[UO tights + Citizens cutoffs + JCrew shirt + JCrew belt as neck tie + Burberry booties.]
My dad taught me to love records. Figured I should share this love with my only current charge: Eli.
We baked by the fire while I went through my new vinyl acquisitions and thought about all the hours of my life I’ve spent in a similar position in my parents’ library/music room. When they were out of town for a month and left me to my own devices, I lived in there, the French doors shut while I drank warm white wine from the bottle and smoked cigarettes, painting, writing ex’s love letters, and playing record after record—perfecting my handling of the needle.
The next morning, I’d fumigate the cig smoke in a panic, then do it all over again, come nightfall.
The first night I was ever left home alone, in middle school, I waited until the car disappeared and made a beeline for the stereo. I pulled out Bryan Adams, gingerly flicked the needle to “One Night Love Affair,” and cranked the volume dial to the top. It had to be louder than a comfortable loud to be effective. I deliberately scared the shit out of myself with the sound, the fabric of the speakers beating under my curious palm.
It went like this pretty much every night they left me alone: The Police, The Rolling Stones, Mott the Hoople, Michael Jackson, Footloose, Flashdance…
I’d have rather done that every night than ever spend the night at a friend’s house.
[Just a few of the new acquisitions from Toonerville Trolley in Williamstown, where we plan on making a repeat visit in the near future.]
It’s all about developing your own favorites, the ones you go to when no one else is around.
Here I am trying to convince Eli to look beyond the one-hit-wonders:
If you were wondering, this is the kind of thing I was built for. Deafening music when no one else is around. Alienatingly loud music. Sometimes bad loud music.
-Carey
You had me at Bryan Adams.
Seriously.
My hidden shame.
And the rhino is awfully cute.
Cheers to you!
Nannette
Love this!! Things like this are what makes life 🙂
I feel ya, while I didn’t have the same affinity for records, I did for cigarettes & solitude & something to drown out my thoughts.
You now have me thinking of the box of LP’s in my parent’s garage stuffed between my PVPV swim team metals & the collage my father made in high school of his idol, OJ Simpson.
Some things never change. Others begin transforming the minute the come into existence. Music fits somewhere in the middle, timeless even as it chronicles the times.
{{HUGS}}, friend.
you stop it right now. i went to so many bryan adams concerts as a kid that he started to give me shout outs from the stage. one time i was in vancouver for the summer and my friend’s aunt lived down the street from jim vallance (his producer). i discovered this on my last day and promptly took my teenage ass down the street and rang the doorbell. hell yes i did. just as vallance and his wife pulled up in their turquoise (no jokes) porsche. he was going to take me to mr. adams himself as i collapsed on the lawn as his wife pitched a fit laughing. alas mr. adams was out of town (prolly not, but he did say that). anyway. upon my return home to nowheresville in alberta a week later came an envelope with a handwritten note from one mr. bryan adams…”carrie, i’m so sorry i missed you in vancouver. love, bryan adams”
i.sh*t.you.not
this is the best post of your LIFE. you couldn’t even get into my bedroom for all the b.adams paraphernalia and posters, banners, silkscreens lining the walls. atop my dresser a formerly sweaty towel thrown to me from the lead singer of foreigner. omg you’ve taken me back!! i’m 15, i’m wild, i’m freeeeeeeeeee!!!
ps-george jones?!?!
d.i.e.
xo,
c
quite possibly my favorite post ever! Change the scenery to the family room in my house and add in some Don Henley, Beatles, Pat Benatar and lots of showtunes! (keep the smokes and change the wine to wine coolers…haha!)
We are eerily similar people. This post describes me…today. Now. Like, to a T. (by a. wang ehh?)
Also, I’m telling you, one of my favorite vinyl stores (though a baby bit overpriced because Plan 9 in RVA has the best selection of $1 country and soul records in the world) is in Brattleboro. So close to you!!! Please go travel there. Adorable book stores. Lots of good good vegetarian eats. I got like 10 of my most classic albums there.
Love these photos – love the tights – love the booties – love the memories. This is my first visit to your site and I am already in love with it all. Thanks for rescuing a rainy Saturday. ~ A.