The Boombox Project

Monday, 18 October 2010 | by Pat's Picks

When I last hung out with Lyle Owerko, we were about 12 years old and playing hockey in our neighborhood in Calgary, Alberta. Coincidentally, this was about the time the boombox was rising to fame.

Like me, Lyle made the transition from Canada to New York in the 1990s. He’s made his mark with photographs. In fact, it was his picture on the front page of Time magazine after the September 11th terrorist attacks:

His latest project is a book about the boombox. I had a “hey, kids, I know this guy” moment when reading the New York Times on Saturday morning. There was Lyle holding a giant boombox containing at least four speakers and TWO! cassette decks. The main feature of the book is Lyle’s photography of vintage portable stereos. But there’s fascinating commentary about the role the boombox had on 1970s and 80s music. He describes the boombox as a “sonic campfire” that young people gathered around. Spike Lee and the Beastie Boys are among those contributing commentary about its social influence.

Check it out on Amazon:

The Boombox Project: The Machines, the Music, and the Urban Underground

More of Lyle’s photos on his website Owerko.com