Celebrate Record Store Day in Asheville on Saturday. Independent record stores around the nation plan special vinyl and CD releases, promotions, in-stores and more. Most importantly, Harvest Records in West Asheville and Static Age downtown have some rad stuff going on—Static Age has made a whole weekend out of it, with some of Asheville’s best bands playing at the Lexington Ave. store.
Harvest plans “TONS—I mean, TONS—of exclusive stuff,” say the boys on their Web site. “In addition to the free ‘added-value’ pieces that we will try to put in your goody bag, there are dozens of Record Store Day-ONLY exclusive releases… while we CANNOT GUARANTEE (we repeat: CANNOT GUARANTEE) holding any of them for you as many are super-limited in quantity, we’d love your input as to what you’d like to pick up that day. (Keep in mind, these are NOT FREE!)”
The release list could make you giddy, with everyone from Akron/Family to MC5 to Tom Waits to Wilco, big sighs all around, don’t miss this stuff.
And Static Age has blown out Record Day into an all-weekend extravaganza. Speaking of giddy, try Friday’s lineup: Garage-rock yr socks off with The Reigning Sound and special guests No Bunny and RNR Adventure Kids. Saturday it’s Asheville’s beloved Ahleuchatistas, Kentucky’s National Hotel and No Shoulders. Sunday night it’s Static Age Records Night at the Rankin Vault.
This makes me want to break out my Bang & Olufsen turntable that’s been in cryogenic hibernation for the resurgence of vinyl.
First they take away your $9.98 LPs. Then they replace them with $13.98 CDs. They say the CDs sound better. Then the CDs work themselves up to $19.98 (at the worse dealers). THEN they have digital downloads, that sell for $9.98 per album, but you’d better resign yourself to a lifetime of backup because the media holding the file WILL fail eventually. But the downloads don’t sound as good as the CD. They throw away 90% of the information. THEN, as your senses are reeling from this information, they bring back the album on 180 gram vinyl that sells for $20-40!!! They: “Oh but it sounds a lot better!” Me: “Not at $20-40 a pop it doesn’t!!”
THEN, as your senses are reeling from this information, they bring back the album on 180 gram vinyl that sells for $20-40!!! They: “Oh but it sounds a lot better!” Me: “Not at $20-40 a pop it doesn’t!!”
If you’re just buying re-issues and picture discs and limited edition chocolate swirl colored vinyl, then you’re not going to be paying more than $20 on vinyl on a consistent basis. That, or you’re shopping at the wrong place.
I’ve bought a ton of vinyl for under $15 and a ton of used stuff for under $10. The times when I’ve spent more than $20 for a single album, it was on something I figured I was unlikely to come across again in that format (not to mention I lack self-restraint sometimes, but that’s neither here nor there).
And while I’ve heard the arguments for and against analog and digital recordings, it’s going to have to take someone with better ears than me (or at least a better stereo system) to tell the difference.
A good 8-track player is still the best analog.
i prefer to keep an 18-piece band on retainer for true sound quality. They follow me around where ever i go.
i prefer to keep an 18-piece band on retainer for true sound quality. They follow me around where ever i go.
I suspected as much.
I must say I got a nice picture of the Beatles out of Justin’s foray to this event and the sound is state of the art.
the sound of the picture?
the sound of the picture?
Of course.
“They say the CDs sound better”
Think about who it is saying CDs sound better. Is it the companies manufacturing the CDs?
I suggest you utilize the handy audio quality monitors located on the sides of your head. They’re designed to last a lifetime. If you can’t figure them out, then perhaps you should be a art critic instead.