Turntable Tips Ep. 1

Hi there kids!

Get ready for a new feature that will explore both the world of old music and the wonder that is vinyl records. Today's installment is brought to you from Mojo Music Studio in Franconia, NH. The shop has thousands of LP records, and the owners hung out with me for a good part of this morning while I ran around like a kid in a candy shop playing unheard of (and largely unheard) cover tunes, strange electronic music from the '80s, and high-speed folk music (see today's tip). It's a pretty good feeling when you drop the needle in a record shop and everyone is stumped about the track you're playing. It's also a lot of fun to read the notes that radio DJs used to write on the covers of records; today I found, "Don't play track 1! It says fucking." Radio work is not for the faint of heart.

Today's Tip: When you're in the mood for a square dance, or have a hankering for some down-home bluegrass picking but have slim bluegrass pickings in your record collection, what can you do? You could go on-line and download some Earl Scruggs or Doc Watson, but digital music just doesn't have the same warmth as vinyl. Instead, try spinning some of your old Dylan LPs or any other folksy 33 at 45 RPM. Suddenly you've got something you can stomp along with, guitars will magically morph into banjos, and your friends will be feeding you moonshine like you were raised in the Smokies.

Re-Hip: If you're into electronic music, experimental rock, and funky beats, then check out Robert Fripp. He was the guitarist for King Crimson, but he also produced some interesting work in the sudios during the '70s and '80s. He has worked with the likes of Brian Eno and Andy Summers, so expect soundscapes, deep beats, and delay. If you're familiar with Eno but want to here something a bit more raw/funky/cutting edge than U2, give Fripp a twirl on the stacks.