Nice thread Brian-- I've enjoyed the respones. I was 13 years old in 1956, and along with my slightly older sister, we wore out 45s by Gene Vincent, Buddy Holly, Elvis, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ricky Nelson and many other early Rockers. I consider myself very fortunate to have been that age and actually witness and be part of the "birth of Rock and Roll".
Our equipment was lousy-- a portable Magnavox record player, but it had TUBES. My favorite decade stretched from about 1955 and Buddy Holly (my hero) to 1969 and CCR. IMO, those years encompass the heart and soul of R&R. We then muddled along with mid-fi gear for 20-25 years, but still loved the music.
I didn't learn what an audiophile was until about 1990 when I got the disease and became one. My present gear is the best I've ever had-- or heard, and wouldn't trade it for any other, but the "magic" decade of R&R was 1955-1969 for me.
Music nowdays is better and worse than those early years, and now that CDs have matured, good digital music can be found, and there is huge variety today compared to the 50s and 60s. I don't like what the huge music companies have done to music though, ie the merging of country and pop-- it all sounds the same.
But if you look around, some really good music is available, ie re-issues of blues, R&B, and some new age like Enya, Enigma, Mai're Brennan, Clannad, and Waleala. And there are some unique modern artists that I really like, ie Cowboy Junkies-- who can classify their music? Also Melissa Etheridge and George Thorogood. GT may be a dinosaur, but if so, he's a T-Rex!! Cheers. Craig
Our equipment was lousy-- a portable Magnavox record player, but it had TUBES. My favorite decade stretched from about 1955 and Buddy Holly (my hero) to 1969 and CCR. IMO, those years encompass the heart and soul of R&R. We then muddled along with mid-fi gear for 20-25 years, but still loved the music.
I didn't learn what an audiophile was until about 1990 when I got the disease and became one. My present gear is the best I've ever had-- or heard, and wouldn't trade it for any other, but the "magic" decade of R&R was 1955-1969 for me.
Music nowdays is better and worse than those early years, and now that CDs have matured, good digital music can be found, and there is huge variety today compared to the 50s and 60s. I don't like what the huge music companies have done to music though, ie the merging of country and pop-- it all sounds the same.
But if you look around, some really good music is available, ie re-issues of blues, R&B, and some new age like Enya, Enigma, Mai're Brennan, Clannad, and Waleala. And there are some unique modern artists that I really like, ie Cowboy Junkies-- who can classify their music? Also Melissa Etheridge and George Thorogood. GT may be a dinosaur, but if so, he's a T-Rex!! Cheers. Craig