Playing 45's at 33 Won't Get You There

Photo by Sam Moqadam on Unsplash

I think I was 13 or 14 when my brothers excitedly came home one day with a handful of vinyls that a friend had lent them. The vinyls were singles from a couple of the biggest British heavy metal bands of the day - Iron Maiden and Saxon. 

We put the Saxon single, “20,000 Feet”, on first followed by Iron Maiden’s now-classic tracks, “Women in Uniform” and “Phantom of the Opera”. Man, those songs were heavy - seriously distorted guitars, deep and powerful vocals - and seriously long! We liked the music but something didn’t seem right. Pretty good but slightly...off. 

It wasn’t until a few days later, that we realized why: we were playing 45s at 33! (If you’re too young to know what I’m talking about, read this.) When we played them back at the right speed, it was, lo and behold, a completely different experience. The music was faster, the instruments were clearer, and the songs weren’t quite as long! This time, everything seemed right - we loved the songs because, this time, we were hearing them as they were meant to be heard.

The point being: you can’t play 45s at 33. Or rather that you can play 45s at 33, but you won’t get the intended experience if you do that. Those rules are in place for a reason and following those rules results in the right experience. 

Of course, you and I might argue what “right” actually is - surely, we can each decide on our own what we think we’d like to hear or experience. Yes, of course we can. But I have to think that the starting point of defining “right” is from the vantage point of the creator. They created their art for a reason and based on a desired and intended outcome. Once we’ve experienced that, we’re then free to decide what we might prefer. But that doesn’t change the original intention.

There’s a lesson in there somewhere, and I think it’s that it’s helpful to learn the rules before you play the game. I know we glorify the rule breakers and, in many instances, for good reason. Without them, we don’t get revolutions, in any sphere of life.

But for the most part, many of those rule breakers had at least a passing acquaintance with the rules, before they consciously decided to break them. 

That’s worth remembering the next time you’re planning a revolution, product or otherwise. 

Why are you doing what you’re doing? What are you trying to change? What was wrong with the old way? How are you going to make it better?

Know the rules, then break them to get to where you want to be.

(By the way, many times when I remember those songs, in my head, they’re still playing at 33...and they sound great!)