Quality, collecting, and the hype...

It’s not just the people on this forum, but I’ve gotten the impression that a lot of folks here get carried away by the mere act of collecting albums, regardless of whether their favorites actually produced anything worth hearing...

I knew a girl back in high school who owned exactly 50 Depeche Mode records! If that isn't hardcore collecting, I don't know what is...

Do you guys also suffer from this irrational urge to own every single thing an idol ever released, or would you rather spend your cash on a burger than on some album you already know is a waste of money?
Do you ever find yourselves buying an album without having any clue how it actually sounds, or do you hold back because you refuse to forgive your favorite band for one mediocre slip-up?

Personally, I’ve been known to buy a record from some obscure band only to be deeply disappointed, or I end up hating the very state the seller lives in for recommending it to me.

Then again, I’ve skipped albums from bands I love just because I wasn't feeling them. And a few times, I definitely screwed up by buying something "blind"...

Man, there’s nothing quite like buying an album totally blind—then it hits you and you realize you actually nailed 🙂
. I used to buy everything that way...

Nowadays I just download stuff from the internet 🙂
or maybe grab a physical copy after I've already ripped a few tracks
. Either way, I think twice before pulling the trigger now...

(Though, honestly, I probably shouldn't have picked up Dark Magus 🙂)

Feels like it's been ages since I bought my last CD. I used to have these monthly rituals back in the day.

Man, the whole vibe of buying albums has shifted so much over the years... When I was just a kid, I had my absolute favorites, and I’d just blindly pick up every single release they put out... The funniest part is, I actually liked everything they did... you know, that feeling where you just go all-in on a band (and they totally deliver), and you end up hunting down bootlegs and stuff like that... Nowadays, I gotta admit, it’s way harder to pull the trigger on an album. Usually, I won't even head to the local record store until I've heard two or three solid singles or maybe grabbed a digital download first...
Back in the day, I used to be obsessed with just one specific genre—like, I wouldn't look left or right from it... and since I was so stuck in that one lane, I figured I had to make up for it by sheer volume... 🙄

I rarely had enough cash to drop on just any random CD; if I was buying, I already knew it was going to be a masterpiece. There were only a couple of times I took a gamble without hearing the band first. I picked up Foo Fighters' *The Colour and The Shape*—total gem—and a double shot of Black Flag: *Everything Went Black* was a complete masterpiece, while *Loos Nut* was nothing special... I don't waste money on bad albums from my favorite bands, though I’ll always make sure to rip a copy if they aren't truly tragic...

Not bad, J. J. Cale – Unemployment...

I mostly just download stuff from the web at random.🙂

I’ve got absolutely everything Nick has ever released 😁

That includes having and The Ass Saw The Angel on CD and stuff. [Yeah, okay, I'll admit I don't really listen to THAT much 😁]... but I’ve honestly never been disappointed by an album or a song. [Well, okay, maybe a little bit with Boatman's 🙄]

I don't know, am I being unreasonable or what? 😁

I personally own every single thing Depeche Mode has ever released because I honestly feel like I’d lose my mind if I were missing even one album. Personally, I think they really hit their stride from '86 onwards, though I still have a massive soft spot for the vibe of Some Great Reward from '84. I actually went out and bought Exciter too, even though I absolutely hated it because that record was such a huge letdown for me. I was fully expecting it to follow the path of Ultra—something much deeper and more atmospheric—but when

Oops. I have no idea what just happened there; I must have hit the wrong button by mistake. Anyway, Exciter is just software.
That being said, that’s why I currently own five out of the seven Depeche Mode VHS tapes. I didn't want to go out and buy those last two I'm missing because they only run for about 30 minutes and only feature two of the four music videos I've actually seen, plus they're priced at $130 $50 or something ridiculous. I'm really not looking to overspend on that. The only way I'd pick them up is if someone offered to buy them for me as a Christmas or birthday gift😁
Otherwise, once I really get into a band, I tend to collect every single one of their albums because I just need more and more of it. It’s like how I feel about Paradise Lost, Joy Division, Dead Can Dance, and Seraphim Shock. I also have everything by Rhapsody... though I tend to get tired of them pretty quickly since every album sounds exactly the same.
For everything else, I only buy it after I've had a chance to listen and decide that I actually like it.

