Sunday, November 22, 2015

Throw Away the Day

LPs and 45s are still cool people! And the thing is many bands are still putting out albums and singles not necessarily for the hip factor. Fact is with the right system, records do sound very very good. However, it bothers me when all the hipsters ooze, [in my best high pitched sarcastic hipster-slam voice], "Oh it sounds so good on vinyl.") and they have these dinky piece of junk turntables. Anyway, vinyl is being produced and released because there is a resurgence and demand. Likely as a way to re-engage listeners or it could be just a trend. But nonetheless now we can experience music like we used to. Remember when you would actually leave the house, go to the record store and thumb through the LP and 45 racks for hours looking for something new and interesting... perusing all the covers, flipping piece by piece? For me, the cover art was motivation for many a purchase. And remember the sweet musty smell of all the vinyl? And once you found an elusive gem or potentially life changing disc, you'd rush home, sit down in front of the turn table, slide out the record from its sleeve handling it like true treasure, place it on the deck, turn the dial to 45 or 33 rpm, move the tow arm over and place the needle into the first groove, and then experience... Adventure, art, discovery, elation, exploration, melancholy. You could actually hold the sleeve, read the liner notes, and embrace the experience. 
It is Music! It is Music!

Don't get me wrong. I enjoy instant access to all my music (and I have amassed a huge collection both actual & virtual) and/or any conceivable song that I can think of (for the most part). But I fear that many people do the same at the risk of not appreciating it all... It's just too easy to listen to anything nowadays and that effort has been lost. Music has been devalued to a certain degree. It's a commodity, and it's purpose has somehow been lost... too easy to be cast aside like paper in the wind. But I guess it's just evolution.