I'm watching a series called The Shape of Things That Hum, on the history of various synths. After the MiniMoog, Vocoder and Yamaha DX-7, they're doing the Fairlight.

Everyone interviewed – people like Vince Clarke, Rick Wakeman and Nick Rhodes – said they were expensive, but no-one's said just how expensive.

Well, it was over £20,000. In early 1980s money. You could've bought a house in London with that.

Somewhere I've got a copy of a computing magazine from the time, between the first Frankies singles and the first album, where someone from their record company ZTT says that no-one will be able to make good records at home, because no-one except rich people like them can afford a Fairlight.

Now, the cheapest sound card you can get is more powerful. And the house would be worth at least £250k.