About five years ago the DJ, record producer and music supervisor Zach Cowie decided to commemorate his friends’ newborn with a melodic greeting.
“I don’t even know what got into me, but I thought it would be fun to make a little mix tape as my way of saying hello to their kid,†says Cowie, sitting with his friend and collaborator, the artist Jessica Rotter, at the kitchen table of his fashion district loft.
While pulling records from his massive collection of vinyl, which lines an entire wall of his home, Cowie became obsessed with finding songs made for adults but suitable for children: catchy, universal pieces that introduce the glory of music to fresh ears.
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What was supposed to take a day ended up taking a week as he brainstormed, setting aside deep tracks by Harry Nilsson, Nina Simone, Donovan, Roger Miller, the Pointer Sisters, Woody Guthrie and more. He mixed in snippets from TV shows and movies, perfected the sequence, named it “Hello†and sent it off. Whenever he met new parents, he gave them the mix.
Soon it was being shared among other music-loving parents. One of the recipients was Matt Sullivan, co-owner of Light in the Attic Records. Like many, he and his family fell in love with the mix. Not long after, Cowie and Rotter were collaborating, with the backing of Sullivan’s label, on the new compilation, “This Record Belongs To …,†which gathers music from that “Hello†mix — and then some.
There are some kids who don’t know what a record is. We thought it would be fun to give a little rundown.
— Artist Jessica Rotter
Their triple-whammy package includes the “This Record Belongs To …†record and illustrated book along with a custom-made by Jack White’s Third Man record label. The aim: to introduce entertainment-overloaded, iPad-addicted kids to active listening, vinyl records and the lessons within the grooves.
“There are some kids who don’t know what a record is. We thought it would be fun to give a little rundown,†Rotter says. An illustrator best known for her Rotter & Friends line of T-shirts, which celebrates lesser-known 1970s musicians including Link Wray, Lee Hazlewood and Big Star, she’s currently at work on a feature-length animated film. Cowie, who DJs under the stage name Turquoise Wisdom (often in tandem with actor Elijah Wood), recently served as music supervisor for Aziz Ansari’s acclaimed Netflix series, “Master of None.â€
“Nobody’s using music as the primary entertainment experience, which is something that we were fortunate to have as kids. I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t have that,†Rotter says. “I think we’re too overstimulated and oversaturated. When does the imagination get to play a part?â€
“My hope with this whole thing is that it may start someone on their journey,†Cowie adds. “All the clues are here if you listen well enough.â€
The collection opens with a recorded invitation from the late Shel Silverstein — “If you are a dreamer, come in!†— before moving into a rich, genre-crossing selection of songs divided among the sides. The first half highlights joyous songs for daytime fun and includes Van Dyke Parks’ version of Allen Toussaint’s “Occapella,†the Pointer Sisters’ bumping “Pinball Number Count†and Guthrie’s classic “Dance Around.†The second side features quieter songs that can serve as sleepy time lullabies and includes Simone’s “You Can Sing a Rainbow,†Bobby Bare’s “Daddy What If,†Vashti Bunyan’s folk tinged “Diamond Day†and concludes with Kermit the Frog’s “Rainbow Connection.â€
Third Man Records’ Ben Swank first received Cowie’s mix when Swank’s daughter Lulu was born two years ago. Excluding what Swank described on phone from Nashville as “the all-ambient birthing mix†he made for the delivery room, Nilsson’s “Me and My Arrow†and Carole King’s “One Was Johnny†were among Lulu’s first introductions to music.
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Madonna performs at the Forum in Inglewood on Oct. 27, 2015. Read the review.
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Don Henley performs at the Forum in Inglewood on Oct. 9, 2015. Read the review.
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Los Lobos perform at El Gallo Plaza in East Los Angeles on Sept. 29, 2015. Read the review.
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R. Kelly, cigar and mike in hand, performs at the Forum in Inglewood on Oct. 10. Read the Times review.
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Grace Jones in concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Sep. 27.
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Little Big Town band member Phillip Sweet performs at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on Sept. 10.
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Solange onstage at FYF Fest on Aug. 23, 2015.
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FKA Twigs performs at FYF Fest at Exposition Park on Aug. 23, 2015.
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Kanye West performs during FYF Fest on Aug. 22.
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Jehnny Beth performs with Savages at FYF Fest on Aug. 22, 2015.
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Taylor Swift performs at Staples Center in August.
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Shania Twain at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Aug. 20.
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Aretha Franklin at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on Aug. 2.
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John Famiglietti, left, front man Jake Duzsik, and Jupiter Keyes of the L.A. experimental band Health performing at the Echo in Los Angeles on July 22, 2015.
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Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie performing at the Hollywood Bowl on July 12.
