Read "The Long Play" by Colette LaBouff Published in The Morning News

A reader forwarded a link to a story by Colette LaBouff published in The Morning News, "a magazine of essays, art, humor and culture" that I'm 100% certain you will enjoy reading. The publisher has generously granted us permission to provide the link.

In addition, Chris Martin who painted the accompanying picture has granted permission for us to use the above image, which is for sale. If I had the room and the proper decor (and the money), I'd own it!

Any writer referencing Bones Howe is all good in my book!

COMMENTS
BliggigtyBlah's picture

We need more females writing about vinyl.

Paul Boudreau's picture

"As the conversation continues, we’re not talking about records anymore. We’re talking about attention."

Exactly.

ravenacustic's picture

Did nothing for me. The use of the present tense drove me to distraction and the point I found to be vaporous. Nice try but not for this reader.

Hajidub's picture

I kept losing her trying to figure out if she was present or in the past. Cool topic though.

conjotter's picture

Thanks for sharing Mike.

I liked it so much I read it twice.

my new username's picture

Thanks for the link. It kinda hit home.

I retained a bit of that when CDs came into my life but never recovered from what LPs brought....still looking for a solution to something I had as a kid, pre-Jr. High through college: regular record playing. At 48 I'm not actually any busier and yet can't reliably find the time, place or setup to make it happen.

When I got married in the '90s and a TV found itself between my Snell C's that's when the trouble began, and I have yet to recover. Damn.

mraudioguru's picture

I thought this was a wonderful, well written piece. Brought back a few memories.

If I can quote Rick Springfield; "Where can I find a woman like that?"

Goochified1's picture

Very nice article! Maybe people will one day return to that time when we paid attention to music. As a lifelong music fan (and musician), it's never really left me, but it is certainly a battle to make the time and take the effort to just listen.

teachscience's picture

A previous GF and I would sit for hours and listen. My wife couldn't care less for that experience. This article brought back memories of hours listening with someone. This hobby is more enjoyable when shared with someone else IMO.

Jim Tavegia's picture

are things that we learn for ourselves. Without a true vinyl "experience" those who favor MP3s will never know what they are missing, but it doesn't bother me anymore. It is the same with education in that all too many in America have no respect for it and are not willing to put in the time to to become educated to be able to properly function in society. Everything today is quick access, a quick listen, 2 people sharing a pair of earbuds; one gets the left channel and the other the right. It is just listening to fill up some time from doing something else. Kind of like reading with one eye closed.

Joe Crowe's picture

I get your point Jim, kinda. However I feel there may be just a tad too much generalization. Also I think lack of respect for anything, education in particular, results when someone is unable to see benefit to themselves There was a time when a good education was as close to a guaranteed pathway to success as we got. This didn't last long sadly and for many elements in society some education provided as much chance for success as no education did so many took the "why bother" attitude. I don't like it any more than you but I think we could benefit more by examining where these attitudes come from than by criticizing those who hold them.

markp's picture

Nice story, vinyl records and mid-life romance.

audiof001's picture

... but isn't the $3800 cost for a print about what you'd pay for an interconnect or cables in your system? ;-)

Michael Fremer's picture
Actually though I own the equipment in my system (which is more than can be said for too many reviewers) I draw the line at cables, though I have bought some from the smaller companies like Teresonic, whose gold interconnects I really like for some applications. Otherwise I rely on manufacturers for long term loans. I keep a variety of full "looms" that sometimes have to be changed to better compliment the gear being reviewed. I could not afford to buy all of the cables I use. However, keep in mind that I am fortunate to be able to get pretty much whatever I ask for. Please don't "yell" at me for that. The truth is, I've had full "looms" here of very expensive cable that I didn't not at all like or that didn't work well in my system, so it's not as if getting the cable here is a 'bribe' or that I like it because I can get it. I'm just trying to be honest with everyone because I have nothing to hide. My favorite interconnect has been TARA Labs Zero and now Evolution Zero. It's ridiculously expensive. When someone sends me something for far less that's as good if not better, I'll prefer that regardless of cost but for now? The only thing that's come close has been WireWorld Platinum Eclipse 7 but that's also expensive! When I reviewed the LKV Research Phono 2-SB, which sells for but a few thousand dollars it made little sense to review it using interconnects costing 10X more so I used something commensurate with the preamp's price. But after the review had been published, just for the hell of it, I used the TARA Labs Zero and OMG! The LKV opened up and became far more expansive and explosive but how many people buying a $2500 phono preamp are going to spend 10X more for an interconnect cable? (answer: none). Yes, this discussion opens up more questions than can possibly be answered here, and it will no doubt infuriate some readers but....and for those who say cables don't matter, let me say those people are idiots and I couldn't care less what they call me in return.
audiof001's picture

