Guest Moderator: Jim Donato!

3-2-09 Guest Moderator: Jim Donato!

I asked long-time reader Jim Donato to suggest a set of themes for the month of March – which he did, most admirably. Here’s what he came up with, at the drop of a hat:

1] Have you ever went sour on an artist and reverted? I think you are pretty final but I have had recursions [see: Simple Minds, David Bowie]

2] Similarly, what about an artist who's all over the quality map? For me that would be Adam Ant who some albums I like, others I dislike. [see also: Duran Duran]

3] Speaking of Duran Duran, any other acts YOU liked only to see become a worldwide teen fan phenomena to much head scratching?

4] Groups you like that are pretty much indefensible? [see: Spandau Ballet]

5] Groups that your friends can't understand WHY in HELL you would deign to like? With your w-i-d-e tastes, this must have happened to you a lot.

6] Collecting vs. sampling an artist. How do you resist the all-or-nothing urge?

7] Most expensive music purchases.

8] Hardware or Software? What's the priority?

9] What sacrifices did you make to amass your collection? C'mon! Fess up!

10] Records you play a lot vs. records you play sparingly [but like more]. Or meting out pleasure.

11] Any artists who make good singles but bad albums? Or vice versa?

12] Artists with exceptions to the rule: their output stinks - except for this amazing single! Or vice versa.

13] Do you read liner notes as entertainment? If I don't have a book to read, liner notes will suffice!

14] Best Re-Mastering packaging [see: Epic UK Stranglers, which are what I would have done with the project had I been in charge]

15] Where do you stand on brickwalling? I notice you seem to like Re-Masters with LOUD sound / reduced dynamic range.

16] What is your vision for the sales and distribution of music?

17] Was there a historic period of your collecting that you like best? Why?

Etc.

Boy, a mouthful, a brain-ful..whatever…we get a whole bunch of Jim Donato to chew on this month. I’ll do my best to stick to Jim’s “outlines”. Looks like a fun bunch of topics. Hey, I’ve never done this before – revealing a whole month of topics beforehand, eh, readers? C’mon! Let’s compare mythologies!

Thanks, Jim!