Confessions of a Budding audiophile is a weekly feature on Geeky Through The Ages that examines Hi-Fi gear, vinyl records, and music in general. I'm a bit of an audio geek, and I'm looking forward to sharing that with you.
I Believe in Elvis Presley by BP Fallon, Produced by Jack White and Third Man Records.
This post is inspired by a trip that I took to a local record store. Digging through the crates at an indie record store, or even a local antique store, is something I recommend everyone does at least once a month. I bought two albums (Keep on Your Mean side by The Kills and Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle by Bill Callahan, full reviews to follow) on vinyl, and resisted the urge to spend a lot more money.
Criminal is one of the few indie record stores in the state that still stocks a large supply of new vinyl records. Their selection is hand picked by the staff, and tends to cater toward their own obscure tastes, but there are always a lot of new and vintage records for sale.
Criminal is far from the only record store in town, (they aren't even my favorites) but they are the only one that I could afford to visit this time around. They are one of the biggest indie record stores in the country, and are incredibly active in Record Store Day. The news that they might go out of business has put me in an introspective place. I've found myself thinking back on my journey into the world of vinyl records.
I was a senior in high school when I discovered High Fidelity audio for the first time. It was like someone had opened my ears, every time I put a new disc on, it was like I was listening to it for the first time. Even the cheap stereo system that I started with sounded much better than anything I'd been exposed to before. I was astounded by how much better music was supposed to sound.
Criminal is far from the only record store in town, (they aren't even my favorites) but they are the only one that I could afford to visit this time around. They are one of the biggest indie record stores in the country, and are incredibly active in Record Store Day. The news that they might go out of business has put me in an introspective place. I've found myself thinking back on my journey into the world of vinyl records.
I was a senior in high school when I discovered High Fidelity audio for the first time. It was like someone had opened my ears, every time I put a new disc on, it was like I was listening to it for the first time. Even the cheap stereo system that I started with sounded much better than anything I'd been exposed to before. I was astounded by how much better music was supposed to sound.
I started collecting records instantly. As a child of the 90s, I didn't know what I was doing. I had to learn everything starting at the beginning, from how to hold a record through what to look for in audio gear. It wasn't easy to learn, but I met some interesting people, didn't make too many mistakes, and ended up with a great system and a great collection (without spending an arm and a leg.)
Today, I have two stereo systems. One is very nice, and mostly vintage: with a beautiful Stromberg-Carolson tube amp, some Dynaco A25 speakers, and an Acoustic Research turn-table. It sits in my living room, with the majority of my records. The other is far more modest: an Audio Technica PL-60 turntable (the cheapest table that I still feel comfortable calling Hi-Fi) running through a pair of powered studio monitors by M-Audio. It sits in my office, so that I can spin some wax while I work. In addition to these two systems, I have about 1000 albums. I've got so many that storage is starting to be a problem.
The video featured above is the official music video for a song that was released on a rather unique 7" vinyl single by Jack White's 3rd Man Records. It is unique because it is "3-sided." The a-side is a spoken word piece called Fame #9. The b-side consists of two mono tracks pressed on top of each other in a stereo groove. One speaker plays the song featured above, the other speaker plays an interview between Fallon and White. Most Hi-Fi systems include the ability to play one channel at a time, so that you can actually listen to this unique configuration.
The song is a take on John Lennon's 'God.' I love the imagery in the words. Full lyrics included at the end of the post.
I chose to include this song along with this post because it sums up, more or less, how I feel about music, today. BP Fallon is an irish DJ. He worked at Apple Records, he promoted for Zeppelin, and U2, and god knows who else. He isn't a musician. He isn't a vocalist. He wrote a simple song and Jack White made it famous.
I purchased this single from Criminal Records shortly after it came out. I've always associated it with Criminal.
Today, I have two stereo systems. One is very nice, and mostly vintage: with a beautiful Stromberg-Carolson tube amp, some Dynaco A25 speakers, and an Acoustic Research turn-table. It sits in my living room, with the majority of my records. The other is far more modest: an Audio Technica PL-60 turntable (the cheapest table that I still feel comfortable calling Hi-Fi) running through a pair of powered studio monitors by M-Audio. It sits in my office, so that I can spin some wax while I work. In addition to these two systems, I have about 1000 albums. I've got so many that storage is starting to be a problem.
The video featured above is the official music video for a song that was released on a rather unique 7" vinyl single by Jack White's 3rd Man Records. It is unique because it is "3-sided." The a-side is a spoken word piece called Fame #9. The b-side consists of two mono tracks pressed on top of each other in a stereo groove. One speaker plays the song featured above, the other speaker plays an interview between Fallon and White. Most Hi-Fi systems include the ability to play one channel at a time, so that you can actually listen to this unique configuration.
The song is a take on John Lennon's 'God.' I love the imagery in the words. Full lyrics included at the end of the post.
I chose to include this song along with this post because it sums up, more or less, how I feel about music, today. BP Fallon is an irish DJ. He worked at Apple Records, he promoted for Zeppelin, and U2, and god knows who else. He isn't a musician. He isn't a vocalist. He wrote a simple song and Jack White made it famous.
I purchased this single from Criminal Records shortly after it came out. I've always associated it with Criminal.
Song:
BP Fallon 'I Believe In Elvis Presley'
Produced by Jack White III
BP Fallon: Vocals
Jack White: Guitars
Patrick Keeler: Drums
Society Red: Bass, Guitars
Taken from the release on Third Man Records TMR 022
I Believe in Elvis PresleyI believe in Jerry Lee
I believe Dr Winston
I believe in you and me
I believe in Lewis CarrollI believe in vinyl records
I believe in Oscar Wilde
I believe in Muddy Waters
I believe in Jackson 5
I believe in Charlie Chaplin
I believe in MLK
I believe in what is happening
I believe in come what may
I'm not against a little darkness
I'm not against a little sin
As long as no-one gets hurt
Or lets the devil in
So maybe he came to the crossroads
Or maybe it's a racist lie
Saying no black man could be so brilliant
Without the devil getting his soul when he dies
I believe in vinyl records
I believe in mp3
I believe in Tutti Frutti
I believe in RnB
I believe in psychedelics
I believe in LSD
I believe in marijuana
I believe in you and me
These are times when it feels we live in fiction
And what we still believe in is several truths apart
And all we've got to go by is our worshipping of icons
And God - or is it Elvis? - singing 'How Great Thou Art'
I believe in Elvis Presley
I believe in Jerry Lee
I believe in who you are girl
I believe in you and me
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