Today I sold my entire CD collection. Over 400 discs. I've ripped them all onto my computer and loaded all those files onto a 30GB iPod. And today I committed to the MP3 format by selling the discs. For a serious music lover like me, this is a major milestone: making the transition from one recording format to the next. I bought my first CD around 1984 I think. 26 years.
I'm not sure how I feel about this but
The MP3 format is another step in the ongoing progression of recording/playback technology that takes the musical experience away from the human This progression is giving us convenience and miniaturization, but it's taking away...
...ah heck, I just don't have the time or patience right now to organize the essay that's swirling in my head right now on this subject. Maybe you can write it for me. What, if anything, do you think we're losing in this progression from vinyl record, to reel-to-reel, to 8-track, to cassette, to CD, to MP3?
The rest of this is alittle rough.
Amoeba Music record store...
"This is a great collection and it's in great shape!" he said that more than once. I was flattered and proud. He pulled out one particular disc from an obscure DC band. "This was a great band! I've been looking for this disc!" We reminisced a little about that band.
I was proud that he was impressed with my collection and how well I've cared for it. We agreed on the price and he went in the back to cut a check for me. While I waited I was so tired and sore from the last two days' of packing that I slumped over the counter in front of the tall stacks he had made of my CDs. My eyes wandered from title to title as random memories bubbled up. I used to play this disc a lot in college on my first CD player connected to my boombox (the same boombox featured in the movie "Say Anything.") This other disc has a major printing mistake on the cover. That one has skewed tracking: all the tracks start about 15 seconds into each song. Ooops -- that one still has tree sap sprinkles on the edge from 1987 when I used to keep my collection in milk crates under a potted ficus tree; thought I had cleaned all those! This one really gets my heart going. That one calms me down. This one takes me to another plane of existence with its mind-boggling art rock compositions.
These discs were my friends and companions; at various times my consolers, energizers, facilitators. "This IS a great collection," I thought.
The buyer came back. "Saying goodbye?"
"Yeah, I guess so."
He handed me my check and as I walked down to the garage... maybe I was just over tired, but for a few seconds there I felt like crying. Goodbye old friends. Your spirits live in this iPod, but your physical manifestations (the cool jewel cases, the paper flipbooks, and the slick plastic discs with their magical pits) are now gone forever.
I'd like to thank my musical parents and my three older musician/brothers for establishing a solid music appreciation foundation in me. Music has brought me intense joy.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
That's amazing. I've come close a few times, but as yet can only cull, not sell them all.
Here's what we're missing these days, the album with a theme is rare, it's all "hits". I liked listening to a progression...but anyway. I totally understand and I'm not even as into music as you are. : (
Music has awesome powers, all right. Don't worry, Ken; I still have some of your old CDs from one of your previous moves. You can come visit them any time.
Greg
Post a Comment