Being alone with your music

When I was 9 or 10, most nights I went to sleep with a transistor radio under my pillow listening to WLS back when they used to play music and have been listening to something ever since.

I still listen alone the vast majority of the time but sometimes my wife joins me since she likes a lot of the same music I do. In fact, we met because of the band RUSH.

I suppose it’s a generational thing-- listening to music as a kid in bed with a radio.

It seemed so magical at the time. And I guess it still is, otherwise why would we spend the effort, time and expense on this "hobby". I put it in quotes because I’ve never felt it adequately encompasses what we are involved in, here.

Garcia said without psychedelics, life would seem very "gray" and I certainly feel the same about music. I can't imagine life without it.

I’m single and live in near recluse.

Very first music listening as this New Transistor radio with a little 9V battery. At night in bed under the covers. Sony reel to reel model 111. recordings made from that a.m, radio. Upgraded to a Wollensak. A Tank of a reel to reel machine. Then my dad helped me build my own stereo units so I wouldn’t touch his Magnavox console.

We have a lot of friends named John. One rides a Ninja motorcycle. He’s Ninja John. Indian John. America Indian. There is Radio John. Goes like a radio with a broken off switch.

Like my contemporaries on this thread, I remember being alone in the middle of the night in the sixties listening to WLS and WWL, then cruising my small town looking for girls guided by John Records Landecker in the early seventies 

my first job out of college was far from my hometown in western Kentucky and I was a kid who had never been anywhere. Bought a stereo rig with the first money I made and spent lots of time alone listening to vinyl trying to figure out being an adult, of sorts. Then a family, kids, work and no time or money for long listening sessions or anything other than cheap consumer equipment from silo or circuit city

alone again the last few years. Got back in to really enjoying music on decent equipment. My job has plenty of stress, and involves law enforcement and often political stuff. Decided a few years ago to swear off cable news and most nights spend 2-3 hours alone in the dark really enjoying music. Good decision. Brings peace at the end of the day. 

retiring soon. I enjoy some great friends and good company in my life, but look forward to a little time each day to close my eyes and get lost in the music. Not everyone understands the attraction but I suspect a lot of you do. 

Born in '55 to an American farm boy and a young sophisticated German girl. Mom loved music, classical, swing, and big band. She had a thing for Herb Alpert... I can't remember when it showed up, probably a Christmas gift, but one of the "kiddie" record players with a steel needle lived in the boy's room, There was a market then for "kiddie" records, seems like most of ours were Hanna-Barbera. Eventually I was instructed on the operation of Mom's Telefunken console.... My best days were staying home "sick" with my collection, The Troggs, Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Beach Boys, Hermann's Hermits. Still my kind of best day, and I don't have to come up with symptoms.