That sound….a phonograph needle set lightly down on vinyl….the crackle as the grooves give up their treasure….ahhhhhh.
I don’t know about you, but this is one boomer who still loves her LPs and record player. Because sometimes, nothing else will do.
Sure, I have other ways to hear music. A few years ago I gave up my floor size JBL speakers and consolidated down to a small Bose wave system that packs a mighty punch sound-wise. I listen to CDS and an IPod on it, as well as the radio.
But for the old tunes that evoke strong memories, nothing beats a turntable and good pair of speakers.
Luckily, I’ve kept my record collection. So I can hear Phil and Don Everly like they’re supposed to be heard: fresh and real with an occasional pop or skip. As well countless other artists from the 50s, 60s, 70s…and even a few older upstarts like Mozart and Beethoven.
For sure blues artists sound better.
Even just holding the album jacket feels good. I love reading the liner notes. Love thinking about how they selected the photograph or artwork that ended up being chosen. I remember being so excited to see the latest Beatles album. (My father never could understand why we needed more than one.) It’s still a ton of fun to spend an afternoon in a vintage vinyl shop and find some classic LPs for a few bucks.
CDs are great, they sound good, you get a lot more tunes on them, but holding that piece of plastic in my hands doesn’t give me the same thrill.
And it is a thrill. Music can lower our blood pressure. It releases endorphins to lessen physical pain. It’s been found to speed up post-stroke recovery. Help with migraines. Research has suggested listening to Mozart helps improve memory and enhance learning ability.
Music can make you happy, and it isn’t addictive. Doesn’t have cholesterol. And it won’t make you fat. And it’s the best way I know to get yourself out of the dumps…I confess to loving how it feels to immerse myself in music—even if that means getting my brain right next to the speakers.
Of course, listening to music that’s way too loud can be bad for you. I’m sure my hearing is not quite what it should be after too many years as an adolescent with earphones. And I know I came out of more than one rock concert wondering why people around me were moving their mouths and I couldn’t hear them.
Maybe that’s one reason I enjoy hearing albums so much…the feeling you are in the studio with them. If there’s a pop or a hiss or a bump, it just sounds like part of the recording process.
I’m sure new technology will soon emerge and we’ll all be expected to scramble to convert.
But I’m not giving up my turntable.
And while I confess I don’t get to a lot of rock concerts anymore, I won’t give up my memories of those I’ve been to…Creedence Clearwater Revival, Doobie Brothers, James Taylor, Three Dog Night, Little Feat, Steve Winwood, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Bruce Springsteen, The Police, Huey Lewis & The News, Tom Petty, The Moody Blues, The Rolling Stones, Steely Dan, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyle Lovett, Boz Scaggs, Chicago, Genesis, Men at Work, Billy Joel, Santana, Al Jarreau, Eric Clapton, Delbert McClinton, Ray Charles, Asleep at The Wheel, U2, Bonnie Raitt, Booker T. & The MGs, Pat Metheny, B.B. King, and a host of fantastic artists in small venues and dives around the music-lovin’ town of Memphis, Tennessee. I’m sure I’m leaving some out.
People I wish I could have heard live? Dean Martin. Elvis Presley. Patsy Cline. Nat King Cole. George Harrison. I’m determined to hear Placido Domingo sing live one of these days. I’d love to see Brian Seltzer strut his stray cat boogie on a stage. And so many of the all-time great blues artists are leaving us…truly a great loss.
What was your favorite concert? Your favorite album? Share your memories…it might get you to humming your favorite songs…and that might make you very happy.
“The only truth is music.”
Jack Kerouac
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