The Old Goat Is Slowing Down!
12-5-08 The Old Goat Is Slowing Down!
I’ve been tracking all of my music purchases since 2002 – very closely. Like migrating birds, some years are more interesting than others.
2002 – 1,218 3.33 records per day
2003 – 1,497 4.10 records per day
2004 – 1,436 3.93 records per day
2005 – 1,188 3.25 records per day
2006 – 1,423 3.89 records per day
2007 – 1,183 3.24 records per day
2008 – 931 (as of 11/27/08) 2.77 records per day (@ approx. 11 months)
I was fully gainfully employed through all of these years, too.
And it’s not like I haven’t been anywhere this year – Portland OR, San Francisco Bay area, San Luis Obispo CA., San Diego CA., Las Vegas NV etc. Always in search of records in the places near me.
In 2007, I also went to Japan – but stuff is a lot more expensive there than here – hence that low number.
Can it be true that my collection is filling up? My LP want list is at about 1 typewritten page; CD want list is several pages longer. I enjoy looking at records and CD’s – so even if I got everything on my list, I do not think I would ‘stop’.
And I don’t think that buying DVD’s has taken any bite out of my LP / CD dollar – I really haven’t bought all that many of them! Also, a good many record stores have closed in the last few years – I still lament the loss of Tower Records. But the record collector swap meets are still continuing!
Doesn’t even look like I will catch last year’s number – unless I go nuts this month. Doubt I could put a dollar amount on any of these years. I’ve written down all the prices since ’03 – in little books. But I traded for stuff etc.
So, at age 50 – do I finally find signs of slowing down? No way. I am just as interested as always. The nice stuff gets harder to find. Japanese CD’s get even more expensive! And now they’re hawking SHM CD’s (and several other variant acronyms, all meaning high quality – more expensive CD’s). At least they still seem to be releasing stuff that has never been on CD before (hence “Raw Blues” – if there ever was a UK CD of this, I missed it!).
How about you? Are you slowing down with your music purchases this year?
posted by Ron Kane @ 6:39 AM
5 Comments:
This was a great year for me. I estimate 100-150 music purchases this year! The dinky record shows in Asheville (the 1st since I moved here in 2001) were great! Small, but fairly packed with lovely goods at insane prices. The best record shows I've been to in 12-15 years. And Portland lived up to the hype, in my opinion.
I imagine my peak was probably about 1 record a day - back in 83-85. My part-time wages were small, but prices were LOW and costs were nil. I kept records of each purchase form about 83-93. I still have them and one day will find and scan them for your perusal.
Portland was the most records/discs I have bought in YEARS.
My record-buying was slowing down several years ago, mostly due to the dawning realisation that everything I had already bought would soon be re-issued in deluxe formats, coupled with rising prices, coupled with a severe lack of interest in anything new and exciting coming out in the early and mid-2000s.
Now I have a lot of that collector's passion back, but space constraints severely limit me from rebuilding much of a collection again. If I ever hear of a good record collector show here on Vancouver Island, I'll attend and let you guys know if it was any good.
Portland = GREAT place for record collectors.
Compared to you guys, I've always been in the minor leagues when considering the sheer volume of music acquired. I haven't done a swap meet in years, and don't spend my limited free time and money crawling through the bins at the few used shops left in Orlando. However, between iTunes and swapping with my pals, I'm never at a loss for new music to enjoy. So yes, the buying has slowed down, but it all just continues to evolve.
I would love to see your lists, Jim-san!
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