Vinyl Fever
Today I’m participating in a Blog Carnival about first music memories. Don’t miss the other amazing contributors who shared their own memories linked at Michelle Woodman’s blog. Big thanks for Michelle for such a fun and inspiring topic!
Once upon a time, people could buy records at the grocery store.
Records, you know? Those big, flat, black platters made of hard vinyl? The old fashioned iPod?
Music was different then.
I strain on my tippy-toes, arms stretched to reach the back of bin. I carefully flip from one album to the next. Andy Williams oozes through the PA at the brand-new Kroger SuperStore, soothing the savage housewives…and there it is. Twelve inches of grown-up coolness.
Wrapped in plastic, I content myself to gaze at the simple cover art — graffiti on white brick. Somehow, I know there is magic inside.
* * *
There was always music around our house. My dad did the printing for Columbia House record club, and we had promotional copies of everything from ELO to The Carpenters. I danced around the living room to Elton John instead of John Denver and The Muppets. (OK, I listened to that, too.)
But my coming-of-age, the first album I chose and bought for myself?
Pink Floyd. The Wall.
Epic.
What happened?
iTunes has reduced music to track-based immediate consumption. Mashups and remixes stress cross-promotion over quality. Artistic integrity is losing to shock and publicity grabs.
Sure, we had our flamboyant performers and our made-for-TV boy-bands. But it’s reached a new low.
In a time when the artist and the listener should be closer than ever and Big Media should be fighting for its life by presenting more and better artists, they instead fight for their lives by laying out Lil Wayne and Drake.
Our grandparents feared Elvis. Our parents feared Elton John. We fear Nicki Minaj. Where are we headed?? What will my grandchildren grow up listening to?
It’s time for a revolution.
It’s time for artists to stand up and beat back mainstream media. For a new model to rise up that puts quality back in focus. We need more Adele. More Mumford & Sons. More talent and honesty, less wardrobe malfunctions and suits of meat.
Art can be used for good or bad. Let’s use it to change the world for the better.
Who is your favorite little-known artist? Leave a comment and spread the word….
*Photo Credit: Klaus Hiltscher (Creative Commons)
Don’t forget to check out the other great writers that are also part of today’s carnival of music…starting here.
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About Christine
I am a writer, a project manager, and a corporate refugee with a heart for orphans around the world. My two daughters were adopted from Ukraine at ages 12 and 14. I post about writing, chasing dreams, and making a difference in the world, and sometimes I share fun snippets of fiction in-progress.
I’ll start with two.
A few weeks ago, a fellow Killer Tribes member interviewed David Robbins. I downloaded his new collection, Echoes in the Pines. Stellar. If you like acoustic stuff (Ryan Adams, etc), then go get this. Now. http://davidrobbins.bandcamp.com/
also last month, an amazingly generous Hope Arthur donated her time and mad singer-songwriter skillz to play an adoption benefit show for some friends. Hope just released a new EP, so go check her out, too! http://soundcloud.com/hope-arthur1
I already have great respect for your writing as well as your taste in music, but Ryan Adams? I didn’t know anyone else ever heard of him! I thought my wife and I were the only ones!
Whenever we mention him to others, and they respond excitedly with “I LOVE that guy!” We always respond, dejected, with “No, not BRYAN Adams”. They usually come back with, “Oh, never heard of him.”
David Gray (White Ladder) and Avett Brothers (Emotionalism) are among our other favorite, little-known artists. Both sort-of popular. Enough so that people have heard of them, but not enough to NOT be able to get into a show (sorry for the double negative!)
The Wall should be in everyone’s catalogue. A classic by any standards! “Animals” is outstanding, too, but I can’t get through the entire CD without wanting to kill myself! And that’s coming from a Cure and Smiths fan!
Can’t wait to check out David Robbins!
Outstanding post, Christine! Thanks for playing at the carnival!
If I had Bryan Adams in my collection, I’d hope someone would punch me in the face and take away my iPod. We have a lot of David Gray, but I’ll have to check out Avett Brothers.
This is SO fun!!!
I loved that Bryan Adams song from the movie 3 Musketeers (or was it the Robin Hood with Kevin Costner???) I would sing that to girls in middle school/early high school, and they would love me!!
We’ll have to exchange music at the conference, but if you come at me with “Summer of ’69”, we’re so not friends anymore!
Bring lots of blank CD’s! I have tons of Avett Brothers, too.
Blank CD’s? You are soooo 2003. 😉
The Avett Bros are pretty crazy, I like them too!! You really have to see them live to appreciate what they do!!
‘The Wall’ is an amazing CD, awesome listening experience. The movie was even more trippy, but still great to have on in the background while doing something else. Greatest Pink Floyd song is ‘Wish You Were Here’.
As for little known artists, I’m not much of a music aficionado, but I do enjoy random Irish music that incorporates bagpipes. Have you ever heard ‘Amazing Grace’ on bagpipes, amazing!!
Steve,
We have a Veterans Event at our church every year and each year we bring in a bagpiper (bagpipist?) to play Amazing Grace.
Bagpipes can be a bit of an acquired taste but there is something truly spine tingling about them.
I went to a high school in an area that had been settled by the Scots, and our school had a bagpipe corps. That brings back lots of memories!
Agreed, definitely an acquired taste, but well worth taking the time to acquire. It’s also part of my heritage as well, so it makes it a little easier having grown up listening very randomly to them.
Comfortably Numb.
great song as well! That whole album was truly epic, just as you said!
I love Jenny and Tyler. They’re a great husband and wife duo, and their song “Season” was a really meaningful song for my wife and I when our youngest was in the hospital. They’re giving away a free album right now, actually, definitely worth a listen.
Oh, wow, Benjer…Jenny and Tyler are GREAT! Another new favorite!! THANKS!
Wow great post Christine! My favorite little known band/artist is probably Flickerstick. They are not together anymore, but they made 4 albums that were fantastic. Think Radiohead meets Coldplay with an indie edge. Something like that.
Ooooh, Flickerstick sounds like something I’d love. Your recommendation carries a lot of weight….Checking them out!
Great post, Christine, and thanks again for joining in the fun! 😀
I’ve been enjoying The Rend Collective Experiment as of late — they’re a rather large group of singers and musicians out of Ireland who make some (in my opinion) very enjoyable music.
Thanks for organizing this, Michelle….it’s been a BLAST, and was a brilliantly fun idea! I’ll have to check out Rend Collective Experiment too…sounds really interesting. Different is a very good thing!