What’s old is new again.

In 1977 I was eleven years old, and my neighbor, Danny, was seventeen.  Like an older brother, he gave me some very influential hand-me-downs, that, little did I know, would play a major role in shaping my musical journey.  As he was upgrading his stereo system, he gave me his old “Craig” receiver, turntable, and a pair of speakers so large I thought my bedroom floor would buckle from the heft. I spent that weekend listening to records: KISS, Zeppelin, Ted Nugent and The Eagles.

Forty-two years later, my fifteen-year-old son, Tyler, has starting buying vinyl, and prefers records over CDs and Mp3s. He and I love to visit the record store and flip through the $3 bins, grabbing up those same classics that I discovered in my youth. When we get home, we sit on the floor, listen to the records, and marvel at the liner notes and jacket graphics.  My advice to you: order a pizza and spend time with friends and family around a record player. The conversations and camaraderie will foster creativity, a love of music, and maybe even a musician. ©RSJ