One of the first signs of compatibility between myself and she who must be obeyed occurred when we walked passed a shopping outlet and we simultaneously recognised the not entirely obvious music blaring from within. (At the same time, this moment masked one of the less compatible aspects of our relationship; as I later discovered that she was normally incapable of walking past any shopping outlet, irrespective of the music being played, without at least staring at length at the contents of the window; and more likely entering the establishment for a considerable period).
But anyway, we both liked music, which was good. And we both liked similar music, which was better. But we didn’t like exactly the same music, which was best. It meant I could educate her with some of my excellent selections, and she could assault my ears with some of hers. My tastes I would summarise as “refined, adult alternative”, her tastes I would summarise as “schmaltzy pop”, although of course her definitions would differ. And to be fair she has introduced me to some excellent songs, “Breathe” by Anna Nalick comes to mind.
She later told me that she had decided to do an English degree at University so she could understand the words of the Western music she enjoyed. That clinched it, I had to marry her.
Because music had always been an important part of my life. It started when my father brought me a two (count them, two!) transistor radio on his return from a business trip. In my early teens, before I discovered my genitals as an alternative form of amusement after lights out, I would hunker down under the covers and listen to the pirate radio station, Radio Luxembourg. Into the tinny mono earphone, accompanied by beeps and scratches, would come the glorious sounds of the eighties (who am I kidding, the seventies. OK, the sixties).
I will admit being old enough to having once accumulated an impressive collection of vinyl records. Unfortunately, four years of living in an aircon free environment in Malaysia resulted in the vinyl being covered in a wide variety of new life forms posing as mould. An expensive cleaning treatment did not help, and they were eventually dumped. Because by this time the world had moved to CDs which were much more mould resistant. So I accumulated an impressive collection of CDs instead, close to a thousand I think, and I still have them.
And I never play them. Because the world has moved on yet again and music comes out of iPods or Microsoft Zunes (joke), or out of your computer. I can’t remember the last time I bought a CD, but it was years ago; and I couldn’t buy one in Thailand now even if I wanted to because all the shops have closed.
Instead I have an iTunes library which is a mixture of my CDs I have ripped, or music we have purchased at a very reasonable cost from a Russian-based music store. Due to space limitations this library has been spread across various hard drives and never been completely up to date. The arrival of the Mac Pro and the insertion of big drives enabled me to consolidate the library.
There were a few shocks, as I imported all the music we had downloaded, which included some dubious choices by my wife (well, she chose me so her taste could never be defined as perfect). Crimes included an album by the wretched Paris Hilton, something that included the lyrics about being a Barbie Girl in a Barbie world, and a song by a frog. Still, they are all gone now and I am left with an almost pristine collection of albums, all complete with album art (thank you CoverFlow), sufficient to play a different song continuously for a month or so.
So what to do about the CDs which are currently gathering dust and taking up space? The answer is rip ’em or dump ’em and I have today started “project alphabet”. I am gathering up a pile of CDs a letter at a time and working through each album in the pile. I have got as far as an Alien Ant Farm album and am trying to decide if there is any track worth keeping other than “Smooth Criminal”. It’s going to be a long job.
If anyone knows of a worthy cause that would benefit from a thousand CDs, please let me know. Otherwise they will end up as reflectors on the back of motorbikes that have no lights; some would say a fitting ending for an album by a frog, but not for Alien Ant Farm.
Comments 🔗
2009-03-21| K.B. saysWhy not let She Who Must Be Obeyed loose selling them on eBay, the profits can help her obvious purchasing from the same site.
2009-03-22| Spike saysGood plan! And the several weeks it will take he to list them all will keep her out of the local shops.
Watch out for a copy of Alien Ant Farm on eBay soon!
2009-03-22| The Ghost saysI’m a worthy cause…. :)
Actually, I have the same situation, only with about 700 CDs which are, inconveniently, back in the states in storage at my father’s. Or at least that’s where they’re supposed to be. He’s pillaged (and redistribuuted some to my sister) the boxes and continues to bitch about storing the unpillaged and redistributed ones.
I’d like to re-reip them at at super-high quality and then sell the CDs, but I haven’t been back to his place in years…
On the eBay thing, easier to sell as one lot and let someone else buy it and chop it up to resell.
2009-03-23| jan saysPlease retry Jim Reeves on you search of new old music and let your spine tingle !!
People take the P’ss but this music is good enough to make you dance a “slowy” at brealfast time once the Amazon CD (sorry) delivery arrives - goosebumps & smiles all round
All contribution of defunct CD’s, LP’s, 78’s & cylinders gratefully received can be sent to the Liverpool branch of “Boot it up Billy” home for the techno retards.
PLEASE try Jim Reeves XX Jan
2009-03-24| Spike saysSorry, but Spike doesn’t do crooners, and has an aversion to country music; so a double strike against Mr. Reeves there I am afraid.
Each to their own of course, and whatever gets you slow dancing over breakfast must be good; for you.
2009-03-24| Jock saysWhat’s your views on the new crooner in town ? Michael Buble … saw him in Rome … centre stage 5 rows from the front when he played to 3,000 just before he msde the big time … possibly my fsvourite live concert sfter UB40 in Rotterdam, or Pink Flotd plsying the Wall in Berlin … or maybe even Madonna’s Like A Virgin Tour (I had my binoculars with me that night)
and Happy B’Day Spike ..
2009-03-25| Spike saysMy view is that he is a crooner and therefore will be up against the wall come the revolution; along with a lengthening list of other transgressors. Indeed I think we will need a longer wall.