While music seems to be swirling everywhere in the atmosphere creating a background to everything we do it’s hard to slow down and just listen to music. Most of us listen to our favorite tunesmiths as we’re cleaning the house, working in the garage, eating, working out or just about anything. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s rare to completely stop what you’re doing and just listen to the music. Does anyone JUST listen to music?
Remember the final scene of Dazed and Confused when a buzzed and baked Mitch Kramer stumbles in at 6 in the morning, straps on his giant headphones, closes his eyes with “Slow Ride” fading up and let’s the music wash over him? Or in Almost Famous when a young William Miller is told to “look under your bed…it’ll set you free.” Of course it’s a pile of records. That’s the kind of unfettered listening I’m talking about. The kind that takes you way out Man!
I’ll admit sometimes it’s tough to just sit still and listen to a record, but it really does lend itself to a whole different experience. People used to host these things called… listening parties (ahhhhh). Actually, people do still host listening parties where listening to the music and talking about it is encouraged! Some may feel it’s a dying art, but it’s a good way to get to know your music loving brethren and maybe even hear something new and get excited about your favorite band’s new album. Tom Petty chose lucky fans around the country to host listening parties for his last album Mojo and The Electric Fetus here in the Twin Cities just hosted a listening party for the new Wilco album, The Whole Love complete with food and prizes. You can’t get that from a download! I’ve even hosted a party where everyone brought the worst LP cover they could find and we’d spin those records all night. Let me tell you, that’s a way to listen to stuff you’ve never heard before and probably never should.
So as a label that focuses on lyrics wouldn’t it make sense to have a Red House listening party? It’s simple enough that you can do it yourself at home. Like painting a landscape with Bob Ross only instead of “happy trees” you’ll have “happy ears.” Here’s what you’ll need:
- Your favorite Red House album
- Stereo
- Snacks & goodies
- Beverages
- Friends or friends of friends
- Black light/lava lamp/strobe light and/or fog machine (why not!)
- Anything else you can think of to spice up your listening party!
You could pick up one of our newer records like Mercury by Pieta Brown or get the new Dale Watson, The Sun Sessions or Paul Geremia’s new one, Love My Stuff and spin ‘em all! Gather your friends around a bowl of Cornuts and brews and talk about how great their music is. Schmooze it up with your buddies and then when one of these fine acts comes rolling through your town, bring the same group out so you can hear the album in the flesh!
So go on and listen to the music. Hear what those words mean. Let them soak into your inner pores. It might just change your life.
From the Red House Blog Cabin.
