I'm a perfectionist. Some people would say I'm "anal retentive". This may have been true ten years ago, but now "anal" would refer more to my fetish than my personality.
I like to be precise. I like to be correct. Which means I also like to know when I am wrong (so that I can come correct). I like it when other people have their shit together so they don't waste my time. I don't think there's anything wrong with this. But it can be taken too far. As a child and young adult I was fairly uptight in general. Not good. I was stressed out too often, a replicant heading for early "retirement".
Now I'm just uptight about certain things. Like the condition grading accuracy of vinyl records I buy from online sellers. For example, a lot of sellers automatically grade new records as 'mint' but they really aren't. In fact, most new records are not 'mint'. Sleeve scuffs? Not 'mint', jackass. Played in-store? Definitely not 'mint', fucker. Probably not even 'near mint'.
Either :
* Take the time to look at your records under a GOOD light at various angles. Even your "new" records. Test the record's playing condition if any wear is visible.
OR
* If you don't want to take the time to grade your records accurately, then don't act like a fucking saint when I or any other buyer asks for a partial or full refund. If you want to save time/money upfront, then be prepared to pay for it later. No one is perfect. (Especially not me.) And vinyl is an extremely imperfect media. Acknowledge this and take some accountability. Be a professional. Don't be a dicksqueeze.
Of course, there are very few sellers who can always meet my expectations. So I have lowered my expectations. In fact, buying vinyl records has taught me to just let some things slide. How many times am I going to allow myself to get upset about a brand new record that has a bit too much surface noise or is slightly warped and doesn't grip the slipmat as well as I'd like it to before these worries send me over the edge permanently? Fuck that.
I want to let go. I'll never let go of it all. But I can always try.
Who wants to hold onto shit?
That doesn't feel good.
"Retentive" my ass.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
ANNOYING AND WORTH TAKING A COUPLE MINUTES TO SHARE WITH THE GROUP
On 11/24/08, 04:35AM, tamara1001s wrote:
Hello, Am using this opportunity to purchased item from you but i have a freight shipping company that will come for the pickup of the item by answer my question below: Q 1: How long you have been owned the item you are willing to sell for me Q 2: Hope the item still available for sale with good condition state . Q 3: What is the final asking price you are willing to sell the item for me Q 4: Let me have attach of the picture of the item you want to sell for me Q 5: Do you able to accept cashier check or Personal check as a mode of the payment. Q 6: Will you be available when the shipping company will Be coming for the pickup? Q 7: Can we trust you on this transaction? Q 8: Can you send me your full contact information such as: Name: Address: City: State: Zip Code: Country: Regards.
sent to tamara1001s on 24-Nov-08 03:42 PM
GO FUCK YOURSELF, YOU STUPID, SCAMMING WHORE.
DISCOGS SELLERS DO NOT TOLERATE THIS KIND OF CONDUCT.
GO BACK TO FOOLING IDIOT EBAY SELLERS.
LOVE,
YOUR LORD AND MASTER
Hello, Am using this opportunity to purchased item from you but i have a freight shipping company that will come for the pickup of the item by answer my question below: Q 1: How long you have been owned the item you are willing to sell for me Q 2: Hope the item still available for sale with good condition state . Q 3: What is the final asking price you are willing to sell the item for me Q 4: Let me have attach of the picture of the item you want to sell for me Q 5: Do you able to accept cashier check or Personal check as a mode of the payment. Q 6: Will you be available when the shipping company will Be coming for the pickup? Q 7: Can we trust you on this transaction? Q 8: Can you send me your full contact information such as: Name: Address: City: State: Zip Code: Country: Regards.
sent to tamara1001s on 24-Nov-08 03:42 PM
GO FUCK YOURSELF, YOU STUPID, SCAMMING WHORE.
DISCOGS SELLERS DO NOT TOLERATE THIS KIND OF CONDUCT.
GO BACK TO FOOLING IDIOT EBAY SELLERS.
LOVE,
YOUR LORD AND MASTER
Sunday, November 2, 2008
I'm Only Stubborn Because I Love So Much
Dance Records dot com is no longer stocking new vinyl. They haven't been for the last four months. This means that resource is now gone, and I'm left with only Forced Exposure to get records domestically. But they don't keep up too well with a LOT of the latest and greatest techno releases, so I'm stuck with having to pay a shit ton for shipping charges to get imports from Juno, UK.
Most of the records I want are pressed in Germany. Most (but certainly not all) of the labels releasing the best techno are based there. Germany isn't stealing our artists. We're giving them away. There aren't enough opportunities here for upcoming artists to make an income from producing and dj'ing. So they move to Berlin. It's an inevitable decision for many U.S. techno artists. It's a trend.
If I could reduce my record collection drastically, how the hell am I supposed to move a couple thousand records overseas? I don't have the money for that. I have negative money.
And even if I did want to digitize all this vinyl and pretend I'm playing records with Serato--which I definitely don't want to do--the time and storage demands would be overwhelming. Yes, reduction of arms and elimination of the weaker records is possible, but that shit takes time. Time is money. And I don't have much of either.
Who does?
Detroit pioneers like Kevin Saunderson and Carl Craig have money. They can do what they want. They don't have to move to Berlin to survive. They get paid to fly there. What do you think they get paid for one gig after expenses? No less than five grand, I'm positive. And I've heard plenty of rumors that they often get ten grand or more. Being a (famous) dj can be great because you don't have to split that money with four other band members that annoy you, restrict your creativity, and give you herpes.
After spending a couple thousand dollars buying records from Dance Records in less than two years, they are cutting me off. I sent them an e-mail asking about the vinyl situation, and they didn't even bother to respond. Their customer service has been great. And now they're too embarrassed to respond to one of their best customer's inqueries.
They could have at least said, "Sorry, bro. Vinyl market in the U.S. is dead and we don't care enough to just sell a couple hundred records every week. You should move to Berlin."
Fuck you.
Most of the records I want are pressed in Germany. Most (but certainly not all) of the labels releasing the best techno are based there. Germany isn't stealing our artists. We're giving them away. There aren't enough opportunities here for upcoming artists to make an income from producing and dj'ing. So they move to Berlin. It's an inevitable decision for many U.S. techno artists. It's a trend.
If I could reduce my record collection drastically, how the hell am I supposed to move a couple thousand records overseas? I don't have the money for that. I have negative money.
And even if I did want to digitize all this vinyl and pretend I'm playing records with Serato--which I definitely don't want to do--the time and storage demands would be overwhelming. Yes, reduction of arms and elimination of the weaker records is possible, but that shit takes time. Time is money. And I don't have much of either.
Who does?
Detroit pioneers like Kevin Saunderson and Carl Craig have money. They can do what they want. They don't have to move to Berlin to survive. They get paid to fly there. What do you think they get paid for one gig after expenses? No less than five grand, I'm positive. And I've heard plenty of rumors that they often get ten grand or more. Being a (famous) dj can be great because you don't have to split that money with four other band members that annoy you, restrict your creativity, and give you herpes.
After spending a couple thousand dollars buying records from Dance Records in less than two years, they are cutting me off. I sent them an e-mail asking about the vinyl situation, and they didn't even bother to respond. Their customer service has been great. And now they're too embarrassed to respond to one of their best customer's inqueries.
They could have at least said, "Sorry, bro. Vinyl market in the U.S. is dead and we don't care enough to just sell a couple hundred records every week. You should move to Berlin."
Fuck you.
How is This Possible?
I did not buy any records last month. Not a single record throughout the entire month of October.
Which means I'll have to buy plenty this month.
Or not.
Which means I'll have to buy plenty this month.
Or not.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Resentment is a Bitch
I'm undergoing post-techno depression. This happens every time I return from one of those big electronic music festivals. This time it was Decibel in Seattle. Good times were had by all.
I do have some festival regrets, however. Like I didn't get to see any of the Opticals. Okay, so most of the performances didn't get rave reviews, but I would have liked to see some of them anyway. My absence from said Opticals was mostly due to the unfortunate overlapping of events. It makes me appreciate the Mutek method of scheduling the Nocturnes after the A/Visions are completely finished. This kind of programming basically says, "We will schedule events with enough time in between to catch a disco nap or grab some food and you won't have to miss anything because every artist we book is awesome and you don't want to miss a single minute." I prefer this approach. It's very confident. Like a great dj who knows that she/he can pull any record from that case and it's going to be killer. At Mutek, I got to see Biosphere perform live with mind-altering visuals and then hop, skip, and jump over to catch Polmo Polpo playing his euphoric nautical beats with those haunting slide guitar melodies.
Also, I missed seeing Stewart Walker perform live, which really pissed me off and was totally not my fault. I wanted to go earlier (before it was impossible to get in, regardless of any pass), but my twin soul forced me to wait for her. I still don't understand this one. I stated without any vagueness, "If I miss Steward Walker I'm going to regret it and I'll resent you." Was she trying to make me cry? Seriously. This loss will never be forgotten. What's worse, Madame Soulmate forced me to leave early before the festival was over. For no good reason other than...she had to leave early? Fuck if I know. I had to leave my front row seat at the Ambient Showcase to catch a bus to the airport. I missed the final performances as well as the Decibel afterhours. For no good reason. Again...resentment. I suppose I'll have to let go of this irritation eventually. That would be the healthy thing to do, after all. But for now, I'm a bit raw from being rubbed the wrong way.
By the way, I'm on a new program where I'm limiting the number of records I buy every month. Upon returning from Decibel, I stuck a post-it note to my computer:
October
Records
(Limit 20)
I do have some festival regrets, however. Like I didn't get to see any of the Opticals. Okay, so most of the performances didn't get rave reviews, but I would have liked to see some of them anyway. My absence from said Opticals was mostly due to the unfortunate overlapping of events. It makes me appreciate the Mutek method of scheduling the Nocturnes after the A/Visions are completely finished. This kind of programming basically says, "We will schedule events with enough time in between to catch a disco nap or grab some food and you won't have to miss anything because every artist we book is awesome and you don't want to miss a single minute." I prefer this approach. It's very confident. Like a great dj who knows that she/he can pull any record from that case and it's going to be killer. At Mutek, I got to see Biosphere perform live with mind-altering visuals and then hop, skip, and jump over to catch Polmo Polpo playing his euphoric nautical beats with those haunting slide guitar melodies.
