I Love …. the records I’ve collected over the years that I think of as my friends. I’m not talking about all of them, obviously. But a surprisingly high percentage of them are “things” that I feel a very “people-like” attachment towards.
My parents bought a tiny, struggling manufacturing company in England in the mid60s which took a good 20 years of further struggle before success. During that 20 years, my dad spent a great deal of time away from home in Wisconsin — months at a time. He knew that I was crazy for music, so he’d bring me records back home in his giant grey Samsonite suitcase, packed in dirty laundry. The first one was “She Loves You/I’ll Get You” on Parlophone, followed by The Rolling Stones, the Kinks, the Yardbirds, the Hollies…these are my “family” records, in my love for the music and the love shown by my dad, who brought them thousands of miles home to me. I have them all still.
My parents had a very large record collection. It was because of them that I fell deeply in love with music and now have my own very large record collection. They visited my family this past weekend and my 9 year old son said he was going to throw on some tunes. I was expecting to hear the opening notes from the Supergrass LP that was on the record player when I left it. When I heard the opening notes of “Magical Mystery Tour”, pleasantly surprised, I smiled and looked at my son. He said, “I put this on for them since they love the Beatles”. I felt like three generations all came full circle at once. He gets it.
My uncle died when I was very young. I barely knew him. His huge record collection remained at my grandparents house untouched for many years until I came of age and was granted access to his room. He had every Bob Dylan album up to 1983 (he passed in '85) as well as nearly every Zappa, Kinks, Clash, and Beatles, as well as many bootlegs. There are still many records I haven't explored yet. Listening to his records made me feel a connection to my uncle as well as helped form my own musical taste. I'm the keeper of his collection now and have merged it with my own filling in gaps and adding new wings to the library. I'm sure that if my uncle had lived he would be a Wilco fan.
Jeff, I always love to find you talk about records.
Definitely Being there has been my buddy through 1996 when I was 16. I bouth the 2CD set at Tower Record Shibuya at that time it was not that easy to find import cds that were listed on my want list.
Some years later, I bought Being there also in vinyl format. A few more years later,
I put its cover (without vinly discs) to my fathers casket on his funeral. Since then eyerytime I spin the "naked vinyl discs" I can feel as if my father is nearby. I appreciate you for all those wonderful exeriences.
1. Queen - Queen II. I dove deep with this one in Jr. High while Pearl Jam and Nirvana were at the top of their game. With a cover like this, what prepubescent kid wouldn't put on a scuba tank?!
2. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead. I always avoided The Smiths and Morrissey since I was supposed to as a The Cure fan. I broke that rule one day and never regretted it.
3. Gary Numan - The Pleasure Principle. I was a tad scared of this album but that is why I hung in there with it. Over a few weeks it changed how I listened to music, at least consciously.
4. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral. This was one that came in the buy one cd get 19 free from Columbia House music send aways. I thought I was going to hell when I first heard it. Now I scratch my back with this pitchfork and still heard new things in it every time I play it with headphones on.
Tears for Fears, Songs from the Big Chair was one of my first records as a kid that wasn’t a “kids” record (ie Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to Hollywood…though who doesn’t love a squeaky version of “You’re the One That I Want” from Grease). I felt adult and cool. It was my cool, slightly older, yet still contemporary, aunt or uncle…the one who shows you MTV against your parents wishes. Anyhow, I lost the original somewhere in my parents old house and was only recently reunited. But it’s like we picked up where we left off and we’re remembering all the old stories and good times. I get the family analogy 100%.
…knowing a few of your ::become like family:: records in your collection
A few of my ::become like family:: records off the top of my head without even thinking about it for a second…
1. Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks
This is one of my earliest memories of the power of music as my mom would clean every Saturday blasting this album and me as a little girl asking her every other day of the week if she could play that “tangled blue” song.
2. The Concert for Bangladesh
Again, one of my first memories of being moved by music as a little girl…asking my mom, “play it again…the Bob part.”
3. Janis Joplin - Greatest Hits
My mom singing along, blasting the album, smiling at me in the way that only a mother can✨✨✨
I was a young girl inspired by my mom’s feelings for music and blown away by Janis’s spell.
4. Marvin Gaye - What’s Going On
This. This is like the teenage daughter who was born older. Her old soul who knows the world is shit, but also knows that in kindness and integrity exists hope.
