“Vinyl was always mythical for me. My parents were those types that allowed their vinyl to float up to the attic to make way for CDs. That’s not to say they didn’t appreciate the records anymore. Perhaps at a time they may have been purists but their records didn’t stand the test of time, tucked away in storage with a myriad of other memories.”
“My first experience of vinyl was when I was about 12 or 13. Some sort of spring clean granted me access to the loft storage and I found myself rummaging through two big leather cases full of 12” LPs. My parents mostly listened to pop music so there was plenty of Michael Jackson, Hall and Oates, and Elton John. I remember being drawn to a Blondie album. It was Parallel Lines. The monochrome stripes seemed to be grabbing my attention (to this day I’m still drawn to monochrome artwork).
I ran my fingers along the grooves of the record, trying to sense where the sound came from. It speaks volumes that my first contact with vinyl wasn’t aural but physical. A huge part of the appeal is how calming it can be to interact with it.
My first record player was bought for me when I was 17 by a girlfriend. I went to Camden Market and bought Songs From a Room by Leonard Cohen. The first listen of that album had quite a profound affect on my view towards music. It was second-hand vinyl that had worn over time and crackled and trundled over Cohen’s occasionally warped voice.
Each imperfection made it feel like he was sat in the room with me, telling his stories in a way that he knew I would understand. Vinyl grows and changes with you, and so the meanings of the songs will change too. This isn’t just a way to access music, it’s a way embody and evolve with it.
The biggest thing that I’ve come to understand about vinyl is how important it has become since the arrival of solely digital music. Despite access to music becoming incredibly easy, the amount of people buying vinyl has increased in recent years.
There’s still that same want for music as an experience. As an event that can be shared, or be totally personal. It’s an important part of any person’s understanding of music, and the chance to listen to it should always be cherished.”
—Adam Cleaver
Adam Cleaver’s “Man or Beast” EP is out on September 18th via Veta Records.
