Turntable

Then: My memories of listening to LPs are well documented in my book, They Call Me Baba Booey. I am a child of vinyl. I still remember ripping the shrink wrap from Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run and lying on the floor in front of my parents’ massive stereo cabinet while I listened to it.

Now: For the experience alone, there’s nothing like vinyl. Placing an album on the platter, putting the needle down in the groove, reading the liner notes, hearing the pops and the hisses; I love it all. The ritual of the interaction was half the fun — and it still is.

8-Track Player

Then: I always listened to 8-tracks in my cousin’s car. It was the first portable music that wasn’t a radio. I remember playing the Young Rascals and the Woodstock soundtrack. They sounded so cool.

Now: Holding an 8-track and popping it in the player still feels so cool, but that’s where the fun ends. It sounds like crap. There’s a terrible warble, like someone’s leaning against a turntable and messing up the playback. And who thought changing tracks in the middle of a song was a good idea? Hold onto your memories for this one. No need to revisit this world.

Reel-to-Reel Player

Then: I learned how to record and edit on a reel-to-reel player in college. It was the standard in radio for my first 15 years. I found mine at a tag sale in 1994. I paid $25 for it and immediately rented it as a prop for the movie Private Parts. They gave me $150 to use it for 3 months, and it’s actually seen in the movie.

Now: I know there are tons of digital recorders out there, and every Mac has GarageBand. That said, my kids were fascinated by watching the needles move while they recorded their voices on the reel-to-reel. We goofed around, wound it back, and listened. And enjoyed it a lot. Still a fun experience.

Conclusion

My kids goof on me for having all of these “antiques” in the attic, but I think they secretly like them. When they get older, I bet they’ll have their own A/V museums filled with iPods, iPads, iPhones, and game controllers. Just you wait.

Read more about Gary and his love for gadgets and gear here.