June 20th, 2011
This journal entry is one that comes from a new sense of discovery. Over the last two weeks I happened to visit friends that keep the spirit of record collections alive and well. Both were buddies that I hadn’t seen in awhile but we always could find that place where we left off last… these friendships are easy and always entertaining; I couldn’t wait to plug in for the afternoon and talk music. The record collection for both is something to marvel at. It consists of a full wall of vinyl in their man caves, a single turntable, and a huge sound system to enjoy the music. One is a neat freak the other not so much; both people are very different but when I check out their walls, the records you find are very similar. The common ground in musical tastes is something of a phenomenon because the personalities do not match. I found myself examining the same factors of why our friendships worked and it all came back to music. I’m in the final stages of editing with a real finish line presentation date in October. The documentary and the message it’s trying to give have been on the brain 24/7. I’m at that stage now where the music that I’ve been choosing for the film has purpose. I feel extra sensitive to the music I listen to and the experiences it reflects. It’s intense in every sense of the word because the film is close to being done and this music selection process brings it all together.
When I ask the question of what does a record look like I think it comes from the experience music created for me recently with my buddies. When we pulled records like Led Zeppelin, Queen, AC/DC, Saturday Night Fever, Thriller, Motley Crue, RUN-DMC, De La Soul, I was floored at the random memories that came to mind. It didn’t just start with the music playing; it started from the search. We would be talking and one of us would think of a song and we had to find it on the wall. Sometimes your eye caught it right away and other times you would be caught up in other memory recall moments from the cool artwork on all the vinyl covers. This was the search process… this was the beginning of where a record got its identity. It’s like checking people out and being attracted or repulsed by the simple appearance. You look for that instant grab. Who doesn’t remember Michael Jackson on that Thriller album with the fold out of him with a tiger… chillin’. That moment sums up the 80s in one cheesy visual and brought me back to when I was nine years old lovin’ that record!
After the record was picked and put on the player, the next real thing that caught my eye and gave another layer of a vinyl’s identity was that crackle. I always found that some records always stayed in good condition while others just didn’t do as well. The crackle over the speakers would be such a trigger for me, especially when I was younger. I knew how to identify certain artists and songs in my collection by that noise a vinyl crackle could make. I loved that sound and once the music began it was like beginning a relationship with someone or something. I felt emotional listening with my friends and reliving some music I hadn’t listened to in awhile. It was really cool to see more than just my buddies in the flesh but also having that chance to spend some time with the wax.
To me, what a record looks like is something that has a lot of character, loyalty, and a friend that comforts you when needed…
What does your record look like?
The countdown is on…
Global Groove Network (GGN) premieres this October in Toronto!
Check out http://www.groovetheglobe.com/ for more information.
