Ongoing History of New Music

The Ongoing History of New Music, Episode 796: A Beginner’s Guide to Vinyl

So. You’ve decided to go all retro and finally dive (back) into vinyl. No more digital for you. You are going back to the future. It’s all about analogue, baby!

Buh-bye MP3s and digital downloads–except maybe for the songs that you want to load on your phone. But that’s the one-and-only exception. Other than the songs you want to play through your car’s entertainment system. Okay, TWO exceptions and no more. Unless we count the songs you want to send to friends. Those three situations cover off everything.

Except for the digital tracks you’ll steam, of course. But other than those three–FOUR!–specific needs, you’re going to give up music encoded into zeroes and ones. Binary is dead to you. No more pathetic sampling rates resulting in harsh-sounding square ways….not counting all the CDs you already own of course. I mean you aren’t going to throw those out, right? You paid for them!

But beyond those five situations, you’re done with digital. Mostly. Except when you can’t avoid it. Which will be 90% of the time. Still, you want to experience what everyone has been telling you about vinyl. Not only the sound, but the whole experience of collecting, buying, unwrapping and playing it.

If you’re of a certain age or technology persuasion, getting back into vinyl is like riding a bike. The first time you try it after some time away, you might be a bit wobbly, but it’ll come back. But what if you’ve never ridden that bike before?

Gather ’round, friends. Let’s get you started. This is your Ongoing History beginner’s guide to vinyl.

Songs heard in this show:

Todd Snider, Vinyl Records

Kevin Devine, Guys with Record Collections

Nirvana, Love Buzz

Pearl Jam, Evenflow

Beck, Where It’s At

Fatboy Slim, Rockafeller Skank

Rancid, Turntable

The Tweeds,  Need That Record

Velvet Underground, Heroin (Scepter Studios Version)

Ironically, we have a Spotify playlist courtesy of Eric Wilhite.

Don’t forget that you can get the podcast version of this podcast through iTunes or wherever you get your on-demand audio.

The Ongoing History of New Music can be heard on the following stations:

We’re still looking for more affiliates in Calgary, Kamloops, Kelowna, Regina, Saskatoon, Brandon, Windsor,  Montreal, Charlottetown, Moncton, Fredericton, and St John’s and anywhere else with a transmitter. If you’re in any of those markets and you want the show, lemme know and I’ll see what I can do.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 37921 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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