Holerbot6000

That's one of the many benefits of vinyl - finding things that were never, ever converted to a digital format. So many treasures out there in vinyl-only format and major kudos to those folks who take the time to make digital rips of those records for posterity.

I think it's great that vinyl and cassettes are making a come-back because they both have their merits as mediums and it is just one more thing that makes this such a great time to be a music fan. It's funny to read some of your posts talking about vinyl as a foreign, almost alien concept. Like, why did we ever bother with a medium that was so primitive?

I can't make an argument for vinyl that isn't entirely steeped in sentiment and nostalgia, since I grew up with the format and still hold it very dear. For me, it is the best physical format to service as an artifact, for those of us who still need physical artifacts in our lives. The fact that it is a bit of a bother and requires some effort and interaction though, is part of what makes it so special.

A record is comprised of sides and, back in the old days, musicians composed for those sides, intending each to be a statement and I find when I digest the music in that fashion, I am more inclined to pay closer attention to it, than I am a CD, which I can just stick into a slot and forget about. There is a sense of magic and ritual about carefully placing the needle on the record and curling up in front of the stereo with the record cover in your lap, ready to take it all in. It has my full and undivided attention, in a way that plopping five disks into the CD changer does not.

Again, though, these are just the musings of a misty middle-aged man and I don't mean to slight the digital age. CD's are a wonderful medium and digital downloads even better. Nowadays, I can save my fragile LP's for deep listening sessions, and still enjoy the same music in other formats while engaging in other activities. It's the best of both worlds, really.

I do hope the vinyl resurgence is not just a fad. I believe it shows that, even for the youth of today, there is a need for artifacts of substance, as romantic and impractical a notion as that can be; a little breeze of analog warmth from the past, as it were.

God bless music in all it's formats (except maybe 8-Track - that format was always kind of ridiculous - but I know it has it's fans and peace be with you too...)

Urban Hat€monger ?

I was talking about people who buy new releases on vinyl, Obviously if you're looking for obscure music from 40 years ago your choices of format are slightly limited.

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Holerbot6000

There are so many young artists who are making vinyl-only releases specifically because of the artifact-element, limited edition and such, and they are just BEAUTIFUL in every aspect, from the cover art to the music itself.

There are a lot of re-issues being done also that have been specifically remastered for analog and the vinyl format and just sound absolutely brilliant. You're right, in that they can initially be quite pricey, but unless they are strictly limited, I find that they do come down considerably in price after a bit of time.

I think there always has been and always will be a collectors market for these types of things. That's part of the fun of having/building a collection. For me personally, maintaining a bunch of data files on a server somewhere just doesn't do it. Though, I must admit, it does save space in the living room...

Urban Hat€monger ?

On the other hand having a bunch of plastic discs stored away in lovingly created artwork is totally pointless to me if I can only play them in one place.
The joy for me is being able to listen to them and get usage from them, not leave them on a shelf unplayed just because I want to have romantic nostalgic thoughts about them.

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someonecompletelyrandom

I think physical formats are important. I mean, it's the equivalent of eBook only vs. physical book + eBook releases. I can understand why some people might see books as dead and unnecessary wastes of paper – but I will always prefer a real book, and that tangibility actually helps to ensure that it lasts for a very long time. Fact of the matter is – whether you personally can hear it or not – analog format is the true format of recorded music, and the sound quality vastly surpasses the digital copies, which can only try to replicate the original recording through lossy mp3 or bulky FLACC files.

Holerbot6000

Hahaha! I'm starting to see why you call yourself the Hatemonger! I'm too new here to start getting into arguments. I think we'll have to agree to co-exist on this one. I really just wanted to respond to the thread and say that, FOR ME, the vinyl resurgence is a good thing. Sorry if my Wax Poetica drivel got on anyone's nerves. With age comes increased sentiment. It's a curse.

Geekoid

By all means, you haven't been the slightest bit annoying imo. From all I've seen on forums, there really only ever are opinions. Some people keep their opinions personal, others spin them in a way that's more 'universal', and still others have a nice blend of both! lol.

But I can definitely see where you're coming from. As an vintage-oriented amateur visual artist (whoa, did that make me sound like a hipster? lol), having a tangible personal museum of nostalgia is like having art hanging on your wall. Some music consumers lean toward form, others toward function. Some lean toward preserving and appreciating the past, others are all about the glorious realm of the future. The same is true about musicians. I think there is room for appreciation on both ends of the spectrum.

Oh, I should also add- what's wrong with being sentimental?? You'd be good company to the other sentimentalists here on MB, myself included.

Urban Hat€monger ?

Where am I being hateful?
I'm not saying you're wrong I'm just offering a differing opinion.

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duga

To me, it's so easy to download music. Anyone can do it. Maybe this is just the music snob in me, but I like showing I put effort into my music interest. Having to track down and maintain vinyl definitely shows that these days. Plus, it's fun to show off to people. They can skim through my iPod, realize they don't know 90% of what's on there, and then give up. Having a vinyl collection inspires people to look through them, even if they have never heard of them. In my experience, this provokes more of a conversation. I know I have to stop and look through a collection whenever I see one. It actually softened my ass hole of a boss in my eyes a bit when he threw a party and he showed me his collection and told me how he used to get high to them.

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Confusion will be my epitaph...

Howard the Duck

i have no interest whatsoever at all

mistaking irregularities in the surface of the record for "warmth" is just not a thing for me

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Malaise is THE dominant human predilection.