the man gave birth to the site that stole our lives from us, but give back with so much more.
R***, they could make books, movies and songs about something that you created and fostered. because of who you are, you'll do so much more... so to consider that this place could only be the FIRST of your legacies is not just promising for the future, but to be appreciated in the highest order.
I learned that 'Moke' is not only a cheap and cheerful beach buggy, but a mild racial slur too.
I learned of the existence of Ebonics, of mud bugs, of south east Asian drummers of wild flamboyance and of the bizarre notion of 'putting a donk on it'.
I learned that only about three people in the world share my view of what modern soul is.
Which reminds me, I learned that it is ok to use a preposition to end a sentence (with).
I learned that for every hundred kind hearted, sane and stand-up dudes there are ten fucking idiots, of which one will be absolutely necessary for the purposes of keeping it real.
I have made real world friends here that I hope to keep in my life irrespective of the vagaries of the a la mode virtual meeting place du jour. I hope they feel the same
I have been profoundly touched by the empathy and sympathy shown from far and wide when facing one of life's various turning points, and deeply impressed by the inherent humanity that sits silently within the strut community.
I have been heartened and strengthened by reading the experiences of others here who have faced the woes of life and come through smiling. There is great comfort in the realisation that one is not an island of misfortune.
I learned that karma is real.
Above all, I learned that raising your head above the parapet and making real world moves is infinitely >>>>> lurking in the shadows and leaving no footprint.
I come here for the breadth of topic, the horizon-widening outlook, the sharing of experience across an unbounded range of subjects.
I could never find refuge in places that engage in the narrowing of focus, of cutting out non-core subject matter, of intolerance for the outlier perspective.
I suspect that, like most others, I feel I have given about 2 and taken 98 out of here, and that's a real strength of this place.
One-upmanship never gained traction here, we leave that to another constituency.
We deal in sharing, but also in taking, and even if this beautiful mess goes the way of all flesh, it will live long in the memory of all involved.
And all made possible by your boy Raj.
Bless you sir.
Let's make it to 15.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
Controller_7 said:
I kind of accidentally learned to sloppily use photoshop because of this place.
Hey Contoller_7, would you please report that jpeg you did a few years back of the chemtrails falling on the Austin skyline? Thanks.
Big_Stacks"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
Hey,
Raj has created a great institution called Soul Strut. After years of feeling like a record gripping weirdo, I came to this site (upon Possum Tom's and Asprin's suggestions), and found a group of people as obsessed with music as I am. I have learned so much here, met some amazing people, attended some great DJ shows, visited fantastic record shops, had great laughs, listened to mind-melting mixes, and interacted with with this witty, zany cast of characters. Finally, the good cheer on this site has gotten me through some rough times, and you guys have been wonderfully supportive. Suffice it to say, that I appreciate Raj as an amazing person who created something grand...a community of people passionate about music, other pursuits, and life in general. Keep Soul Strut alive!!!
Raj is a great dude for building this community...made some goid friends IRL on here, gotten gigs, records and more from hanging out here. Thanks mang.
it goes without saying, this place is one of the finest on all of the internet. although my post count is pitiful, i've lurked here and contributed occasionally from almost the very beginning.
i have laughed to tears at so many things here that my gf became curious to read it. of course she stopped as she didn't know what the fuck people were talking about, but this in itself is something to be proud of. reason being she is so unmoved by music that she calls my jazz stuff 'atari' music!
i have regularly checked it first thing in the morning (time zone diffs) and honestly, it has helped me deal with bipolar and put me in the right place on numerous occasions.
i even once posted asking for advice on hiding my assets (no, not records!) from my pending divorce case. thankfully this particular thread got shut down pretty sharpish!
this place has helped me in some truly shit times and for that I will always be grateful. so Raj, soulstrut and everybody here, sincerely thank you.
My wife calls this place turntable lab, no matter how many times I correct her. If I giggle at my phone, she'll say something like "uh oh, he's on turntable lab again." she bought me a TTL gift certificate years ago, but I don't know how she confused the two.
Only ever had brief interactions with the man and I admittedly don't speak up all that often, but I truly cannot fathom my life without this place.
The knowledge and perspective I've gained here is unparalleled.
The few real-life interactions I've had with members have been amazing.
Seeing some of the projects that have developed out of this site has been a real trip (i.e. Mingering Mike, The Mop).
Hamming it up with Thes-One and Monty Stark (RIP) is so fucking cool to me.
I even wrote a damn university paper about this place, FFS.
All in all, I'm sure Raj could not have imagined exactly what this site has developed into over the years, but PROPS for having a vision and the stones to put it out there. Forever grateful!
You wouldn't believe how many stories start with "I was on that record collector site I go to all the time........."
This.
I've now got a stock explanation for what Soulstrut is, for when I constantly reference it... "..oh yeah, on Soulstrut, which is a great record site I go on, blah blah absoul blah kendrick blah blah beatoff blah blah teh raers etc etc"
The one site I've consistently checked nearly every single day since what feels like before I even had a computer.
