I miss pre-internet diggin and record collecting

[Headless mermaid]

I remember somebody showing me sites like Soulstrut, Spinemagazine, Vinylexchange, Vinylvulture, Turntablelab and Soulman's World of beats around 2000 and seeing strangers posting about finding multiple copies of Wild Magnolias and thinking "Why does this concern me?"

Maybe an odd place to mention this but still...

[Campag Record]

I do as well mate.

Obviously it goes without saying that the records that can be picked up online plus the easily accessible knowledge far outweighs what was achievable pre internet. This still doesn't equate to the buzz of buying that unknown record, common or rare, that was bought in all innocence back in the day. Its impossible to buy something in the wild these days and not immediately check forums or popsike to see if you've scored. And then post your buys in the hope you get internet props as thats all you can achieve in life these days!

Now anything can be bought (money permitting of course) and record knowledge is easily obtained via google.

[eine]

Data-labour wants to be freeeeee (OR the technostructure spoils everything). We're all addicted to the vinyl/digital relationship and partly loathe it like any addiction.

BUT there's always been a record collecting/media relationship hasn't there - lists, magazines etc.

I know I don't want to go back to reading the music press and books about music religiously as I used to do in the 90s. I much prefer social media and the net.

[jakartajive]

[Headless mermaid]

I guess what I really mean is that with web fora, Facebook groups and the general current vinyl trendy/nerdyness everybody seem to compete and judge each other over the same thing. So many diggers/collectors are gossiping about and judging each other over any rare crap. I just want my Kurios Jorge and Roc Marciano - keep your über raer Belgian private cosmic disco...........!

[Tsundoku]

I know this is not really what you're talking about I've had a lot of fun real world digging this year, not spending more than a few quid and have come up with some cool, interesting stuff that I've been happy with, the majority of which was previously unknown to me. Of course, it helps that I live in a big city, and have pretty catholic tastes but real world digging isn't dead to me yet. And these are definitely the record buying experiences I've enjoyed the most. My Fringe Download swap is going to be a mix of all of these things (if I ever actually finish it, that is).

[Tsundoku]

Actually, in response to your last post - real life digging and finds cut away all the trendy crap you're talking about, because you are limited to what you've found by chance and serendipity. Even if it's an album or 45 that's really well known, I'm still usually very happy to chance on it.

[Headless mermaid]

you are limited to what you've found by chance and serendipity

That's another related point I'm always fascinated by - the chance and randomness of it all...

[eclipsechaser]

I know this is not really what you're talking about I've had a lot of fun real world digging this year, not spending more than a few quid and have come up with some cool, interesting stuff that I've been happy with, the majority of which was previously unknown to me. Of course, it helps that I live in a big city, and have pretty catholic tastes but real world digging isn't dead to me yet. And these are definitely the record buying experiences I've enjoyed the most. My Fringe Download swap is going to be a mix of all of these things (if I ever actually finish it, that is).

Digging does seem to goes in cycles. I had great fun last year finally managing to get away from the kids in the early mornings just as epsom car boot started to pick up. Had loads hits from the booters mainly costing me 30p or so.

On a slight tangent I do miss the fervent fever this place used to be with loads of tips on a regular basis.

[medlar]

That's another related point I'm always fascinated by - the chance and randomness of it all...

That's my game. I've had a lot of random chance hits that I like greatly, quite a few end up on the xmas swap. It's fun to have no illusion about whatever one chances across and to listen to it with open ears.

[pitch]

Actually, in response to your last post - real life digging and finds cut away all the trendy crap you're talking about, because you are limited to what you've found by chance and serendipity. Even if it's an album or 45 that's really well known, I'm still usually very happy to chance on it.

Totally agree with this - enjoy the thrill of the real life dig, with no want list.... just pulling interesting things out - some known others not. I hardly buy anything (old) online now.

[pitch]

On a slight tangent I do miss the fervent fever this place used to be with loads of tips on a regular basis.

Here's one Phil - Always run uphill from a snake.

[medlar]

Here's one Phil - Always run uphill from a snake.

[The Divine One]

I guess "back in the day" knowledge was king, and you had to basically eat and breathe vinyl and surround yourself with a community of like-minded souls you could swap knowledge with. Now you can distill that decades long process into mere minutes. But I think what you CAN'T replicate is that "spidey sense", that feeling you get when a record you see HAS to be bought for reasons a), b) or c). I would hope Internet diggers don't end with piles of utter chud like real life diggers, but maybe they do, but just have to add P&P into the equation...

I've still got a folder of old Jazzman and Resolution mail order lists, but can never quite bring myself to put them in the recycling since they remind me of a different era. Always fun looking over them and kicking myself for all the £20 albums I should have bought which are now worth hundreds, while consoling myself over the records which cost hundreds which can now be picked up for £20...

[Saint Jude]

Lets face it buying records pre-internet was often a very time and money consuming exercise.

I don't look back on being offered £20 James Brown LP's by soul dealers in the late 80's as a halcyon age. I know you'll say that the same dealers probably had small label raers for buttons in the same shop, but I wouldn't have a clue what they were unless they were charted in Blues & Soul, Black Echoes etc

Similarly, if you were tipped off about a great record that could be found for cheap, it often took forever to locate one.

I do get nostalgic about visiting record shops and great titles being available for cheap, but as Andrew mentioned, a lot of my knowledge of these titles came from dealer lists, which when you think about it were our equivalent of Popsike/Collectors Frenzy listings.