Mom, Dad, and listening to records – Part 1
Remembering how it was.
With the exception of the sense of smell, very few things evoke memories for me as much as music does. I remember my very first exposure to vinyl like it was yesterday- a very rare thing for me these days! We lived in Winter Haven, Florida, and I was around 8 years old. That was around 1970. My dad purchased a console record player that, for the lack of a better term, resembled a buffet.
I remember it was an all-in-one unit with the speakers built-in on the sides, a record player, and what we would probably call a receiver today. It stood proudly in our living room, effortlessly filling it with the great music of the day. It was likely an RCA, probably purchased from Sears.
The fondness of my memories of that record player revolve around seeing my parents dance to the soundtrack from Zorba the Greek, the electrifying music of The Ventures, Elvis, Patsy Cline, and other artists that I still love today (I still have some of my parents’ albums!!).
My vinyl system today is a bit more sophisticated than that system, but the vivid memory kicks in as the needle drops into place, and I hear the first few seconds of pop and hiss as the needle finds the groove. The overpowering emotion is just as strong today as it was all those years ago. As I sit back and close my eyes, settling in for a listening session, I am transported back in time, and for the moment, I am with my parents- watching them dance like they haven’t a care in the world.
My parents have passed on to the next dance. I’m so thankful for the memories and for the love of music they instilled in me. Vinyl records mean a lot to many, but for many more, there’s a whole new world to discover. We will spend the next few newsletters talking about the magic of vinyl records. And to think, they reproduce music without any computer chips – it’s all mechanical!
A few things to consider – first, vinyl records represent the pinnacle of music reproduction for many music lovers. It’s not only the sound, but the experience that comes with the full-size album art, notes, and wrapping. For me, it takes me back to the days of getting a new record from a favorite band, sitting down with the album sleeve in hand, and reading the lyrics as the songs introduce themselves to me.
Second, there’s an ‘organic’ richness to vinyl that’s found in only the best of digital sources. So much so, that many artists are releasing their latest recordings on vinyl in addition to digital. Sometimes, they even include bonus songs in a deluxe vinyl release! Examples include recent special editions from Bjork, Kendrick Lamar, Ed Sheeran, and even the soundtrack to Guardians of the Galaxy (note to Marvel fans – records sound better than cassette tapes!) Ready to take the spin? So are we.
MODERN TURNTABLES
Record players or turntables have come a long way. The first ‘breakthrough’ designs hit the market in the 1970s and have grown ever since in quality and sophistication. We are a dealer and endorser of American-made VPI turntables. We’ll have more on these in our next issue.
For insights into adding music, video or smart tech to any space, visit audioguydfw.com or contact us for a free home consultation.
