Vinyls (music) and people

[Arthur Gordon Scratch]

yesterday, I djed at a nice croweded party in Paris, and I got shit from those two idiot girls who were pissed because I didn't play "their" song. I told them that even if I wanted to, I couldn't because I didn't have it with me (don't have it at all BTW), which I got this answer for : "what kinda dj are you : who doesn't have Madonna on his ipod?!"

...

Then came the real trouble when I told them I don't have an Ipod and never had since I've never downloaded a single thing from the internet in my whole life. Added, that I wouldn't play MP3's out either (I have some I get sent) since the sound is shite. They looked at me weird and asked me what I play then, to which I actually had to point to them the turntables with the vinyls running that sat in front of them since the begining of the "conversation"!

Alright, it's a given, few people care enough passionately about the music to listen to it with quality conditions and sound. I get it, and it's no problem : Our lives are filled with expectations from every directions - you have to be good at making money, sex, cooking, travelling, sports, clothing, videogames, socialazing, etc...
I chose the music amongst other things.

I don't find it tragic that people go for shitty MP3s, I find it normal - You can't be passionate about everything!

YET, when casual music "lovers" try to teach me my job when they've never even listened consciously to a vinyl in their life, I get quite sad and pessimistic about where all this is going.

I'll stick to vinyl cos it represents an emotional investment with the music, it's not about consuming music : you actually had to track it down, pay for it and have the means to listen to it. Plus the object itself kicks ass. Also, ergonomically, you usually get between 3 and 20 mn of music on a side of wax slab (unless it's a La Monte Young record ), which is just the perfect amount of time to stay focused on the music before it becomes the background to another activity taking place of the "listening to music" one. When you put a vinyl on, you know you gonna have to make a choice soon : (putting it back from the begining, changing side, changing record, or stoping to listen to music, all becaus you know tha if you don't make the choice, the noise of the looped endgroove will remind it to you annoyingly anyways!
That all makes listening to vinyls way more active and involving in the music then any other format.
I have between 8000 and 9000 LPs, buying more almost everyday, and my life is beautiful.

So frigg those to baby dears!

Anyone else still playing wax?

[komikero]

I really felt sad when all those vinyl records disappeared from the shelves, replaced with CDs. I have a ton of these back home and I loved the huge covers and artwork and loved it even more if the thing opened up into a spread. To be honest, I've never had an awesome sound system to fully appreciate the sound on it, but I really miss playing those records. They're no longer selling turntables in town, but I'm keeping all my records well just because. Who knows one day I'll be able to buy another turntable.

I'm glad a lot of musicians are insisting on releasing their music again on vinyl. I think that's just awesome.

[Adam Kirby]

I'm a hardcore/punk dude. I have to have vinyl. Most of this stuff isn't put out in any other format.

But you know what I really hate? When people say "vinyls."

[Soracia]

When Zavvi started to sell vinyl again, I remember looking at their selection and being so pleased that at last people would be able to understand just what it was about the format. That it just wasn't the physical feel and the quality of the music (as opposed to the crappy sound on download) but the art, and how it compares today with comics on digital.

I've already had my fingers burned on another forum for daring to suggest that paper can be better than digital, so I'm not going to say much. But as with vinyl, with its better showcasing of art compared to the poor jewel case, so do I say that something like Walt & Skeezix: The Sundays or Seth's latest George Sprott will never look good on an e-reader.

[Arthur Gordon Scratch]

I'm a hardcore/punk dude. I have to have vinyl. Most of this stuff isn't put out in any other format.

But you know what I really hate? When people say "vinyls."

LOL

Nah, what you really hate is those emo dudes

[Adam Kirby]

Which "emo" dudes are we talking? Brown pants, sweaters, and glasses, or dudes that hang out at the mall? Because the former rule, the latter, not so much (nor will they ever get a sort of association with the e-word from me).

[Soracia]

Which "emo" dudes are we talking? Brown pants, sweaters, and glasses.

Oh, you mean shoe-gazers

[Adam Kirby]

Oh, you mean shoe-gazers

Not so much. That makes me think of My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and Lush and whatnot.

I mean stuff like Still Life, later Turning Point, Indian Summer, Sunny Day Real Estate, Antioch Arrow, and the Promise Ring or whatever.

[chrislatray]

Anymore, I am leaning toward buying vinyl whenever possible. A lot of stuff isn't released on vinyl, though, so I buy that on CD, or just download (which I pay for). I have found that having an iPod has increased the amount of time I listen to music -- particularly when working out, things like that. More and more bands are putting out vinyl that includes the CD, or a card with links to download, and I think that is awesome.

[Arthur Gordon Scratch]

Which "emo" dudes are we talking? Brown pants, sweaters, and glasses, or dudes that hang out at the mall? Because the former rule, the latter, not so much (nor will they ever get a sort of association with the e-word from me).

Any emo FFS! Don't even get me started about Fugazi or other shit, they're so past that stage it's not even fair to refer them to as emo.
Emo is just the most ridiculous music "style" ever "currated" by fans and journalists along.