Monday, November 17, 2008

Quote of the day

"Everyone always talks about how [digital] represents the ultimate anti-capitalist medium, because music's free for everyone. But I would argue and say it is the most disposable format, and therefore the most in keeping with the market economy. The idea that you just take whatever you want and, when you're done with it, you just throw it away. There's no artifact involved, and there's something so precious about an artifact. To possess and organise it.

My friend who is a big record collector keeps telling me that, as children, when we first learn that we're excreting shit that we feel the need subconsciously to take stuff back. Stuff that we're losing from our bodies, so that's why we collect records. I saw this Dr Phil episode about hoarders. People with a mental condition where they just store things forever. There was one guy, and he kept all his excrement in these huge vats in his back yard. Every magazine he's ever gotten and every piece of junk mail that ever came through his door. So, I think, when you lose the sense of artifact, everything just becomes completely disposable.
"

Pink Eyes of Toronto punks Fucked Up finds an interesting way of phrasing and conceptualising that anti-digital pro-hard copy sentiment I understand only too well myself.

3 comments:

Del said...

I absolutely agree. The fact that DRM effectively means you're "renting" your mp3 collection from whatever corporation holds the original rights is scandalous, and I want nothing to do with it.

I like the shit analogy too. Explains why I bought two Menswe@r 7 inches the other day. (They were only 50p each. I balked at 3 quid for Daydreamer. Especially as I already have the album on vinyl and CD...)

Ben said...

Hoarding and buying Menswear records? Hmm, I can see how you'd appreciate the shit analogy...

;)

Del said...

Indeed. Of all my soft spots for Britpop bands, their's is probably the softest. I remember buying the Melody Maker that they made the cover of before even releasing a record. Crazy times, etc.

And wonderfully, I know someone who knows someone who now goes out with the lead singer.