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Oct 17, 2010 9:51:51 GMT -1
Post by westender on Oct 17, 2010 9:51:51 GMT -1
Was discussing with some folks the other night .... we realised with some regret that none of us had sat down with an album and listened to it from start to finish, for ages and ages. Quite saddening. Long sessions deeply immersed in LPs was such a fundamental formative thing in most folks' growing up, there was reverence for the artists and the opus; and now we are older.... so much other trash crowding our time. When was the last time you listened to an album, start to finish?
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Oct 17, 2010 17:01:56 GMT -1
Post by hollowhorn on Oct 17, 2010 17:01:56 GMT -1
Was discussing with some folks the other night .... we realised with some regret that none of us had sat down with an album and listened to it from start to finish, for ages and ages. Quite saddening. Long sessions deeply immersed in LPs was such a fundamental formative thing in most folks' growing up, there was reverence for the artists and the opus; and now we are older.... so much other trash crowding our time. When was the last time you listened to an album, start to finish? Do you not think that the invention of the CD killed all that? They made it far too easy to skip tracks. Of course, the other integral part of LP enjoyment was the album sleeve, just not the same with a CD slip case.
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Oct 17, 2010 19:11:32 GMT -1
Post by westender on Oct 17, 2010 19:11:32 GMT -1
Was discussing with some folks the other night .... we realised with some regret that none of us had sat down with an album and listened to it from start to finish, for ages and ages. Quite saddening. Long sessions deeply immersed in LPs was such a fundamental formative thing in most folks' growing up, there was reverence for the artists and the opus; and now we are older.... so much other trash crowding our time. When was the last time you listened to an album, start to finish? Do you not think that the invention of the CD killed all that? They made it far too easy to skip tracks. Of course, the other integral part of LP enjoyment was the album sleeve, just not the same with a CD slip case. Certainly it has to be said that the CD was inevitably the start of it. But initially, CDs were also a godsend for a lot of folk who really did love and revere their music, and they were treated the same as LPs. You put them on to listen to the album in better quality... not to hear individual tracks. Usually I'd done with looking at the artwork before the end of the first side. (unless it was Marillion) It was just a wee realisation round the pub table, that brought a measure of melancholy....
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Oct 17, 2010 19:57:25 GMT -1
Post by howardbeale on Oct 17, 2010 19:57:25 GMT -1
I have to disagree that the CD was in any way responsible for people not listening to albums all the way through. I hated vinyl LPs before CDs were around largely because they sounded worse with every play (not to mention the wow and the fact that the bloody things wore out!) and CD was a godsend not only because of the quality, but because you didn't have to get up half way through to turn the bloody thing over!
I frequently listen to albums all the way through, and not just while doing the dishes or cooking, I set aside time to do it. Yes, CDs make it easier to skip tracks but the only time I'll skip a track is if I feel it's substandard, which is another good thing about CDs; very few albums are without at least one filler track and you can skip dodgy tracks easily without worrying about scratching your records.
If people don't listen to albums all the way through any more, it's because music matters less in their lives than it used to. Simple as that.
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Oct 17, 2010 20:07:52 GMT -1
Post by westender on Oct 17, 2010 20:07:52 GMT -1
If people don't listen to albums all the way through any more, it's because music matters less in their lives than it used to. Simple as that. Perhaps not that simple....I think it's still just as important to a lot of people, they just haven't realised how much it's just not around them any more; how much of what they care about has been lost in the white noise. They did the other night.
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Oct 17, 2010 20:33:03 GMT -1
Post by howardbeale on Oct 17, 2010 20:33:03 GMT -1
Perhaps the idea of it is more important than the reality.
It occurs to me that maybe some people invested as much, if not more, in the ritual surrounding vinyl LPs as they did in the music; the careful removing from the sleeve, the placing on the turntable, the careful dropping of the stylus into the groove.
The same goes for gigs; the atmosphere and experience is usually held to be more important than the musical performance. Also, there's the nostalgia factor. How often on Desert Island Discs do you hear folk saying; 'I like this record because it reminds me of...' or 'this was a hit the year I was...'? You don't often hear; 'I like this song because the lyric in the third verse is particularly good and well sung' or 'I particularly like the modulation into the bridge' or 'this album is beautifully recorded'
Take away the ritual and the paraphenalia and maybe music doesn't really mean that much to most people.
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Oct 17, 2010 20:55:06 GMT -1
Post by hollowhorn on Oct 17, 2010 20:55:06 GMT -1
I but the only time I'll skip a track is if I feel it's substandard, Really? Could it not also be that you just do not like the track? I love most Dylan albums but whenever he sings the blues, I skip, I just don't did new pony's.
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Oct 17, 2010 20:56:57 GMT -1
Post by hollowhorn on Oct 17, 2010 20:56:57 GMT -1
It occurs to me that maybe some people invested as much, if not more, in the ritual surrounding vinyl LPs as they did in the music; the careful removing from the sleeve, the placing on the turntable, the careful dropping of the stylus into the groove.. What's not to like?
