We all need an oasis. Shelter from the storm. A nice clean room away from all the insane hurly-burly. A place where we can all chill out.
I was so happy to read this story a few days ago in the New York Times: An Audiophile Listening Room! Spiritland in London features the "best sound system in the world!"
"Listening clubs tantalize Audiophiles in London!" Made me smile! Sent an adrenaline rush through my body. I just think this is the greatest idea ever. I hope it starts a movement around the world. Truly a movement I can get behind!
Ditch your iPod. Trash your Mp3s. Join us at the Listening Club and listen to music the way it should be listened to: A first-class audio system. Quality vinyl. Listen to a record from the first groove to the last.
I truly, madly, deeply believe that the LP (the long player), the vinyl album (approximately 22 mins. per side), has been one of the great art-forms that emerged last century. For example, think: The Beatles' "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" and The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds."
M-F @ 6:00 p.m. we will listen to Classic Albums!
If I were programming the week here's my first week Audiophile list:
Monday - "Dark Side of the Moon" - Pink Floyd
Tuesday - "Tommy" - The Who
Wednesday - "Electric Lady Land" - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Thursday - "Everybody Knows this is Nowhere" - Neil Young
Friday - "Astral Weeks" - Van Morrison
OK, can't resist, here's my week two schedule:
Monday - "Revolver" - The Beatles
Tuesday - "Highway 61" - Bob Dylan
Wednesday - "Horses" - Patti Smith Group
Thursday - "What's Going On?" - Marvin Gaye
Friday - "Exile on Main Street" - The Rolling Stones
Ok, sorry, one more week of programming. I have to say, I'm enjoying this...
Monday - "Quadrophrenia" - The Who
Tuesday - "Houses of the Holy" - Led Zeppelin
Wednesday - "Sticky Fingers" - The Rolling Stones
Thursday - "Tonight's the Night" - Neil Young
Friday - "The Doors" - The Doors
One last week's programming (with notes!), final week, first month. My personally foundational music...
Monday - "The Beatles" (The White Album) - The Beatles - the first LP (double album!) I ever owned! Mind-opening!
Tuesday - "Let it Bleed"- The Rolling Stones - Hunter S. Thompson tipped me to this one. Maybe greatest R&R album ever recorded?
Wednesday - "Live at Leeds" - The Who - what the hell is going on?!
Thursday - "All Things Must Pass" - George Harrison - triple-album delight! George - the moody, spiritual one, brings it home!
Friday - John Lennon Plastic Ono Band (John Lennon) - A masterpiece. Destroyed my brother and I when we first played it. It still stands as the finest, more elemental, brutal, searing album ever. Love it! Scratched into my DNA forever!