So at the moment, I’m doing all the shopping, prescriptions etc for my elderly Dad and uncle. This means I’ve been ending up actually being out quite a bit, one way and another. So yesterday evening, for reasons of online ordering done by my siblings who live overseas, I ended up driving from where I live, near Launceston, to Exeter, into the city to Morrisons supermarket, then back down to Cornwall, to my Dad’s place, and back home again afterwards (I know, unnecessary complexity, but I didn’t arrange it) What stood out about this particular trip, was that it was the most deserted I’ve ever experienced the world, period. it’s quiet most days under the shut-down, but this was another level. Global pandemic/national shut-down, AND a bank holiday. It was eerie! But also, with the beautiful weather, it was rather lovely as well. Just empty roads, empty streets, windows down, music up…
It’s quite fascinating when, out of nowhere, you realise you are experiencing something completely unique and unprecedented.
I’ve already started to create some music that I hope will in some way reflect the more thoughtful and tranquil aspect of this time. I imagine all over the world, people are doing similar things. It will be so interesting to see what emerges!
Can’t see the point in looking up the value of records unless you’re intending to sell them. I still have every record I’ve bought since the very first one purchased with my first weeks wages as an apprentice in 1971. (apart from one or two loaned out and not returned )
I’ve told the daughters that there might be some valuable records in my collection, so they can do the work after I shrug off this mortal coil.
In the meantime, I’ll just get on with listening to them.
Like you, I have never sold a record. I have every record I ever bought barring some that were nicked and the records that I used for DJ’ing when I was at University which I gave to the bloke who was a couple of years behind me who was taking over.
I did catalogue all my records using Discogs, not because I wanted to know what they are worth, but because I was feckin’ fed up of buying records, and particularly CDs, I already owned. Now, I can look at the app on my iPhone and not have to rely on my shite memory.
I really don’t like ‘record collecting’ type behaviour, slavishly chasing limited editions/ buying rare stuff in the hope it will go up in value etc, it’s just not for me but I see how others get something from it. I just buy records to play and enjoy.
If I don’t like them, if they don’t get played, or if I have drunkenly bought duplicates then they get sold.
This is a good post. I like this post. There are tragedies, and there are opportunities. There are always both, of course, but these are different. We have a unique opportunity (well, I hope it’s unique - stop eating bats, China, you sick fuck - we get it, you’re hardcore AF, enough already) to learn from the tragedies and to enjoy the opportunities. Be good not to miss 'em…
If I was prone to accidentally buying the same record again, as Olan says he does, it might be worth doing it, but I don’t think I’ve ever done that.
Otherwise It’s just bragging rights by announcing the value of individual records you own on here, no?
…unless you’re planning on selling/advertising them.
Yep, exactly. I’m obviously very sad that anyone has to suffer as a result of all this. But purely in terms of my daily experience of the world as it is at the moment, I’m finding much more about it to be constructive and fulfilling, than the opposite. It’s an incredibly unique moment, the like of which we may never experience again, so I’m determined to get the most out of it, before we plunge back into the hectic pace of “normal” life.
It actually kind of reminds me of a solar eclipse, insofar as the sense of the entire species being united in a particular state of consciousness, for me yields a particular sense of the finite physical nature of our world, much the same as I get from one massive spherical body causing a shadow to be thrown over another.
)
