Is your Prog Collection too big?
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Music Lounge
Forum Description: General progressive music discussions
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=93812
Printed Date: April 27 2024 at 11:38
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Topic: Is your Prog Collection too big?
Posted By: King Manuel
Subject: Is your Prog Collection too big?
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 13:07
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When I discovered Prog I went through a phase where I kept on buying, buying, and buying, only sometimes curtailed by financial constrains. In the meantime my purchasing has slowed down tremendously (despite my purchasing power having increaesed), despite a lot of bands and albums being out there that have not yet found their way into my collection.. I kind of feel I have enough music now in my collection. I have actually so much good stuff that I feel a bit sad that I dont have enough time to listen to many of the great albums regularly. According to my itunes, it would take me 52 days of non stop listening to get through all of my albums.
I now made a concious decission to stop buying music. The only exception are some of my favourite bands who are still atcive. So when Rush, Spock´s Beard, Phideaux, Transatlantic, Galahad, IQ, and some more bring out something new, I buy it. But I actually don´t want to discover new artists anymore.
Any simmilar sentimenst out there? How do you feel about your collections? Have they reached a point of saturation in terms of quantity? ------------- Don't Bore Us, Get To The Chorus |
Replies:
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 13:25
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You are a kindred spirit although I put the brakes on partially because of space considerations partly because of finances. You might say I have developed a Fear Of Music. At least new discoveries with exceptions of course. Best to discover new artists without too many albums. The past year I have discovered The Samuel Jackson Five, Stereokimono, Nadav Remez, and The Tea Club. I've got a bunch more artists than you do that are on my must get when new list. I make it a point that if I'm going to have something in my collection then I'm going to listen to it sooner or later. To that end I do various kinds of cycling through the titles. I think my last cycle took about three years. Right now I am on a travel back in time cycle and doing new music and/or releases from 2001. I also used to give the new stuff heavy rotation for about a month, but now that I am collecting less I don't worry about that as much. I have a twenty or so title flipper that I keep in the music room. The rest of the collection is stashed in the library room at the opposite end of the house.
------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: Knobby
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 13:55
| Prog Mastermen needs must have formidable collections at their back. |
Posted By: Prog_Bassist
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 14:38
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same here man, however recently I've made the decision to get rid of all my CDs and just buy vinyl from now on, and re-buy what I have on cd on vinyl
------------- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhuxaD8NzaY" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhuxaD8NzaY |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 14:39
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Too big? Never! As the missus once said, "You can never have too many books or too much music." That was before she really knew me and discovered just how much music there is out there. At the moment, I am in a similar situation to Slartibartfast - I am running out of room, something the missus keeps reminding me of. Too big for my living situation, yes. But for my thirst for good music, no, not ever. While I am open to new music, I do not seek it so avidly as I used to, which is ironic because I listen frequently to new releases on Progstreaming, which is what I am doing right now. Lots of good RPI on that site. ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 14:41
------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Prog_Bassist wrote:Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 15:12
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Absolutely not. ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: 10mb
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 15:20
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My collection has become quite large over the years (since I started in the mid 60s). I have over 500 old vinyl albums and no idea how many cds (close to a thousand). I switched to electronic files a few years ago due to storage issues. I have 650GB and 1 TB external drives for storage, so the 400GB of music I have now is no problem. Between my books and music I ran out of room to store the physical media. I know some of you will criticize about sound quality, but my ears are now so old it makes little difference. It's also much easier to access. So I guess my answer would be no. My collection will never be too big. There's just too much good music being created and I don't want to limit one of my true passions- life is too short. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 15:41
...to ever listen to all of it.  ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: VOTOMS
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 15:50
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My mp3 discography collection: 1.1157 bands. But I listen to the album at my computer a few times, if I like it, I buy it (if I find and when I have money). Yeah, I think I will never stop buying albums...
