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RIP CDs

BBP - 20-11-2008 at 14:44

Last April, my favourite CD-store moved out of town. Although they were selling CDs at bargain prices and I scored two Bulgarian folk choir albums, I found it very upsetting when they moved out.

Just two years ago, we had 11 record stores in the town centre. Now, 9. But most of those are specialized now: they often sell CD-Roms, games, clothes, books, calendars and DVDs, but if you're looking for some world music or some Zappa, you'll have to go elsewhere.

It's a development I find rather upsetting. After all, it's the music like Zappa (that will always find buyers (but not many)) that is thrown out first, while the stores remain filled with all those stupid female dawdlers I couldn't tell apart at gunpoint.

Now, in the town centre, you have to visit the epileptic Media Markt in order to find some FZ. But now I haven't yet discovered where I could start my Yma Sumac collection.
--

Yesterday, I went to the new location of the Bullit. It's a much smaller space, which they now share with a musical instrument store. Strange, as there is a much larger musical instrument store just a hundred meters away.
The CDs, well... they now sell Rock, Hardrock, Metal, Punk and Roots, whatever "Roots" may be. The old Bullit had a special Rock & Roll tray, a special Country tray, a special Jazz section, a special Reggae section, a special Electronic section, the largest movie soundtrack collection, and a World Music section that made me dribble. Not to mention their vast collection of local bands like Beef, Maypole and Peter Pan Speedrock. And a HUGE vinyl section, and a HUGE second-hand section... I miss them...

scallopino - 23-11-2008 at 05:19

I'm sorry to hear about that Bonny. I know what it feels like. What is the Bullit, by the way?

In Australia we are very lucky to have a 'mega store' like JB Hi Fi. They sell TVs, stereo systems, computers, laptops, iPods etc. but they also sell the largest collection of dvds and cds that you will find anywhere in the country. And they are very popular, so there are many stores. They have a huge collection of Zappa...they might have 30 or 40 titles ON SHELF. They are also sell at the lowest prices. Unfortunately this means that many of the smaller specialist stores have difficulty competing.

BBP - 23-11-2008 at 14:30

Bullit was my favourite CD store. It was huge and they were always up to date. They had a large amount of local band merchandise, like Peter Pan Speedrock T-shirts.

We have some mega-store chains: MediaMarkt (which I hate because it's highly epileptic) competed most stores out the market, because they could sell CDs at much lower prices. Bullit was forced to buy their albums at MediaMarkt because they were cheaper than their regular supplier.
Mediamarkt sells Zappa, but I hate going there because it makes me nauseous and dizzy.
In Utrecht there are 3 great CD-stores which I frequently visited, but now I can't go there anymore. Not to mention how much I miss the Concerto in Amsterdam where I found some delicious rarities.

feetlightup - 25-11-2008 at 21:36

I'm running out of CD stores in Atlanta too. Buying online just isn't the same - it's harder to find stuff you AREN'T looking for, those pleasant surprises that only come through flipping through racks.

BBP - 25-11-2008 at 22:17

Ah... yes... impulse purchases... Plus you don't meet people in on-line shops. Or get to pick a free poster.

MTF - 26-11-2008 at 02:31

I mostly buy used CDs. You really can't buy them online. I mean, what's the point? With shipping they cost as much as new CDs, and you can't check out the condition before buying them.

But like most people, I don't buy many CDs anymore. I already have about 9000 of them (including 500 discs of Rolling Stones boots and an unknown amount of Zappa). I don't really need any more...

BBP - 26-11-2008 at 15:33

Guk!

Reminds me of my record list (which I started a few years back when a friend asked me for it, and which I've hardly updated since). When I updated it on my old PC upstairs, some of the text had become unreadable (rectangles) and I need to check out if it's been transferred onto our Vista. My classical list was over 40 pages long... I'd hate to lose that!

I have pretty much reach the end of the line with FZ, but every once in a while I discover somebody. Like now, with Yma Sumac. I can't find her anywhere.

jabba - 11-12-2008 at 16:26

I thought you wanted to learn how to "rip" cds!! :P

Pappawas1975 - 11-12-2008 at 21:28

Quote:
Originally posted by jabba
I thought you wanted to learn how to "rip" cds!! :P


Me too!

feetlightup - 11-12-2008 at 22:35

That made me think - I've been importing CDs into the computer for a few years now, but somewhere along the line "Rip" became the preferred term for that process. I never got the memo, and I object to this terminology. It sounds so destructive.

scallopino - 12-12-2008 at 02:43

:grin: I thought maybe it was about how CDs are becoming obselete for most people.

BBP - 12-12-2008 at 13:09

:) It was just resteare in pacem. I noticed how silly it looked but I don't feel like doing anything about it.

scallopino - 15-12-2008 at 02:48

That's how i feel about my general appearance.

MTF - 15-12-2008 at 06:14

It could also mean "rip" as in speaking unfavorably about bad CDs.

Or it could mean that your Certificate of Deposit is not accruing adequate interest.

Isn't the English language annoying? Next thing you know, someone will wonder what the meaning of is is...

BBP - 15-12-2008 at 12:57

:D Yeah... still I'd prefer English as an international language over, say, Finnish, Russian, Chinese, German, or Dutch...


Scallop: {hug}

Galoot-Co-Log-Nuh - 10-1-2009 at 23:17

Sorry I thought this was a "pro-vinyl" thread...

BBP - 11-1-2009 at 12:08

Strange how vinyl's coming back. It gives so many storing problems!

scallopino - 11-1-2009 at 14:15

I guess so. But at least with records you can just stack them on the floor or whatever without worrying about the stacks toppling over.

aquagoat - 11-1-2009 at 18:38

Quote:
Originally posted by BBP
Strange how vinyl's coming back. It gives so many storing problems!
and sounds crappy.

DED - 11-1-2009 at 21:58

Vinyl is cool

with a maximum of 45 minutes an artist is not creatively pushed to the limit. At least 15 minutes of a cd is crap
It was quit in recordshops comparing the click clacks from people finding their way in the racks with CD's
A vinyl album cover can be "a must have" piece of art
Some old tapes are remastered on cd by crappy producers who distroy the original atmosphere.

[Edited on 11-1-2009 by DED]

scallopino - 12-1-2009 at 09:13

I agree with Ded on multiple counts. The click clacking IS annoying compared to the dull slap made when flicking through records. I reckon the sound quality of a well kept record is probably better than the same thing on cd, and every album cover looks much better on a record cover, plus the liner notes etc. And I hate those booklets inside cd. I always find them hard to get out.

BBP - 12-1-2009 at 15:37

Some old tapes are remastered on cd by crappy producers... FZ WOIIFTM springs to mind.

Vinyl requires a lot of maintenance, especially because of static electricity, when you just can't get the dust off. And they need to be stored in perfect vertical position.

Plus it's very hard for me to see if vinyl is damaged. Dad may recall the vinyl Mozart requiem I bought: I looked closely at the item in shop, inspected it for any damage, and didn't find any. I got home and play the Lacrimosa: the track is continuously skipping. When I showed DED the record, he saw there was a real big dent in it, like something had fallen onto it.