Also, I missed seeing Stewart Walker perform live, which really pissed me off and was totally not my fault. I wanted to go earlier (before it was impossible to get in, regardless of any pass), but my twin soul forced me to wait for her. I still don't understand this one. I stated without any vagueness, "If I miss Steward Walker I'm going to regret it and I'll resent you." Was she trying to make me cry? Seriously. This loss will never be forgotten. What's worse, Madame Soulmate forced me to leave early before the festival was over. For no good reason other than...she had to leave early? Fuck if I know. I had to leave my front row seat at the Ambient Showcase to catch a bus to the airport. I missed the final performances as well as the Decibel afterhours. For no good reason. Again...resentment. I suppose I'll have to let go of this irritation eventually. That would be the healthy thing to do, after all. But for now, I'm a bit raw from being rubbed the wrong way.
By the way, I'm on a new program where I'm limiting the number of records I buy every month. Upon returning from Decibel, I stuck a post-it note to my computer:
October
Records
(Limit 20)
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Elitist Techno Honky Buys More Records
I got my order from Zion's Gate the other day :
Random Logic - Numrebs EP (Tehnika) (12") 4.99
Premature Wig - Endless Dub (Skor Records) (12") 6.99
Flow.Machine - Class Of '96 (10") 4.99
Robi Uppin - Fade (12") 9.99
Paul Mac - Push Came To Shove (2xLP) 8.99
Soultek - Paradigm (12") 11.99 11.99
Polycubist - Echo Life (Skor Records) (12") 6.00
Sven Väth - Strahlemann Und Söhne (Rmx) (Virgin 9.99
Murcof Utopia Remixes 9.99
Subtotal: 73.92
All good stuff. A few gems. Note Robi Uppin's "Fade" on Driftwood, a label that didn't last long enough to completely satisfy The Lovers. Oh well. Perhaps greatness should take a bow before any hint of weakness surfaces.
If you have questions about any of these releases, hit me up. They're all incredible. Except maybe the "Strahlemann Und Söhne" twelve. I only got it for the Soul Capsule remix, which has this really strange, haunting sound on it. (I like strange. And I like haunting.) Soul Capsule is Thomas Melchior ("Productions") and Peter ("Baby Ford") Adshead. This is straight up Perlon-related goodness.
Also, if you're very familiar with Tehnika, Flow.Machine (Thor of "Aliens Don't Boogie" fame), or Skor Records, give yourself a big fucking pat on the back. You're elite.
Random Logic - Numrebs EP (Tehnika) (12") 4.99
Premature Wig - Endless Dub (Skor Records) (12") 6.99
Flow.Machine - Class Of '96 (10") 4.99
Robi Uppin - Fade (12") 9.99
Paul Mac - Push Came To Shove (2xLP) 8.99
Soultek - Paradigm (12") 11.99 11.99
Polycubist - Echo Life (Skor Records) (12") 6.00
Sven Väth - Strahlemann Und Söhne (Rmx) (Virgin 9.99
Murcof Utopia Remixes 9.99
Subtotal: 73.92
All good stuff. A few gems. Note Robi Uppin's "Fade" on Driftwood, a label that didn't last long enough to completely satisfy The Lovers. Oh well. Perhaps greatness should take a bow before any hint of weakness surfaces.
If you have questions about any of these releases, hit me up. They're all incredible. Except maybe the "Strahlemann Und Söhne" twelve. I only got it for the Soul Capsule remix, which has this really strange, haunting sound on it. (I like strange. And I like haunting.) Soul Capsule is Thomas Melchior ("Productions") and Peter ("Baby Ford") Adshead. This is straight up Perlon-related goodness.
Also, if you're very familiar with Tehnika, Flow.Machine (Thor of "Aliens Don't Boogie" fame), or Skor Records, give yourself a big fucking pat on the back. You're elite.
Monday, August 18, 2008
'Fuck Ya'll Lookin' At?!?
I've been bad about keeping up with this blog thing that I started.
Oh. Fucking. Well.
I saw Tropic Thunder today. I was laughing so hard tears rolled down my cheeks. And that was before the actual film even started. You'll know what I'm talking about if you see it.
Latest order with juno.uk :
FREUND DER FAMILIE Konig Der Welt EP 12"
PROMPT Evolve 12"
PROMPT Elephant 12"
PROMPT Toucan 12"
Prompt, much?
Again, the shipping charges fucking killed me. I hate having to order from overseas. But who the fuck has these records in the U.S? Anyone...Hello...?
My credit card debt has passed the $15,000 mark. If I were to buy absolutely nothing throughout the next year, not even gas or pay my rent, I still wouldn't be able to pay this off entirely. Is everyone in debt a slave? Or can we dictate our freedom regardless of what we owe? Money certainly gives one more options. Like I can't just get on a plane and fly to Berlin. Well. Actually. I could. I'd pay for it with one of my credit cards, like everything else I buy. Credit limit exceeded? No problem. Get a new card.
Oh. Fucking. Well.
I saw Tropic Thunder today. I was laughing so hard tears rolled down my cheeks. And that was before the actual film even started. You'll know what I'm talking about if you see it.
Latest order with juno.uk :
FREUND DER FAMILIE Konig Der Welt EP 12"
PROMPT Evolve 12"
PROMPT Elephant 12"
PROMPT Toucan 12"
Prompt, much?
Again, the shipping charges fucking killed me. I hate having to order from overseas. But who the fuck has these records in the U.S? Anyone...Hello...?
My credit card debt has passed the $15,000 mark. If I were to buy absolutely nothing throughout the next year, not even gas or pay my rent, I still wouldn't be able to pay this off entirely. Is everyone in debt a slave? Or can we dictate our freedom regardless of what we owe? Money certainly gives one more options. Like I can't just get on a plane and fly to Berlin. Well. Actually. I could. I'd pay for it with one of my credit cards, like everything else I buy. Credit limit exceeded? No problem. Get a new card.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Selector Selectivity
I'm buying fewer records now, which is good. But overall, each record is costing me more. (Which is bad.) I just got this order in the mail from juno.uk :
CHEVY/LEMOS: Woman's Key (Be Chosen Germany)
MOUNTAIN PEOPLE: Mountain 005 (Mountain People Germany)
KOI: Deaf Torero (Styrax Leaves Germany)
CARL, Aaron: Crucified (Millions Of Moments Germany)
NUBIAN MINDZ: Afrika Man (Delsin Holland)
BOLIVAR, Pablo: Gold Series (D Press Industries Spain)
WLADIMIR M: As The Leaves Fall From The Trees (reissue) (Eevo Lute Holland)
FREUND DER FAMILIE: Sark EP (Freund Der Familie Germany)
SLICES: Slices: The Electronic Music Magazine Issue 2-08
Subtotal $93.14
Insurance $1.20
Shipping $39.06
GRAND TOTAL $133.40
And, as usual, I'm very upset that I have to buy these records from over-fucking-seas. I should be able to get all these from a U.S. Internet retailer. Note that the shipping and insurance accounts for more than 30% of the entire cost of the order. (Plus Paypal and credit card companies charge additional fees for foreign currency transactions.)
These ridiculous costs aren't helping me reduce my credit card debt. But GODDAMN HAVE YOU HEARD THESE RECORDS?!? If not, you better git on like you been shit on. All these are essential listening. And if you actually buy music, they are essential purchases as well. "Why?" you may or may not have asked.
Well...
The Chevy and Lemos collaboration is just damn solid and a standout among those hundreds of sound-the-same samples I listen to every week, via the weekly new release e-mail I get from juno.uk.
Mountain People deliver yet again. Mountain People "003" is one of my favorite records. Ever. and "005" is damn good as well.
Koi. On Styrax Leaves. If you need further explanation, research the label immediately. Wait another minute and you'll miss yet another limited sick/deep/gorgeous-as-fuck techno release. Don't like it? No problem. Wait a few months and you'll be able to sell it for double what you paid.
Aaron Carl's "Crucified" gets the re-release treatment but this time it's accompanied by remixes from Quantec and Rod Modell. Thank god. And it comes on pink vinyl too!
I had to listen to the Nubian Mindz record a few times. I've been buying fewer records like this lately, but "Techno Love" is straight-up Underground Resistance-influenced shit. All the releases on Delsin are very Detroit. Which is a good thing; Delsin is a pretty consistent label.
Pablo Bolivar. If you aren't familiar with his output (including Pulshar), then please make the acquaintance. In no time you'll be cozying up next to this 12" with the dubby Beat Pharmacy (Brendon Moeller/Echologist) remixes. Very very good stuff here. VERY GOOD.
"As The Leaves Fall From The Trees" is a repress from the legendary Eevo Lute label. I wonder if this repress is going to piss off all the people who paid $75+ for this record. Yeah, well, I just got mine for $15, bitches. (And apparently this is remastered as well :)
And lastly, The Freund Der Familie label is definitely one to watch. These releases are extremely limited, so WAKE UP AND HEAR THE FUTURE OF TECHNO! Don't sleep on this shit.
Sure, there's a lot of kids out there copying the formulas and following the "minimal" trend down to its boring template. But it's okay, guys. Techno innovates. Always. As soon as you start to feel that tinge of jade coming on, just know that there is something out there, right now, that will blow your fucking mind. You only need to make it a full-time job, wading through all the filler crap music, to find it.
Or you can just read my blog.