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Posted By: Neo-Romantic
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 15:59
No. Never. The more I discover, the more my tastes involve and the more broad a basis of inspiration I have for my own writing. To stop expanding your horizons is to stagnate, both artistically and in any other domain of life. I will never stop searching for music that could potentially be better to me than that which I've already heard. That's the whole reason for me spending so much time on PA in the first place and exactly what brought me here. I never thought my tastes would change the way they did after listening to so much stuff I never would have found if not for this site, and now I can't imagine my life without these artists. I had never heard of Opeth, Discipline, or Riverside and possible never would have. Why not keep looking? I have no reservation having my favorites change further. I like change. |
Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 16:41
| I have most of what i want already, and have become very picky and selective about what i will actually purchase in the future. And i find i spend more time on listening to my favorites (for instance, Triumvirat, Passport, Historical Bruckner) with some things unfortunately getting ignored. I guess now when i think of adding something new to my collection, i have to have a really strong reason to want it to go thru with it. Being super picky can have advantages, i guess. I pretty well have just the right amount of selection, so i don't need much more. Not many more will get through my picky, new additions process. |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 17:07
What he said. If I have to, I'll throw away the cutlery for more storage room. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 17:23
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I have to keep re-thinking my CD organization/storage to allow for its growth. It's a labor of love, so I don't mind. My goal is to have something akin to a library, not just a collection. Within reasonable financial limits, of course. But I've been collecting for over 30 years, and I've never NOT been into music, so I don't see it stopping. And I'm always on the lookout for new groups I missed - both brand new artists and old obscurities, bands fitting a certain mood I'm in.
------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 17:29
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Posted By: CPicard
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 17:54
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My Prog collection? No. My records collection, if looking at my tiny flat, that I must share with my brother? Yes. Frankly, if I had the budget AND the available space, there are some Italian Progressive records I would buy right now (not to talk about some missing masterpieces such as nearly all albums by Genesis, Jethro Tull or ELP!) |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 17:54
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^^
I know exactly what you mean - even when I'm broke I buy music.
------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 18:08
My collection of RPI obliged me to remove meat for two years. That was very hard for the spaghetti bolognaise 
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Posted By: CPicard
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 18:21
Well, cook them a la carbonara!  |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 18:24
Isn't there meat in a carbon ara?  ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: CPicard
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 18:35
| Oh yeah, I forgot about the ham... |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 18:43
| Not big enough !! |
Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 20:33
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I have quite a selection of music, and it took me about 3 months to convert it to MP3. I bought an external hard drive (2T) just for music, so I have plenty space for more music. As many mentioned before, over the years I have become more picky of what music I buy. If it makes it to my hard drive, it's because I like it, and most likely I'll keep the CD as well. If not, it'll be a nice present for somebody who might enjoy it.
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Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 22:13
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I have around 1000 albums and still have a major compulsion to buy music, around 10 to 15 a month. There's so many gaps in my collection of old stuff and so much good new stuff I just love exploring. Space is an issue since I moved to a smaller place but there's always the garage. ------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: rogerthat
Date Posted: June 01 2013 at 23:31
| I would have space issues if my collection blew up to the proportions of some of the veterans on this website. At the moment it is not. But while I am always interested in new music, I am content to get through barely a few new albums a year (and mostly, NEW new rather than new for me). Yes, life is too short and since it is not possible for me to listen to all the music in the world in a lifetime, I prioritize and enjoy my heart's content of what albums I do have. I am in my 20s and I have lots of time to 'catch up' Enjoying the experience is more important to me than 'collecting'. |
Posted By: Surrealist
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 01:53
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Music edited on a computer has zero interest to me. I like to feel the music in a more human way.. original.. not homogenized with preconceived plugins, digital filters and quantitizing of rhythm tracks. The compressed digital formats are even worse to my ears. CD's are horrible.. MP3's even worse. My collection is 100% vinyl. I listen to every record I own from time to time. My search for music is much more focused upon finding better copies or better pressings of the great stuff the real prog legends left behind for us to discover and enjoy. The golden age was very prolific, and there is a lifetime of stuff to listen too if you know what to look for and where to find it. Most of the new prog I hear is either just rehashing of the old stuff, ideas and concepts.. or over produced computer manipulated garbage that dies on my ears faster than I can switch to a different recording. I don't want to have to question the honesty of a recording. Pre digital age I don't have too. Most all the modern vinyl releases have been simply dumped from Pro Tools onto the vinyl format. That makes about as much sense as serving a frozen pizza at a 5 star restaurant. I prefer the age of quality over the age of convenience. GPS to me stands for too lazy to learn celestial navigation and topography. Generation lazy followed by generation head down. |
Posted By: Floyd Steely
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 02:00
My CD collection numbers over 4200 titles, but only about 400 or so are prog/post-rock. I need more! So any of you out there looking to part with your CDs, you just give ol' Floyd a shout! 
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Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 02:25
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I have reduced my purchasing pace a lot, for several reasons, but I still buy a few selected albums a year, maybe between 15 to 30.
The first reason is time to listen, I like to re-listen to most of the albums I have from time to time and I have already so many that I hardly find time, many don't get spinned for years.
