Record shop love letter: Torres, to Nashville’s Grimey’s • DIY Magazine

As part of this year’s Record Store Day, DIY is asking tons of bands to pay tribute to their favourite record shops. Whether it’s queuing up every year with a perfectly-planned lists of ‘must haves’ or popping in every day to find a beloved rarity, everyone has a different relationship and history with their favourite shop.

Mackenzie Scott

Hi Grimey’s staff,

I’ve never told you, but your record store was the first place I ever bought vinyl. I walked into the shop in late 2010 with my mom, who was visiting me in Nashville for the weekend. She was visibly overwhelmed, astonished, as it was her first encounter with vinyl since the late ‘70s. (She has since gifted to me an original copy of Rumours, among other favorites, all hers from her youth.)

After some perusing, I came across Sufjan Stevens’ “Michigan” LP. My mother bought it for me but held onto it, and it ended up beneath the Christmas tree a few weeks later. When I opened it (admittedly expectantly), my grandmother gasped. “Is that a vinyl record?! They’re still making those?” I watched her eyes tilt to the ceiling as she shifted in her leather chair and right into a memory. She began to hum and smile, tears brimming.

I could go on, but for brevity’s sake I’ll end my anecdote there. I just wanted to thank you for directly affecting three generations of my family’s women, myself included, and for giving us stories and reasons to tell them.

Torres’ ‘Sprinter’ album is out 18th May.

Tags: Features, Torres