Ghost & the City, The TVD First Date

“I remember the first time I ever heard a record; I was in my early teens when my brother played Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here while my parents were out. As the opening guitar line started, one thing become clear: this was the way music was supposed to sound. There was a warmth and allurement that had been absent in my life until that moment.”

“From there I began to explore more. My parents’ vinyl collection became a treasure trove of undiscovered music; The Animals, Roy Orbison, Tina Turner, and Led Zeppelin became my after school tutors, they were my inspiration for songwriting well before I ever picked up my first Tascam. I realized that when I put on vinyl, I was listening to the full scope of an artist. I made the decision to flip the record over and delve deeper. I was making the choice to listen again.

As I got older and continued to write and produce, I began to understand why it is that vinyl sounds different. There are dynamics there that are lost in other formats, there are tones and spectrums that I just can’t digest in any other way. This is why I think we’ve seen a resurgence of vinyl by modern artists; it’s why I own the NxWorries EP “Yes Lawd!” and Tricky’s Maxinquaye on vinyl as opposed to just listening to the tracks on Spotify. It’s on a 180 gram–it sounds incredible.

Lately, my taste has been focused around ’70s jazz fusion, which is some of my favorite music to hear on vinyl. Tracking down those obscure albums has become an exciting hobby. On my vinyl racks they are a prize on my mantle, conversational pieces at every hosted gathering, and a peace of mind when I need a reminder of what matters most.

When I listen to Freddie Hubbard’s Red Clay I’m having a conversation that only we are having. It’s a language that only we can understand. And for the duration of that album, I’m right there in my parents living room all over again, exploring music for the first time on another level, with my ears open and my mind wide awake.”
—Ash Maynor