You’ve gotta sit through the mediocre stuff just to make the masterpieces hit harder. But when it comes to actually dropping cash? That’s a whole different ballgame... if I were rolling in dough, I’d be buying albums blindly, but in this economy? NO WAY.
I’ll take the subpar ones and just burn them to a CD... and honestly, I won't even bother listening first 😉
Some albums don't even require a listen before you pull the trigger, for example:
"double Bill"- Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings
😎

dustynomad said:You have to listen to the mediocre albums just to make the good ones sound even better.

Hi, I hadn't thought of it that way.

It’s actually better when you haven't listened to something for a long time—something you used to blast constantly like an idiot. Then you finally put it on your player, turntable, Walkman, whatever, and suddenly realize... wow, this is sooo goooood... 😁

John Thomas2 said:I own absolutely everything Nick has ever released.

😛 You don't, kid! 😁 Well, that’s because of the Scientist... 😉

There was a period where I was obsessed with buying CDs for bands I already owned on vinyl or crappy bootleg tapes. But man, that gets expensive... 🙄

I haven't downloaded anything from the internet since Napster went under... I'm a total jinx, and whenever I try, nothing works.

Ryan Ruiz said:For example, I have everything by Depeche Mode because I’d lose my mind if I were missing an album.

....what happens when you get hooked on Skinny Puppy (did you finally pick up "Rabies"?) 🙂

gothie,
Q: If you're exactly 16 right now—and if you own almost everything by Joy Division, Sisters, Depeche Mode, Paradise Lost, and the rest—can you tell me how many albums you buy on average per week? Just curious.
If you've already heard it all, fine.

My pattern is usually going six months without buying a single album, then suddenly grabbing four in two weeks, then being broke again, so I have to lay low...

Bryan Martin31 said:There was a time when I was obsessed with buying CDs of bands I already owned on vinyl...

Hehe, I actually do the exact opposite. I pick up cheap vinyl copies (for about $3.25) of albums I already have on CD, then flip the CD for a few bucks. Either I make a little profit, or I end up with a better-looking record while keeping all the perks of the digital format—burning discs for friends, making compilations, etc.—since I rip everything to MP3 before selling it. I'm a real genius...

np Siouxsie & The Banshees - The Staircase (Mystery)

I once accidentally bought a Peter Gabriel live album (recorded in Modena / Italy)... basically, I had no idea what to do with my summer tour budget 😁 so I just wandered into a CD shop...
Nowadays, it's one of my favorites at home... I don't play it all the time, but when I do, I really dive in...

Another favorite was also an accidental purchase—let's call it a bluff—Clannad... I only knew a few of their songs (like the theme from the last Mohican, for example), but I picked up that album because it featured "In a Lifetime"... I spent the first few days just looping that one track 😁, then eventually sat down to listen to the whole thing and actually loved what I heard...

I think I’ve finally mapped out my musical taste. It’s not like I have idols or anything, I don't really follow anyone blindly. But Mark Knopfler? He's the one I'm most drawn to. Still, I’m not trying to go out and hunt down every single one of his albums, just like I wouldn't bother grabbing everything Hendrix ever put out. Same goes for Clapton or B.B. King. I tend to hang out within a certain lane, but I love wandering off and picking up stuff on a whim—taking little trips into the classics, jazz, pure instrumentalists, and all that. Collecting feels a bit snobby or overcomplicated to me. At least, that's how I see it.

The only thing I’m obsessive about—and yeah, call me crazy—is that a CD has to be an original. I can't stand those burned discs. So tacky! If I happen to find a burned copy and it actually sounds good, I’ll scramble everywhere just to track down the original. I know, it's a sickness.😢

Bryan Martin31 said:Ryan Ruiz,
Q: if you're exactly 16 right now—and since you basically own everything by Joy Division, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Depeche Mode, Paradise Lost, and the rest, can you tell me how many albums you buy on average, say, per week? Just pure curiosity.
if it's all burned, that's fine.

