Vinyl Any Day

Today you have to make an effort to escape music if you choose to do so. It is on the radio, iPods, television, retail stores, cellphones (on both ends when calls are made), computers, and even Denny Chimes. It is by no means a bad thing. Music is an outward expression of humanity, mood alter and can voice a generation. However, as with anything, too much can dilute its purpose.

My parents tell me the cliche stories of AM radios in the living room, going to the record store to try to hear the newest release and being jealous of friends that could afford the fresh pressed vinyl. Now a days if you have ninety nine cents (or no convictions concerning stealing) or a cell you can have the newest songs in seconds. The excitement for music has definitely diminished over the years. When I realized this a few years ago, I wanted to find some way to get excited about music on some level. What was logical to me was that if vinyl Lp's made my parents happy than maybe it would make me happy as well. So I was given a record played, scrounged up the old Simon & Garfunkel and Peter, Paul &Mary records my parents had stored away and so it began.

It is just cool to me to listen to the rich tones, pops and white noise on top of the music in its original format and not digitally remastered version downloaded off the Internet. What I enjoy the most is playing an entire album of an artist who has maybe one song that I am familiar with and finding out that all of them are incredible. One such record is Cat Stevens' "Mona Bone Jakon" where I knew the song "Trouble" and that was it. Little did I know the first song on the album, "Lady D'Arbonville" would become one of my favorite songs of all time. Another great thing is when an older person tells me about an artist that I have never heard of, finding it at the thrift store, listening to it, going back to the person and talking to them about it. Anther example would be when my dad's friend told me about Leon Russell and finding it the next day. Needless to say I loved it and found three more of his records since. It does not get better than "Tight Rope" when I need cheering up. I even got to see him play at a small bar in Charleston, SC. this year and hang out with the band the rest of the night. He signed my PBR can, shirt and ticket. 

I know it seems weird, but soon as the needle hits the record it relaxes me more than any prescription I have ever been prescribed. Hitting play on your iPod had it is time, but if given the  option, I would choose vinyl every time.