I open about being a Machead, iPod fanatic and an iPhone early adopter.

I love being able to make a track, sync it to my iPod and live with it a few days, or to be able to make a video on my Mac and then watch it on a widescreen TV through Apple TV.

Nevertheless, I’ve still got my vinyl collection. It sort of exists in a separate little musical universe.

So, country artist Shelby Lynne’s essay on Vinyl vs iPod over at Huffington Post rang a chord with me:

Hardly anyone uses tape anymore because they claim it’s so expensive and it’s just easier to use a computer. Most engineers can operate any computer rig in studios these days. But if you ask them to run a Studer and put on a reel of tape, they run down the hallway screaming for Mommy.

I’m sorry, but I can’t get turned on looking at a computer screen. First of all, it’s not more expensive. By the time digital users spend the time and money to buy the software needed to put that “tape sound” on their digital record, they have spent more time and money than I have. While they’re downloading “tape sound” software, I’m kicking back on the houseboat drinking beer with a fishing pole in my hand listening to Django.

I grew up listening to their vinyl. I have discovered that having a vinyl collection is so much cooler than having an iPod. Now, I have an iPod and I admit they are genius especially for travel and convenience. But they aren’t really any fun.

I don’t call up my friends and say “Hey why don’t y’all come over and bring your computers and let’s have a party”? Hell no! I say bring pot, wine and vinyl.

That’s sexy. It’s really a great excuse to get together and listen to music. Everybody takes a turn looking through the collection and it’s interesting to see what each person plays. The vinyl way is just me. I think if if we all listen to more music together, it really doesn’t matter how we do it. Music will save us all just like it always has. We feed our souls with it. Vinyl just creates a little more discussion for us. You get to look at the covers, the liner notes, sometimes the lyrics are included. Plus you can roll a doobie on it. That’s hard on an Ipod.

I’m not much of a country music fan, but you can’t argue with that.