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Kendrick Lamar performing at the BET Experience at Staples Center on June 27.
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Underworld performs at the Hollywood Bowl on June 21. Read the review.
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Brian Wilson at the Greek Theater on Saturday, June 20. It was also his 73rd birthday.
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D’Angelo performs at Club Nokia on June 8, 2015. Read the review.
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Ciara performs at Club Nokia on May 30, 2015.
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U2 guitarist The Edge, left, and lead singer Bono perform at the Forum on Tuesday, May 26. It was the first night of five at the venue.
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Guitarist Ron Wood, singer Mick Jagger, drummer Charlie Watts and guitarist Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones play Petco Park in San Diego on May 24, on the opening night of their 2015 American tour.
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Neil Diamond performs at the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday, May 23, 2015.
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Steve Aoki, EDM DJ, producer and recording artist, performs on Broadway between 4th and 6th streets in downtown Los Angeles, May 16, 2015.
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Rapper Big Sean performs at Rock in Rio in Las Vegas on May 16.
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Sia performs during the Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Center on May 9, 2105, in Carson.
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Justin Bieber performs during the Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Center on May 9, 2105, in Carson.
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Kanye West performs in shadowy lights during the Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Center on May 9, 2105, in Carson.
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Ne-Yo performs in front of a full house during the Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Center on May 9, 2105, in Carson.
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Nick Jonas performs during the Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Center on May 9, 2105 in Carson.
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James Hatfield fronts Metallica at the Rock in Rio Festival in Las Vegas on May 9.
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Chester Bennington and Linkin Park play the Rock in Rio fest in Las Vegas on May 9.
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Tim McIlrath, lead singer for the Chicago-based, melodic hardcore band Rise Against, wades into the crowd at Rock in Rio on May 9.
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Gwen Stefani fronts No Doubt at Rock in Rio in Las Vegas on May 8.
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Janet Weiss, left, and Corin Tucker perform during the
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Carrie Brownstein performs during the
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Swedish-born soft-indie-rock artist
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Rumer performs at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetary in Hollywood on April 23.
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Kanye West makes a surprise appearance during the Weeknd’s performance at the
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Marina and the Diamonds perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 18. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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FKA Twigs performs at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 18. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Barry Manilow performs at the Staples Center on April 14.
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Florence + The Machine perform during the
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El-P, left, and Killer Mike of
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Brittany Howard of
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Ariana Grande performs at the Forum in Inglewood, April 8, 2015.
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Experimental artist Lustmord makes his Los Angeles debut on March 21 at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever.
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R&B singer Chris Brown performs at the Forum in Inglewood. The March 8 show was a stop on his tour with Trey Songz and Tyga.
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Trey Songz performs at the Forum on March 8.
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Alan Jackson performs at the Nokia Theatre on Feb. 27 as part of his
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Brandy Clark performs as part of Alan Jackson’s
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Caribou performs at the Fonda Theater in Hollywood on Feb. 26.
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Roots rocker
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Tegan and Sara perform with the Lonely Island during the 87th
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Sarah Barthel of Phantogram performs at the
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Kendrick Lamar performs at the Air + Style concert and snowboarding event at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Feb. 21.
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John Legend performs during a rehearsal for “Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life - An All-Star Tribute†on Feb. 9 at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
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Madonna interacts with a dancer during the 57th Grammy Awards on Feb. 8.
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Patti Smith at the Roxy on Feb. 2.
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R&B singer Tinashe sings to a packed crowd at the El Rey Theatre on Jan. 22.
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Eric Church rocks the house while performing at Staples Center on Jan. 23.
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Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue performs at the Grand Plaza during the 2015 NAMM show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Jan. 22. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Sam France of Foxygen performs at the Roxy on Jan. 2.
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Foxygen at the Roxy on Jan. 2. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
When Swank and Third Man learned of the Light in the Attic release, they realized “This Record Belongs To …†would make an excellent companion to the Third Man children’s record player already in the pipeline. Featuring the label’s mascot, “Manny,†the player was part of their own campaign to get kids interested in music. The label is also releasing coloring books and T-shirts.
Asked whether the initiative is tantamount to analog propaganda, Swank agreed, jokingly calling the strategy “friendly fascism.†“We find a way to help teach kids about music and show parents that it can be a fun thing.â€
But fun is only one aspect, stresses Rotter, calling the project an ode to “that era where the things had to be found and passed around from person to person†and music could introduce complicated emotions to confused young minds.
“I had a lot to go through as a child, and you don’t really talk about your emotions,†Rotter says. “You need to figure out outlets to deal with it, especially when you’re super young. Music is the immediate way, and so are visuals. I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t have those little trippy escapes.â€