Another reason is that with getting older I seem to get less receptive to digesting new music with the enthusiasm I had when I was younger, I may like a recently discovered album a lot but rarely it will become a favourite competing with the classics I got to love when I was young.
My new purchases are either new releases by a few selected bands (e.g. Rush), unknown albums which PA ratings and reviews suggest that should fit my taste, and now and then some missing gap in my collection, some old album I know but I do not own yet.
For some strange reason I do not enjoy computer music in the same way as if I have the physical album, it's like the music will not sink in in the same way, so space is becoming a consideration as well.
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Posted By: King Manuel
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 02:59
Yeah, I guess it has to do with age! 10 years ago when someone would recommend to me a crazy mathrock album with growl vocals and tempo changes every two seconds, I would have been immediately shown interest and bought it. Nowadays I feel: Please leave me in peace so I can enjoy listening to Hold your Fire for the 50th time
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Posted By: Knobby
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 08:02
| Excellent post there ,Surrealist. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 08:54
  ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 11:12
Is he/she yours? ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 11:24
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Hi, I don't have a collection of Prog or Progressive music ... I just have a collection of excellent composers of music, and I don't care if anyone in this groups calls it prog or merde! ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 11:53
I assume that your tongue is at least a little in your cheek? Do you travel by horse & carriage? Do you read by candlelight? Convenient inventions are just that, convenient, there's no need to take the hard road on a point of some backward looking principal. I totally understand the love of vinyl and would probably be with you if I had the money & time to support that habit. But you don't have an ipod or walkman or any form of transportable music? That essentially mean you only listen to music where you have a turntable, that cuts out a huge chunk of the time I listen to music, in the car, in the office, out of the house. The convenience way outweighs the sound quality at least to me, but hell each to their own. ------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 12:32
We're not going to restart the 'analog vs digital' discussion here, but of course I agree that listening to music on a good hi-fi system makes a big (not to say huge) difference compared to listening to mp3's on an iPod or on earbuds connected to your computer. Expensive things are expensive for something, just as a professional photo camera can take better pictures than a throwaway one, or professional skis can give better control than cheap entry-level ones, that's the way everything goes. CD on a decent hi-fi system is good for me though, either with decent speakers or decent headphones. I would say that if music is one of your passions you should indeed spend some resources in order to get a reasonable quality playback system, within each one's economical possibilities of course. I do not have a massive audiophile system with 300 euro speaker cables but I have always had decent hi-fi systems and decent headphones for when listening on loudspeakers is annoying to others. As a rough guideline I would say that if you are a music fan you should be ready to spend at least 1.5 times your monthly net salary in your audio system (of course I understand that a computer or an iPad can do more than just playing music, but I think that they do not yet compare to dedicated hi-fi systems for that purpose). Convenience for listening while on the road is something altogether different, that's like saying 'in studio I use a Moog Modular but for live touring I can live with a sample, the convenience wins on the quality difference'. Convenience is a reasonable argument but it does not substitute quality.
I know what you mean, but one could argue that getting things automatically done for us frees capacity of our minds to endeavour in other (hopefully higher) subjects. You might say that cultivating vegetables and domesticating animals killed our ability to hunt and to search for eatable plants, primitive humans were surely much better at wild survival than us, but we have developed other skills. The same with calculating machines having reduced our ability for mind-calculating. So maybe future generations will not be very good at superficial orientation because of GPS but hopefully they will compensate by better ability at other subjects. |
Posted By: zumacraig
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 13:00
