Hi, welcome to the JamJar:)
Oddly enough, this photo of Beach Boys virtuoso Brian Wilson dining on a 45 inch record, looking eerily like my dad in the 70s (same hairdo), is what this JamJar business is all about:
Once you pop the metal cap off the grape jelly, expect a tasty unified world in which everything sticks together — pop-culture jam and personal jam, music history jam and my own history jam, respected criticism jam and impassioned listener jam, the fame jam and the familiar jam.
I’ve been writing about music for almost a decade — for blogs, magazines, artists, bands, etc. — and to be perfectly honest, aside from criticizing the music industry, I’ve always had trouble criticizing the music-making process and the sonic product. Whether it’s an album, a single, or a live show, it’s difficult for me to locate any desire to nitpick an artist’s output…if I really don’t connect with something, or don’t pinpoint any useful questions, I simply won’t spend time writing about it.
I’ve learned that if I listen to anything enough, I tend to discover something I appreciate, or even love. (I should probably apply this viewpoint to everything.)
Thus, celebration is this Substack’s jam.
Friends, coworkers, acquaintances, and even some strangers have called out my “grandpa energy,” (my therapist deems it “vintage energy” — thanks, Doc) and I can’t really argue. I don’t know memes, I don’t know terms (a “sneaky link?”) Is there an old soul soul-cycling through my bloodstream? Maybe. Maybe not. But I do love old things. First and foremost: vinyl records.
Despite surrounding myself with the relics since 2008, writing this blog has already helped me understand more of what vinyl is: an intersection of music, history, and personal experience. No matter the record, if it’s used, it’s a sonic time capsule, one that comes in various shapes and sizes, volumes and speeds, styles and genres, colors and conditions.
I’m destined to make this user-supported space a home to loose connections. Among my collection, my life, your life, the lives of others, and all types of communities (real and digital). Eventually, I’m guessing this growing community will use music, writing, listening, and sharing to birth closer bonds — and hopefully with a spark of relevance!
I appreciate your support!
