The "too many records"-dilemma

Post by **DaN** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 1:38 am

I just need to know if I'm the only one "suffering" from this...

Do you ever feel that you're wasting too much time 'checking out' craploads of obscure albums, demos, mp3's etc on a daily basis and subsequently don't have enough time playing those classic favourites you truly love?

I often catch myself listening to mediocre, half-decent albums after albums from the collection/hard-drive and suddenly realizing I'm just wasting time and subconciously getting a wee bit blasé..
It's like I keep giving that obscure-yet-dubious lp/7"/demo a 2nd chance just to be 'democratic', rather than saying "fuck it!" and putting on something awesome instead (like BROCAS HELM, VICE HUMAN, IRON MAIDEN, CHERNOE DELO, DWARR, AIRWOLF, WASP etc..)

*It's a headexploadingly difficult dilemma for sure.. Time for some disciplinary measures!*

Helm · Post by **Helm** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 1:41 am

Yes I often feel this way and this is why at some point in the future I'll delete everything and just keep 100 perfect records, buy them in vinyl and when I want to listen to some music I won't just put anything on for stress-relief, I'll take the hour out of my time and go through the ritual of getting the record and putting it on the turntable, looking at the artwork and reading the lyrics and dreaming.

I love HM history and do check out things from this angle a lot, but it's a separate hobby, almost, to my pure love of these 100 perfect records.

Cochino · Post by **Cochino** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 1:46 am

I often go through periods. I spent the last 2-3 months just listening to the classic stuff I love and now I'm back into checking "new" bands. I guess that's a good thing to do. 2 months of classics, 2 months of new stuff and so on. I don't do it in a conscious level, I realized I do that in retrospective, is something I do naturally, but maybe is a good routine to impose yourself.

Keir · Post by **Keir** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 4:19 am

DaN wrote:Do you ever feel that you're wasting too much time 'checking out' craploads of obscure albums, demos, mp3's etc on a daily basis and subsequently don't have enough time playing those classic favourites you truly love?

YES

Nightlock · Post by **Nightlock** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 4:19 am

I wrote a few paragraphs about this same subject in some big debate a few months back on here, while I don't think I've reached that point yet it scares the crap out of me of owning a collection so big I can't listen to it, yet I can't help buying more. One day it will get to a point where I don't get a chance to listen to half of my collection in a year I think.

ION BRITTON · Post by **ION BRITTON** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:47 am

The problem exists. And sometimes i do think that i've wasted too much precious time listening to mediocre or crappy stuff, but that's something that has to be done 'cause i can't always trust 100% the opinions of others. I can be sure about an album only if i hear it with my own ears.
I don't have a problem though saying "Fuck it, it's worthless" with only one listen. I try to pay as much attention as i can everytime i listen to something new to avoid any possibly unnecessary 2-3-4th listens.
I guess that's part of the game. You lose something (=time) but you gain something else (=knowledge).
Oh, and let's not forget that no one obliges us to hear EVERYTHING there is to hear.

Avenger · Post by **Avenger** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 1:05 pm

Isn't this just called variety?

I kind of like having a playlist that would literally take a year or two to listen to from start to finish.

BlackStele · Post by **BlackStele** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 1:10 pm

well, it's just too hard for me to find sth specific that I wanna hear in my Metal dungeon, but, after all, it's worth the weight!

Actually, the mp3s may be the easy solution, BUT the Feeling is not the same, IMHO...Considering this, I try to limit myself only to qualitative stuff(according to my criteria ofcurse), so I don't keep any crappy stuff, cause I don't have enough patience and space to do so...

Black Axe · Post by **Black Axe** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 2:03 pm

Yeah, I have the same problem. But I make myself listen to at least 1-2 classics a week now. That way, in 52 weeks I should cover 100 of my favourite records.

This thread gave me a idea. In the last week of the year, from Christmas to new year, I'll only play 100% pure classics.

Noisenik · Post by **Noisenik** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 2:11 pm

DaN wrote:I just need to know if I'm the only one "suffering" from this...

Do you ever feel that you're wasting too much time 'checking out' craploads of obscure albums, demos, mp3's etc on a daily basis and subsequently don't have enough time playing those classic favourites you truly love?

Sometimes, yes. Though more often I catch myself listening to old, already proven stuff instead of trying out bands I haven't heard yet and may be endorsed to be added to the roster of respected ones. I also find it increasingly difficult to make jobs and music complementary. Previous has sucked 90% of my energy while the new squeezes me with index 110 atm.

As John said it is better to check everything by oneself, yet I'm already wishing to delegate this to someone with more time and will.

Cochino · Post by **Cochino** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 2:24 pm

Something that sometimes happens to me is that despise all the music I have (which is way less than most of you, so I don't know if this would also happen in your cases) I want to hear music but I browse through my collection and don't find anything I really want to hear. Has that ever happened to you?

sagrotan · Post by **sagrotan** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 2:40 pm

at the moment, all the downloaded stuff keeps me in trouble when trying to catch up w/ everything and pay all the appropriate attention. with all the records alone it's hard enough but..

another issue is I listen not only to metal, and buy loads of "new" stuff too. focussing on the most important matter and leaving some other stuff behind would be a good idea, but it doesn't work out really..

classics get their spinning time, though. could be more if the day hadn't only 24 hours and life wouldn't contain such matters as family, work and stuff also..

The Sentinel · Post by **The Sentinel** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 2:44 pm

The thing is that I tend to play only classics like Nasty Savage, Savage Grace, Hier Apparent, Griffin. I check the obscure stuff but then I return to my beloved classics.

msp · Post by **msp** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 4:10 pm

Yes, I have too many records...and CD's... and tapes.

I think that beacuse I am older and have more money I buy a lot more. This results in not falling in love with an album like when I got my first Maiden, Metallica or Darkthrone album. At times it feels like I am playing catch up. I often want to sit down and just go through my old albums only to see there is a pile of new stuff to plough through.

I do realise this is my own fault though.....

Satan is Our Pal · Post by **Satan is Our Pal** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 4:23 pm

For me it's never been a problem. I listen to everything I buy, if I don't like it I do one of three things:

1. Will I go back to play it again?

If the answer is no to the above then I go onto question 2:

2. Is the cover art nice?

If it is then in most cases I'll keep it as I love the artwork of old Metal albums, it's a kind of folk art that is disapearing. But if it has a high value then I move on to question 3:

3. If it's very rare, crap, even with great artwork it will be sold. Unless it's on Ebony/Neat/Heavy Metal records as I just love the whole DIY vibe that these labels ooze.

The "too many records"-dilemma

The "too many records"-dilemma

Re: The "too many records"-dilemma

Re: The "too many records"-dilemma