Sisters Alison and Sharon talk about their experiences growing up in a large family in St. Ann’s, Nottinghamshire. They speak about their sometimes turbulent relationship with their family and how they bonded as sisters. They talk about life before mobile phones or internet access and how they spent so much of their time outdoors or later on, in clubs and bars. We hear about their first jobs and YTS schemes, Sharon’s time in London and their individual experiences of first loves and relationships. Alison and Sharon reminisce about their first gigs to see punk bands like The Exploited and UK Subs, and spending time in the local clubs such as The Garage and Rock City. They spent years travelling with friends around the country and at times squatting. Sharon reminisces about giving birth to and bringing up her child while still travelling. Later years involved the dance scene, and Alison tells us about living with friends in Derbyshire during the party years before they both returned to their home county of Nottinghamshire.

Amanda was raised in an African-Carribean family in Sherwood, Nottingham and later in the village of Selston. She loved Primary School, but struggled at Secondary School facing issues of identity, discussing her early experiences of racism and sense of feeling different. She talks about leaving school at 16, going to college in Nottingham and feeling such a sense of belonging. She tried different courses, starting as on a Secretary course, then moving to an Engineering course and then leaving to do A-levels, but getting let down by her teachers and giving up on education, instead getting a job with the council. At the time she was living in a bedsit, and her friends were in other bedsits in the house. They spent a lot of time partying and going out with friends. Music was an important part, and she talks about going to Reggae Sound Systems and Funk all-dayers. She talks about the sense of social justice she learnt about when she was at Saturday school and how that’s defined her for the rest of her life, now being an academic specialising in race and education. She talks about politics, black liberation and the free Nelson Mandela movement she was part of as a child.

Amanda was born and bred in Manchester, the eldest of four girls, with a very happy childhood playing out. She talks about enjoying school and doing anything for a laugh, using that to diffuse bullying. When she was fourteen she started to dress differently and wanted to non-conform, going through her teenage angst phase. She got into Punk and then Ska after seeing the Specials, Madness and Selector. Manchester had that massive music scene, and then going clubbing for the first time at 15, to a club called Pips, and being completely mesmerised. She talks about being ready to leave home and going to Nottingham University at 18. Amanda found herself in Nottingham, loving the scene and discovering new music work in pubs and venues. She talks about her politics, including Rock Against Racism and the Miner’s Strikes. Her first boyfriend Phil, who rode a motorbike, made her feel really free and be able to go out and travel. She hated her first job as a secretary, so joined a course to be a primary school teacher and never looked back. Amanda discusses how her social anxiety was one of her biggest struggles as a teenager, but music helped her through it.

Chrissie grew up in Wickham near Newcastle. She talks about the difficulties of her parents falling out, particularly over her sister. Following the 11+ exam she went to a private school in Newcastle, which was the worst decision she’d ever made. Yet she loved going to the school and learning. She had a group of three close friends, have sleepovers, hold midnight feasts and go on hikes. As a teenager she got into artists such as Buddy Holly and tuned into Radio Luxembourgh. As she got older she got into Blues, sneaking into a gig and seeing The Animals before they got famous. Chrissie talks about leaving school at 16 and going straight into work at a bank in Barclays and life working there. When she was 23 she moved to Jersey, getting a transfer with the bank and moving away from home for the first time. She was able to enjoy the freedom and being away in Jersey gave her an opportunity to build up her confidence and think about her own future, after a difficult home life. She discusses the difficulties she had as a teenager finding her sense of self and confidence, being incredibly shy and the time it has taken her to find that - the first step for her being Jersey.

Diane grew up in Peterborough with her three siblings, her parents being St Lucian and Indian. She talks about not knowing anyone of a similar dual heritage and finding it quite isolating. As she was a bit older they moved into a house that was a bit more suburban and she eventually moved into the loft conversion, for the first time having her own bedroom. Her bedroom was a point of freedom, especially as her parents’ relationship started breaking apart. Her wall was covered in Prince posters, who was a big inspiration, and she spent a lot of time writing and exercising, being quite introspective. She was quite a loner when she was at school and didn’t really have a friends group until she went to college further away in the Fens. This was quite a time of upheaval in her family life, with her parents splitting up and her having to leave the family home. Moving to Nottingham aged 18, she first started finding her sense of place. Working at The Angel was her introduction to the town and meeting a lot of people. She became involved with the Rock City crowd, going to a lot of Punk and Rock gigs. Diane talks about her anti-racist and women’s equality politics, learning that vocabulary as she’s grown older. Diane talks about her strong memories related to her siblings and that strong bond that still exists to this day, particularly her older sister, as well as her mum.