Digging without Context
Big_Stacks
"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
Hi 'Strutters,
As those who know me here know, I'm hardly the guy to bash newbies for their naivete; however, the Philly International Records question posed by BallzDeep brought to mind an issue I've wondered about for some time. I admit that it's a loaded question, but how do people seek out records in particular genres for which they have no context or experience? For instance, how do you search for soul records without any exposure to soul as part of one's life? I ask because for virtually all the musical genres I seek out, I have had experience with them as part of my life. As I kid, I grew up listening to oldies, AM gold, R&B/soul, and jazz radio stations, received exposure to various musical styles via my dad, uncles, friends, etc., thus informing my choices of the records I seek out.
Is digging without context difficult and akin to searching in the dark? Does this invoke dependency on lists, FAQs, sample credits, etc. to find records? Does this invoke search for and finding raers without having classic recordings in the collection. Please inform me. Thanks!
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
As those who know me here know, I'm hardly the guy to bash newbies for their naivete; however, the Philly International Records question posed by BallzDeep brought to mind an issue I've wondered about for some time. I admit that it's a loaded question, but how do people seek out records in particular genres for which they have no context or experience? For instance, how do you search for soul records without any exposure to soul as part of one's life? I ask because for virtually all the musical genres I seek out, I have had experience with them as part of my life. As I kid, I grew up listening to oldies, AM gold, R&B/soul, and jazz radio stations, received exposure to various musical styles via my dad, uncles, friends, etc., thus informing my choices of the records I seek out.
Is digging without context difficult and akin to searching in the dark? Does this invoke dependency on lists, FAQs, sample credits, etc. to find records? Does this invoke search for and finding raers without having classic recordings in the collection. Please inform me. Thanks!
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Comments
-as a young child I am fascinated by elo and beach boys records my dad has, always asking him to play them
-growing up disconnected from music for a time because my brother was a jungle/techno dj and I wanted to be so different I went in a classic rock direction
-I briefly thought about collecting records when I was 13 or so 1994~95 but changed my mind (That's my brothers thing OOOF)
- high school I get into tribe, de la soul, roots, gang Starr (better late than never) this mixed with prior classic rock interest, dad's 45s, and seeking out the sources of samples leads me into a frantic jazz fascination, which yes included scouring Internet lists and asking many people for recommendations at local stores (usually a good look and solid way to build a collection)
- in my college years I befriended several eclectic djs and started digging with them which catapulted my addiction and fascination with several genres! At a record store about 7 years ago a random guy tells me about soul strut and j lurked for a while then joined. Since then I take recommendations from everywhere and try to never pigeonhole a genre group or label due to my frequent sonnings over the years.
- I wouldnt change anything though and I keep looking forward to that day the accumulation becomes a collection!
"My mom played Thriller all the time!"
"I never had a Green Apple Now & Later"
"Juice is a great Blaxploitation film."
"What's there to do in Harlem?"
"I teach at an After-School Program that helps teen learn by going out in the field and Digg for Soul rekkids!"
"Black People w/ Afros are cool!"
I listen to music blind as much as possible. One thing I do is load up my iPod with a maybe a thousand of the 30,000 mp3s I've downloaded from soulseek, soulstrut, etc.. over the years and play it all on shuffle. Then, as each song comes on, without looking at the artist or title, I decide what star rating to give it based solely on how much I enjoy the way it sounds. When I find a five star song, it gets added to the wants list. As a result, just about every record in my collection is there because it represents my taste.
If so, I'm guilty.
Maybe you start with the canon. Maybe you start anywhere, arbitrarily and then begin to pick up more bits and pieces before it snowballs.
in the end its just music, its not like they were the losers that didnt get invited to the cool philly international parties back in 1977. raers have been getting new exposure so its out there as much as a bill withers album. theres no set curriculum to this shit thank god
Now cats have to rely on the internet so I can understand.
