“I take chances when I buy records. I recently bought Zither Goes Hollywood! It’s totally adequate and includes the The Third Man theme but I’ve listened to it just once.”
“There seemed to be a time when people had more vinyl material than actual worthwhile ideas and so the whole world was taking chances on records. There’s almost always a large section at any record store marked either ‘Miscellaneous’ or if they’re smart, it’s divided up by country or appealing categories like ‘Soundtrack.’ The quirky, mysterious, or obscure—this is my weakness.
For some reason I felt I needed Ancient Sounds of Japan as well as a compilation record of instrumental music for TV & Film called Stylissimo. This wasn’t music that actually made it onto any film. I suppose it was intended for supervisors and there are tantalizing titles like “Mixed Grill” and “Le Texas a l’heure de l’electronique”—Texas at the Electronic Hour?? I paid $10 for this absurd record at a vinyl shop last year in Melbourne. Something had gripped me—like big hopes about who I might be. I imagined sampling a clip for a song but the music was too cheerful, maniacal, and totally uninteresting.
To many people including myself, a record is still a very magical thing. Which is weird because it should be less magical—you can actually see how it’s functioning unlike so many intangible technologies today. But I suppose you just can’t take it for granted. Plus old things are cool. My record player is not old but my speakers are big beautiful wooden Jensens from the late ’60s and it’s always a fun moment to hear what comes out of them. Whatever emerges feels fuzzier and more forgiving. It sounds as though the song has traveled.
Sometimes I do get lucky though. I bought a purple record with Arabic writing on the front. It turned out to be a Turkish musical from the mid ’70s that I now know by heart. There’s a lot of back and forth between male and female voices with interweaving single reed instrumental lines. It’s very satisfying and I have no idea what’s going on but it’s very dramatic and I sing along phonetically. I’m very attached to this record. I swear I would break every Beatles record I own before I’d let anyone pry this confusing record from my hands.
I also like a 10 inch, Edgar Palm & Trio Originele Antilliaanse Muziek. I think it’s Caribbean jazz but I’m scared to look it up because I’d rather not know where or when it’s from. I think I’m the last woman to not look up a man’s name before I go on a date. As with men, as with records.
Of course I have records I intentionally buy and love: Sylvester, Pretenders, The Cure, Violent Femmes, a lot of Pink Floyd and a lot of symphonic music. I’ve got Joni Mitchell and Robert Fripp and randomly, Kevin Ayers. Tom Tom Club, Elvis Costello, The Producers, Sly & Robbie, Robert Palmer. And every once in a while I buy a record from a local artist. I’ve got Luke Top, Vox, and King to name a few. But because so many things in life now are curated, analytically thrown our way…we can watch and stream before we commit just 99 cents. I prefer to take chances on vinyl.”
—Alex Lilly
Alex Lilly’s debut album, 2% Milk is in stores now via Release Me Records—on vinyl.
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PHOTO: NORA COLIE
Alex Lilly on Tour:
02/21/2019: San Diego, CA at Casbah (w/ KOLARS)
02/22/2019: Los Angeles, CA at The Echo (w/ KOLARS)
02/23/2019: Santa Barbara, CA at Velvet Jones (w/ KOLARS)
03/01/2019: Costa Mesa, CA at Wayfarer (w/ KOLARS)
03/21/2019: Denver, CO at Larimer Lounge (w/ KOLARS)
03/22/2019: Salt Lake City, UT at Urban Lounge (w/ KOLARS)
03/23/2019: Boise, ID at Treefort Music Festival
03/28/2019: Eugene, OR at Wildcraft Cider Works (w/ KOLARS)
03/29/2019: Seattle, WA at Sunset Tavern (w/ KOLARS)
03/30/2019: Portland, OR at Doug Fir (w/ KOLARS)
