Britta Phillips, The TVD First Date

“I grew up on vinyl. The first record I remember loving was in 1968 when I was 5. The song “Tequila” by The Champs sent me and my little sister into a naked dancing frenzy, jumping up and down on the furniture. We played it over and over until we collapsed.”

“My step-dad bought me a used little record player with built-in speakers that came with stacks of 7” singles. My favorites were “Tip Toe Through The Tulips” by Tiny Tim, “I Feel The Earth Move” by Carol King, and “Those Were The Days” by Mary Hopkin.

My parents didn’t live together, but they both owned a lot of albums. Neither of them were into pop or rock music. I considered my mom’s records mine as well. She was really into folk and had all the early Dylan records, Simon & Garfunkel, Judy Collins. She also loved Jacques Brel and Edith Piaf and Ray Charles, Bo Diddley and Billie Holiday. And I loved all of these records with her.

My dad was into classical and jazz but he knew the Beatles were good and gave me all of their albums. My favorite was Abbey Road. Later, my dad was the musical directer of Jesus Christ Superstar on broadway and I loved the cast album along with Hair and Godspell.

I started buying 7” singles when I was in 6th grade, the same year I had my first real boyfriend and started going to boy/girl parties. My favorite song was “Love Will Keep Us Together,” although it s NOT a good make-out song. The first album I bought was… Frampton Comes Alive. I was 12. I had a huge crush on him and he reminded me of my dad. Ew.

Then I got into classic rock because that’s all anyone ever listened to in Bucks County, PA in 1977, but I secretly loved disco too and would listen to Donna Summer alone in my VW Bug. On cassette, of course.

In 1978, my best friend, Alexia played me Patti Smith’s Easter and Kate Bush’s The Kick Inside up in her attic (which was really her older brother Henry’s room). No one else we knew liked those records. We’d smoke her brother’s weed and feel like super bad girls.

It’s thrilling that vinyl has returned and is exciting to some people again. I want the music I love to be solid. Albums are beautiful objects, worthy of great music alive in their grooves.

I don’t own a ton of records. I don’t have room! Plus my husband Dean owns a LOT. I usually have an intense couple of months with an album and will see if it belongs with my all time faves, like Dusty In Memphis, Nina Simone’s Here Comes The Sun, Elvis’ Sun Sessions, everything by The Velvet Underground, Peggy Lee’s Is That All There Is?, Beggars Banquet and Some Girls, by The Stones, Bowie’s Aladdin Sane and Low, Saturday Night Fever to name a few. Newer faves include Cate Le Bon’s Mug Museum, Jessica Pratt’s On Your Own Love Again, and Jonathan Bree’s A Little Night Music. A lot of new music I love is just one song by an artist, so I don’t want to commit to an LP.

I love to spend hours at Amoeba. And Permanent Records is great, too. I love checking out record stores on tour if there’s time. One of the few things I miss about NYC is Other Music. And I’m excited to check out the Rough Trade store in Greenpoint when we’re in Brooklyn next month!”
—Britta Phillips