Record Store Day and other roads to ruin

[Charlie Jefferson]

I've really, really tried since last July to not buy much music, preferring to savour the many discs and files I already own. Things were going fairly well up to Jan/Feb, then it all came crashing down big style. New releases by some of my favourite acts couldn't be resisted.

So in the last few weeks I've ordered vinyl versions of Radiohead, Pet Shop Boys (Vinyl Factory version), My Morning Jacket, the Beastie Boys and just now the latest Neil Young archive release. None too cheap, and all "essential", or so I've convinced myself.

What is more, the annual, cursed Record Store Day is almost upon us, and I've drawn up a list of items to camp out for on Saturday morning.

Who needs to worry about paying for house extensions, weddings and honeymoons, wife to be and daughter's tuition fees, when there's so much music to be bought!!

Can anyone make me feel better by telling me they've re-mortgaged their house to buy exclusive editions of the new Duran Duran album or some such?

I may be beyond redemption.

 

[DandyCobalt]

Just listened to Thriller 25th Anniversary Vinyl Edition (again), at request of my 13 year-old daughter. Fabulous - vinyl can bring the family together for great moments! Priceless!

Followed by a first listen of the Decemberists on vinyl - part Jayhawks, touch of Green Day and REM perhaps - something for all the family.

 

[The_Lhc]

Just listened to Thriller 25th Anniversary Vinyl Edition (again), at request of my 13 year-old daughter. Fabulous - vinyl can bring the family together for great moments! Priceless!

Interesting, do you not find that the vinyl remaster has robbed it of all the edge it used to have? I got this a while and whilst the noise-levels etc are very good, I find it sounds so smooth now that all the energy has gone. Thriller in particular has completely lost any feeling of fear or terror it used to have, the bassline is way too smooth, even Vincent Price now just sounds like a slightly dodgy old geezer rather than the creepy presence he used to be! I was really disappointed by this.

 

[margetti]

Fantastic news here - bbc - the number of independent record stores has increased over the past year! (Although sadly still just a third of what there were 5 years ago).

 

[DandyCobalt]

Just listened to Thriller 25th Anniversary Vinyl Edition (again), at request of my 13 year-old daughter. Fabulous - vinyl can bring the family together for great moments! Priceless!

Interesting, do you not find that the vinyl remaster has robbed it of all the edge it used to have? I got this a while and whilst the noise-levels etc are very good, I find it sounds so smooth now that all the energy has gone. Thriller in particular has completely lost any feeling of fear or terror it used to have, the bassline is way too smooth, even Vincent Price now just sounds like a slightly dodgy old geezer rather than the creepy presence he used to be! I was really disappointed by this.

I can't really compare - I never owned the original. I've just got back into vinyl, updated my whole system (amp, speakers and all) and very pleased with the sound. Certainly through the Trichord then Cyrus and B&Ws the album is pretty impactful.

 

[The_Lhc]

No, I don't have it on anything else either but I knew something was up when Billie Jean didn't make me feel like moonwalking across the living room.

Could be my turntable I guess, it's not up to the standard of your system but I've never noticed this with anything else.

 

[entrails]

I get the same ashamed feeling after a major splurge on vinyl collecting. I think it is easier to do this online than at record shops as you can continue purchasing until the vinyl starts arriving on the doorstep and shame kicks in and stops the spree. At the end of the day vinyl addiction is cheaper than cocaine and heroin, less embarassing to the kids than wasting cash on a male menopause sports car, can be partially rectified by reselling on ebay, and most importantly recognises music as one of the most fantastic wonderful things on this planet. Illegal downloaders just devalue music for themselves. My advice is get back online and reward yourself for being a true music lover, just try and avoid those 45rpm audiophile box sets!

 

[DandyCobalt]

Shame on me - just bought Derek & the Dominoes and the 180g Allman Bros Live at Fillmore East online.

Big differences in prices between amazon, classiclps and hmv.com - one site cheaper for one than the other, and vice-versa - really have to shop around.

