People often ask what my favourite album is, but that’s actually a difficult question to answer. Musical tastes change over the years, and different albums become important for different reasons. But if you asked me which three records I’d struggle to part with, the answer comes much more easily. These aren’t necessarily the greatest albums ever made and they aren’t even the ones I’ve played the most. What makes them special is the story behind each one.
A Journey into Stereo Sound (1958)
This is probably the most significant record in my collection. Released in 1958, A Journey into Stereo Sound is widely regarded as one of the earliest stereo demonstration records. My dad owned a copy, and as a child I was completely captivated by it. He had an old valve stereogram, and I’d sit in front of it listening to sounds moving across the speakers.
A steam train would begin in the left speaker and disappear out through the right. A tennis match would bounce back and forth. It sounds simple now, but at the time in the 70s when I was a kid it felt almost magical. Imagine hearing it for the first time, as my dad did, in the 1950s. The stereogram I listened to this on was bought by him in the early 60s and was one of the first on the market. He was very much ahead of his time!
The record planted a seed that would eventually grow into a lifelong fascination with recording, mixing and stereo imaging. Looking back, it’s amazing how one record can quietly influence an entire career, and a record that isn’t primarily music! Today it’s quite a collectible album, but to me it’s worth far more than any price guide could suggest.
Adam and the Ants – Kings of the Wild Frontier (1980)
This was the first record I ever bought with my own money. I grew up in a small town – Godalming in Surrey, England, so buying the latest records before they became hits wasn’t as simple as popping into the local shop. I had to travel all the way to London to get it, which made the experience feel even more exciting. When you’re young, buying your very first album is a milestone. You suddenly own your own music rather than borrowing someone else’s collection.
Was I a huge Adam and the Ants fan? No hugely but they did have a very exciting and unique post-punk / new romantic sound. Either way, every time I see this record it reminds me of that excitement and the feeling of discovering music for myself.
Bing Crosby – White Christmas (1954)
The third record is a very different choice. Bing Crosby singing White Christmas has always been one of those recordings that simply feels timeless. This particular LP, released in 1954, features songs from the Irving Berlin musical & film, including what has become one of the most recognisable Christmas songs ever recorded.
There’s something definitive about Bing Crosby’s recording. No matter how many versions of White Christmas have been recorded over the years, I always come back to the original. It never seems to grow old and it’s the memories that matter.
Record collections are funny things. Some albums are technically better than others and some become valuable collectors’ items for their rarity. However, the records we treasure most are usually tied to emotional moments in our lives. They’re connected to childhood memories, first discoveries, family, excitement, or simply the feeling we had when the needle first touched the groove.
For me, these three records tell a story. One sparked a fascination with sound. One marked the beginning of my own music collection. And one reminds me why music has the power to stay with us for a lifetime. Those are the records I’d save first.
