This is a good time of the year. Why? Because one of my favorite hobbies is finding and listening to new music. January is a good month for me because I usually have gift certificate and such from Christmas and my January birthday.
This will keep me busy for weeks. I love it. I have a set amount of money that I can spend guilt-free on music. This is a chance for me to run through different scenarios of how I am going to spend it. This is a chance for me to be a bit risky and check out bands I've never heard, but only read about in magazines or the internet. There is a risk involved...sometimes they are winners and sometimes they are losers. Sure, I can easily sample the music now online, but 30 seconds of a song doesn't tell a story let alone describe the plot of an album. So, I hate to base decisions on 30 seconds.
I have had many conversations with Brian about why I still love to buy CD's as opposed to going all digital. We agree on many aspects: going to the store, searching for the only copy, ripping the plastic cover, reading the linear notes, etc.
I just read this article with Jeff Cloud, who runs Velvet Blue Music and has been in many bands - Starflyer 59, Joy Electric, Pony Express, and he sums up my generally feeling about music:
How do you feel about the state of music right now ?
Hmm, as far as the actual music goes, I think it's better than it has been for the past few years. The actual music industry, I think is at a weird spot. All this online, down loadable, cd burning, myspace, text messaging sonsg, ballyhoo has made things weird. For music listeners it's great. You could listen to music for the rest of your life and never spend a penny. For independent labels such as mine, all this will probably be the nail in my coffin.
You are opposed to this digital revolution ?
Don't want to say opposed. I just think it's made most people lazier. When I young I used to read about bands first, then I would wait for their single or ep to make it to the states, then I'd have to pay like $10/$12 (import price) for 3 or 4 songs. There was no preview, no 45 second sample, you couldn't buy just 1 of the songs. It took some commitment, some risk. Now people listen to 30 seconds of a whole record and may decide to pass on it. Or they figure why even buy the record when you can hear 4 of the 10 songs on the bands myspace.
Do you feel that with so much music being easily available that records aren't being listened to as closely ?
I would like to think this isn't true, but it probably is. I mean I'm a guy who is putting out vinyl, while the kid next door is complaining that it took 45 seconds to download an entire album into his wrist watch. I think true fans of music still appreciate the whole record, music, lyrics, package.
Here is the full interview.
http://www.velvetbluemusic.com/home.php
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6 comments:
Yep, technology can be disruptive to the older (and some feel, better) ways of doing things. It's horrible when you are negatively affected. That's what I'm picking up from those interview responses.
BTW, I've already stated my opinion about this time of year. It would take a lot of gift cards for me to believe January and February are good months.
I love technology...
No, not really. I get excited to buy CD's and determine what I can buy. I bought Chris Daughtry's CD and that was a risk. Don't like it as much as I thought.
Jeff has got a lot of good points. I love to find a little gem in the record stores. That's not to say I don't download, because I do. Sometimes it's the only way to get the music. I usually buy a album if it's new. I recently got "the Good, the Bad, and the Queen" (Damon Albarn's new band). I should have sampled it first because it kind of stinks
Actually, I really like the sound of The Good, the Bad & the Queen.
I prefer buying an actual CD to downloading mp3's. I still listen to CD's one at a time in their entirety, even when using my iPod. Most well crafted albums have songs that flow one to the other either musically or thematically. To break up the artist's intent by "shuffling" the songs kind of diminishes the overall effect. Although I do appreciate a well thought out compilation from Raingirl Records. Consequently, I'll probably always support artists by actually buying their product.
I download all of my music for free in Spain. Supreme court here said it was legal as long as it was for personal use only. I don't feel sorry for the CD industry. I feel sorry for the artists - but some of them are socialists anyway...
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