THE STATE OF 'DIGGING'
RAJ
tenacious local 7,783 Posts
I have been digging hardcore for over 10 years now. Not so much any more as the family life has taken on a greater priority, BUT... when I do have the chance to get out and get 'dirty', shit is mad depressing. Pretty much 90% of my spots (fleas, record shows, record stores) are gone or have discovered Popsike. Even the places that still exist have adapted their prices to some Popsike crack or have a completely depleted stock. Now I know there are other way to score records... but there is nothing like going to the old record store and digging in complete silence. Its a zen like feeling vs. make some contact at aflea market and walking into this dingy old apartment and having random small talk. I am rambling... but let me know your feelings on the state of digging.
Comments
DUDE YOU FOUND STARK REALITY THIS SUMMER. SHUT THE FUCK UP!
It's all about Antique and junk stores for thine heatery.
either they are out of business ,on that popsiike thang or they have nothing you want
its all about fleas/thrifts and luck
finding collections thru flea markets has been the trick
"got any more where this came from?"
This is what I've been thinking lately too. I mean there's a couple record spots where its still possible to pull the facemelting heat, but generally, in this day and age, you gotta think outside the box, take it to the next level. I know that somewhere, not even that far from here probably, there's heat sitting there in an unassuming place just waiting... only trick is to find it. My only worry is whether i have the necessary time and motivation these days. I mean i love music and records as much as ever, but I only have so much time in a week anymore...
I struck out all over the place at garage and estate sales this summer, probably the worst year I've had on that front. I think people have the estate sale companies locked up with previews. I'm not giving up though, it's just getting a lot harder.
what's funny is how the market has bottomed out so many classic jazz and soul - beat-digger type records but now all of the sudden these are the exact records that most shops want exorbitant prices for. it can be relatively funny.
with that said... it is pretty bare bones out there... i agree w/ raj. Not everyone wants to make 200 phone calls and network w/ another two dozen people just to look at some half-way decent records which haven't been run through the mainframe (as we call it around these parts)...
on the other hand... tons of cool records still waiting to be dug up and discovered. i'm always randomly bumping into things which all seem to have some strange connections to one another.
for instance, these two ladies:
but when we get down to percentages... i would have to estimate that maybe 5% or a generous 10% of records i buy actually come from record stores or flea markets...
the rest are actual gifts from the lord saviour jesus christ and rain from heaven as testament to eternal life. WHO HERE IS INTO JESUS?
oops, record day.
PEACE
It's the total reverse for me. I've never found much Zen in record stores, with the exception of a few that were bascially going out of business and unloading everything they had. It's actually very rare that I step foot in a record store these days. I'm all about the early rising, traveling, meeting people and building unlikely friendships. I agree that things have have changed dramatically in both worlds, but at the end of the day, in world #2 if you don't get records you can still come away with something.
Nowadays I just work harder to make more money, to buy more coke, so I can work harder, to make more money, to buy more coke, so I can work harder, to make more money, so I can buy more coke... eeerrrr I mean records.
Id like to hit up all the old folks in my hood who are sitting on their collectrons. I know theres a gang of Gospel & Salsa in someones closet.
...undoubtedly rinked to hell.
True. My neighbor was like - "Check out my Menudo rekkids....." Tore the hell up.
for real though, i agree with motown,raj,erybody.
just gotta get in wheere you fit in
peaec and good luck,t
... although I am on fleamarkets every weekend - but i have to express that the attitude of most German diggers i know is simply too narrow/fame/money minded to establish any connection that goes over some "business talk" (not that i cannot understand that from a human point but it kills every sign of "having real fun")
... that said - it??s a simple "money" thing and nothing more any longer!
Greetings
Seb
People really need to pay their storage fees!!!
I honestly wish I had more time, but yeah, being an adult really fills up the schedule (house, job, girlfriend, etc.). I manage to hit a few spots when I'm traveling. But mostly I rely on champion digger Neville C. to source the gems for me. He comes up with the goods and I help him pay the rent. win-win.
Speaking of traveling, I'll be in Pittsburgh in a few weeks. Any spots worth hitting up?
local flea market sexy cheesecake record tycoon guy is definitely on some popsike bullshit, but he has multiple storage units i haven't checked yet. i'm afraid of the "i'll have to look these up" digging-for-him-and-not-getting-any-deals bullshit. his ebay B-I-N's never sell and he subscribes to the "if it doesn't sell, list it for double" phenomenon on most things i have an eye on.
true. hopefully the savvy ones will last AT LEAST another few years
record karma is real though, and record store employees are your friends. i wish i could buy raers for pennies but i'm content getting records for a middle-ground price between pennies and ebay rates.
when I go out in the field I either go two ways - I either buy the nice stuff off the wall that I need that is in good condition and decently priced (maybe even a little high) or I check the dollar/cheap bins for things I've never seen before or are under the popsike radar.
Also, it is good to know the people at your local stores. Be nice to them and they'll be nice to you.
Don't ever mention "ebay" in a record store. Act like a caveman without internet. It's like farting in church, it doesn't go over well.
Record karma is REAL. I don't believe in much but I believe in this. REAL I tell you.
Private dealers are the way to go if you've been in the game for awhile and don't have time to hit the stores every couple of days. Straight up heat and a casual atmosphere win every time.
TRADE. TRADE. SET SALE. TRADE. SET SALE.
Peace,
MCF
As someone who has pretty much only been digging in the eBay/Popsike era, I've never really had the expectation of finding anything in a record store outside of the Groove Merchant and the New Arrivals cart at one Santa Cruz spot. Which is frustrating - I can only imagine how much stuff was out there just a decade ago. At the same time, when I look through my collection at how many records I've gotten for damn cheap, both "out in the field" and in collections, I really can't complain.
What is more frustrating is that we're all forced by temptation to sell records on eBay and drive up the same prices that we complain about. I really do wish that more records were exchanged on trades instead of eBay sales - creates more of a community and a network. But when foreign dudes will pay $400 for some Modern Soul, or $180 for a really awful 1990 "random rap" 12-inch, it's just too tempting.
How does this work? Does anyone know if this is also happening in Europe? I never heard of storage auctions over here?
To me, it is about all out diggin. Do everything, stores, private sellers, grandmas, fleas, random people, the whole nine. And I remember someone said on here that all these raers which hibernate in collections now will be flooding back into the market once the owner is up in record heaven. Might happen at your local flea next weekend. Who knows? Please keep diggin and stop complaining. Although i agree, there are enuff reasons to complain...