 

[DandyCobalt]

I've really, really tried since last July to not buy much music, preferring to savour the many discs and files I already own. Things were going fairly well up to Jan/Feb, then it all came crashing down big style. New releases by some of my favourite acts couldn't be resisted.

So in the last few weeks I've ordered vinyl versions of Radiohead, Pet Shop Boys (Vinyl Factory version), My Morning Jacket, the Beastie Boys and just now the latest Neil Young archive release. None too cheap, and all "essential", or so I've convinced myself.

What is more, the annual, cursed Record Store Day is almost upon us, and I've drawn up a list of items to camp out for on Saturday morning.

Out of interest, what's on your camping list for tomorrow?

 

[margetti]

Good to see Record Store Day getting so much coverage not only here but in the popular press. This time an article in The Telegraph - what got me about this particular piece was the bit about BB King popping into (now long gone) London record stores whenever he was in town... to pop into a record shop and bump in to BB King doing the same would have been amazing!

 

[shropshire lad]

If you ever bumped into BB King you are more than likely to be the one who came off worse . He's a well built gentleman , that's for sure .

Unfortunately I don't think I'll be near any record shops tomorrow to take advantage of any bargains on offer .

Nick

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

I've really, really tried since last July to not buy much music, preferring to savour the many discs and files I already own. Things were going fairly well up to Jan/Feb, then it all came crashing down big style. New releases by some of my favourite acts couldn't be resisted.

So in the last few weeks I've ordered vinyl versions of Radiohead, Pet Shop Boys (Vinyl Factory version), My Morning Jacket, the Beastie Boys and just now the latest Neil Young archive release. None too cheap, and all "essential", or so I've convinced myself.

What is more, the annual, cursed Record Store Day is almost upon us, and I've drawn up a list of items to camp out for on Saturday morning.

Out of interest, what's on your camping list for tomorrow?

Camping list for a 6am* start:

1) Radiohead 12"

2) The Beastie Boys 7"

3) The Flaming Lips vinyl box set

4) The Beach Boys 78rpm EP

Yourself, Dandy?

* flask, book, camping seat-aided. Hopefully.

Two years ago I was the first in the queue at 8am, last year the same time got me to 28th in line. So with all the publicity surrounding this one maybe I'll need to go to sleep outside the shop to guarantee getting my hands on the goods.

Happy hunting, if you're going to a store.

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Entrails,

You are my life coach, but I just didn't know it.

Bar the bit about re-selling on eBay, and maybe an occasional 45rpm "audiophile" weakness, I agree.

I'm just having a mini-break from listening to today's RSD purchases*, and I'm screening out the guilt with strong lager and an appreciative wife or should that be an appreciative lager and a strong wife?

*So far I've played and loved:

1) The Flaming Lips Heady Nuggs box set. (selections from). Sounds a whole lot different to the CDs I know so well. The vinyl tries to rein in the digitized hyper-compression of the CDs, and it just about works. Certainly on The Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi.

2) Nickelcreek's first album -

3) Follow Me Down - a Vanguard label compilation of crazily brilliant psych-rock

4) Radiohead's Supercollider - should have been on KOL. It's great.

5) Fleet Foxes' Helplessness Blues 12" - pop-existentialism. Lovely.

Unplayed, but still to come:

1) Vorwarts - a Mute label comp.

2) The Art of Noise debut LP

And appropriately enough,

3) Am I Going Insane - Midlake's Sabbath cover

 

[Anonymous]

EDITED BY MODS – House Rules

sure ill get abuse for this...

No, just one and only warning - MODS

 

[entrails]

Sounds like you're going to have a great time with those purchases. I've currently got an huge wadge of Duke Ellington vinyl I've hidden behind the sofa, all of which are going to need cleaning at Russ Andrews before I can get the most out of them.

Ah! The AON first album brings back memories of teenage years; two record shops in town and Woolworths selling vinyl.

I've got to admit as I had already got Beatbox parts 1 and 2 on 12inch the album was a bit of a disappointment. Which reminds me I never bought Duel by Propaganda on 12 inch I really need to get round to getting that.