the song is called Fit, but you know it”. He said and he wrote it on a beer coaster for me. I said “Thank you.”

The song got released on April 26th 2004.

I watched Dry your eyes on MTV a couple weeks later, and I just needed that album. This song got released on July 19th 2004

I bought the album a grand don’t come for free (released on May 17th 2004).

I checked Google and find their website www.the-streets.co.uk

I couldn’t find what I want to know on their website. It looked a bit confusing to me. There is a forum as well, I never found it though. 2 years later Mel the Bell told me that I missed a lot. (I found a forum 2 years later, where I got in touch with Mel).

I went on a sailing holiday in Turkey with my uncle, dad and brother and my friend Paulien. I met Ozzy there. I let him listen to The Streets. He really liked it and is hooked, just as me. Great! he can be my friend. He will be my victim. I need him to go to the concerts with me. He doesn’t mind at all, thankfully.

A couple months later, I’m watching the video of Blinded by the lights on MTV. Incredible song, but with a great video as well. It was released on September 27th 2004.

2005:

In May 2005, when I’m talking about The Streets to my (then) boyfriend, he told me, that a grand don’t come for free is their 2nd album… He’s Scottish, He wants to surprise his mum for her birthday, and took me with him to Scotland. He gave me the Original Pirate Material album, their first album. (It was released on March 25th 2002)

I went to a Rangers shop with him in Livingston, Scotland (He is a Rangers fan) and I see a bikini. A Rangers bikini. The bottom of the bikini is blue, and it says Rangers on the back, I didn’t like that! I threw it away, but I love the top, it’s the Union Jack. I really love it! That’ s why I bought it in the first place! When we broke up in 2006, he wanted the album back, so sad…., but ok, I’ll give it back, but I’ll copy it first. When we made up again (we never got back together, but we became “friends”) he gave me back the album, I gave him the copy. Great deal huh?! 🙂

2006

I find out that The Streets are coming to Amsterdam. I had to call Ozzy. I’m dying to go, even though I don’t actually know what to expect, purely out of curiosity, I want to see them. So I give Ozzy a call, he is so easy, he gave me his credit card details and I bought two tickets. His friend, who he visits at that moment, writes down the details as well, might be useful some day. 😉

A girl, who is a friend and class mate at the time, Patricia, tells me that she wants to see The Streets as well. She has a birthday coming up, so I decided I get her a ticket, for her birthday. Now it’s time to look forward to the gig. We have two months to go.

In the meantime their 3rd album came out The hardest way to make an easy living on April 10th 2006.

And their next video When you wasn’t famous was released on March 30th 2006.

I love it!

I need a banner. I made one which said Fancy a date in the Grasshopper? As he raps about our Amsterdam Grasshopper in Too much Brandy.

OK I’m ready!! (I didn’t know that they were in Amsterdam for a gig in March as well, in Bitterzoet). I missed them.

In the meantime their new single Prangin out got released on September 25th 2006.