Adam and the Ants鈥 鈥淒og Eat Dog.鈥 The Smiths鈥 鈥淗and in Glove.鈥 Kate Bush鈥檚 鈥淗ounds of Love.鈥 Fleetwood Mac鈥檚 鈥淪ara.鈥 This was the soundtrack to writer Pete Crighton鈥檚 queer awakening and in his memoir, 鈥淭he Vinyl Diaries鈥 (Random House Canada), he describes the transformative potential of music and its ability to stimulate the mind鈥檚 incredible powers of recollection.
“The Vinyl Diaries,” by Pete Crighton, Random House Canada, 336 pages, $26.
Crighton was put up for adoption by his birth mother in 1969 and grew up in Toronto鈥檚 east end with his adoptive family, and the music of the 鈥70s and 鈥80s resonated deeply with Crighton鈥檚 adolescence. At a young age, he realized that he was gay, but it was not something that he was ready to fully embrace. Something 鈥 the cultural mores of the time, the safety of heteronormativity or the stigma of being 鈥渙ut鈥 鈥 held him back.
鈥淎s I became more aware of my sexuality and what that meant in the mid- and late 1980s,鈥 he writes, 鈥淚 retreated further and further into myself. I denied who I was. I drank too much. I smoked too much dope. I was bullied. I was a failure at school.鈥
鈥淲hen I finally came out in my early twenties, telling a few friends and finally my family that I was gay, I still wasn’t ready to act on my sexual desires,鈥 he continues. 鈥淎IDS was still rampant at the time, so hiding amongst the comfort and safety of straight people made perfect sense to me. As a result, I spent my twenties mostly celibate.鈥
As Crighton enters his 40s and comes into his own as a marketing executive, his memories are triggered by his impressive record collection. Reminiscences of ex-loves, becoming friends with neighbour Carolyn Taylor of 鈥淏aroness von Sketch鈥 fame, and discovering the appeal of dating apps are seamlessly interwoven with meaningful passages describing landmark LPs by Lauryn Hill and David Bowie. This formula for writing about a bygone era proves to be a charming and effective way to capture how longing and regret become hallmarks of adulthood.
Crighton鈥檚 writing has appeared in the Globe and Mail, the 海角社区官网Star, and the West End Phoenix. He lives in Toronto.
Pete Crighton is a big fan of Kate Bush鈥檚 music. As well,聽Tori Spelling embodied all the campy, cheesy glory of 鈥淏everly Hills, 90210.鈥
What did you last read and what made you read it?
I鈥檓 midway through Alan Hollinghurst鈥檚 latest (“Our Evenings”) and Leah Kardos鈥檚 33 1/3 entry about Kate Bush鈥檚 鈥淗ounds of Love鈥 album, but the last book I finished was Paul Murray鈥檚 鈥淭he Bee Sting.鈥 I read it thanks to a friend鈥檚 social media post 鈥 someone whose taste I admire 鈥 and was glad I did. It was a great read.
What book would your readers be shocked to find in your collection?
I鈥檓 not proud of this one but 鈥 Tori Spelling鈥檚 biography, 鈥渟TORI Telling鈥! I had a tongue-in-cheek obsession with 鈥淏everly Hills, 90210鈥 when it was on the air, and for me, Tori embodied all the campy, cheesy glory of that show. I don鈥檛 remember a single word of the book!
When was the last time you devoured a book in one, or very few, sittings?
I read Oisin McKenna鈥檚 鈥淓venings and Weekends鈥 last fall and it was impossible for me to put down. I was so invested in all the characters and their stories; I couldn鈥檛 wait to see how it all resolved. I鈥檓 looking forward to seeing what McKenna does next.
Who鈥檚 the one author or what鈥檚 the one book you鈥檒l never understand, despite the praise?
