“My folks had saved up and bought this big, beautiful Sanyo stereo system—looked like some kind of rocket ship compared to my mono cassette jam box.”
“I remember them unwrapping all the components and putting the case together. We didn’t have much money, so the assembly process almost seemed sacred. We had a record collection prior, but I remember my dad buying a fresh copy of Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms along with the new system.
Around the 7th grade, I started playing a good deal of hooky. I was raised waaaaay out in the sticks—closest neighbor was a half mile away. I pretty much had free reign over guns, motorcycles, and tractors when my folks weren’t around.
As soon as my mom would leave, it’d go like this: shake your fake fever and grab mom’s copy of Nilsson Schmilsson. Carefully drop the needle down on side A. Volume on 5. To this day “Gotta Get Up” remains objectively, incontrovertibly, scientifically, the best soundtrack to eat cereal in your undies.
Bowl two over “Early in the Morning” and do dishes–don’t be a slob. Volume to 7, “Coconut” and dance in the front room, lose your goddamned mind if you want. No one’s around. Volume to 9 and let “Jump Into the Fire” find its way out the screen door while you load up dad’s 30/30 and decimate coffee cans. Never turn it up to 10–it’s disrespectful.
After you run out of rifle shells, ride off on a junked out Suzuki dirt bike during the drum solo and thank your lucky stars Harry Nilsson laid it down on wax.”
—Luke Dick
Republican Hair’s LP, The Prince and The Duke arrives in stores September 8, 2017. “Miss Prince” is available as a vinyl single via Soul Step Records.
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PHOTO: CASEY PIERCE
