“My first record was Purple Rain. I loved Prince. When my parents divorced, I moved with my mom (and my conveniently-new stepdad). They were very religious and didn’t want me listening to ‘secular’ music. I remember them making me throw my one and only album away. I was devastated. Luckily I moved in with my dad shortly after that.”
“I remember the record player my dad had. It was from his hippie days, and he’d saved all his old 12”s. I would flip through them and try to figure out what was going on with each cover… It was like my very own art exhibit. I remember seeing The Beatles ‘White Album’ and wondering if they forgot to make the art for it.
I also remember giggling at Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy, thinking, ‘Those kids should really put their pants on, I can see their butts.’ It was an awesome time for me, discovering new music, or, I guess, music in general. Luckily my dad had great taste so I wasn’t steered in the wrong direction.
My first record store experience was in Atlanta at a place called Wax n’ Facts. I was about 15 when my sister moved there from our tiny town of Roberta, about an hour and half away. When I stayed with her some weekends, she would drop me off in this part of town called Little 5 Points, where I would talk to eccentric travelers selling handmade poetry books, try to get high off of second-hand weed smoke, and of course, lose myself at this record store. It was a great time in my life. That’s when I discovered Aphex Twin and Squarepusher. From then on—I had a pretty eclectic taste in music.
I’ve always wanted to have my own music on vinyl, and since I’m without a label now and can do what I damn well please, I’m pressing my new music on vinyl. I’m only ordering a small amount because they’re expensive as hell…but it’s a little dream of mine come true.
They just smell so good.”
—MEIKO
MEIKO’s new album Moving Day will be available worldwide June 24. Fans can pre-order vinyl and other exclusive items on her PledgeMusic page.
