Stephen Mejias

John Vanderslice's "New Zealand Pines" is the very first song I ever mentioned">http://blog.stereophile.com/stephenmejias/091605where/">mentioned here. It's an interesting choice for a first, and I'm glad I made it.

What's amazing (and absolutely obvious, depending on how you look at it) is that I listen to music differently now. I mean, my teenage ears don't have very much in common with my soon-to-be 30 year old ears.

A few things contributed:

...And I was returned to those weird and warm Florida nights when I'd leap eagerly from my comfortable but lonely bedroom at the sound of a weak car horn. In moments, I'd be out and free.

I was expecting to hear from so many more of you. But no matter: The band will grow in time.

I was doing a little dance on the subway platform. I was standing behind a dirty, purple column, so that no one could see me. I was waiting for the uptown F train. I was listening to the iPod¹. I was somehow avoiding death. And it occurred to me that I should start a new band.