There's this thing blowing around Facebook and Tumblr at the moment. The 30 day song challenge. A different song a day to fit in to a different category. Similar to the 30 day movie challenge that I previously attempted (and failed miserably at).
The problem I have with these lists is that they always try to include the question 'What is your favourite (song/movie/band - delete as applicable). How can you ever define your favourite?
Perhaps it's just me, maybe I'm fickle. There are so many factors in choosing a favourite of anything and it changes from day to day. If I'm in a good mood then I want to listen to ska or watch Disney animations. If I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself it's all singer songwriters and indie films. Some days you just want to lay on the sofa and have a Come Dine With Me marathon.
I've tried a few times to make these lists but every time things change. Maybe I should do 5 options for each selection. The 150 film/song challenge.
I still think I would struggle.
Let's give it a go....
Day 1 - Your Favourite Song
(in no particular order)
* Elvis Costello - Alison
* The Pixies - Here Comes Your Man
* Alkaline Trio - Clavicle
* Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun
*Brand New - Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades
These are just my favourite songs today. Tomorrow they might be something different entirely.
All I'm asking is that, occasionally, people ask for 5 or 10 instead of requesting a specific favourite. Sometimes it just isn't possible!
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Monday, 13 June 2011
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
The Death of the Record Store
I love record stores. In the same way that I love libraries, wandering around the racks, talking to the staff, getting recommendations, finding great albums I remember my parents playing to me, back catalogue releases by bands I adore.
It's another one of those places where I can zone out completely and spend hours flicking through thousands of CDs and records. I love record stores so much I got a Christmas temp job in one after Uni. I had visions of getting up every day and going to work at Empire Records
It didn't work out that way. When I worked in a record store there was so much focus on DVDs and Gaming, CDs were falling by the wayside. That was almost 4 years ago. Last week I went in to my local HMV, in Islington, and the changes in there made it virtually unrecognisable from the record stores I remember from when I was a teenager, spending all my wages from my weekend jobs on my, now extensive, CD collection. The CD racks were reduced to approximately 10 racks squeezed down the side of the store, the majority of the floor was taken up with 'technology', iPods, iPads, speakers, headphones. There were quite a few racks of DVDs too, what seemed like more than double the CD area.
I get why this is happening, I understand that I'm old school and very few people buy CDs, let alone vinyl, but does that mean I can't mourn the demise of the record store?
I'm lucky enough to live in central London, I can walk to Rough Trade, there is a massive HMV just one bus ride away from my house, I can get the CDs and Vinyls I want to add to my collection, but what about the future generations? I believe there are many teenagers like me, out there in small towns, wanting music. Wanting to flick through inserts, feel the weight of vinyl in their hands. People who have to wait days or weeks for a package from Amazon (other online retailers are available!).
I wish there were more independent record stores out there and, although I understand why people are downloading and using online retailers, I hope that there are enough people out there like me who can keep those record stores, independent or chain, open.
I would hate to see the day that 'physical' music ceased to exist.
This week I have mainly been listening to Bright Eyes - The People's Key
It's another one of those places where I can zone out completely and spend hours flicking through thousands of CDs and records. I love record stores so much I got a Christmas temp job in one after Uni. I had visions of getting up every day and going to work at Empire Records
It didn't work out that way. When I worked in a record store there was so much focus on DVDs and Gaming, CDs were falling by the wayside. That was almost 4 years ago. Last week I went in to my local HMV, in Islington, and the changes in there made it virtually unrecognisable from the record stores I remember from when I was a teenager, spending all my wages from my weekend jobs on my, now extensive, CD collection. The CD racks were reduced to approximately 10 racks squeezed down the side of the store, the majority of the floor was taken up with 'technology', iPods, iPads, speakers, headphones. There were quite a few racks of DVDs too, what seemed like more than double the CD area.
I get why this is happening, I understand that I'm old school and very few people buy CDs, let alone vinyl, but does that mean I can't mourn the demise of the record store?
I'm lucky enough to live in central London, I can walk to Rough Trade, there is a massive HMV just one bus ride away from my house, I can get the CDs and Vinyls I want to add to my collection, but what about the future generations? I believe there are many teenagers like me, out there in small towns, wanting music. Wanting to flick through inserts, feel the weight of vinyl in their hands. People who have to wait days or weeks for a package from Amazon (other online retailers are available!).
I wish there were more independent record stores out there and, although I understand why people are downloading and using online retailers, I hope that there are enough people out there like me who can keep those record stores, independent or chain, open.
I would hate to see the day that 'physical' music ceased to exist.
This week I have mainly been listening to Bright Eyes - The People's Key
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