Cables certainly do matter, even to a church mouse audiophile's ears like mine. ;-) That said, I found a very nice well shielded silver-plated phono cable from CustomCans (eBay), made across the pond, that works well for me in multiple systems. The cable doesn't have to be expensive to be good, even great.
As an artist myself, I like the illustration you used - it'd be nice to see the creator supported by vinyl lovers.

audiof001's picture

Such a nice story. I was born at he beginning of the 1950's. Our family had a small hifi and a hand full of vinyl (and the Best of Bennett Cerf comedy books). When my parents would leave the house, I'd put on lps from a big red box collection of big band records - the only stuff we had that I liked. I still have that box. The music that stands out in memory, for me, turns out to be the best mastered.

azmoon's picture

thanks for posting it Mikey!

midfiguy's picture

Thanks for the link. I loved the way she wove her family history into the narrative. And a Bones Howe reference…sure…but how about Gordon Jenkins? The last person I heard mention him was me and that was over a year ago.

Moodeez1's picture

...a woman like Colette. My one-and-only ex-wife was always asking me to turn the hifi down so she could talk. When I told her she was given only one mouth but two ears, it was the beginning of the end.

Michael Fremer's picture
I had a phone relationship with a woman in the midwest who hired me to produce some radio commercials for an agency she worked for. She had the sexiest voice and my imagination ran wild. When I moved back east she invited me to stay with her when I hit her town on my drive. My imagination ran wilder! I fantasized the evening for weeks. She was as sweet as her voice was on the phone but when she opened the door to her apartment I hope I was able to hide my shock and disappointment... if she didn't weigh 300 pounds she weighed 250....not that there's anything wrong with that for some, but not for me....
Mikeymort's picture

Thanks for sharing this....

Joe Crowe's picture

Really enjoyed this and don't k mow why some found it difficult to follow. "They’re too fragile to be played without listeners" really spoke to me and I would add "too precious" as well. My wife grew up in wonderland except for the absence of recorded music at home. Now when someone comes to the door or the phone rings while I am listening to music and I lift the arm she says "you didn't need to do that, you could have just turned it down". I always reply that I will not have a stylus sliding through a groove if I can't hear it or play at a level I enjoy. I don't believe in background music it's just dither for you brain.

Bix's picture

"The publisher has generously granted us permission to provide the link."

I'm...not sure why you needed it? :)

Daniel Emerson's picture

I enjoyed that - thanks for the link!

MonetsChemist's picture

Wow! So many good things in this article. So fine that it's all about the enjoyment to be had from listening to great records; that the listening experience includes sharing, memories... and appreciation for the technical bits that make the great sound.

Well done! Thanks so much for the link.

oranfoster's picture

have been able to get more time listening to vinyl with my lovely wife is to suggest that we listen to just a side or two before watching one of our programs on Netflix. And then I've made sure to seek out and purchase some of the albums that she loved in college.

Michael Fremer's picture
Finds my "man cave' claustrophobia-inducing and rarely comes downstairs other than to say, arms folded, "I can't hear myself think upstairs! Would you please turn that DOWN?????"
marmil's picture

...AND written by a woman is "Do Not Sell At Any Price - the wild, obsessive hunt for the world's Rarest 78 EPM Records" by Amanda Petrusich. I loved every minute of it!!!

Michael Fremer's picture
I was on a panel with her recently at the City University of New York Graduate Center moderated by Gary Giddens. It's on the site...
marmil's picture

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