Skip to main content

Vintage Vinyl

In this episode - Vintage Vinyl . . .

Turntables are making a big comeback; why? Listening to music should be a multi-sensory experience.

Harmony, rhythm, and the deep expression of emotion. Like a warm, gentle rain in the springtime cascading around you the room is filled with a resonant, rich, melodic sound. My emotions welled up, and tears come to my eyes.

Ok, I get it, we need to step back to get some perspective here.

Recently a visit to Lou's Records in Encinitas, California, inspired me to dig out my Vintage vinyl LP record collection. I selected the Carpenters Singles 1969- 1973. This musical duo reigned from 1969-to 1982 with the rich, full melodic voice of Karen Carpenter.

They were one of the biggest-selling groups of the 1970s. "No fewer than ten of their singles went on to become million-sellers, and by 2005 combined worldwide sales of albums and singles well exceeded 100 million units."

The tactile sensory experience of music begins with the album cover itself, carefully slide the record from its sleeve, place it on the turntable, check the playback speed, clean the disc with a DiscWasher (remember those), place the tonearm, and enjoy!

The song I selected was Superstar written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell. This Richard Carpenter arrangement became the duo's third No. 2 single on the Billboard Hot 100.

"One of the elements that made the music of the Carpenters distinctive was Karen's use of her low register," says Richard Carpenter. "Though present in jazz and country music, there were few contralto singers in popular music at the time. However, Karen's wide vocal range spanned about three octaves."

Wow, what an engaging sound!

Sitting quietly, listening, my thoughts whirled through time. Reliving the feeling of pure joy that transcends the present and suspends you in space looking at yourself from the past.

Huh, all those years wasted, experiencing the music through earbuds - headphones that became smaller and smaller. It was easy to rationalize then. Technology provided you the convenience of carrying hundreds of digital albums in your pocket, the iPod. No hassle just plug in and turn it on.

To paraphrase a quote from Field of Dreams, "It's expediency we have and peace we lack."

But there's more - technology now allows you to get unlimited music on-demand through Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, and many other streaming services. Don't forget that monthly fee!

However, while transferring my original LP recording to digital MP3 files I fell in love once more with the sonorous sound that emanates from a turntable, stereo amplifier, and quality speakers. An experience simply not possible with CDs or MP3 files.

The hectic pace of life had robbed me of the true joy of a rich, full, musical experience.

So, if you have a Vintage record collection do yourself a favor. Pull out one of your favorite albums, clean it, place it on your turntable, lean back in your easy chair - relax, transcend time, and relish the experience all over again.

I'm Patrick Ball; thanks for listening. See you in the next episode.

Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
The Carpenters? Yes...her voice is unmatched...a true love of N.R. But you I think are more entranced by Elton John with lyrics by the great Bernie Taupin. How well do you remember the Chicago concert? Did you go alone or with someone else to enjoy the experience? What was Elton wearing? Did you have front row tickets or more toward the back? Did you stay the night in Chicago go or travel back to your home town? What are your favorite Elton songs?
August 31, 2020 at 1:04 PM
Anonymous said…
I'd like to be a guest on your show but it could only be on Wednesdays and you'd have to tell me how to do it...I'm elderly and don't understand today's tech...
August 31, 2020 at 1:49 PM
Patrick Ball said…
Hello Anonymous, Who are you? I've been trying to figure this out from your comments. More information, please.
August 31, 2020 at 2:49 PM
Anonymous said…
I'm shocked and appalled that you've failed to recognize me. I'll give you two clues that will clear things up. In our youth when entering your parent's home it was imperative that one removed one's shoes. It's becoming obvious now isn't it? Clue number 2....this was many years later...you'll remember my surprise when you told me about meeting the actor (now deceased) Claude Akins. A great character actor. I also remember him in the tv series called 'Movin On'...it only lasted one season but was a superb program during its short run.
September 2, 2020 at 8:34 AM
Post a Comment

Most Popular of All Time

Paris – the End of Silence

✈️  In this special episode: Paris – the End of Silence Sometimes, connection arrives in the most unexpected form—not through grand gestures, but through a quiet voice carried by technology. In a Paris apartment, I finally understood my family’s words . . . and felt my mother’s presence in every sentence. Since I was a little boy, France has been both a beautiful and frustrating paradox in my life. Every six to nine years, my mother, Mauricette, would take my brothers and me back to La Rochelle to visit our French family. The moment we arrived, the air would fill with a sound I loved but couldn’t share in—the rapid-fire, musical rhythm of French. My aunts, uncles, and cousins would warmly sweep me into hugs and kisses, their words flowing like a lovely melody I couldn’t quite catch. I’d smile brightly, trying to communicate with my eyes and hands. But as soon as we stepped off the plane, my mother and her sister-in-law, Joséan, started talking animatedly. They were gone, chatting h...
2 comments
Read more

Noirmoutier: An Ocean Between Us, Gone in a Moment

In this episode, Noirmoutier: An Ocean Between Us, Gone in a Moment. Sometimes love waits half a century for its moment — and when it finally arrives, time doesn’t stand still; it disappears. The moment I stepped off the train in Nantes, it felt like time froze. There she was — my cousin Michèle — waiting on the platform, arms waving desperately. When we finally embraced, the fifty years that had passed between us disappeared in an instant. The melody in her voice was the same, but softer than I remembered. We both shed tears of joy that only come from love long overdue. “I’m so happy you are here,” she whispered, her voice trembling.   Thank goodness for the translation app on my phone, because the conversation began immediately — fast, fluid, and unstoppable. The Frenzy of Catching Up As we drove for about an hour to the tiny town of L’Épine on the Island of Noirmoutier, the words kept tumbling out. Michèle and her husband, Alain, are the most gracious hosts — but my new challe...
1 comment
Read more

Our Journey to Avignon

🇫🇷 Lost in Transition: Our Journey to Avignon (Part 1) When everything that can go wrong—does—sometimes grace still finds you. Our Monday morning trip began on the quiet island of Noirmoutier , where salt marshes and sea breezes whisper of simpler days. From there, our early morning drive was uneventful; we arrived at the Nantes station with plenty of time to spare. From Nantes to Paris Montparnasse, everything went smoothly—so we thought, until it didn't. That's when things started to unravel. If you've never traveled the Paris Metro , imagine a vast underground maze pulsing beneath the city—corridors twisting into one another, trains roaring in and out of the dark, staircases that rise and fall like riddles. It's efficient, yes—but only if you know where you're going. We had over an hour and a half to make our next train to Avignon —plenty of time. Or so we believed. We needed to reach the Gare de Lyon station, where our TGV (high-speed train) was headed south...
Post a Comment
Read more

Patience – the Only First-Class Ticket

In this episode, Why Patience is the Only First-Class Ticket They say travel broadens the mind. After eight days sailing the Rhône with 140 fellow luxury vacationers, I can confirm it also tests patience, calf strength, buffet strategy, and one's tolerance for people furious that France insists on being French. Don't get me wrong—I adored this trip. The river shimmered like liquid optimism. The villages looked hand-painted. The pastries could negotiate world peace. But somewhere between Ship Horn Hello and Bon Voyage, we'd inadvertently boarded a floating behavioral research study disguised as a holiday. Our ship was less a cruise and more a ferry for the Sailors of Status. ⌚ The Wristwatch Wars Some passengers approached relaxation like yogis. Others treated leisure like a final exam with extra credit. I came to believe certain luxury watches emit ultrasonic signals that only their owners can detect. A frequency calibrated to trigger rapid movement toward any line forming...
1 comment
Read more