CHEVY/LEMOS: Woman's Key (Be Chosen Germany)
MOUNTAIN PEOPLE: Mountain 005 (Mountain People Germany)
KOI: Deaf Torero (Styrax Leaves Germany)
CARL, Aaron: Crucified (Millions Of Moments Germany)
NUBIAN MINDZ: Afrika Man (Delsin Holland)
BOLIVAR, Pablo: Gold Series (D Press Industries Spain)
WLADIMIR M: As The Leaves Fall From The Trees (reissue) (Eevo Lute Holland)
FREUND DER FAMILIE: Sark EP (Freund Der Familie Germany)
SLICES: Slices: The Electronic Music Magazine Issue 2-08
Subtotal $93.14
Insurance $1.20
Shipping $39.06
GRAND TOTAL $133.40
And, as usual, I'm very upset that I have to buy these records from over-fucking-seas. I should be able to get all these from a U.S. Internet retailer. Note that the shipping and insurance accounts for more than 30% of the entire cost of the order. (Plus Paypal and credit card companies charge additional fees for foreign currency transactions.)
These ridiculous costs aren't helping me reduce my credit card debt. But GODDAMN HAVE YOU HEARD THESE RECORDS?!? If not, you better git on like you been shit on. All these are essential listening. And if you actually buy music, they are essential purchases as well. "Why?" you may or may not have asked.
Well...
The Chevy and Lemos collaboration is just damn solid and a standout among those hundreds of sound-the-same samples I listen to every week, via the weekly new release e-mail I get from juno.uk.
Mountain People deliver yet again. Mountain People "003" is one of my favorite records. Ever. and "005" is damn good as well.
Koi. On Styrax Leaves. If you need further explanation, research the label immediately. Wait another minute and you'll miss yet another limited sick/deep/gorgeous-as-fuck techno release. Don't like it? No problem. Wait a few months and you'll be able to sell it for double what you paid.
Aaron Carl's "Crucified" gets the re-release treatment but this time it's accompanied by remixes from Quantec and Rod Modell. Thank god. And it comes on pink vinyl too!
I had to listen to the Nubian Mindz record a few times. I've been buying fewer records like this lately, but "Techno Love" is straight-up Underground Resistance-influenced shit. All the releases on Delsin are very Detroit. Which is a good thing; Delsin is a pretty consistent label.
Pablo Bolivar. If you aren't familiar with his output (including Pulshar), then please make the acquaintance. In no time you'll be cozying up next to this 12" with the dubby Beat Pharmacy (Brendon Moeller/Echologist) remixes. Very very good stuff here. VERY GOOD.
"As The Leaves Fall From The Trees" is a repress from the legendary Eevo Lute label. I wonder if this repress is going to piss off all the people who paid $75+ for this record. Yeah, well, I just got mine for $15, bitches. (And apparently this is remastered as well :)
And lastly, The Freund Der Familie label is definitely one to watch. These releases are extremely limited, so WAKE UP AND HEAR THE FUTURE OF TECHNO! Don't sleep on this shit.
Sure, there's a lot of kids out there copying the formulas and following the "minimal" trend down to its boring template. But it's okay, guys. Techno innovates. Always. As soon as you start to feel that tinge of jade coming on, just know that there is something out there, right now, that will blow your fucking mind. You only need to make it a full-time job, wading through all the filler crap music, to find it.
Or you can just read my blog.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
DETROIT ELECTRONIC MUSIC FESTIVAL 2008
Movement: DEMF 2008? Awesome.
For all the haters who said this festival was better 5 years ago or whatever: You're probably right, you bastards.
Whatever. Nothing is perfect.
Nevertheless, spending a few days in the hollowed downtown of Detroit--the city which inspired some talented and ambitious black kids from the suburbs to create a hybrid of Chicago house and Kraftwerk--is about as close to a 'perfect' vacation as I can possibly experience.
Did some things really suck? Fuck yeah. Here's a list :
But there was great stuff too:
p.s. ~ I can hardly wait to be as rich and famous as that Dubfire guy (from Deepdish) so that I too can have pretentious publicity photos taken of me. No really. I'm not kidding. (Seriously. No joke. I REALLY want pretentious publicity photos of me looking like this whole 'techno thing' is very serious. I'm serious!!! Can you not see how serious I am?) Eh. Won't happen anyway. I can't contrive accessibility. Love cannot be manufactured.
For all the haters who said this festival was better 5 years ago or whatever: You're probably right, you bastards.
Whatever. Nothing is perfect.
Nevertheless, spending a few days in the hollowed downtown of Detroit--the city which inspired some talented and ambitious black kids from the suburbs to create a hybrid of Chicago house and Kraftwerk--is about as close to a 'perfect' vacation as I can possibly experience.
Did some things really suck? Fuck yeah. Here's a list :
- Jimmy John's didn't accept my 'Free Sub' coupon.
- Police-cops enforced U.S. narcotics laws. (Always bullshit.) I can't believe people still get arrested for smoking grass. Are you kidding me? That's way less dangerous than that drunken idiot over there...
- The M_nus Records afterhours ticket was nearly as expensive as the DEMF Weekend Pass. Yes, Hawtin's set was reliably good, but he sounded just like he did last time I saw him. I don't plan on going to the M_nus afterhours next year; these days I need to hear djs who take more risks musically instead of obsessing over new technologies that don't enhance the audience's exprience. And I want to hear djs who play real vinyl records. You know: environmentally-unfriendly plastic discs that have energy and some surface noise. (Personality goes a long way with me.)
- I bought a crap dime bag. Joe Drug Dealer's blunt was great, but he pulled the ol' let-him-smoke-my-personal-stash-so-i-can-sell-him-the-shit trick on me. Asshole. And yeah, I know it's my fault for buying drugs from a stranger at a fucking techno festival, okay? I know.
- The Beretta Grey afterhours party...Fuck, where do I begin...? First, we get there at least a half hour before 1 a.m. (at which point the price of entry is only $5.) However, the line isn't moving at all. Not a fucking inch. Then, magically, as 1 a.m. comes around, Mr. Venue Employee comes out to inform everyone in line that the entry price has gone up from $5 to $15. And...oh look! The line suddenly starts to advance and it takes us less than five fucking minutes to get inside and give them ten extra dollars. The RIGHT (ie: ethical) way to have done this would have been to cut the line at 1 a.m. Everyone already waiting in line pays $5. Everyone thereafter pays $15. Beretta Grey: You owe me ten bucks. Wait, I'm not done yet. Then after being inside for a while, enjoying the kids playing their laptops in the backroom, digitally train-wrecking a couple times, I make my way back to the front room to see the man who brought me to that afterhours: MARKO FUCKING FURSTENBERG. Amazingly talented artist. But the sound system kept cutting out. $15 cover. Waiting until 4 a.m. for my man. And the bulk of the sound system isn't even working for more than half his set. Un-fucking-believable. But did I throw a tantrum and bitch? Hell no. I stood right in front of him and listened to his magic through the monitors he was using. That's how fucking hardcore I am. (I know it's not cool to call oneself "hardcore" but if you know me you'd understand. You would understand that you are so much less hardcore than I am.)
- I dropped $30 on the ground. Probably lost it to one of those beast girls. Ouch! Thirty bucks is 6 used records, 4 new domestic records, or 2 import records from Juno.uk. AND I FUCKING LOST MY GODDAMN FESTIVAL T-SHIRT THAT I PAID FOR. FUCK !!!!!!!!!!!!
- DEMF is getting LESS Detroit every year. Other than Carl Craig on the main stage, there wasn't any real focus given to Detroit artists.
But there was great stuff too:
- The Real Detroit stage was incredible. And given the acoustic space--all concrete walls, floor, and ceiling (highway overhead)--it was the best sound system. It was right next to the bathroom, and every time I went to take a piss or fill my water bottle, I was drawn to the Detroit sound. Didn't matter if it was bangin' techno, ghetto tech, or soulful house, all of it sounded so fucking good in that space. Hey, all of you who didn't bother to go down into that concrete pit and experience real Detroit: You done fucked up! Big time. It wouldn't have hurt you to pry yourself away from the Beatport stage for a half hour to broaden your funk a bit more.
- Deepchord Live. Sure they played at like 4 p.m. and there were only a few heads there. But dealer got me high and deep dub paradise was afternoon delight.
p.s. ~ I can hardly wait to be as rich and famous as that Dubfire guy (from Deepdish) so that I too can have pretentious publicity photos taken of me. No really. I'm not kidding. (Seriously. No joke. I REALLY want pretentious publicity photos of me looking like this whole 'techno thing' is very serious. I'm serious!!! Can you not see how serious I am?) Eh. Won't happen anyway. I can't contrive accessibility. Love cannot be manufactured.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
I Rock Techno
Forced Exposure still hasn't stocked Mathew Jonson's "Symphony for the Apocalypse" so i gave in, paid the couple extra bucks, and got it from dancerecords dot com instead. I played it three times already tonight. I wish the middle section didn't get so "Return of the Zombie Bikers" but it's still an excellent track. I mentioned this in a previous post, after listening to the mpfree, but now that I own the vinyl I'm very satisfied. Sounds so much better.
I recently set aside some time to throw a mix together. I don't plan this shit. I basically pick out the first couple tracks, the last track, and then improvise everything in between. I don't like mixes that sound too planned and perfect, like they're mixed by a robot playing Ableton Live. I could give you some examples here, but I can't afford to piss anyone off yet. Not until I'm famous. Then I'll feel very free to call out all the toy djs. (And there's A LOT of them.)
Anyway, my recent mix features "Symphony for the Apocalypse" along with a couple handfuls of more dope tracks that you need to buy if you don't already own them.
Download here :
http://www.stephenganser.com/discjockey/discjockey.html
I recently set aside some time to throw a mix together. I don't plan this shit. I basically pick out the first couple tracks, the last track, and then improvise everything in between. I don't like mixes that sound too planned and perfect, like they're mixed by a robot playing Ableton Live. I could give you some examples here, but I can't afford to piss anyone off yet. Not until I'm famous. Then I'll feel very free to call out all the toy djs. (And there's A LOT of them.)
Anyway, my recent mix features "Symphony for the Apocalypse" along with a couple handfuls of more dope tracks that you need to buy if you don't already own them.
