Tonight I'm going to party like it's 1979.
But it's not all punk and The Jam in Feltham Made Me, as Michelle gets into the soul and disco scene and prepares for a night out down Cheeky Pete's Richmond.
Sam comes round and we start playing all our favourite records to get us in the mood - Contact - Edwin Starr, Dance, Dance, Dance - Chic In the Bush - Musique. Then I start fretting, what if I meet a guy and he wants to French kiss me? I've never done it before. So we started practicing on each other. We weren't dykes or anything - we just didn't want to mess up our first French kiss with a bloke.
The big topic of conversation down Feltham School is once again punky Angela Knowles, but this time she really does go over the edge and sets tongues wagging faster than rattle-snake tails.
And it's down the Record Scene that Jerry has his moment of inspiration.
"RCA in Sunbury on Thames had a careers open day, inviting school kids to have a look round, talk about job opportunities. When they asked if anyone had any questions, I asked if working for RCA meant you got free Elvis Presley records, and tickets to David Bowie concerts. The man treated me with complete derision. I walked out in the depths of depression and dragged myself over to the precinct and to Record Scene.
Staring at that wall - the display of all those glorious 7 inch picture sleeves, The Jam, The Stranglers, The Clash, Sex Pistols, X Ray Spex, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Generation X. My favourite bands in all the colours of the rainbow.
I had my Road to Damascus moment.
Who makes these records?
Who writes these songs?
Who plays the instruments?
PEOPLE LIKE ME.
And right there I saw my future - joining my heroes there on the wall."
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PETER WYATT
In Sunbury precinct there was this record shop called RECORD SCENE. It was our temple to the music we loved - all that was good and exciting in life. Next to the counter was a mural display of colourful seven inch picture sleeves - The Jam, The Clash, The Sex Pistols, Blondie, The Buzzcocks, Generation X. I got a buzz just by hanging out there flicking through the records, watching the people passing in and out. The staff playing all the new releases.
PETER WYATT
Was Botley I mean Carl simple or retarded? No, when you got talking to him he was quite together - amazing at remembering facts. He just came over as a bit odd. He used to stand around in the playground on his todd, in his clarkes commandos wearing a Puffin Book-club badge and reading a ladybird book on Ancient Egypt. Of course at Feltham School that was a red rag for a ****-taking.
PETER WYATT
Our parents would say - where were you when JFK was assassinated? At Feltham School it was - where were you when you heard about Angela Knowles attacking two teachers? It set tongues wagging faster than rattlesnake tails. She had really gone over the edge this time.
PETER WYATT
I'd spent five years, that's right five years - trying to get Michelle Baxter's attention. A quick smile here, a passing conversation there. But as I came towards my last day at Feltham, I decided - I WAS GOING TO ASK THIS GIRL OUT.Ê
DERMOTT COLLINS
On that last day at Feltham I strolled past that school gate, I felt something really weird - I was going to miss school.
Loads of kids were running around, swearing at the teachers, flicking the Vs at them - saying stuff - You can't do nothing about this now. I wasn't like that at all. I hate to admit it, but I was sad. Plus I was a little worried - like what the hell do I do now? I guess that school counsellor got me thinking.
JERRY ZMUDA
When I first came to Feltham I was repelled and horrified, but bit by bit over my five years I grew to accept the place - and eventually it became part of my identity. Feltham Made Me what I am today. The bleakness now felt like home, almost reassuring.