My wife calls this place turntable lab, no matter how many times I correct her. If I giggle at my phone, she'll say something like "uh oh, he's on turntable lab again." she bought me a TTL gift certificate years ago, but I don't know how she confused the two.
This place feels like home to me. A large portion of the great things in my life are connected to this site in some way.
Raj had tremendous foresite when he started it and it is amazing to see how he continues to keep it fresh.
Facebook, etc. is NOT a replacement for this site.
For one thing, even though lots of us know each others' real names, there is still something about using a moniker that impacts the content on this site in a good way. I don't need to worry about people from my office reading what I post here. Semi-anonymity is one of the great things about the Internet that is slowly getting lost.
This is a community, not unlike a town. Can't imagine it not being here.
This site has given me so much over the years that I can't even quantify it. From the mixes to the ideas and conversations that get sparked here, I always look forward to checking out what is happening on the this board. I'm not a person who goes out and meets people easily so the only Strutters I've met IRL have been people I knew before or besides the site, but I feel like I know a lot of you better than my neighbors or the people I work with in my office. My wife has gone from being sick of me talking about "the record board" to finding it charming, probably because as time has passed and my interests have changed I talk less about the music stuff on here and more about the people and ideas and whatnot. SoulStrut is invaluable to me, as messy and wild and stupid as it can be sometimes.
Raj, thanks for this place and all it contains. I'm an eastern PA resident too, I'd be happy to by you many drinks sometime as a token of my esteem.
Thinking about it, although it says I joined in '03, I was here before the board crash (was there actually another post-count crash previous to '03?), which means I've been on here for at least 10 years, maybe nearer 12. That's checking in regularly to read people bullshitting for nearly a third of my life. I remember a long time ago a thread was asking how long people had been visiting the strut, and I used the figure of speech "I've been a using the strut for X years" and I think Faux took me to task for casually equating my habitual behaviour with drug terminology or something, but it really has always felt like a place that you can get a lot out of, whether musical knowledge, company, entertainment, or whatever. I think some lurkers may hesitate to poast more because there's an easy assumption to be made that you should have some super-geek music knowledge to contribute, but anything, asking questions or whatever, gets the ball rolling and that's contribution enough. Through all this I've made some real-world friends and some I may never meet, and perhaps some enemies, but I think I've learnt from it all and harbour no grudges. If this place wasn't here, a younger version of me would probably be trying to do the same thing through facebook or whatever, but the music side of the strut is the starting point and a great reason to reach out. I don't think that should ever change. Raj has done an amazing job with this place and whatever happens in the future, he can look back on what he's created and the work he's put in with pride.
:beerbang:
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
LaserWolf said:
It would be nice if everyone posted up one thing in their life that came out of this community.
First of all, shame on me for not contributing to this thread earlier.
I've been put up on so much great music here, but I have definitely gained a much richer appreciation of/love for Brazilian music through this place. When I was in my early 20s, I thought I was hip for knowing a few Azymuth, Airto and Sivuca tunes on top of the standard issue bossa nova. But this place has led me to some amazing music, most notably that Verocai album, and in doing so has made me realise that when what's happening now isn't working for you, there's literally a world of mindblowing shit out there just waiting for you to discover it.
This place feels like home to me. A large portion of the great things in my life are connected to this site in some way.
Raj had tremendous foresite when he started it and it is amazing to see how he continues to keep it fresh.
Facebook, etc. is NOT a replacement for this site.
For one thing, even though lots of us know each others' real names, there is still something about using a moniker that impacts the content on this site in a good way. I don't need to worry about people from my office reading what I post here. Semi-anonymity is one of the great things about the Internet that is slowly getting lost.
This is a community, not unlike a town. Can't imagine it not being here.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
what the homie said to the 10000th power
SoulsStrut will always be bookmarked on my browser. I went from knowing almost nothing about records to knowing something more than that. Every now and then, the 'Strut still reminds me that there's even more to learn yet.
The Strut walked into my life just over 10 yrs ago when I bought a Leon Thomas Full Circle LP off of this newfangled(for me) e-bay thing. I'd been having some bad luck at that point as I thought vg+ stood for decent product. When Leon showed up he was graded vg+ and played superior. But the kicker was that the seller had included a Raj Mahal mix CD. It got listened to before Leon. It was good. This guy had class. 10+ yrs later Raj still operates as he did back then. Raj, Thanks man for creating the beautiful beast that is SS, it's truly one of a kind.
Comments
Quasimodo dreamed of hands so soft.
RAJ:
the man gave birth to the site that stole our lives from us, but give back with so much more.
R***, they could make books, movies and songs about something that you created and fostered. because of who you are, you'll do so much more... so to consider that this place could only be the FIRST of your legacies is not just promising for the future, but to be appreciated in the highest order.
very truly and sincerely, thank you.
I learned that 'Moke' is not only a cheap and cheerful beach buggy, but a mild racial slur too.
I learned of the existence of Ebonics, of mud bugs, of south east Asian drummers of wild flamboyance and of the bizarre notion of 'putting a donk on it'.
I learned that only about three people in the world share my view of what modern soul is.