Download here :
http://www.stephenganser.com/discjockey/discjockey.html
Friday, May 16, 2008
P's And Q's
So I just watched that "trailer" for this year's Movement 2008 / DEMF (Detroit Electronic Musical Festival) . In case you didn't know--I'm hoping you did know, but if you didn't--that track is "Music People" by the estimable Kenny Dixon Jr., aka Moodymann. If you want to get this track on vinyl (and you SHOULD because your life will better for owning this) you have a few options:
The best option is to get the full 9+plus-minute version on Silentintroduction. But if you aren't willing to pay the $50 - $80 that this album may cost, you can get a shorter version via the "I Can't Kick This Feeling When It Hits" twelve-inch, available in several pressings, some with 2 tracks and others with 4 tracks. A 4 track version will be much harder to find. As far as I know, none of these 12" versions have the full-length "Music People" that is available on Silentintroduction. If any of them do, please let me know. I'd be very interested in knowing which one.
The last option to acquire "Music People" is to get the The Silence Is Broken bootleg. However, unless you're a die-hard, slitting your wrists completest for 3 Chairs Detroit House, I wouldn't recommend buying this. Sure it has tracks that you will never find on vinyl. And there's some tracks for which you would have to shell out a couple c-notes to acquire the original pressings. And that's all cool and everything. BUT HOLY SHIT THIS IS THE WORST-PRESSED VINYL EVER. I really think this is my worst-pressed record in my 7500+ collection. It's that bad. So, like I said, unless you're a KDJ mega fan, avoid this one. Oh, and does this crap bootleg have the full-length version of "Music People"? I don't know. I could check. It's sitting about 10 feet away from me on a shelf. I know exactly where it is. But I don't feel like pulling that record right now. It creeps me out.
If I want to hear nearly ten minutes of "Music People" I'd rather just grab my copy of Silentintroduction. I bought it from that piece of shit 'doctorfugazi' seller on Ebay. He's a scumbag. He didn't send my record until after I filed a Paypal complaint, so I got it about 50 days after I paid. Now, okay, I can forgive that kind of negligence. It's stupid, but forgiveable. I'm a very patient person. What WAS NOT forgiveable was that he described the condition as "immaculate" and then delivered a record in 'VG-' condition. What a fucking git. Seriously. Not even 'very good'. No, this was worse. Maybe even 'good+' worse. Anyway, his name is Steven S Grange, and when you see him you can say, "Ohhh... you're that incompetent dicksmack who shouldn't be selling records on ebay."
That's right, fucker.
I'm calling you out, Grange.
The best option is to get the full 9+plus-minute version on Silentintroduction. But if you aren't willing to pay the $50 - $80 that this album may cost, you can get a shorter version via the "I Can't Kick This Feeling When It Hits" twelve-inch, available in several pressings, some with 2 tracks and others with 4 tracks. A 4 track version will be much harder to find. As far as I know, none of these 12" versions have the full-length "Music People" that is available on Silentintroduction. If any of them do, please let me know. I'd be very interested in knowing which one.
The last option to acquire "Music People" is to get the The Silence Is Broken bootleg. However, unless you're a die-hard, slitting your wrists completest for 3 Chairs Detroit House, I wouldn't recommend buying this. Sure it has tracks that you will never find on vinyl. And there's some tracks for which you would have to shell out a couple c-notes to acquire the original pressings. And that's all cool and everything. BUT HOLY SHIT THIS IS THE WORST-PRESSED VINYL EVER. I really think this is my worst-pressed record in my 7500+ collection. It's that bad. So, like I said, unless you're a KDJ mega fan, avoid this one. Oh, and does this crap bootleg have the full-length version of "Music People"? I don't know. I could check. It's sitting about 10 feet away from me on a shelf. I know exactly where it is. But I don't feel like pulling that record right now. It creeps me out.
If I want to hear nearly ten minutes of "Music People" I'd rather just grab my copy of Silentintroduction. I bought it from that piece of shit 'doctorfugazi' seller on Ebay. He's a scumbag. He didn't send my record until after I filed a Paypal complaint, so I got it about 50 days after I paid. Now, okay, I can forgive that kind of negligence. It's stupid, but forgiveable. I'm a very patient person. What WAS NOT forgiveable was that he described the condition as "immaculate" and then delivered a record in 'VG-' condition. What a fucking git. Seriously. Not even 'very good'. No, this was worse. Maybe even 'good+' worse. Anyway, his name is Steven S Grange, and when you see him you can say, "Ohhh... you're that incompetent dicksmack who shouldn't be selling records on ebay."
That's right, fucker.
I'm calling you out, Grange.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Fuck You Rising Petroleum Costs
Shipping gets more expensive every year. The cost of freight, in general, has a higher rate of inflation than, say, eggs. However, since your eggs need to be shipped (using petroleum) the eggs are also more expensive. So when the cost of petroleum goes up EVERYTHING costs more. That's the law of a petroleum-based economy.
I'm now paying more than fifteen-fucking dollars for each of my import records. It's really pissing me off. I should be able to buy these from a U.S. distributor or retailer. But, as far as I know, there are none. Maybe I can get some of these records from Gramaphone Records (Chicago, IL) for $12 or less, but I wouldn't know because I don't live in a real city like Chicago. (Not yet.)
So here's my over-priced record order from the other day :
FURSTENBERG, Marko Repentance EP ARTLESS 2196 12" $11.60
LEFTOVER Eichenholz EP BAUM 002 12" $9.94
PULSHAR Nospheratu PHONOBOX 005 12" $13.26
KRUTON Nitro Hassle KRUTON 1-sided 12" $11.60
Subtotal $46.40
Shipping $18.72
GRAND TOTAL $65.13
That's an average of $16.28 per record. REE-FUCKING-DICK-U-LOUS.
Okay? This is fucking bullshit. There needs to be just ONE retailer in the U.S. who can work directly with the labels (or a good distributor of prime techno) to get me these records for less.
Why did I pay so much for these records...?
Glad you didn't ask.
Two reasons :
1) I cannot get them from any online U.S. retailer, as I already stated.
2) Have you heard these??? If you have and you can't recognize the genius in these records, then please, stop reading this now. You're a fucking retard, and you don't deserve my golden science.
I'm now paying more than fifteen-fucking dollars for each of my import records. It's really pissing me off. I should be able to buy these from a U.S. distributor or retailer. But, as far as I know, there are none. Maybe I can get some of these records from Gramaphone Records (Chicago, IL) for $12 or less, but I wouldn't know because I don't live in a real city like Chicago. (Not yet.)
So here's my over-priced record order from the other day :
FURSTENBERG, Marko Repentance EP ARTLESS 2196 12" $11.60
LEFTOVER Eichenholz EP BAUM 002 12" $9.94
PULSHAR Nospheratu PHONOBOX 005 12" $13.26
KRUTON Nitro Hassle KRUTON 1-sided 12" $11.60
Subtotal $46.40
Shipping $18.72
GRAND TOTAL $65.13
That's an average of $16.28 per record. REE-FUCKING-DICK-U-LOUS.
Okay? This is fucking bullshit. There needs to be just ONE retailer in the U.S. who can work directly with the labels (or a good distributor of prime techno) to get me these records for less.
Why did I pay so much for these records...?
Glad you didn't ask.
Two reasons :
1) I cannot get them from any online U.S. retailer, as I already stated.
2) Have you heard these??? If you have and you can't recognize the genius in these records, then please, stop reading this now. You're a fucking retard, and you don't deserve my golden science.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
My People
"About this time last year, my records were just settling into a new apartment. Well, once again I find myself typing this column surrounded by boxes, milk crates, and Ibuprofen. But it's 2008, baby. Not even the mortgage crisis can stop this techno train from rollin'."
- - from ML Tronik's monthly "Bubble Metropolis" column in XLR8R.
Current listening : Carl Craig's "Sessions". I'd buy the 3xLP unmixed version, but I already own all the best twelves from these two mixes :)
I was thinking about getting "techno" tattooed on my penis. But I don't have any tattoos or piercings. Why start now? Maybe I'll reconsider tattoos when i'm 65 and selling my records for heroin.
- - from ML Tronik's monthly "Bubble Metropolis" column in XLR8R.
Current listening : Carl Craig's "Sessions". I'd buy the 3xLP unmixed version, but I already own all the best twelves from these two mixes :)
I was thinking about getting "techno" tattooed on my penis. But I don't have any tattoos or piercings. Why start now? Maybe I'll reconsider tattoos when i'm 65 and selling my records for heroin.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Current Plays
Butane - Becoming is my favorite new techno full length album. Remember, this is from the same genius who graced us with "How Low Can You Go" from his On the Ket twelve-inch, and this new 2x12" on Andrew Rasse's own Alphahouse label is top-shelf material. Immediately upon hearing the first track "Collapse" I knew I was hearing a masterpiece. Now that 99% of new techno releases suck because any jackass with a cracked copy of Ableton Live can make tracks, it's nice to know that I can still depend on artists like Butane to deliver something that's still got some soul, funk, and depth. (See also : related Foundsound Label artists Miskate and Someone Else.)
I just discovered Brommage Dub last month, and I have yet to hear a bad release from this pair (Jean-Louis Huhta and Jesper Dahlbäck). Their last release Carbon Oxide is a perfect record : two tracks, each filling the entire side of the vinyl, and both are undoubtedly playable. Brilliant stuff here. Now that "minimal" techno has become trendy and formulaic (yawn), I look towards artists like Brommage Dub, Rod Modell (Deepchord), Syncom Data, Deadbeat and Pole to bring me the deepness.
Speaking of which, if you can appreciate deep and dubby techno, then go back and pick up any Dean DeCosta or Steve O'sullivan (Bluetrain) record you can get your hands on. There's about a 90% chance you'll get something phenomenal; these guys are very reliable. And what the fuck are they doing now? I don't think either of these gifted producers have released anything new in the last five years. By the way, good luck finding DeCosta's Diminishing Returns! I already bought mine just a few weeks ago from dancerecords.com, and I can't believe you all were sleeping on this for so long. Holy shit I have the rarest luck. If you don't know what I'm talking about and why I nearly crapped myself when I found two brand new copies of this for just $10 apiece, then do some research. Start here : http://www.discogs.com/release/64625
I've been listening to Mathew Jonson's "Symphony" a lot lately. (I wish Forced Exposure would just get this record already so I can buy it.) Atmospheric, haunting melodies. Kinda spacey and a bit psychedelic in a good way, like most of his better productions. No wonder he brought me to tears at DEMF last year.
