“The first records I remember holding in my hands were Canned Wheat by The Guess Who and Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica by The Ronettes. Growing up, I was constantly exposed to classic rock and girl groups of the ’50s and ’60s, thanks to my dad’s eclectic record collection. With Motown melodies and classic rock guitar riffs filling my brain, I knew from an early age what I loved about music and what I wanted to carry over into my own songs.”
“I’ve always admired the straight forward love songs of the ’50s and ’60s, and the melodies and harmonies used to tell the stories. I think our first single, “Last Forever,” is my take on blending my classic rock roots with my love for the sugary melodies and sentiments of ’50s and ’60s pop.
Diana Ross and The Supremes’ Let The Sunshine In… I’ll admit, I was first drawn in by the cover art (I’m a sucker for pretty packaging and labels), but once the needle touched down, I was hooked. I still have that record in a box under my bed today.
I feel like vinyl has a certain personality to it. It feels authentic and genuine when you listen to it, and it requires you to physically participate. Vinyl has an intimate quality that makes you feel like you’re in the room and experiencing the record being made. It’s not squeaky clean or auto-tuned—it’s just real, and people love real people. That’s why I started and haven’t stopped listening to vinyl since my childhood.
My favorite record is the Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica. I think partially because it was the first record my dad ever played for me, so I attach great sentimental value to it, and also partially because like I mentioned before, I have an obsession with the girl groups of the ’50s and ’60s.
My favorite record store is Weirdo Records in Cambridge, MA. It’s small, humble and beautiful and I love it. I could lose myself in there for hours, browsing from the most classic to the most obscure records of all time. It’s also crazy to think about how many hands they’ve passed through over the years and where each record has been…”
—Amy Allen
Amy & The Engine’s most recent single, “Last Forever” arrived on Valentine’s Day 2015.
