Emily received a turntable for a gift at Christmas.
We have not had an operational record player in a few years. A “few years” for Ella, is half her life!
So when we hooked it up to an amplifier during the holiday break we dug into Emily’s collection of classic records. Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, Johnny Cash, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Frank Sinatra, Don McLean. Real music.
Each wobble and crackle brought us back to our childhood.
While eating dinner one evening with the scratchy sound of Simon and Garfunkel filling our house, the needle started to skip, the needle started to skip, the needle started to skip, the needle started to skip.
A huge smile came across my face.
“Do you hear that kids?” I said with excitement. “That is the sound of a skipping record!”
It was the first time they heard the beautifully imperfect sound of an analog record.
Which brings me wonder, have they have ever heard a dial tone?
Reminds me of being as stressed out as a DJ on a minimalist radio station… playing Phillip Glass, Steve Reich, Daniel Lentz, etc. — how would you ever tell if the record was skipping?
Sometimes when I’m singing along I catch myself skipping, because that’s what my record did, way back when ????.
My old band teacher Brian Lillis), a professional musician, always said that vinyl was the best format. I had the same experience introducing my son to a turn table a couple years ago. I don’t think he’s used a rotary dial phone but I’ve thought about buying one from s thrift store and curbing his iPhone use and get back to basics.