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This is a great topic! I tend to be quite compulsive and obsessive about music; what I listen to, how I listen to it, what I own, what format, etc. I remember in the 80s it was a toss up between cassettes and vinyl. Then in the 90s it was cassettes or CDs. Now its vinyl, CD or digital. It's nuts. I'm actually at a loss as to what the best format is. I tried doing vinyl last month and gave up. The impetus was the fact that lots of new prog and remasters are so loud and ear fatigue has gotten to be a problem. The other thing was how to decide what to get on vinyl and what to get on CD or download. One thing I don't care for is the streaming services. At first thought, it seems awesome to have all the music in the world at my finger tips. In reality, it's quite overwhelming. I don't know what to listen to! i tried going digital a few years ago, but even that was not working. I like artwork and liner notes. My hope against hope idea is lossless, super dynamic downloads that come with full album artwork. That would be the best of both worlds and negate the need for the CD. I feel I'm kind of done discovering something new. I've had stints with mostly all the genres, not including nu-country and hip-hop. My tastes continue to be eclectic, but I've settled on a few main artists as favorites and some second tier artists that I pay attention to. I'm no longer a completist. Just because a favorite band puts out an album doesn't mean I must buy it and force myself to like it, if i don't initially. For example, I really like the Flower Kings, but I find some of their stuff unlistenable. Ironically, this is stuff that most fans find to be classic. I too am developing a criteria for buying CDs. If it's good and I can see myself loving most of the album, I'll get it. If I'm just not feeling it, I'll just download the tunes I like. That being said, I find myself listening to stuff that's easy to listen to. Mostly stuff from the 70s and some new jazz. Of course, I love some new prog; Dream Theater, Spock's Beard. But that stuff is just so damn loud! The majority of new prog just sounds the same and suffers from questionable 80s production relics and bad mastering. I definitely enjoy listing to 70s Yes, PF and Rush much more than the newer stuff. I wish I could get into new stuff, but it's just not happening and I don't have the cash or need for CDs sitting on my shelf that I only listen to once every 5 years. Peace ------------- Stardust we are. -Roine Stolt |
Posted By: zumacraig
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 13:04
Totally agree! ------------- Stardust we are. -Roine Stolt |
Posted By: zumacraig
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 13:08
Hey man, innovation means better!! Great post. ------------- Stardust we are. -Roine Stolt |
Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 14:36
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Since most 14 year-olds on Last.fm have scrobbled over 10,000 artists, I will have to say no.
------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow">  https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: samdelrussi
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 14:46
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In my case and I suspect with many other people as well, there is a certain aspect of it which loosely falls into the "addiction" category. If I am passionate about something, in this case Progressive Music, then I am compelled to explore it to the maximum degree possible and as with any art form or any other worthwhile human endeavor the wealth of great music yet to come is most likely endless so although I too feel the heat from years of collecting and a music library approaching 5000 albums, I just can't stop. What if I miss something? Digital music has proven to be a lifesaver as far as space concerns go and although I was once an avid audiophile who can no longer afford the luxury, I have found that with a good set of external speakers and an equalizer properly adjusted one can more or less come up with sound that's pretty decent though far from perfection. I'd much rather be able to say that I've seen a halfway decent reproduction of the Mona Lisa than to never have seen it at all. I do however see the other side of the "Quality" argument as well. ------------- Sam Del Russi |
Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 14:48
If you are not listening to a live performance the experience is completely inorganic and you should hang your head in shame as you feign enjoyment of a disingenuous reproduction. All recording is artistically impotent compared to the live experience. Its like auditory masturbation and makes me want to puke. AND I'LL BE DAMNED IF THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE MY LICENSE AWAY....NOW GET OFF MY LAWN! ------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow"> https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: Floyd Steely
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 15:18
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^^ *SNORT*
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Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 16:54
Now THAT was a good post. In answer to the main question, no, not even close. There's so much music from the last 45 years out there that I want to get a hold of it's unreal, and thats before you take into account the new music being released. I've found that no matter how good a band or album is, if you keep listening to the same things over and over again you run the risk of burning out on them. There is always something good out there that I/you've yet to come across and whether it's better or not that my old favorites is beside the point as long as I can get some kind of enjoyment from it. New worlds to discover and all that. ------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005  |
Posted By: zumacraig
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 17:08
the problem with addiction is that one is always trying to recapture that first, ultimate high. unfortunately, those moments are few and far between. what i'd give to hear Close to the Edge for the first time again.