Hmm... I don't really track an average because I wouldn't want to deal with the headache of trying to count it all up. 😁 No, honestly, that's just what I've managed to collect over these last five years. But in about 97% of cases when I head downtown to pick up a CD, I try to find something affordable, usually something under $33 😁
Out of the stuff I own, I probably only have maybe four burned copies, while the rest are originals. As for other bands, it varies—some are originals and some are burned.

Kevin Chavez3 said:Hehe, I do the exact opposite—I pick up albums on vinyl for cheap (for $3.25) that I already own on CD, then I sell the CD (for maybe $5). Either I make a little cash, or I get a better way to display the record, while keeping all the perks of the CD (burning stuff for friends, making mixes, etc.), because I rip everything to MP3 before selling it. I’m pretty damn clever.

damn clever.
You're lucky if you even find a record you actually want.
Besides, you probably paid more than $20 for that CD, so looks like you actually lost money...
But since there's usually a long gap between buying and selling, the value drops below $20, so technically you're still coming out ahead (where's the priest to explain the math to me...). 🙂

Ethan Cox3 said:Another one of my favorites bought on a whim was Clannad....

Eh, they're one of those bands I'd buy without even listening first.
I once stumbled upon their music video in a bar, but there was no sound. Still, the visuals were stunning. Music paired with that kind of visual experience can't be bad. Any other recommendations?

Ethan Cox3 said:My one weakness—the CD has to be an original. I can't stand burned CDs. Gross! Even if I pick up a burned one and like it, I'd dig through every bargain bin in town just to buy the original. I know, it's pathological.

...that makes us both sickos. 🙂

Take Fuk from "Apple"...
The guy is actually pretty charming, so as a friend might say: "I'd put him in a shop window under a sign that says 'FUK! DO NOT TOUCH!!!'" 😁
Anyway, I call this type of DJ a "Napster DJ."

Technological progress hasn't done much for true enthusiasts and connoisseurs in this niche.
Who cares if you were just some kid frantically flipping through every music mag you could find, hoping to catch a two-sentence review of your favorite band or a tiny photo... 😁 nowadays, that's just a "click of a mouse."
It's the same deal with acquiring music...
Actually, I used to obsess over this way more, but eventually, you accept the fact that an indie fan is just a frequent guest at those trendy sidewalk cafes serving exotic food, and you realize times have changed... For now, I'm successfully avoiding getting stepped on by them, but who knows when I'll finally snap... 😁

Ryan Ruiz said:Hmm... I won't count the average so I don't have a stroke. No, really, that's what I've collected over the last 5 years.

Good lord! I was listening to Kajagoogoo, Nina, and Magazin when I was 11, and you've been into dark stuff since you were tiny. Respect.😉

Ryan Ruiz said:97% of the time when I head downtown to hit up some CD shops, I’m looking for a deal. Usually, by the time I’m done, I end up with about $33
Out of the stuff I own, I probably only have four burned copies; the rest are originals. With other bands, it varies—some are originals, some are burned.

which makes for a pretty impressive average, honestly.

I don't want anyone to take this the wrong way or throw a rock at me, but ripping CDs is fine. It’s just that, beyond the legal gray area, there's still this lingering, bitter feeling from a purely human perspective...
especially when you run into one of those "experts" who downloads an entire discography in two days for a band they claimed was a total, obscure, deep-cut mystery just forty-eight hours ago—only to spend today acting like they're a walking encyclopedia of the band's entire history...

then again, maybe I'm just a bigger elitist and a bigger freak than all of them... 😳

Honestly, I’m a total "21st century digital boy." I download music online, burn my own MP3 discs, trade files with people, and dive deep into everything about any band that catches my interest. To me, it’s just how things work now. If I actually had the money, I’d buy everything—but let’s be real, I don't. Any cash I don't blow on drinks ends up spent at local record stores, while everything else I listen to... I just download.

like Screaming Trees - Too Far Away

Yeah, they're one of those bands I'd buy without even hearing them first. Once at a bar, I stumbled upon their music video—no sound, obviously—but the visuals were stunning. Music paired with a visual experience like that can't be bad. Any other recommendations?

They're a New Age band, anyway (not sure if that's your thing)... the album I have at home is *Past Present*, which is basically a compilation of tracks recorded between '82 and '89... though I know there are newer compilations out there featuring some of their hits...

