Background: After a visit to the Turntable Doctor during Boxing Day week, the recent inspection of my Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge stylus, the verdict was 1000 hours of life left on it. So how long is 1000 hours of stylus life? Obviously, the answer is 1000 hours. The quick math translates 1000 hours to 6 weeks of 24/7. However being human, how long would it take me to explore my record collection to reach 1000 hours of play? The answer is the subject of these posts. Turn off the lights and have a listen to 1000 hours and counting down.
Linda Ronstadt, the subject of The Sound of My Voice movie on CNN inspired tonight’s listening. Skye Wallace’s self titled album has been burning a hole into my ears and her photos from recent club performances on stage with band fronting for Lowest of the Low (see image below) have been blazing from my smugmug and others social media. The record itself is black vinyl with a test pressing label! The listening was quite enjoyable with little to note about any distracting noise. The album ranges from moody reflections to full on guitar and bass rockers which capture the adventures of her life.
Emmylou Harris Luxury Liner was handy and was the natural follow-up. (Dolly Parton and Nicolette Larson provide back-up vocals amongst many. Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt comprised Trio for their two albums.) Even though this is a Warner Brothers Canadian pressing from 1977, the production was immaculate with little if any surface noise. The highlight of Luxury Liner is naturally Emmylou Harris’s voice itself and stellar talent in the band.
While sorting through albums, the Eagles Hotel California on Asylum Records 1976 turned up more than coincidentally (the members of the Eagles being early members of Linda Ronstadt’s band). Checking the 7ES 1084 catalogue number, this album copy is the 1976 Canadian pressing with the gatefold from Asylum. The record might have needed a little bit of record cleaner and a zap of the Zerostat gun. There were a few reminders that this Hotel California was not a compact disc. Otherwise, the memories of past sitting down by the stereo come back. Which is part of the vinyl experience. The familiar intro to Hotel California led all the way past New Kid in Town to the end of side one with Wasted Time. Flipping over the record brings in the reprise of Wasted Time. The second side is the opposite of Life in the Fast Lane and exits with the more sombre outro of The Last Resort. Raise the needle and turn off the stereo for the night. It is 1:11 a.m.
If you have a nice comment or stylus recommendation:
| DATE | ARTIST | ALBUM | FORMAT | TRACK | ALBUM TIME | RUNNING TOTAL | CASSETTE TIME |
| 2019-12-28 | NILS FRAHM | SCREWS | ALBUM | SIDE A/B | 00:28:00 | 00:28:00 | |
| 2019-12-28 | CRASS | Sheep Farming in The Falklands | flexi | SIDE A | 00:05:22 | 00:33:22 | |
| 2019-12-28 | U2 | NO LINE ON THE HORIZON | ALBUM | SIDE A | 00:17:00 | 00:50:22 | |
| 2019-12-30 | BOB DYLAN | LIVE AT BUDOKAN | ALBUM | SIDE B | 00:26:42 | 01:17:04 | |
| 2019-12-30 | SUPERTRAMP | EVEN IN THE QUIETEST MOMENTS | ALBUM | SIDE A/B | 00:43:25 | 02:00:29 | |
| 2019-12-30 | APHEX TWIN | SELECTED AMBIENT WORKS 1985-1992 | ALBUM | SIDE A/B | 00:34:20 | 02:34:49 | |
| 2020-01-01 | EMMYLOU HARRIS | LUXURY LINER | ALBUM | SIDE A/B | 00:38:35 | 03:13:24 | |
| 2020-01-02 | BOBBY WISEMAN SINGS WRENCH TUTTLE | IN HER DREAM | CASSETTE | SIDE A | 03:13:24 | 00:29:07 | |
| 2020-01-05 | ELUVIUM | COPIA | VINYL | SIDE A | 00:18:50 | 03:32:14 | |
| 2020-01-05 | ELUVIUM | COPIA | VINYL | SIDE B | 00:21:00 | 04:12:55 | |
| 2020-01-05 | GLENN GOULD | WELL TEMPERED CLAVIER | VINYL | SIDE 1/6 | 00:19:41 | 03:51:55 | |
| 2020-01-08 | The Replacements | Pleased To Meet Me | VINYL | SIDE A | 00:16:16 | 04:08:11 | |
| 2020-01-08 | The Replacements | Don’t Tell A Soul | VINYL | SIDE A | 00:19:14 | 04:27:25 | |
| 2020-01-18 | Stevie Nicks | Bella Donna | VINYL | SIDE A | 00:19:28 | 04:46:53 | |
| 2020-01-18 | Skye Wallace | Skye Wallace | VINYL | SIDE A/B | 00:33:21 | 05:20:14 | |
| 2020-01-18 | EMMYLOU HARRIS | LUXURY LINER | VINYL | SIDE A/B | 00:38:35 | 05:58:49 | |
| 2020-01-18 | The Eagles | Hotel California | VINYL | SIDE A/B | 00:36:58 | 06:35:47 |
Midnight Matinee 