remember my eighth grade graduation party in my backyard . “ Hot Rocks ” by The Stones was THE album that summer . I remember slow dancing to “ Wild Horses ” on the back patio with a classmate--the brother of the boy that I was “ dating ” ( okay … so I was an early bloomer ), when it suddenly occurred to me justlikethat , that I liked him better than his brother . While the strains of “ Wild Horses ” played on , we plotted against his brother ( who was a sophomore … I had a penchant for older men , even in grade school ). His brother had sent me roses the day before professing his endless love and wishing me a very happy graduation . And it was happy indeed … just not for him .
I hear vinyl is making a comeback … and for me , I am glad for that . I never felt warm and fuzzy about CDs and we won ’ t even revisit 8 track tapes and THAT little bit of nastiness . And cassette tapes are just WRONG on so many levels . It somehow gives me hope for our future if it includes vinyl albums . In this day of digital music and all the downloading and streaming , we ’ ve lost the romance of having something to hold in your hands … something tangible that made you feel “ connected ” to the artist . Now , music is in a cloud somewhere . It has become an abstract concept that exists in another dimension . And with the onslaught of manufactured pop tarts being shoved down our throats , well , it is a sad state of affairs . Just like that episode of The Brady Bunch where Greg fit the “ Johnny Bravo ” suit and THAT made him a Rock Star ( in a groovy and happening sort of way ), we now have twerking twerps passing themselves off as relevant .
They say you can ’ t go home again . I guess that ’ s true . But , maybe , just maybe , if we return to the simpler time of vinyl albums , the world would recall the gift that music truly is . Music wasn ’ t stolen like it is today ( except by that shoplifting dude , Darryl ). Artists were PAID for their work in REAL money … not a percentage of a penny . And the consumers were delighted to INVEST in the music and RESPECTED it . Everybody won …
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