I just picked up Ian Pooley's *Since Then* recently (never heard him before, but I didn't pass it up since I got it for free during a recording session) so I'll give it a spin when I'm cleaning the apartment... I need something with a beat. 😉

kiss

Bryan Martin31 says:

Man, seriously! I was listening to stuff like Duran Duran and No Doubt back when I was eleven, but you’ve been diving into the dark side since you were a little kid. I really respect that.

Don't go tipping your hat just yet, you'll catch a cold! 😲
I remember one stoner night back in '97 when I first heard "It's no good," and I was just totally floored... paralyzed, blown away, I don't even know how else to put it.
And that was how it all started.

by Bryan Martin31

This doesn't just apply to the people on this forum, though I have gathered the impression that many here are simply chasing the hollow thrill of collecting albums, regardless of whether their favorites have actually produced a quality work...

For me, there is a genuine element of collecting involved, but regarding the matter of quality... I have a vast array of artists I enjoy listening to, and when I say that, it means I either own or intend to own as many of their albums as possible—ideally everything. This is because, with the artists I claim to love, I have yet to experience a shift so drastic that I can no longer listen to them. These musicians resonate with my own mindset; as they evolve, my listening habits evolve alongside them, ensuring I always find enough substance to appreciate an album. It isn't a case of buying a record simply because it belongs to a certain artist and therefore must be good. I don't like albums because I feel obligated to; I like them because they truly appeal to me. That is not to say I lack a critical ear, but as someone once pointed out—as if reading my mind—you have to endure the weaker albums to truly grasp how good the great ones actually are.

by Bryan Martin31

Do you ever find yourselves buying an album without having any idea what it actually sounds like?

Of course I do. In fact, most of my collection was acquired exactly that way. My reasoning is laid out above.

Best...

by veky:

There is only one non-negotiable standard I hold: a CD must be an original pressing. I find bootlegs and burned discs to be utterly repulsive. Even if I happen to stumble upon a burned copy that actually sounds decent, I would scour every record store in the country just to own the legitimate version. I realize it sounds obsessive, but it is simply how I operate.

It is the exact same situation for me. Between you, Soylent, and myself, we have already formed a trio.🙂 🙂 🙂

by veky:

It doesn't matter if you spent your youth acting like a manic teenager, scribbling all over anything related to music; you’d still stumble upon some two-sentence review of your favorite band or a grainy little thumbnail photo. Nowadays, that's just what people call a "piece of junk." The same logic applies to how we source our music today.

I am solely grateful for the wealth of data available on most performers; it is truly remarkable, and I find it quite impressive. You can practically uncover everything there is to know about anyone you care to investigate, which is brilliant, though I remain entirely indifferent to the music itself.

by veky:

I hope nobody takes offense or decides to throw stones at me, but downloading music is perfectly fine. However, beyond the legalities, there is a certain moral unpleasantness to it that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth—especially when I encounter someone like Benjamin Clark12. It is truly pathetic to watch a person download an entire discography in forty-eight hours for a band they were claiming was too obscure and "niche" to understand just two days prior, all while desperately performing the role of a seasoned connoisseur.

Perhaps I am simply more of a degenerate and a jerk than any of them.

It is quite simple, really. I view the refusal to purchase original physical media as a fundamental lack of respect for the artist—which, from a legal standpoint, it undeniably is. To me, that feels inherently dishonest, and I have no intention of being cheap when it comes to matters of principle. If I decide I want a specific album, I am certainly not going to pinch pennies over it. $50 People obsess over finding the cheapest way out, settling for some cheap imitation just to save a few bucks, and frankly, I find that entire approach utterly hollow. There is simply no substitute for the ritual of taking my cash, heading down to a proper record store, browsing the aisles, debating with the staff, and finally bringing home a physical disc to play. That process has soul; downloading music from the internet is sterile, effortless, and completely devoid of substance. When everything is handed to you with a single click, the entire experience loses its weight. What is even the point? You hit the nail on the head regarding those self-proclaimed "connoisseurs."

Let them continue. Long live those degenerates and their pathetic little antics.👍 👍 👍

Greetings.