“Growing up in South Florida, one of my best friends lived down the street and had a guest house. In that guesthouse, he had everything we needed—a pool table and a Wurlitzer jukebox loaded with all the best early rock ‘n’ roll 45s from the 1950s and 1960s. The Beatles, Beach Boys, Little Richard, Buddy Holly. It was incredible. We spent hours sitting around listening records and shooting pool.”
“A few years later, I started a band with some of the other neighborhood kids and music became our religion. If we weren’t in the garage playing music we were out experiencing shows. Any chance we got to see a live band, we would end up leaving the venue with a 7 inch or LP record. Local record stores and thrift shops became our hangout, and as the years went by our vinyl record collections grew. Music was our life and continues to be to this day.
Through Marco With Love and our tiny self-run independent label, Outright Rock Records, we make vinyl a priority when we release an album. Music is our art, and vinyl allows us to fully realize that art in a way that CDs or digital doesn’t. More importantly, it helps us stay close and pay homage to those artists who have come before us.”
—Marco
“I remember flipping through what seemed like and endless catalogue of records at my parents house when I was younger. They had a very eclectic mix. Grand Funk Railroad, Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Hall & Oates, Jimmy Buffett, Alabama… It says a lot about what they grew up listening to or what they still listen to. I strayed from their musical roots as a teen, but see myself digging back into their collection of gems every time I return home to visit. Gimme Sports by Huey Lewis any day!”
“My home was very musical growing up. My mom was always playing the piano and singing along to the oldies in the car. I learned how to sing harmonies from John and Paul on our Sunday rides to my grandparents’ house. I did school band and stuff, but really started experimenting with my own music in my high school years. By college-age I was 100% certain that performing music was always going to be a massive part of my life.
The weirdest record I owned growing up would have to be Classic German Drinking Songs. However, I was into some really raw underground and indie punk/pop back in high school. I’m sure some poor girl had to sit through a good amount of Discount or Screeching Weasel while I sang along at high volumes. I wasn’t about to listen to DMB or whatever the shit she was gonna pop in the tape deck.”
—Blaine
“The Rolling Stones Let it Bleed was one of the first records on vinyl that I fell in love with—like absolutely head over heels fell in love with. I snagged a first pressing, mono copy at Kops Records in Toronto. I remember holding it in my hand for the first time blown away by the artwork, pulling the record out of the original tattered sleeve, and getting goosebumps.”
“I had always appreciated the Stones but I was never a fan. Thinking back on that moment I realise my reaction was purely visceral. I wasn’t searching for a Stones album that day. The album reached out to me. Since then every time I’ve listened to the album I’ve felt a different emotion and the songs have spoken to me differently. The power of a set of well written songs paired up with beautiful art is something truly magical. I’ve never been moved by an album like that and I realize a lot had to with the fact that it was on vinyl.
Now, in addition to playing bass for Marco With Love, I’m a full-time Art Director and Creative Director. I’ve designed a bunch of albums for various bands and the most recent has been for Marco With Love’s newest EP ‘Tidal Wave.’ Every time I sit down to start a new design I think back to my first run in with Let it Bleed and hope to capture a bit of that magic.”
—Subodh
“Growing up my family was, and still is, extremely into music. Owning vinyl came a bit later for me after I graduated high school, but I was always surrounded by music. Everything about who I am today comes from growing up with music.”
“I started playing the drums at a very young age because I thought that’s what you did if you liked music. I later realized that kids my age were more interested in joining the school’s Little League team instead of wanting to start their own band.
The weirdest record I have is a 45 of “Rock The Boat” by The Hues Corporation. I don’t know why, but when I was a kid I loved that song. I work at a record store in my hometown, Innersleeve Records, and one day I was organizing our 45 section and saw it in the bin. I put it on the turntable in the store and my coworkers looked at me like I was nuts and thought it was hilarious that I was going to buy it. I had to have it!”
—Peter
Marco With Love’s new “Tidal Wave” EP arrives in stores on Friday, July 17.