I just discovered Brommage Dub last month, and I have yet to hear a bad release from this pair (Jean-Louis Huhta and Jesper Dahlbäck). Their last release Carbon Oxide is a perfect record : two tracks, each filling the entire side of the vinyl, and both are undoubtedly playable. Brilliant stuff here. Now that "minimal" techno has become trendy and formulaic (yawn), I look towards artists like Brommage Dub, Rod Modell (Deepchord), Syncom Data, Deadbeat and Pole to bring me the deepness.
Speaking of which, if you can appreciate deep and dubby techno, then go back and pick up any Dean DeCosta or Steve O'sullivan (Bluetrain) record you can get your hands on. There's about a 90% chance you'll get something phenomenal; these guys are very reliable. And what the fuck are they doing now? I don't think either of these gifted producers have released anything new in the last five years. By the way, good luck finding DeCosta's Diminishing Returns! I already bought mine just a few weeks ago from dancerecords.com, and I can't believe you all were sleeping on this for so long. Holy shit I have the rarest luck. If you don't know what I'm talking about and why I nearly crapped myself when I found two brand new copies of this for just $10 apiece, then do some research. Start here : http://www.discogs.com/release/64625
I've been listening to Mathew Jonson's "Symphony" a lot lately. (I wish Forced Exposure would just get this record already so I can buy it.) Atmospheric, haunting melodies. Kinda spacey and a bit psychedelic in a good way, like most of his better productions. No wonder he brought me to tears at DEMF last year.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
I Would Hate To Give You The Wrong Impression (I Also Have Pleasant Chats On SoulSeek As Well)
[me] you have pretty good taste
[me] from what i see, most of these are asd'd...you play them in ableton live?
[me] i mean...you have a marko furstenberg track for fuck's sake.
[me] respect!
(10:25) [5E11] well, just started trying out live recently
[me] wise caucasion, deadbeat, sami koivikko....
[me] seriously.
(10:27) [5E11] yeah, great stuff
(10:28) [5E11] esp. last deadbeat ep "mecca"
[me] i own most of all this shit on vinyl :)
(10:28) [5E11] damn... :-o
[me] it got REALLY bad the last year; i've had to slow down recently
(10:29) [5E11] you mean in the number of records?
[me] yes.
[me] and the money.
[me] and the time.
[me] and the obsessive batman detective work
(10:33) [5E11] haha, yeah too much good stuff out there
[me] no shit. and i got WAY too good at finding it
[me] geez, you even got rick wade
[me] you're not fucking around
(10:38) [5E11] haha, if you like rick wade, you should definately check out his older stuff on labels such as harmonie park and elevate
[me] :)
[me] i already OWN that stuff
(10:39) [5E11] nice!
[me] i got into 3 chairs stuff back in 2000
[me] before the ebay gouging
(10:40) [5E11] those are hard-to-find nowadays
[me] there's some stuff i didn't buy back then....because i didn't want to pay more than $20 for a record...and now i'm kicking myself. a lot of those are worth $50 - $200 now
[me] at least i own theo parrish's (nearly) entire discography
[me] and a most of moodymann/kenny dixon jr
(10:42) [5E11] damn... :-o
[me] lol !
[me] yeah. moving apartments is a real bitch :)
(10:43) [5E11] yeah, I understand now for sure! lol
[me] what about basic channel-inspired deepchord stuff...you dig that too?
(10:45) [5E11] some of it, I like the more dancefloor-orientated stuff they do
[me] okay.
(10:45) [5E11] such as CV313
[me] fuck yeah
(10:45) [5E11] and older basic channel stuff
(10:45) [5E11] phylyps trak, octagon etc.
[me] right
[me] got all those too
[me] do you know : thor - "aliens don't boogie"
(10:46) [5E11] no, thor doesn't ring a bell
[me] dl that track
[me] it's deep as fuck and definitely tips a hat to early basic channel
[me] you want the original. not the "mr. g remix"
(10:47) [5E11] ok
[me] here, i'll give you a couple more you may like and then i gotta go
[me] http://www.discogs.com/release/973357 (the b-side is a killer dub track)
[me] http://www.discogs.com/release/64625 (if you like deep/dubby techno that's definitely danceable, dean decosta is VERY consistent)
[me] oh... and most people wouldn't dance to this, except for me and a lot of the kids i met at mutek, but this is one of the DEEPEST tracks i've ever heard :
[me] theo parrish - "dance of the drunken drums"
[me] it's what got me hooked on detroit house in 2000. i heard it while i was living in australia. (they only played trance at the raves and it started to really annoy the fuck out of me)
(10:54) [5E11] yeah, I know that track, that's always way to deep
[me] lol
[me] well i love to take "risks" when i dj. so i play stuff like that.
(10:56) [5E11] well one thing for sure: you're not making it easy mixing those tracks
(10:56) [5E11] damn hard to mix imho
[me] i like challenges. i've made it easier by seperating records by tempo, rather than genre.
(11:03) [5E11] ah ok
[me] i hate adhering to any one kind of music. as long as it's in tempo (or you're good at hitting breaks) then it doesn't fucking matter
[me] keeping the beat and the energy going, maintaining a good flow...that's what matters most
(11:05) [5E11] Indeed :-)
[me] well it was cool chatting with someone who knows his shit.
[me] but i gotta go shower and eat now.
(11:07) [5E11] ok, thanks for your suggestions! I'll def. check them out!
[me] cool. i'm outta here. (are you going to DEMF this year...?)
(11:09) [5E11] no I live in Europa, too hard to come over I guess
[me] take care!
(11:09) [5E11] bye!
[me] from what i see, most of these are asd'd...you play them in ableton live?
[me] i mean...you have a marko furstenberg track for fuck's sake.
[me] respect!
(10:25) [5E11] well, just started trying out live recently
[me] wise caucasion, deadbeat, sami koivikko....
[me] seriously.
(10:27) [5E11] yeah, great stuff
(10:28) [5E11] esp. last deadbeat ep "mecca"
[me] i own most of all this shit on vinyl :)
(10:28) [5E11] damn... :-o
[me] it got REALLY bad the last year; i've had to slow down recently
(10:29) [5E11] you mean in the number of records?
[me] yes.
[me] and the money.
[me] and the time.
[me] and the obsessive batman detective work
(10:33) [5E11] haha, yeah too much good stuff out there
[me] no shit. and i got WAY too good at finding it
[me] geez, you even got rick wade
[me] you're not fucking around
(10:38) [5E11] haha, if you like rick wade, you should definately check out his older stuff on labels such as harmonie park and elevate
[me] :)
[me] i already OWN that stuff
(10:39) [5E11] nice!
[me] i got into 3 chairs stuff back in 2000
[me] before the ebay gouging
(10:40) [5E11] those are hard-to-find nowadays
[me] there's some stuff i didn't buy back then....because i didn't want to pay more than $20 for a record...and now i'm kicking myself. a lot of those are worth $50 - $200 now
[me] at least i own theo parrish's (nearly) entire discography
[me] and a most of moodymann/kenny dixon jr
(10:42) [5E11] damn... :-o
[me] lol !
[me] yeah. moving apartments is a real bitch :)
(10:43) [5E11] yeah, I understand now for sure! lol
[me] what about basic channel-inspired deepchord stuff...you dig that too?
(10:45) [5E11] some of it, I like the more dancefloor-orientated stuff they do
[me] okay.
(10:45) [5E11] such as CV313
[me] fuck yeah
(10:45) [5E11] and older basic channel stuff
(10:45) [5E11] phylyps trak, octagon etc.
[me] right
[me] got all those too
[me] do you know : thor - "aliens don't boogie"
(10:46) [5E11] no, thor doesn't ring a bell
[me] dl that track
[me] it's deep as fuck and definitely tips a hat to early basic channel
[me] you want the original. not the "mr. g remix"
(10:47) [5E11] ok
[me] here, i'll give you a couple more you may like and then i gotta go
[me] http://www.discogs.com/release/973357 (the b-side is a killer dub track)
[me] http://www.discogs.com/release/64625 (if you like deep/dubby techno that's definitely danceable, dean decosta is VERY consistent)
[me] oh... and most people wouldn't dance to this, except for me and a lot of the kids i met at mutek, but this is one of the DEEPEST tracks i've ever heard :
[me] theo parrish - "dance of the drunken drums"
[me] it's what got me hooked on detroit house in 2000. i heard it while i was living in australia. (they only played trance at the raves and it started to really annoy the fuck out of me)
(10:54) [5E11] yeah, I know that track, that's always way to deep
[me] lol
[me] well i love to take "risks" when i dj. so i play stuff like that.
(10:56) [5E11] well one thing for sure: you're not making it easy mixing those tracks
(10:56) [5E11] damn hard to mix imho
[me] i like challenges. i've made it easier by seperating records by tempo, rather than genre.
(11:03) [5E11] ah ok
[me] i hate adhering to any one kind of music. as long as it's in tempo (or you're good at hitting breaks) then it doesn't fucking matter
[me] keeping the beat and the energy going, maintaining a good flow...that's what matters most
(11:05) [5E11] Indeed :-)
[me] well it was cool chatting with someone who knows his shit.
[me] but i gotta go shower and eat now.
(11:07) [5E11] ok, thanks for your suggestions! I'll def. check them out!
[me] cool. i'm outta here. (are you going to DEMF this year...?)
(11:09) [5E11] no I live in Europa, too hard to come over I guess
[me] take care!
(11:09) [5E11] bye!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
First Record Order In Ten Days (That's A RECORD In Itself)
I didn't buy any new records for over a week.