A controversial choice: Hanya Yanagihara鈥檚 鈥淎 Little Life.鈥 Respect to Yanagihara鈥檚 ambition and skill, but the novel turned me into a rage monster. I found myself wanting to throw the book across the room, or light it on fire. I kept waiting for a glimmer of hope and lightness, but it just sunk deeper and deeper into its own misery.
Peter Crighton feels “The Fake” has not garnered the success that it deserves.
What’s the one book that has not garnered the success that it deserves?
Zoe Whittall鈥檚 most recent novel, 鈥淭he Fake,鈥 was well received but I thought it was going to be a smash bestseller across the continent and win all the awards. The characters were so finely drawn, and the storyline is crazily compelling 鈥 somebody, get this story made into a feature film! It was thrilling.
What book would you give anything to read again for the first time?
I still have my copy of Dr. Seuss鈥檚 鈥淥ne Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish鈥 in a collection at my mom鈥檚 house. To be able to discover the joy of playing with language in that way would be so lovely to reengage with.
When you were 10 years old, what was your favourite book?
I was a nerdy little kid and spent a lot of time by myself reading, just like my dad did. I had probably graduated from the 鈥淓ncyclopedia Brown鈥 series by 10 and was obsessed with Judy Blume books. 鈥淭hen Again, Maybe I Won鈥檛鈥 and 鈥淏lubber鈥 are standouts but honestly, I was fascinated by 鈥淎re You There God? It鈥檚 Me Margaret.鈥 Blume鈥檚 work is timeless.
What fictional character would you like to be friends with?
I have to say Kermit the Frog. He showed me so much about the person I want to be, and to lead with heart and kindness. Kermit is exactly the kind of energy and sweetness we all need right now, and I鈥檇 love to sit on my couch and share a bottle of wine with him!
“Tales of the City” was one of the first gay-themed novels Pete Crighton had ever read.聽
Do you have a comfort read that you revisit?
鈥淭ales of the City鈥 by Armistead Maupin was one of the first gay-themed novels I had ever read, and it swept me away. Some of the text hasn鈥檛 aged well, but Maupin鈥檚 series of books serve as a bit of a Rosetta Stone for me and the discovery of gay novels. When I pick up one of the earlier books, I鈥檓 transported back to the newly out-of-the-closet 20-something I was when I first read it and being amazed that queer stories existed in print. Finally, I saw myself.
What was the last book that made you laugh or cry?
I was recently on vacation in Mexico and brought a collection of David Rakoff essays with me for some beach reading. On every single page, his words made me laugh out loud constantly 鈥 he had such a rich sense of humour. I hadn鈥檛 read his work in ages, and it was so lovely to live in his world again. His loss was major.
There are not many books that bring me to tears, but Andrew Sean Greer鈥檚 鈥淟ess鈥 pierced my heart a few summers ago after my friend Sam bought it for me. I had real tears streaming down my face when I read the last word. Truly beautiful work.
“Reckless Daughter” is one book Pete Crighton wishes he had written.聽聽
What is the one book you wish you had written?
This one is a bit of a cheat, but David Yaffe鈥檚 鈥淩eckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell.鈥 To be able to have access to so many of Joni鈥檚 collaborators and friends, let alone the legend herself, for interviews and conversation would be mind-boggling. Joni is one of the greatest living songwriters and musicians of our time and the research would have been more fun than the writing.
What three authors living or dead would you like to have a coffee with?
This seems like such an easy question until you have to commit your answers to print. I鈥檓 going with Oscar Wilde, as it would be fascinating to hear firsthand how his work was judged at the time and what he sneakily wove into his writing 鈥 he鈥檇 be a great gossip I expect. Patti Smith next because I adored 鈥淛ust Kids鈥 and am a massive fan of her music and approach to life and art. Finally, Questlove 鈥 the way he weaves history and popular music together is a gift, and I would love to talk with him about it.
What does your definition of personal literary success look like?
Just having my book published feels like I won the lottery. but having Kate Bush tell me she liked one of my (many) stories about her in 鈥淭he Vinyl Diaries鈥 would be the ultimate success.
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