5. Bob Marley and the Wailers - Exodus
The super cool big brother that is always protecting and looking out for your best interests.
6. Wilco - ALL 11 ALBUMS, but I’ll list Sky Blue Sky & Yankee Hotel Foxtrot specifically because they were the first Wilco albums I ever heard. They’re like the grandma who bakes the best treats and cooks the most delicious dinners that always makes you crave MORE. More. More. They’re like the grandparents…you never know what to expect. You only know that your time with them will be magical. Every. Single. Time. They’re also like mom and dad. There for you, no matter what. Never judging. Always supporting. Always helping.
7. Jeff Tweedy -
Warm & Warmer
They are the family member(s) that you feel safest with. No bullshit. The one(s) you run to when you need to laugh, and cry. Unconditional love. Your rock. They are my mom and daughters.
I bought a copy of "Double Nickels on The Dime" off of Ebay in the late 90's. This was before paypal had come out so I mailed a check (I think it was $20 or so) to the proprietor and waited for the record to ship. In the meantime I wrote an oversharing email out to the ebay seller telling him how much I loved that Minutemen record and how happy I was to find a clean original copy for my small collection. The buyer wrote back and shared some stories of seeing Watt/Boon/Hurley live, an old punk rocker who was so happy to know his extra copy of DNOTD was going to an appreciative home, and would be listened to by a kindred soul of musical taste. We discussed how great it is to find other humans who are moved by music in the same way, it's so special!
Anyway he never cashed the check, so I guess I think of that record as an adopted son.
My uncle from my Father's side was a sales men for Colombia and Capitol Records - in 1966 at the age of 13 he brought me the album Rubber Soul by the Beatles it changed the way i look at music fast forward in 2004 at my youngest daughters wedding the song played for our dance was John Lennon's in My Life my favorite all time song memory that i will never forget.
My parents bought a tiny, struggling manufacturing company in England in the mid60s which took a good 20 years of further struggle before success. During that 20 years, my dad spent a great deal of time away from home in Wisconsin — months at a time. He knew that I was crazy for music, so he’d bring me records back home in his giant grey Samsonite suitcase, packed in dirty laundry. The first one was “She Loves You/I’ll Get You” on Parlophone, followed by The Rolling Stones, the Kinks, the Yardbirds, the Hollies…these are my “family” records, in my love for the music and the love shown by my dad, who brought them thousands of miles home to me. I have them all still.
My parents had a very large record collection. It was because of them that I fell deeply in love with music and now have my own very large record collection. They visited my family this past weekend and my 9 year old son said he was going to throw on some tunes. I was expecting to hear the opening notes from the Supergrass LP that was on the record player when I left it. When I heard the opening notes of “Magical Mystery Tour”, pleasantly surprised, I smiled and looked at my son. He said, “I put this on for them since they love the Beatles”. I felt like three generations all came full circle at once. He gets it.
A Schwinn Stingray was a sweet ride back in the day.
My uncle died when I was very young. I barely knew him. His huge record collection remained at my grandparents house untouched for many years until I came of age and was granted access to his room. He had every Bob Dylan album up to 1983 (he passed in '85) as well as nearly every Zappa, Kinks, Clash, and Beatles, as well as many bootlegs. There are still many records I haven't explored yet. Listening to his records made me feel a connection to my uncle as well as helped form my own musical taste. I'm the keeper of his collection now and have merged it with my own filling in gaps and adding new wings to the library. I'm sure that if my uncle had lived he would be a Wilco fan.
"This Perfect World" by Freedy Johnston is what came to mind for me. This record has stood the test of any time I've listened to it.
Jeff, I always love to find you talk about records.
Definitely Being there has been my buddy through 1996 when I was 16. I bouth the 2CD set at Tower Record Shibuya at that time it was not that easy to find import cds that were listed on my want list.
Some years later, I bought Being there also in vinyl format. A few more years later,
I put its cover (without vinly discs) to my fathers casket on his funeral. Since then eyerytime I spin the "naked vinyl discs" I can feel as if my father is nearby. I appreciate you for all those wonderful exeriences.
1. Queen - Queen II. I dove deep with this one in Jr. High while Pearl Jam and Nirvana were at the top of their game. With a cover like this, what prepubescent kid wouldn't put on a scuba tank?!
2. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead. I always avoided The Smiths and Morrissey since I was supposed to as a The Cure fan. I broke that rule one day and never regretted it.
3. Gary Numan - The Pleasure Principle. I was a tad scared of this album but that is why I hung in there with it. Over a few weeks it changed how I listened to music, at least consciously.
4. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral. This was one that came in the buy one cd get 19 free from Columbia House music send aways. I thought I was going to hell when I first heard it. Now I scratch my back with this pitchfork and still heard new things in it every time I play it with headphones on.
Tears for Fears, Songs from the Big Chair was one of my first records as a kid that wasn’t a “kids” record (ie Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to Hollywood…though who doesn’t love a squeaky version of “You’re the One That I Want” from Grease). I felt adult and cool. It was my cool, slightly older, yet still contemporary, aunt or uncle…the one who shows you MTV against your parents wishes. Anyhow, I lost the original somewhere in my parents old house and was only recently reunited. But it’s like we picked up where we left off and we’re remembering all the old stories and good times. I get the family analogy 100%.
As hokey as it sounds, virtually every one of this posts feels like a happy interruption to my day. Really glad and grateful Mr Tweedy fired this up
Blood relatives:
The Silos by The Silos
Phantom Power by The Tragically Hip
Ring by The Connells
YHF by Wilco
Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys
I LOVE…
…this starship journey
…your post, beautifully written (as always)
…knowing a few of your ::become like family:: records in your collection
A few of my ::become like family:: records off the top of my head without even thinking about it for a second…
1. Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks
This is one of my earliest memories of the power of music as my mom would clean every Saturday blasting this album and me as a little girl asking her every other day of the week if she could play that “tangled blue” song.
2. The Concert for Bangladesh
Again, one of my first memories of being moved by music as a little girl…asking my mom, “play it again…the Bob part.”
3. Janis Joplin - Greatest Hits
My mom singing along, blasting the album, smiling at me in the way that only a mother can✨✨✨
I was a young girl inspired by my mom’s feelings for music and blown away by Janis’s spell.
4. Marvin Gaye - What’s Going On
This. This is like the teenage daughter who was born older. Her old soul who knows the world is shit, but also knows that in kindness and integrity exists hope.
5. Bob Marley and the Wailers - Exodus
The super cool big brother that is always protecting and looking out for your best interests.
6. Wilco - ALL 11 ALBUMS, but I’ll list Sky Blue Sky & Yankee Hotel Foxtrot specifically because they were the first Wilco albums I ever heard. They’re like the grandma who bakes the best treats and cooks the most delicious dinners that always makes you crave MORE. More. More. They’re like the grandparents…you never know what to expect. You only know that your time with them will be magical. Every. Single. Time. They’re also like mom and dad. There for you, no matter what. Never judging. Always supporting. Always helping.
7. Jeff Tweedy -
Warm & Warmer
They are the family member(s) that you feel safest with. No bullshit. The one(s) you run to when you need to laugh, and cry. Unconditional love. Your rock. They are my mom and daughters.
I bought a copy of "Double Nickels on The Dime" off of Ebay in the late 90's. This was before paypal had come out so I mailed a check (I think it was $20 or so) to the proprietor and waited for the record to ship. In the meantime I wrote an oversharing email out to the ebay seller telling him how much I loved that Minutemen record and how happy I was to find a clean original copy for my small collection. The buyer wrote back and shared some stories of seeing Watt/Boon/Hurley live, an old punk rocker who was so happy to know his extra copy of DNOTD was going to an appreciative home, and would be listened to by a kindred soul of musical taste. We discussed how great it is to find other humans who are moved by music in the same way, it's so special!
Anyway he never cashed the check, so I guess I think of that record as an adopted son.
so happy to see that Laura Nyro in front. Was just thinking about her wonderful voice and spirit!
Nevermind and The Replacements' Tim are the influential uncles of a lot of my taste.
I’d have to say Quadrophenia by The Who is my father. Bowie’s Hunky Dory is my mother. Pavement- Slanted and Enchanted is my waistoid little Brother.
My uncle from my Father's side was a sales men for Colombia and Capitol Records - in 1966 at the age of 13 he brought me the album Rubber Soul by the Beatles it changed the way i look at music fast forward in 2004 at my youngest daughters wedding the song played for our dance was John Lennon's in My Life my favorite all time song memory that i will never forget.