Can’t beat a New Year’s Resolution or two, how else do you get to feel like a complete failure by the 14th of January? Now, I’m not talking about last year’s, ‘no drink until 2014’ resolution which crashed and burned for rugby-related reasons in March, or the perennial lose a stone one, nope I’m talking about the infamous ‘no new LPs until next year’ one.
I’ve tried and pretty much done it before back in 2009, by the simple means of allowing myself a pass if and only if one of my favourite bands releases an LP – okay so I know that’s not quite hardcore Spartan enough, but it’s a compromise that kept me down to 6 records in 2009. How many did I buy last year? well I could retitle my blog 1638… so shelf space and common sense reasons dictate I need to slow down a little, now if I was a grown-up with proper urge control this wouldn’t be an issue I could just be mature about the whole thing; and so it goes.
Now hypocrite that I am I have already bought two LPs and a CD recently, the brilliant Cliff Martinez Solaris Soundtrack*, as well as Crippled Black Phoenix The Resurrectionists** – an absolutely amazing album, that I only ever had on download that not nearly enough people know about and that I’ll write about soon. I also bought one of those silver fast-spinning disc things, the 2 CD version of Sepultura Roots, (The Roots of Sepultura) with all manner of exciting loud bonus bits on top of one seriously already great LP.
But that’s my last unless Nick Cave, or AC/DC, or System of a Down, or Endless Boogie release a new LP in 2014. Honest. I pledge to do my best anyway and I almost never, well not really very often, break promises and you have my word on that!
Reckon I’ll make it?
315 Down (still).
P.S – I have also said I’ll buy Black Sabbath Headless Cross on Mike’s blog today. Hmm.
*on picture disc!! Picture disc!! Picture disc!!
**I got all enthusiastic again after speaking to a certain Mr Hubner about it and one thing led to another, you know how it is.
Year, not head.
I quite liked ‘the whole no record for a head thing’ – not sure I’d make that trade either!
To be honest, me either.
I could never make a promise like that, the whole no record for a head thing. Not only would I be lying to myself, I’d be lying to the universe at large. Can’t have that hanging over my head.
Btw, nice job on the Solaris and Crippled Black Phoenix. Really dug “Burnt Reynolds”.
I’m going to give it a go, with a few passes – the whole idea is just to stop the casual hovering up of old stuff and things that may sound good.
Thanks for checking out the CBP – it has a pretty complex release history but I’m very happy with the one I have now. ‘Burnt Reynolds’ (what a title!!) and ‘Rise up and Fight’ are what Floyd should sound like.
Really liked “Rise Up And Fight” as well. They reminded me of Mogwai a bit, actually(loudest band I’ve ever heard live.) Quiet and loud. Lots of dynamics.
Best of luck. I try to stick to all killer, no filler. For the most part I succeed. Some stuff, like The Night Terrors which arrived today, well I couldn’t help myself. Only 300 copies made of double splatter vinyl. It’s proggy, space rock. Something that would fit nicely in a fever dream or a John Carpenter film.
Just call me the pusher. The enabler.
Ooh, I do like a good solid NY resolution. And leading the way (from the rear) I can report that Vinyl Connection’s firm decision not to purchase any new music in January lasted THREE WHOLE DAYS.
Ha! I do have two things on order from last year, but I’m going to do my level best. Honest.
Good luck! And I’ll turn a blind eye if you buy Headless Cross… great album.
Thank you. I’d like to be the sort of man who shouts things like ‘I’ll do this, or die trying!’, but that’s not really me. I’ll give it a shot.
And if you don’t succeed you’ll still have made more gains than if you hadn’t tried. What’s the thinking behind this? Do you feel like you’re getting more music than you have time to listen to properly?
The whole too much music / not enough ears, thing was the reason I started 1537 really. It’s more a way of concentrating my fire on a few targets and saving some cash (hopefully).
Plus (and this is not a clumsy attempt at flirting) a bit of discipline doesn’t do any harm.
So come 2015 I’ll be wealthy, skinny and still have some space on the record shelves. Easy!
I think there’s definitely a less is more thing with music. I wouldn’t want to stop altogether (probably couldn’t if I tried) but I definitely want to keep cutting down too. Even with all my attempts at budgeting last year I still bought more than I had time to listen to properly. Or store properly! I’m back to random piles again…