While much of what happened in 1998 is well known, Bill Clinton's relationship with Monica Lewinski being top of the list, there is much in this episode that I wasn't aware of at the time. Things were “getting serious” with my girlfriend, we got engaged and built a house together. Maybe that whole “getting a life” thing is what shifted my focus from keeping up with music that was new and exciting. There is plenty here that I discovered much later.
There are also news stories bubbling under the surface that only grab your attention with hindsight and the knowledge of what is to come. The Dayton Accord brought peace to Serbia two years earlier but things are far from settled in the nearby state of Kosovo. UN weapons inspectors have been given the runaround in Iraq for months and all sides (with some exceptions who will make their presence known) have come to the negotiating table over Northern Ireland. There's also a cameo appearance from a future US president.
So listen out for that as you sit back, relax and relive the stories and their musical accompaniment. Good riddance to all that's come before. Welcome to 1998.
