My Analogue Friend

My long time friend Michael is a fairly analogue kind of guy and very faithful and steady in his tastes. When he was 18 he got a stereo system as a present for successfully finishing his A levels. The system was made up of an LP Player, Radio, Receiver and stereo speakers, everything which was considered to be state of the art at that time. It had cost his dad a considerable amount of money. That new system replaced a more run of the mill one which he had used up until then and which was passed on to me. From then on he has continued to collect and listen to vinyl discs. He still uses that very same stereo system and now owns quite an impressive collection of high quality discs which has evolved over time.

It is always a pleasure and almost an event to be guided by him on a trip into the world of vinyl music which comprises not only modern classics from pop and rock but also classical music LPs. These excursions are not only about music but also about the cover art work and its evolution as well as about LPs that have been and are still today more emblematic than ever.

When he was around twenty and inspired by a photographer friend he got himself a Nikon film camera and a 35mm fixed focal length lens and with this he started his incursion into the world of photography and continues to do so until today. He develops and prints his films in his own small dark room. It was a pleasure when this summer he showed us an impressive photo album which he had put together with beautiful black and white printed photos from a trip to Rome.

He also introduced me to the world of Scottish single malt whisky. Over various days we tried small glasses of some quality brands and he explained to me how to appreciate them the most. We discussed the different layers of flavors, backed up with the help of some whisky guide books. It was a real experience.

Vinyl discs on a record player, film photography and the dark room these are real, tactile things, not virtual at all and I understand that one can derive a very special pleasure from these.

Yes, he has a computer and uses it but up to now, he does not own a modern mobile phone, has no Spotify account and no digital camera. He has resisted these trends over the years and, unexpectedly, film photography and vinyl discs are enjoying a considerable comeback these days.