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Oct 17, 2010 21:04:33 GMT -1
Post by westender on Oct 17, 2010 21:04:33 GMT -1
It occurs to me that maybe some people invested as much, if not more, in the ritual surrounding vinyl LPs as they did in the music; the careful removing from the sleeve, the placing on the turntable, the careful dropping of the stylus into the groove.. What's not to like? Daein it when ye're pished
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Deleted
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LPs
Oct 17, 2010 21:14:44 GMT -1
Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2010 21:14:44 GMT -1
Was discussing with some folks the other night .... we realised with some regret that none of us had sat down with an album and listened to it from start to finish, for ages and ages. Quite saddening. Long sessions deeply immersed in LPs was such a fundamental formative thing in most folks' growing up, there was reverence for the artists and the opus; and now we are older.... so much other trash crowding our time. When was the last time you listened to an album, start to finish? Last night, Westie. AWB by AWB. Someone nicked my original copy at a party 20 odd years ago, I mentioned it on a chat board and the following week one Felonius Monk had left me a mint vinyl copy behind the bar at the Chip. For which I still owe him 50p And yeah there's a dodgy track on side 2 but I didn't skip it... Tonight I am listening to Can't Buy a Thrill. On vinyl, natch. I love the ritual of dropping the stylus onto the disc, as you say. I love looking at the familiar sleeve, checking out who wrote what, who produced, who played on it etc as well. I'm nerdy that way, I just love high production values you get with Gary Katz, Quincy Jones etc. There's an element of nostalgia sure but it's not the prime mover for me. Most of the stuff I buy now is on CD but I don't skip tracks, is that odd? Sometimes the least favourite on first listen ends up being a grower. Then again, I work in music as does my OH, so perhaps I'm not coming from the same perspective as those who treat music more as a disposable pick'n'mix commodity. Most people I know who work in or write or play music are the same though, a tad nerdy about it all.
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Oct 17, 2010 22:59:01 GMT -1
Post by westender on Oct 17, 2010 22:59:01 GMT -1
Last night, Westie. AWB by AWB. Someone nicked my original copy at a party 20 odd years ago, I mentioned it on a chat board and the following week one Felonius Monk had left me a mint vinyl copy behind the bar at the Chip. For which I still owe him 50p And yeah there's a dodgy track on side 2 but I didn't skip it... Tonight I am listening to Can't Buy a Thrill. On vinyl, natch. I love the ritual of dropping the stylus onto the disc, as you say. I love looking at the familiar sleeve, checking out who wrote what, who produced, who played on it etc as well. I'm nerdy that way, I just love high production values you get with Gary Katz, Quincy Jones etc. There's an element of nostalgia sure but it's not the prime mover for me. Most of the stuff I buy now is on CD but I don't skip tracks, is that odd? Sometimes the least favourite on first listen ends up being a grower. Then again, I work in music as does my OH, so perhaps I'm not coming from the same perspective as those who treat music more as a disposable pick'n'mix commodity. Most people I know who work in or write or play music are the same though, a tad nerdy about it all. That's at least two responders here who definitely ain't in the normal run of things with regards to how music is consumed these days... youse ain't forgot. So you're saying that (like Howardbeale), you make time to listen to the full album? You put it on specifically to listen to it, not to do other things while it's on?
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Deleted
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LPs
Oct 17, 2010 23:20:30 GMT -1
Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2010 23:20:30 GMT -1
So you're saying that (like Howardbeale), you make time to listen to the full album? You put it on specifically to listen to it, not to do other things while it's on? Yeah. Is that odd?
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Oct 17, 2010 23:26:28 GMT -1
Post by westender on Oct 17, 2010 23:26:28 GMT -1
So you're saying that (like Howardbeale), you make time to listen to the full album? You put it on specifically to listen to it, not to do other things while it's on? Yeah. Is that odd? It would've been, round that table the other night. It was an unwelcome realisation, how long it had been since they'd listened to an album.
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Deleted
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Oct 17, 2010 23:42:04 GMT -1
Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2010 23:42:04 GMT -1
Perhaps the idea of it is more important than the reality. The same goes for gigs; the atmosphere and experience is usually held to be more important than the musical performance. Well in some cases yeah, I think you're right. The insidious creep of cross-media promotion of 'talent' can see audiences of 10000 in the SECC or wherever to see the witless winners of X Factor and the like. That is not--- and never has been--- about the music, that's about being in the same room as people who are 'famous'. But it's very far from the whole story. IMHO. The live gig market is burgeoning and I'd say in my own experience, the vast majority of people going to gigs are going to see artists they admire for their musicality and talent--- not for their fleeting tabloid profile. Real music lovers are not generally stupid; if a band or artist delivers a substandard peformance, they'll think twice about investing in tickets for the next gig. That kind of nous sorts the wheat from the chaff. And btw, I chanced across some lassie on X Factor last night trying to sing Purple Rain. How very dare she? It was total and utter crap yet all four judges gave her top marks. X Factor is fixed and has NOTHING to do with talent or music.
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Oct 18, 2010 10:16:45 GMT -1
Post by howardbeale on Oct 18, 2010 10:16:45 GMT -1
I but the only time I'll skip a track is if I feel it's substandard, Really? Could it not also be that you just do not like the track? Same thing!
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