Suspect Musical Taste Green

How many of my readers have crates of vinyl albums? How many progressives are totally modern with their music and have gone the completely digital route?

While it's easy to commend yourself for environmentally happy musical taste and plug in your digital music dock to dance like nobody's watching, somewhere lurking in the hidden recesses of attics and basements are the ghosts of music past.

Such media need not be relegated to thrift store obsolescence or even worse, garbage dump filler. Instead, with a bit of ingenuity, it can become funky fun art and decor.

One of the most creative uses for old records came from my friend Ryan. He and his roommate used album covers to wallpaper their apartment wall. If you notice, they also used the records themselves as decor on the far right side of the photo.

But what else can you do with old records? Why not warp and shape them into funky serving bowls or plant holders? The turntable hole already serves as a drainage hole. Several websites offer simple instructions for more detail, but in essence, place an old album over an oven proof bowl and bake it in a preheated 200 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. These bowls also make great serving dishes for snacks at a party.

Embrace your sense of ingenuity and respect for the earth. Take those old albums out of hiding and turn them into something that makes a true statement about all you once loved.

Rather than hide what you listened to (yeah, I've got some Tony Orlando and Barry Manilow lurking in my pile), I say we recycle and enjoy the ghosts of music past. That's a song I can sing like nobody's listening, but I hope you are!

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