Leading up to Christmastime 2008, I sent my cousin the yearly list of things that I wanted for the holiday. These lists would usually consist of albums and maybe a couple video games on the side. On that particular edition, among other potentials, I asked for both Original Pirate Material and A Grand Don’t Come for Free by The Streets. Earlier on in the year, Mike Skinner released his fourth album under the name in Everything Is Borrowed. But his music had been in my life for a good long while by then. I was alive and kicking when A Grand… was the new album, recognising ‘Fit But You Know It’ when it appeared on the FIFA 2005 soundtrack. I was in Year 6 when the brand-new video for ‘When You Wasn’t Famous’ was being repeated regularly on MTV2. And the singles’ videos from Original Pirate Material were a usual occurrence on the same channel. I was all-in for The Streets in that first decade of the 2000s. But I must have found out that Original… and A Grand… were considered to be the best out of the four, hence the request. And I did get them, conveniently packaged in a 2-in-1 CD jewel case, which I still have to this day.

Original Pirate Material was Skinner’s first album, released back in 2002, only made sense to start with it. It begins with ‘Turn the Page’. You ask me today to relay Skinner’s words on this track back to you, I wouldn’t be able to do it even after knowing it all this time. Not because I don’t know them, but I know for sure the words are better coming out of his mouth rather than mine. The lyrics are very much Skinner’s message to the listener to get in the zone for the album to come, and in a way for those that were to follow, ’cause he’s the phoenix rising out of the UK garage scene – which was doing its thing commercially in those early, early years of the 2000s – and looking to push it in a new direction. I can’t relate to that. I was in the last days of my sixth year on this planet when Original Pirate… was originally released. It’s not like it’s something you start reciting in the shower, either. So I’m fine to only listen to the lyrics. Skinner has such a commanding presence anyway, and those strings add the dramatic tone that takes everything to another level.

I think I need to watch the film Gladiator ’cause the track contains references to it that I am completely missing out on. Mike Skinner saw it and was inspired to write something that captured its essence. I’m sure he succeeded, but without knowing the film, it’s not in my place to firmly say. Admittedly, I’m not too cultured when it comes to movies. But even with the absence in Gladiator knowledge, there is a definite movie-scene vibe to ‘Turn the Page’. Like, it’d be perfect as the background music to a training montage of this determined character who wakes up early in the morning to get shit done. The movie would have to take place in the UK though and rely on less of a budget than your standard blockbuster Warner Bros. box office sellout. But anyway, yes, ‘Turn the Page’, a strong start to anyone’s discography, let alone one sole album. Begins everything with a cinematic tone, urges you to strap yourself in and get ready. If you listen ‘Turn the Page’ on its own, you’ll find it ends quite suddenly, on an unresolved note, and it’s because on the album, it slides right into the following track ‘Has It Come to This?’, in which the curtain’s lifted, and you’re properly invited into Skinner’s world. So listen to both songs in succession, is what I’m trying to say. Well worth the seven minutes of your time.