That's really good for me. I had to distract myself with other things. Like actually listening to the hundreds of records I got this last month, instead of listening to new mpfrees to decide what I would like to keep and purchase on vinyl.
Then I placed an order a couple days ago.
Here was what I purchased :
Michoacan - "Amorelectrico" [Loqo] 1@$ 6.99
Black Mustang & Kerrier District, Remix By Sleeparchive - "Blackout" [Loeb] 2@$ 5.99
Patrick Lindsey - "Kami Kamikaze" [Funkwelle] 1@$ 9.99
Gel Abril, Remixes By Mark Broom, Deetron- "Your Face Is A Mess" [Be As One] 1@$ 9.99
DJ Slugo/DJ Deeon - "Ghetto Classics Volume 2" [Dance Mania Ghetto Classics] 1@$ 8.99
Chris Carrier - "Le Diablo / High Life / An Other Spliff" [Adult Only] 1@$ 9.99
Merchandise Total: $ 57.93
That's really good for me. I had to distract myself with other things. Like actually listening to the hundreds of records I got this last month, instead of listening to new mpfrees to decide what I would like to keep and purchase on vinyl.
Then I placed an order a couple days ago.
Here was what I purchased :
Michoacan - "Amorelectrico" [Loqo] 1@$ 6.99
Black Mustang & Kerrier District, Remix By Sleeparchive - "Blackout" [Loeb] 2@$ 5.99
Patrick Lindsey - "Kami Kamikaze" [Funkwelle] 1@$ 9.99
Gel Abril, Remixes By Mark Broom, Deetron- "Your Face Is A Mess" [Be As One] 1@$ 9.99
DJ Slugo/DJ Deeon - "Ghetto Classics Volume 2" [Dance Mania Ghetto Classics] 1@$ 8.99
Chris Carrier - "Le Diablo / High Life / An Other Spliff" [Adult Only] 1@$ 9.99
Merchandise Total: $ 57.93
Sunday, April 20, 2008
'v999' : You're A Piece Of Shit
Seriously.
I'm going to continue to expose dicksmacks like 'v999' ruining what was once a really nice community for sharing electronic music. Perhaps, if I have the motivation, I'll even publish a semi-annual 'shit list' of all the asshole SoulSeek users like this one.
--------------------------------------
(17:08) [v999] start me man
[me] do what i say man! (that's you)
(17:09) [v999] what???
[me] you and your imperative statements. that's what.
[me] you order me to do what you want. then you ban me.
--------------------------------------
...What a retard. I had no problem finding the same files from at least five other users who weren't jerks. I have TONS of great stuff 'v999' could certainly benefit from hearing. Rare stuff that very few users are sharing.
His loss.
I'm going to continue to expose dicksmacks like 'v999' ruining what was once a really nice community for sharing electronic music. Perhaps, if I have the motivation, I'll even publish a semi-annual 'shit list' of all the asshole SoulSeek users like this one.
--------------------------------------
(17:08) [v999] start me man
[me] do what i say man! (that's you)
(17:09) [v999] what???
[me] you and your imperative statements. that's what.
[me] you order me to do what you want. then you ban me.
--------------------------------------
...What a retard. I had no problem finding the same files from at least five other users who weren't jerks. I have TONS of great stuff 'v999' could certainly benefit from hearing. Rare stuff that very few users are sharing.
His loss.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Hank Williams, I'm A Ramblin' Man
My girlfriend tells me that I don't understand her. And she doesn't understand me. But this is okay because we love each other.
Hmm.
There was a point in my life; a few years ago, when I had some money saved up. I had a goal. An escape plan. Only a handful of people can appreciate my gifts here, so why continue to waste my energy with a place and a people who don't want me, right? I was going to get out. And then the girl I was in love with told me she didn't love me anymore. (She told me, years later, that she had lied.) And then I lost a large part of my savings buying a laptop on Ebay that never existed. (I had more than $2100 stolen from me. And yes, I hold Ebay accountable for playing "middle man" while not compensating their users when the deal gets fucked by fraudulence.) So I decided I couldn't keep money any more. Money didn't like me. I worked my fucking ass off to get that money. To save money for a laptop, which would have opened up performance opportunities. It was supposed to be like a new chapter in my life or something. But instead I just had my savings stolen and the little money I had left after that, I didn't want that anymore either. So, I spent it all on music. After I add up they money I lost from the roommate who owes me over $1000, the shit dodge shadow I paid way too much for, and then the theft of more than $2100 via Ebay, I just didn't want money anymore. Why should I? The reason I was saving money vanished. And after all that hard work, most of it was taken from me anyway. So what was the point? If I had money, it was eventually stolen from me. I hated money. I loved records. The solution was obvious.
But now I have a goal again. Someplace to go. Something to save money for. Something that really matters. Even more than records. (I know, can you fucking believe it?) And that changes things. I'm just scared of repeating the cycle all over again. This next thing doesn't work out and then... where does that leave me? Back here. In debt 12 miles below sea level. And nothing to look forward to. A depressing thought.
So does she understand this? I don't know what my girlfriend understands. Especially when she gets drunk and has fun and I'm stuck here doing the same shit nearly every weekend. We live completely different lives. Can we live them together?
I like this new Planetary Assault Systems twelve-inch. It's a nice return to Luke Slater's earlier output before he got illusions of pop grandeur. Very nice. I'd like to buy it. But I'm afraid to start chasing that dragon again, to get all obsessed about the "black beauty" and forget about life. Fuck that. I need to reconnect. I need to really WANT something again that feels achievable. Not just some goal in which I don't even know in what direction to take that first step--wherein my perfectionism inhibits me to a paralyzing degree--in which I do nothing.
But I'm ready to fight my way out of this paralysis. All the ideas are still there. All the creativity and energy and ambition... it's all there. I'm not tired. Frustrated? Of course. But not tired. It takes so little to inspire me. The smallest opportunity and I'm immediately hardcore dedicated. Preparation flowing at 120%. No time for much else. And that can be really fantastic. A great drug. Even better than the Nyquil and 2 Klonopin that I just took.
Most people are already alseep by now. Before 7 a.m. Not me. I need drugs to tell my brain to stop. Otherwise it can keep me up for days. I can't recall what my exact record is for consecutive hours without sleeping. I know it's more than 50. I've skipped 2 nights of sleep before. It feels like shit, but the mild hallucinations can be interesting. Mostly I just see human figures moving in my periphery. It's not scary. I know my brain is just tired and i'm seeing things that don't exist.
I guess this was a rambling post.
My girlfriend always tells me that I never have a point when I communicate.
But what's the use of having a "point"?
Fuck that. Communication is about the interaction, not getting some kind of message or bottom line outlined and bullited. Communication is expressing an idea. I don't need a goddamn point. I don't even need to follow a theme or stick to the topic that I may have begun with. My mind doesn't work like that.
And besides, this writing is for me. Not you. If you find any of this useful in your own life, then that's a cherry. It's wonderful, actually. I LOVE audiences. I'm a performer, by nature. When I perform for an audience that cares, it's one of the few times I connect with people, something I need to feel far more often. The lack, thereof, making me want to just end it all.
So... what the fuck was I supposed to be talking about... ?
Fuck it. I'm sleepy.
Drugs are quick.
Wait, before I pass out at my keyboard, here's some knowledge for those of you who don't know:
Marko Fürstenberg - "Cocktail Royale".
Buy it. I would LOVE to buy this record but Forced Exposure never has this slice of heaven in stock, even though it's been in their goddamn inventory for over a month now. The downside is that the c*(ksmack pressed FIVE FUCKING LONG TRACKS on this record. What the fuck was he thinking? He could have doubled his money by pressing a 2x12". I certainly love to pay extra for well-pressed vinyl. What vinyl enthusiast doesn't? Muthafuckers better recognize.
Knowhatimean?
I got a thousand more secret gems for you. All in my head.
If I was an obnoxious douchebag I'd be all like, "TIP!"
God I fucking hate djs.
What a bunch of assholes.
Not you, of course. If you're still reading this, then you are most likely one of the good djs. They're rare as hell. But they do exist.
So if that's you, one of the good ones, take some comfort in that. Even if no one knows who the fuck you are. Because you KNOW.
Ever been to a place where you're surrounded by people who KNOW? God that's heaven.
Sometimes MUTEK felt like that.
It felt like heaven.
Hmm.
There was a point in my life; a few years ago, when I had some money saved up. I had a goal. An escape plan. Only a handful of people can appreciate my gifts here, so why continue to waste my energy with a place and a people who don't want me, right? I was going to get out. And then the girl I was in love with told me she didn't love me anymore. (She told me, years later, that she had lied.) And then I lost a large part of my savings buying a laptop on Ebay that never existed. (I had more than $2100 stolen from me. And yes, I hold Ebay accountable for playing "middle man" while not compensating their users when the deal gets fucked by fraudulence.) So I decided I couldn't keep money any more. Money didn't like me. I worked my fucking ass off to get that money. To save money for a laptop, which would have opened up performance opportunities. It was supposed to be like a new chapter in my life or something. But instead I just had my savings stolen and the little money I had left after that, I didn't want that anymore either. So, I spent it all on music. After I add up they money I lost from the roommate who owes me over $1000, the shit dodge shadow I paid way too much for, and then the theft of more than $2100 via Ebay, I just didn't want money anymore. Why should I? The reason I was saving money vanished. And after all that hard work, most of it was taken from me anyway. So what was the point? If I had money, it was eventually stolen from me. I hated money. I loved records. The solution was obvious.
But now I have a goal again. Someplace to go. Something to save money for. Something that really matters. Even more than records. (I know, can you fucking believe it?) And that changes things. I'm just scared of repeating the cycle all over again. This next thing doesn't work out and then... where does that leave me? Back here. In debt 12 miles below sea level. And nothing to look forward to. A depressing thought.
So does she understand this? I don't know what my girlfriend understands. Especially when she gets drunk and has fun and I'm stuck here doing the same shit nearly every weekend. We live completely different lives. Can we live them together?
