NOW PLAYING: 'LOVE OVER GOLD' BY DIRE STRAITS...

I’m not entirely sure who gifted this record but I’m very grateful as, although it is over 40 years old, it is in very good condition. A few crackles at the beginning but after that it plays perfectly.

This is Dire Straits’ 4th studio album, released in 1982 and includes just 5 tracks. To be fair, ‘Telegraph Road’ is over 14 minutes long with all the other tracks averaging over 6 minutes each.

It includes the singles ‘Private Investigations’, ‘Industrial Disease’ and the title track which was later re-released as a live version.

I probably haven’t listened to the album since the 80s when this and ‘Alchemy’ spread around our school quicken than nits. This takes me back to listening to music on a crappy little tape recorder - simpler times!

What is interesting is how musical tastes change, I remember struggling with ‘Telegraph Road’ and ‘Private Investigations’ but loving ‘Industrial Disease’ as a kid, but now it is completely the other way.

I always thought that the song ‘Love Over Gold’ had a whiff of the Tina Turner hit ‘Private Dancer’ about it, turns out I was right! Mark Knopfler wrote ‘Private Dancer’ for this album but thought it would suit a female voice so gave it to Turner and the rest is history.

If you fancy a copy, HMV has it for about £30 new or, if you fancy delving into the world of questionable grading, it is on eBay for about a tenner.

Tracks To Try: ‘Telegraph Road’, ‘Private Investigations’, ‘Love Over Gold’.