I remember when I was at Eastern Michigan University. I didn’t have much to live on… but every month, my folks sent $20… and I would take $5.00 and buy a record. This was a time before I became a musician… but, I LOVED music.
I remember that feeling of going to an actual record store… where the smell of cardboard album sleeves filled these small sanctuaries of music.
I remember seeing posters that left no room for the actual walls to appear behind them.
I remember losing track of time as I tilted forward album sleeve after album sleeve and marvelling at the artwork of each passing album on my def fingertips. There was so much creativity on these album covers that stirred my sense of awe and wonder. I was drawn to it all!
I remember one day as I was visiting the record store nearby and I came across an album cover of what looked like a man deep in thought. The album was called Nether Lands by Dan Fogelberg. I had never heard his music, but… as I pondered what this man was thinking on the cover, I felt as though I could relate somehow. I bought it!
I remember that feeling of anticipation of getting back to my room at EMU. I couldn’t wait to hear this collection of music.
I remember peeling back the plastic wrapping and slowly removing the record from the album sleeve. Then gently placing it onto my record player… lifting the needle arm and then with great precision placing it onto the grooves of side one of the record. Soon sounds filled the air… and I went right to the printed lyrics and read along as I listened. In those moments, I felt things I couldn’t explain. I was transported into story of the Nether Lands.
I remember feeling as though I could learn something about life as I listened.
I remember that I just simply listened… front to back, non stop. It wasn’t a background music experience. I listened…
I listened…
It’s 2023… do we listen anymore?