I like this new Planetary Assault Systems twelve-inch. It's a nice return to Luke Slater's earlier output before he got illusions of pop grandeur. Very nice. I'd like to buy it. But I'm afraid to start chasing that dragon again, to get all obsessed about the "black beauty" and forget about life. Fuck that. I need to reconnect. I need to really WANT something again that feels achievable. Not just some goal in which I don't even know in what direction to take that first step--wherein my perfectionism inhibits me to a paralyzing degree--in which I do nothing.
But I'm ready to fight my way out of this paralysis. All the ideas are still there. All the creativity and energy and ambition... it's all there. I'm not tired. Frustrated? Of course. But not tired. It takes so little to inspire me. The smallest opportunity and I'm immediately hardcore dedicated. Preparation flowing at 120%. No time for much else. And that can be really fantastic. A great drug. Even better than the Nyquil and 2 Klonopin that I just took.
Most people are already alseep by now. Before 7 a.m. Not me. I need drugs to tell my brain to stop. Otherwise it can keep me up for days. I can't recall what my exact record is for consecutive hours without sleeping. I know it's more than 50. I've skipped 2 nights of sleep before. It feels like shit, but the mild hallucinations can be interesting. Mostly I just see human figures moving in my periphery. It's not scary. I know my brain is just tired and i'm seeing things that don't exist.
I guess this was a rambling post.
My girlfriend always tells me that I never have a point when I communicate.
But what's the use of having a "point"?
Fuck that. Communication is about the interaction, not getting some kind of message or bottom line outlined and bullited. Communication is expressing an idea. I don't need a goddamn point. I don't even need to follow a theme or stick to the topic that I may have begun with. My mind doesn't work like that.
And besides, this writing is for me. Not you. If you find any of this useful in your own life, then that's a cherry. It's wonderful, actually. I LOVE audiences. I'm a performer, by nature. When I perform for an audience that cares, it's one of the few times I connect with people, something I need to feel far more often. The lack, thereof, making me want to just end it all.
So... what the fuck was I supposed to be talking about... ?
Fuck it. I'm sleepy.
Drugs are quick.
Wait, before I pass out at my keyboard, here's some knowledge for those of you who don't know:
Marko Fürstenberg - "Cocktail Royale".
Buy it. I would LOVE to buy this record but Forced Exposure never has this slice of heaven in stock, even though it's been in their goddamn inventory for over a month now. The downside is that the c*(ksmack pressed FIVE FUCKING LONG TRACKS on this record. What the fuck was he thinking? He could have doubled his money by pressing a 2x12". I certainly love to pay extra for well-pressed vinyl. What vinyl enthusiast doesn't? Muthafuckers better recognize.
Knowhatimean?
I got a thousand more secret gems for you. All in my head.
If I was an obnoxious douchebag I'd be all like, "TIP!"
God I fucking hate djs.
What a bunch of assholes.
Not you, of course. If you're still reading this, then you are most likely one of the good djs. They're rare as hell. But they do exist.
So if that's you, one of the good ones, take some comfort in that. Even if no one knows who the fuck you are. Because you KNOW.
Ever been to a place where you're surrounded by people who KNOW? God that's heaven.
Sometimes MUTEK felt like that.
It felt like heaven.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Users Like 'Darksome Notes' Are The Shitstains Of SoulSeek
[me] why the fuck did you ban me ?
(5:17) [Darksome Notes] read info!
[me] who reads every user's info before dl'ing? that's ludicrous
[me] and besides : "error getting user info"
[me] jackasses like you are the plague of soulseek
[me] this community was SO MUCH BETTER five years ago before assholes like you started getting on board
(5:20) [Darksome Notes] fuck you
(5:20) [Darksome Notes] lol!
[me] oh. that's all you got?
[me] "fuck you"
[me] how original
(5:17) [Darksome Notes] read info!
[me] who reads every user's info before dl'ing? that's ludicrous
[me] and besides : "error getting user info"
[me] jackasses like you are the plague of soulseek
[me] this community was SO MUCH BETTER five years ago before assholes like you started getting on board
(5:20) [Darksome Notes] fuck you
(5:20) [Darksome Notes] lol!
[me] oh. that's all you got?
[me] "fuck you"
[me] how original
Cold Turkey Isn't Always Healthy
M_nus the manic record purchasing I set into motion last month and am still paying for, I haven't spent any money on records this week. In other words, I haven't placed any new orders via my usual online sources: Forced Exposure, Dance Records, Juno, Warpmart or Discogs (and, as a very last resort, Ebay *gag!*) And guess what? I feel okay. I know there are incredible records passing me by... selling out... some destined to be trading for $20+ within just a few months. But this will always happen. So I can either spend all my time listening to every single new release and digging myself deeper into debt, buying the good shit, or I can spend my time doing other things like eating, showering, washing dishes, and perhaps even earning an income. And oh yeah... if I don't spend all my time buying records it gives me time to WORK ON MY OWN MUSIC. (Very important. Thus: bold, capitalized, and italicized.)
But I make it seem like an all-or-nothing route. The truth is that there's a middle ground. I can continue to buy records, and make time for my own projects. I just don't know if I'm strong enough to be so balanced. Just writing "balanced" is like writing a dirty word. It's harder for me to write (and comprehend) than "fuck" or "cunt" or "cocksmack." Really. Ask anyone who knows me and, for sure, they will not describe me as "balanced." When I do something that I love, I put everything into it to the exclusion of other things. Even important other things. And I'm scared that I lack the self-discipline necessary to buy just a few records every month. What does a "few" mean for me? 30 records would be a few. If I cut my record purchases to even 50 per month, that would be a drastic reduction from my current habit. That's how bad I need my fix. I've been buying hundreds of records every month for years now. And it has to stop. It has to. I cannot afford this addiction any longer. It has become a financial, emotional, spiritual, and physical burden. (Last time I moved into a new apartment I had very little help, and I completely fucked up my knee, hauling crate after box after crate of records up the stairs to my second-floor studio.)
So yeah. When I do something I love, I focus on it. And I love to buy records. So I'll sit in front of my computer for an entire day--sometimes more than 12 hours--playing "world's greatest detective" to find the records I want. Finding records I didn't know I wanted until I downloaded the mpfrees from SoulSeek and realized that I absolutely had to own the record because oh my fucking god it's just sick. Sick! SICK!!!
But you know what else I love to do? I love to sit in my living room (the only available space I still have) and make beats on my Korg Electribes. And I can do this for hours. But not 12 hours. There's a vast difference between creating and collecting. There's more of an emotional investment in creating. It's more exhausting. Scouring the Internet for records and writing new beats both take me to that place of non-thought. The Zen place. But making beats, working on my own music, that's so much more satisfying.
And buying other people's music is so much easier.
But I make it seem like an all-or-nothing route. The truth is that there's a middle ground. I can continue to buy records, and make time for my own projects. I just don't know if I'm strong enough to be so balanced. Just writing "balanced" is like writing a dirty word. It's harder for me to write (and comprehend) than "fuck" or "cunt" or "cocksmack." Really. Ask anyone who knows me and, for sure, they will not describe me as "balanced." When I do something that I love, I put everything into it to the exclusion of other things. Even important other things. And I'm scared that I lack the self-discipline necessary to buy just a few records every month. What does a "few" mean for me? 30 records would be a few. If I cut my record purchases to even 50 per month, that would be a drastic reduction from my current habit. That's how bad I need my fix. I've been buying hundreds of records every month for years now. And it has to stop. It has to. I cannot afford this addiction any longer. It has become a financial, emotional, spiritual, and physical burden. (Last time I moved into a new apartment I had very little help, and I completely fucked up my knee, hauling crate after box after crate of records up the stairs to my second-floor studio.)
So yeah. When I do something I love, I focus on it. And I love to buy records. So I'll sit in front of my computer for an entire day--sometimes more than 12 hours--playing "world's greatest detective" to find the records I want. Finding records I didn't know I wanted until I downloaded the mpfrees from SoulSeek and realized that I absolutely had to own the record because oh my fucking god it's just sick. Sick! SICK!!!
But you know what else I love to do? I love to sit in my living room (the only available space I still have) and make beats on my Korg Electribes. And I can do this for hours. But not 12 hours. There's a vast difference between creating and collecting. There's more of an emotional investment in creating. It's more exhausting. Scouring the Internet for records and writing new beats both take me to that place of non-thought. The Zen place. But making beats, working on my own music, that's so much more satisfying.
And buying other people's music is so much easier.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Sensuality
My credit card debt has officially passed the $12,000 mark. Not like that's any kind of special number. It's just a big slap in my face saying, "Hey! Stop spending all your money on records, you fucking retard!!!"
Yes, I want to support artists.
But I should probably focus on supporting myself first.
I have no idea how i'm going to climb out of this debt.
Perhaps I knew this was coming. Maybe I wanted to exhaust myself, allowing records to consume my life in order to hit financial rock bottom. So I can finally admit that this shit has gotten WAY out of my control, that I need to form some better habits, like obsessing over my own music rather than everyone else's.
I would love to be able to buy all the records I want. But I can't. Especially not with my sub-poverty income. And even if I could afford all the records I wanted, it wouldn't be healthy.
My video professor told me, "The worst thing that could happen to you is if you were to become a millionaire... because then you could afford to buy every record you ever wanted. And you'd have so many records that you wouldn't even have time to listen to them all."
Damn was he right. And the ridiculous thing is... I already have more records than I have time to listen to. Sure, I listen to all the new stuff I buy. But I still have over a thousand records I bought for a buck or less at thriftstores and those public radio station fundraisers... sitting in boxes... waiting for my ear.
Time is a bitch. You can never beat it. Even if I were to live forever, it wouldn't matter. There's always going to be more new music than there will be time to listen to it all.
I have that weekly new release e-mail from juno.uk sitting in my inbox, the one with all the mp3 samples of brand new cuts. Should I look at it? Or should I delete it? I want to look at and just be very selective, only listening to a handful of track samples by artists I trust. But can I exercise that kind of self control? Or will I dump every single mp3 sample into winamp like I have been doing for the last year since I discovered overseas record retailers with kick-in-the-crotch shipping rates. Mailing shit over an ocean ain't affordable anymore, that's for sure. Another reason why so many people want to just stare at their laptops and play their Beatport or stolen Soulseek tracks.
