" There are two kinds of music — the good, and the bad. I play the good kind ."
~ Louis Armstrong
“Why am I getting this email?” I hear you ask. Well, you may have met me at a record swap or maybe we know each other from back in the day. We crossed paths somewhere
You probably heard about my book project — Vinyl Vitality is finally on the press! This is the first newsletter to go with it.
You’ll get these on the new and full moons, much like the renegade DJ parties I cut my teeth on back in the 90s.
Like the liner notes of a good LP, only lunar. Launching on the eclipse here in France for good measure!
I know I’m supposed to be flogging the Internet with endless reels and videos, playing the social media game.
But that goes against the grain of what my book is all about, so I’d rather spin records and talk directly to you.
My goal is to see tattered copies of Vinyl Vitality on the counter of every mom-and-pop record shop in the world. I hope that once you’ve read it, you’ll spread the word too.
So what’s the hype? I believe I’ve cracked the code as to why analog media, ie records and tapes, get under your skin in a way that digital sound cannot, and never will.
The implications for health and well-being are inspiring, and the science behind the idea is compelling.
My theory has to do with the way magnetism is used to encode and decode analog media, and the natural electromagnetic resonance of your heart.
In short, analog doesn’t just “sound” warmer, it “feels” live. More than information, analog sound is a carrier wave of consciousness.
On that note, I have a request.
The almighty algorithm demands engagement.
Your reviews will make a world of difference. If we can rally 100 reviews in the first month, Vinyl Vitality will be off the charts. Pre-orders of the ebook help too.
I’m kicking around some ideas to reward you for leaving a review. What would it take? A link to one of my vinyl mixes? A list of 100 bargain bin sleepers?
Or how about a real live record in your real world mailbox? Now that would be something worth raving about, right? My thanks to you just for leaving a review.
If I can work this out with my colleague in California, we’ll make it happen. My record swap crates could use some clearing out.
You’d send a screenshot of your review along with some clues as to your musical taste, and we would media mail you a vinyl surprise.
Old-school, inconvenient, analog. Why not? Stay tuned!
I’ll close with a big shout out to Duane Davis at Wax Trax in Denver for kindly writing my back cover blurb. Thanks Duane! Here’s another choice quote from him:
“Metz takes the humble record and blows it up into a theory of everything—heart, body, memory, emotion—all wired together by invisible currents. It’s audacious, a little wild, and impossible to completely dismiss.”
Thanks for reading my first Lunar Note! See you soon on the next full moon, keep on spinning!
M+
Mark Metz
Analog Press
Lunar Notes Mailing List
Vinyl Vitality drops Aug 28th
3... 2... 1... Published!
A long time coming, it’s finally on the press!
E-book pre-orders open now.
Print edition drops Aug 28!
About that quote from Louis Armstrong at the top. Each chapter of Vinyl Vitality is headed up with a quote from one of my favorite artists, teeing up the subject I discuss. Louis sums up what we all know, which is that musical taste is entirely subjective.
Chapter 6 is “Your Friend — The Record” where I write about how getting acquainted with a record or tape that is new to you has a lot in common with making friends with someone in the real world. From first impressions to noticing what’s going on in the background, there’s more to forming a real relationship than ‘swiping right’ on a 30-second streaming preview.
Thanks for reading my notes, and I’ll see you again on the Full Moon. I’ve got a lot more up my sleeve, we’re just getting started!
M+
Mark Metz
Analog Press