I don't have the answer, but of course I'm leaning toward a firm "no." Sorry, but the button labeled "Users who purchased this might also like..." just isn't going to cut it.
Note that I have not even addressed the whole issue of what's available. With the major labels evaporating, and with recording technology that has shrunk in both size and cost, it has obviously become easier for a recording artist to put something out there. The model that can result in wider distribution hasn't quite jelled yet. There's also the sound quality issue, but that'll work itself out, too. I do think the future's bright in both of these areas.
In the meantime, Saturday will dawn and me and TheWife™ will head into town to partake of the vinyl. On my list are Springsteen's Working On A Dream, and a few special releases created exclusively for this celebration. My friend behind the counter will wrinkle his nose at my E-Street predilection, but will then recommend some wacko jazz to further stretch my ears. It's the kind of give and take that doesn't seem to have a digital equivalent.
Article comments
1 - Glen Boyd
This is SO spot on Mark.
I've been trying to say exactly this in the last million or so Rockologist columns, but you summed it up shortly and succinctly. It's gonna be a sad day indeed when the neighborhood record shops are gone. We need to cherish them while we can. See ya on record store day.
-Glen
2 - El Bicho
How is that culture disappearing? I would argue it's expanding. Rather than sharing music with your small group of local, offline friends, so many possibilities have opened up as the online world offers more people with varying tastes.
Just from coming to this site alone, I have shared music with e-friends in Washington, Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, and even other countries. There's all kinds of music and albums that have been introduced to me and I am not just talking about Springsteen. Rather than the overpriced, poorly recorded boots of yore, I now find recent shows in soundboard quality.
I'll step out of the way before Guppus takes you to task.
3 - El Bicho
I even had a guy from NH turn me onto a Heavy Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees
4 - MarkSaleski
yeah bicho, i do realize that some of the social aspects are relocating rather than disappearing, but the element of direct human contact is lost.
i mean sure, we can get just about everything via the internet. doesn't mean i want to. yes, i'll get my music from there, and movies, and clothing, and food. i'll never leave home again. it'll be awesome.
except for the trolls.
5 - Mat Brewster
I wonder if part of the naysaying comes from the fact that so many record stores are already gone.
One of the last times we had this argument I went down to the only record store in town and it was lousy. Their collection was loaded with early 90s alternative (which is either uninteresting, or I already own), there was nobody else in the store save for one guy who was arguing with the only sales rep about something ridiculously stupid.
I left thinking, this is what all the fuss is about?
6 - Tom Johnson
Mat's experience is sadly close to what my experience has been, and I apparently have many more options than he does. As much as I love browsing through the stacks, the stacks aren't yielding much because the stores are opting to not stock the good stuff. They've either chosen to not buy the interesting, eclectic used stuff they used to, or they're putting it on Ebay and Amazon (I know for a fact they do this because I've seen them there.) When you can't even get your local store to keep stuff local, what choice do you have? I still go back, but I try to go with no expectations other than that I'll likely be ordering whatever I might actually WANT from Amazon, and buying locally is just buying something interesting on the spur of the moment. Sometimes I luck out, but it's not as often as it should be - and it's really sad when Best Buy has things that the local music stores don't.
That said, I'm excited for RDS. I still want to support them and I'm carving out a bit of time from our major spring-cleaning day tomorrow for it.
7 - El Bicho
Just because record stores are being phasing out doesn't mean the only alternative is to live like Howard Hughes.
8 - Mat Brewster
So I should take the Kleenex boxes off my feet?