Which reminds me, I learned that it is ok to use a preposition to end a sentence (with).
I learned that for every hundred kind hearted, sane and stand-up dudes there are ten fucking idiots, of which one will be absolutely necessary for the purposes of keeping it real.
I have made real world friends here that I hope to keep in my life irrespective of the vagaries of the a la mode virtual meeting place du jour. I hope they feel the same
I have been profoundly touched by the empathy and sympathy shown from far and wide when facing one of life's various turning points, and deeply impressed by the inherent humanity that sits silently within the strut community.
I have been heartened and strengthened by reading the experiences of others here who have faced the woes of life and come through smiling. There is great comfort in the realisation that one is not an island of misfortune.
I learned that karma is real.
Above all, I learned that raising your head above the parapet and making real world moves is infinitely >>>>> lurking in the shadows and leaving no footprint.
I come here for the breadth of topic, the horizon-widening outlook, the sharing of experience across an unbounded range of subjects.
I could never find refuge in places that engage in the narrowing of focus, of cutting out non-core subject matter, of intolerance for the outlier perspective.
I suspect that, like most others, I feel I have given about 2 and taken 98 out of here, and that's a real strength of this place.
One-upmanship never gained traction here, we leave that to another constituency.
We deal in sharing, but also in taking, and even if this beautiful mess goes the way of all flesh, it will live long in the memory of all involved.
And all made possible by your boy Raj.
Bless you sir.
Let's make it to 15.
Hey Contoller_7, would you please report that jpeg you did a few years back of the chemtrails falling on the Austin skyline? Thanks.
Raj has created a great institution called Soul Strut. After years of feeling like a record gripping weirdo, I came to this site (upon Possum Tom's and Asprin's suggestions), and found a group of people as obsessed with music as I am. I have learned so much here, met some amazing people, attended some great DJ shows, visited fantastic record shops, had great laughs, listened to mind-melting mixes, and interacted with with this witty, zany cast of characters. Finally, the good cheer on this site has gotten me through some rough times, and you guys have been wonderfully supportive. Suffice it to say, that I appreciate Raj as an amazing person who created something grand...a community of people passionate about music, other pursuits, and life in general. Keep Soul Strut alive!!!
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Don't hate the Sayer...
i have laughed to tears at so many things here that my gf became curious to read it. of course she stopped as she didn't know what the fuck people were talking about, but this in itself is something to be proud of. reason being she is so unmoved by music that she calls my jazz stuff 'atari' music!
i have regularly checked it first thing in the morning (time zone diffs) and honestly, it has helped me deal with bipolar and put me in the right place on numerous occasions.
i even once posted asking for advice on hiding my assets (no, not records!) from my pending divorce case. thankfully this particular thread got shut down pretty sharpish!
this place has helped me in some truly shit times and for that I will always be grateful. so Raj, soulstrut and everybody here, sincerely thank you.
very similar story here! thank you, raj & soul strut!!
The knowledge and perspective I've gained here is unparalleled.
The few real-life interactions I've had with members have been amazing.
Seeing some of the projects that have developed out of this site has been a real trip (i.e. Mingering Mike, The Mop).
Hamming it up with Thes-One and Monty Stark (RIP) is so fucking cool to me.
I even wrote a damn university paper about this place, FFS.
All in all, I'm sure Raj could not have imagined exactly what this site has developed into over the years, but PROPS for having a vision and the stones to put it out there. Forever grateful!
This.
I've now got a stock explanation for what Soulstrut is, for when I constantly reference it... "..oh yeah, on Soulstrut, which is a great record site I go on, blah blah absoul blah kendrick blah blah beatoff blah blah teh raers etc etc"
The one site I've consistently checked nearly every single day since what feels like before I even had a computer.
Top man yerself, Raj.
This is hilarious, for some reason.
Raj had tremendous foresite when he started it and it is amazing to see how he continues to keep it fresh.
Facebook, etc. is NOT a replacement for this site.
For one thing, even though lots of us know each others' real names, there is still something about using a moniker that impacts the content on this site in a good way. I don't need to worry about people from my office reading what I post here. Semi-anonymity is one of the great things about the Internet that is slowly getting lost.
This is a community, not unlike a town. Can't imagine it not being here.
Benefited from the knowledge dropped in here on all manner of subjects.
Thank you Raj.
Raj, thanks for this place and all it contains. I'm an eastern PA resident too, I'd be happy to by you many drinks sometime as a token of my esteem.
:beerbang:
First of all, shame on me for not contributing to this thread earlier.
I've been put up on so much great music here, but I have definitely gained a much richer appreciation of/love for Brazilian music through this place. When I was in my early 20s, I thought I was hip for knowing a few Azymuth, Airto and Sivuca tunes on top of the standard issue bossa nova. But this place has led me to some amazing music, most notably that Verocai album, and in doing so has made me realise that when what's happening now isn't working for you, there's literally a world of mindblowing shit out there just waiting for you to discover it.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
what the homie said to the 10000th power
Thanks, Raj!
Hey M**k! No hockey this year.
Nice one Raj. Keep it up son.