The dilemma, however, with only listening to new tracks by established artists that I like is obvious: How will I discover those gems I would otherwise not have known about?
How would I ever have discovered something like Mountain People - "003", a track so fucking killer that I would instantly lose respect for anyone who heard it and didn't "get it." Period. That's how fucking great this track is. But if I hadn't been listening to every new techno release, I never would have known about it. Just like most of you reading this now don't know about it. And why would you? This record didn't receive the praise it certainly deserved. No Big Name DJ put it on their top ten list. It's not necessarily the best music that gets the most attention.
This is where I should step in. But I have no voice. No one fucking cares what I buy. I want to be "the world's greatest detective". I want to be Batman. But it's costing too much. Far more than money. At least if I were being paid well to play these records on a regular basis, that could be some justification for all this record buying. But I don't even have that reason.
And it's not just about the music. Otherwise, I'd just Beatport and Soulseek everything and be just as "exciting" (ahem) to watch like all you other laptop djs.
No. It's more than the music. It's about having something real. Something in my hands. Something I can grab.
Physical objects have energy. And I can feel this. When I'm dj'ing, and I'm in that zone where I stop thinking, the records tell me what to do.
I'm a sensualist.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Two E-mails
To someone who purchased some records from me :
-----------------------------
hey, fuck ebay, huh?
discogs is where's it's at!
i just wish these guys would get their heads out of their asses and start promoting the retail end. half the people i know who use discogs on a daily basis didn't even realize they could purchase records via the site until i told them about it.
right now, there's too many sellers and not enough buyers. discogs needs to redesign the site a bit to let people know THEY CAN BUY THE RECORDS THEY'VE BEEN WANTING FOR YEARS...
my rant.
word.
-----------------------------
To my oldest brother :
-----------------------------
i do it because i don't have a choice.
i've been depressed all my life, and if it weren't for music i would have killed myself out of sheer boredom and a lack of purpose.
it's love. but it's a sick love.
something happened very early on. i remember being 3 years old and hearing "sweet dreams" on the radio. it changed everything. then there were all those synthesizers that rush was using. the angular danceability of talking heads. the reggae rhythms of police. all that stuff you were playing in your room was influencing me and i didn't realize it until years later.
everyone, including myself, was confused. "why didn't i ever learn to play a an instrument?"
well. i've become quite the fatalist.
and i know it's because i was meant to play machines.
i can always learn to play an instrument whenever i make the space and time. (i've been leaning heavily towards lap steel for a few years...) and for now, if i want live instrumentation, there's always a musician willing to collaborate.
i'm definitely going to "hang in there." no doubt about that.
there's only two possible outcomes here :
i'm going to make it or die trying.
but it'd be nice to enjoy the trying-to-make-it part a bit more.
~ s
-----------------------------
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Chicken Soup For The Techno Soul
I spent ALL day buying records on discogs, except for the break I took to pick up some Girl Talk cds from my friend's place. And I also made chicken soup.
I sent this e-mail earlier to my girlfriend :
------------------------------------------------
the first time i made the chicken soup it was okay. like little better than good.
this time, it's fucking great.
i finally got some cilantro and added that, which i forgot to use last time.
and i used a different process to strip the meat from the bones and fat, so i don't have to worry about stray bones and gross rubbery chicken joints.
i used a TON of red pepper flakes. it's spicy. and i used fresh garlic cloves and some garlic powder. it's garlic-y.
carrots. celery. onions.
4 chicken bullion cubes to emphasize the broth flavoring. some vegetable oil. some butter substitute spread. (not margarine shit!) and some adobo seasoning.
served over rice.
tastes fucking awesome.
i just wish i could share this with you :(
why can't i get soup that tastes this good at a restaurant where "professional" chefs prepare food...?
i think i know the answer, and i don't like it.
------------------------------------------------
It felt great tonight, taking hours to make that soup. Dissecting chicken parts like I'm back in high school with the cat, except now I'm using my bare hands instead of a scalpel. And the chicken doesn't smell like chemical preservatives.
I love records, but I hate sitting in front of a computer for more hours than most people's average workday, to find the gems amongst the manure. (And boy is there a LOT of crap to wade through...)
So NOT sitting in front of my computer--in this uncomfortable chair, hurting my back and killing my eyesight--and instead making that chicken soup. With my hands. With love.
That was phenomenal.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Note To Self : Take Frequent Breaks
I got back from dinner and everything around 8 or so.
I messed around a bit with setting up a replacement amplifier for my computer speakers/monitors since the 10+ year old Iawa is flaking out in the left channel.
I listed some dvds in my Amazon.com inventory.
And I organized a box of electronic stuff: power adapters (wall warts) and video game controllers and excess computer/pro audio power cables.
Other than some of this and that, I've spent the entire night and early morning purchasing records on discogs.com.
It's 7 a.m. now. So minus the 2 hours for the other excursions, I spent the last nine hours listening to music and buying records. I left my computer occasionally to get water or to take drugs (mostly prescribed), but really I was focused on the music.
If I'm going to abuse myself like this, I should at least take frequent breaks to stretch, look at something other than a computer monitor screen, and go outside and take in some fresh air.
Awww shit.
I'm bad.
Not all addictions are bad, though. I once knew a super cool girl who was addicted to exercise. Like that's fucking awesome. I'm addicted to taking walks during the summer, and I hate these Midwest winters when I can't get out and go walk a couple miles every day.
The records aren't evil. They're seductive.
And I'm weak.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Stop Sharing Crap And PAY FOR MUSIC !
So, after 3 hours of listening to music and buying records, I was planning on going to bed until I had this little interruption :
----------------------------------------
(6:44) [DJSinan] hi . , i need a track
[me] don't we all
(6:46) [DJSinan] just one fucking track
[me] three drives on a vinyl ???
[me] gross.
(6:48) [DJSinan] sure
(6:49) [DJSinan] take out three drives's all mixes bro
[me] what?
(6:51) [DJSinan] fuckin, i dont need three drives man , i think you want it
[me] ?
[me] it's in your share folder
(6:51) [DJSinan] no
[me] like it's fucking 2000 all over again and i'm suffering in some shitty aussie club
[me] no?
[me] um...
[me] yup
(6:52) [DJSinan] i m sharring 2.754 track man
[me] so?
[me] why should i put you in front of all these other people in queue?
(6:54) [DJSinan] couse 312 queue is too much ; )
(6:54) [DJSinan] maan i need this fuckin track
(6:54) [DJSinan] :)
[me] then go buy it
(6:55) [DJSinan] you did?
[me] how much do you spend on music every month?
(6:56) [DJSinan] sure! ..we have too many tracks in beatport
[me] ? you didn't answer my question ?
(6:58) [DJSinan] forget it man.. i m in this sector 15 years ago..
(6:59) [DJSinan] get it
(6:59) [DJSinan] you re really freak
[me] whatever, toy
(6:59) [DJSinan] ;)
[me] you're sharing almost 3000 files. so what.
[me] i'm sharing over 12,000
[me] and mine are actually organized in folders.
(7:00) [DJSinan] :) man you know everything
[me] sho 'nuff
[me] you buy records?
(7:01) [DJSinan] thats not my all
[me] please tell me english isn't your first language
(7:04) [DJSinan] yes buying or no ..so what?
[me] so if you aren't buying music, then you aren't supporting artists
(7:07) [DJSinan] that is true , i can think this. and i know but here is soulseek.and maybe we're here couse support artists but this fuckin program is not legal
[me] i have no idea what you're saying
(7:09) [DJSinan] forget it man
[me] no problem
(7:09) [DJSinan] yes u re true
[me] i already banned your artist-hating ass 10 minutes ago
[me] adios
----------------------------------------
People who message me, telling me "I need this!" and shit...that annoys the fuck out of me. Unless these morons have good shares, I pretty much ban them immediately on principle. Seriously, why should I move someone forward in my queue just because he bugs me?
Have I ever bugged a user like this?
Yes. Once. Just the other day. I've been waiting almost two fucking months now for this Steve O'Sullivan Quatre release. Because I'm pretty confident it's going to be great and then I'll have to hunt down the vinyl and buy it. As usual.
My favorite track tonight? Prins Thomas's Guade Loop. I played it 4 times.
It's on his Diskomiks EP. Funny thing is, I almost bought it on Discogs like an hour ago, not realizing that I ALREADY OWN THIS RECORD. This happens more often than I'd like to admit. Thank god for search engines in e-mail accounts. I save all my online purchase receipts, so if I have an inkling that I already own a record, I'll just run a search in my e-mail for the keyword.
Anyway. It's 7:30 a.m. Time to brush my teeth and go to bed.
My teeth brushing music? Guade Loop !!!
And then some Prototype 909 if getting ready for bed takes me longer than 6 minutes. Which it probably will. I'm easily distracted.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Might As Well Face It...
I'm addicted to buying vinyl records.
This addiction seemed okay at first. But now it's obviously unhealthy.
Most people collect things in moderation. Well, I barely understand the concept of moderation; I've never done anything half-way. So what was once an exciting new venture into collecting became a crippling obsession.
I hesitate to compare my addiction to a serious drug problem only because buying records isn't unhealthy in a sharing-dirty-needles or destroying-my-liver kind of way.
But honestly, drug addiction is the closest kind of obsession i can compare this to.
A friend of mine said, "It's harder to stop buying records than to stop using heroin."
And although this may seem like an exaggeration to most people, it makes complete sense to anyone who shares this predilection for music recorded on vinyl acetate.
This is my first foray into the world of blogging. My first step towards taking some control back from the addiction that has gripped me too tightly for too long.
Perhaps, if I take account of my vinyl acquisitions, if I share my obsession publicly, I will discover ways to achieve some balance in my life, finally.
I am committing to self-enforced therapy to initiate permanent change.
With full disclosure.
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