I don't know if this was directed at me, I hope not. But anyway I'll show you why I'm not so experienced in classic rock and metal as I should.
because I had/have prejudices against the isht crusty old records collectors like he pull out of the crates at fleas next to me:
Furthermore I never wanted to hear music by bands people like this sport on the shirts or cut-offs
Call me superfical, if you want to. Hopefully my character will mature so that I'll be totally open minded, upright and tolerant one day.
Not sure where you live but you shouldn't have to go to secret squirrel conventions and dig amongst worms for common shit like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Beatles, Black Sabbath, etc. records. They should be way more readily available than that. I mean, if that is your only in, to deal with Crusty McRusty, in order to even just hear stuff that I'm fairly certain gets played on the radio still and at the least is extremely accessible by way of Youtube, then yeah, I would dread that too.
But c'mon, try to see the forest first, then focus on the trees.
WTF? Do you think I would participate for ages on this board if I don't know classics from Marvin, Stevie & the Beatles?
My knowledge and interest in classic rock and metal might be limited, but I'm not a complete dumb ass.
I'm always happy to explore music, I dismissed for some reason that I can enjoy now.
But yeah, there is a shit-ton of amazing classic rock out there just waiting for you to eventually enjoy.
Sorry, but this concept is way outdated at this point.
To somebody in their 20's, the 70's was a past century and there is no reason why they would (or should) look at it the way I did growing up then.
At this point Boscoe is as much on the radar as Donny Hathaway, maybe more, and that's the way they are going to come to it.
Okay, if your only life experience is the internet, then sure. Otherwise, the wackness.
I disagree. I know plenty of young people who buy records, who are even into rare records, who fully recognize that being able to talk about Boscoe and not Curtis Mayfield, would have them alone in a room trading emails with twerps. So yeah, I guess I am saying that if your only cultural interests come to you by way of the internet, STICK YOSELF!
For me, and you, in the preitsallonline world, digging with out context was a problem.
I bought my first record when I was 5 but didn't start accumulating until I was 23.
Even before I started accumulating, back in 7th grade, it was the library.
The way I would enter a genre was comps.
John Hammond's 4 lps of gospel music was something I was not going to hear from friends and family. Yeah, I'm white.
Comps of Folkways, Arhoolie, Yazoo, Prestige and Nonesuch opened up worlds for me as a kid.
I learned about soul, jazz, country the same way.
As for Harvey's point. Yeah. It freaks me out that someone would know the rare stuff but not the common.
I have plenty of holes in my knowledge but the way it is skewed with some people is weird.
But then how did they learn the rare with out the common?
By picking up comps and reissues, the same way I started.
I wish more people would just tell kids they will help them and then turn around and do nothing.
Lets kids know they are worthless and shouldn't try anyway.
"You can't be a real movie lover unless you watched my favorite film when and where it was originally released in theaters and you were the first person in line"
"u sound younger and more open minded"
Dude its a joke. Why so sensitive?
To me, the context gives me fascinating detail into times (and places, and cultures, etc) in which I didn't live. It helps me enjoy the music because I understand a little better what the artist's point of reference is.
Likewise, when I listen to a rare disco record, or a rare harmony soul ballad, I absolutely am glad that I have heard Harold Melvin (for instance) because it gives a counterpoint - e.g., this is what was charting at the time, this is (probably) what the artist was trying to sound like.
This thing used to be about understanding, excavating, and reevaluating the past, all of which might give us insight into the present. It's still about that for me, but it's kind of wild to see the unbridled me-first feeding frenzy the internet has created. Do not want
No problem. I was joking too.
Secondly: This vvv
Lets face it. Record collecting and obsessing over old artists and genres is, at its heart, a nostalgic endeavor. As such, claims to authenticity are easy to come by and near impossible validate. Each generation explores the past with their own lens and participates in a process of filtering it to fit their current tastes and context. And so on and so forth. An example of this being the relative absence of ballades in the repertoire of "revivalist bands".
That being said, understanding the larger context is essential for finding records and creating new material as well(for the musicians on the board). Otherwise you are just caught in a self indulgent pursuit of obscurity for obscurities sake, not the discovery of new takes on familiar ideas. I think this is especially true with soul because the personalities, history, and social context are so ingrained in its sound and meaning.