“There’s almost a smell involved, when it comes to listening to vinyl. It awakens all the senses, versus listening to a squashed MP3 over a streaming platform. It also takes effort. You have to pull the record out of the sleeve with respect, place it on the altar, and let it rip.”
“The record I will choose to worship at this time is an album called Chicago Transit Authority. Originally issued in 1969, I believe on Columbia, this record embodied all the things I only wish I could achieve today. This was back when a band of 3 or 4 members would have to REALLY know their craft, vocal parts, and NAIL it in the recording studio for the album to really groove. And Chicago achieved that with double the amount of members.
Today’s musicians, me included, are lazier due in part to technology. We can lay down a lazier vocal take because we know we can fine tune it later in editing. Back in the ’60s and ’70s, these tricks didn’t exist. And these recorded treasures exist to tell the tale of a time when authenticity was king.
Other records in my rotation are The Beatles Abbey Road, The Doors debut record, Steely Dan Aja, Neil Young Harvest, Toto Hydra, David Bowie Hunky Dory, Michael Jackson Off the Wall, Beach Boys Pet Sounds, and so many more.
I have a bit of a hard time listening to anything on vinyl that was recorded beyond the ’90s. Any music that came out after that era doesn’t feel quite vinyl worthy, in my opinion. But there are a handful of current groups that I do feel deserve vinyl respect, and I hope to one day be included in that category. That is the level of respect I have for vinyl.”
—Dave Amezcua
“She (Zoey Deutch),” the debut single from former AWOLNATION bassist Dave Amezcua, is in stores now.