 ------------- Stardust we are. -Roine Stolt |
Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 17:27
| ^My first listening to Triumvirat's Illusions On A Double Dimple in the spring of 1985 was an unforgettable, and transcendental experience for me. |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 01:25
| I enjoy buying new CD's so its a completely irrelevant question to me. Also I live on my own in a big house so I have more than enough storage space. BTW I never really got into vinyl but I did like cassettes. I don't mind MP3's at all. My hi fi copes extremely well with this format. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 04:18
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I always have a great chuckle at vinyl snobbery. I grew up in the vinyl
and cassette age. 8 tracks and reel to reels were out there but fading fast when I became a prog nut. I'd always copy my albums to cassette to preserve
the vinyl and get the portability. Vinyl scratches and nothing takes
away from the music experience like a record scratch. I also used dbx
for the cassettes, which would make a copy that sounded as good as the
LP, unlike dullby. In addition to recording whole albums, I'd also make
assortment tapes. When CDs came out they were a godsend, even despite the fact that in the early days they'd often just put the LP master on the CD and not master for the CD format, a big no no. On a funny note, my first CD version of Marscape was actually transferred to CD by playing an LP, you can hear the needle noise at the quiet parts. I eventually quit buying LPs and making cassettes. I lost all my cassettes and a bunch of LPs I was going to sell in the flood of 2009. I still have two boom boxes that can play cassettes but nothing to play in them. Along comes the age of the MP3 or digital music files. I was reluctant to embrace it at first. I got my first player because it would be a great way to take my music collection with me on vacations. I used to spend inordinate amounts of time figuring out what CDs to load into my carrying case. Having my entire collection accessible on computer and on a portable player (currently use a Zune) is a wonderful thing. And I can still sit down and listen to the CD if I want to enjoy the music that way. So there, vinyl snobs. I should also add that something else is bringing back the you have to sit down and listen or watch and listen and that is the DVD and surround sound. I have built up a good collection of live stuff and had already built up a good VHS collection, which I have transferred most of to DVD. On a final note anyone remember quad back in the '70's? For those that care my collection is holding steady for a while at 1522 CDs (discs and/or titles if box sets have discs in separate jewel cases I give each disc a number) 175 DVDs and or VHS copied to DVD 172 Keeper LPs  ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 04:40
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I don't know how many prog rock albums I have. Including vinyl, CD and MP3 there's hundreds. I've stopped buying CD's for now, until I can buy a bigger house!! To be honest, I've got most of the classic stuff I want, and i'm feeling generally uninspired to go and discover new bands. I don't know why, it's just how I am right now. Most music I hear bores me. Hopefully, just a phase. ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: King Manuel
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 05:53
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I grew up on vinyl and cassettes and then moved into the age of CDs, which is when I stopped buying LPs. I didn´t hop on the MP3 train immediately when it started out, but at some stage gave in, mainly for travelling purposes. Due to moving countries and continents I sold or gave away all my LPs, however kept the CDs (ca. 500). Now living at the southern tip of Africa I stopped buying CDs altogether and resorted to downloading new releases via itunes, band camp, etc.. As you will not find for example the lastest Spock´s Beard or Phideaux in a record store down here and ordering the disc from overseas is very expensive and will most likely get “lost” in the South African postal system, MP3 kind of remains my only way of getting my hands on Prog. So over the last years my purchases have been predominately digital downloads, so the issue of space is not really a problem for me. I have a 160 GB iPod which hosts all my music and still has some free space left. The problem is just the quantity of music and the time left in a 24 hour day after work and family time. Why should I buy more and more and more if I even haven’t managed to listen to some of my favourite albums in over a year? I also think the number of new Prog Bands releasing albums have just exploded over the years (something also mentioned by Andy Tillison from The Tangent in a different context). Oh, by the way, The Tanget, I actually like them but when last did I listen to them? Just looking at the most popular artist over the last 24 hours on PA confronts me with a multitude of unknown bands: Willowglass? Dynamo Bliss? Unreal City? Nemrud? The Inner Road? Sound of Contact? Never heard of all those bands. I feel my “musical” life will not be poorer if I don´t go out and explore them and get their stuff. I rather sit down and dust off my ELP CDs which I probably haven’t touched in two years and for a change give them a spin again. I have also over the last years developed a more critical stance against consumerism. This whole buy, buy, buy rat race is getting to me. As I don´t feel compelled to constantly go out and buy the newest phone, the newest car, the newest cloths, etc to achieve happiness, I feel I don´t need more and more music. ------------- Don't Bore Us, Get To The Chorus |
Posted By: friso
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 08:10
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Discovering the virtues of buddhist practice I've almost stopped buying new music. My collecton decreased in size and I try only to keep the things I think of as very good and the records I play much (which are two different things!). No band is holy, no discography should be complete. The rest I give away to friends who want to listen to it way more often then I do. I have given away at least four times as much records as a bought last year. The whole concept of 'owning' (re-ensuring yourself time and time again something outside yourself belongs to something inside of you) has become a bit strange for me. |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 08:14
^I feel much the same about almost everything - apart for my music that is ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: TheGazzardian
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 08:31
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^ I can also somewhat relate, whenever I see someone with a moving truck and I compare the size of the person to the amount of stuff they are pulling behind them, it always feels weird to me. But I still keep buying music. My tastes have moved beyond the just-prog days. I tend to go through phases, where I just want to listen to music I have, until I feel exploratory and just binge on trying new stuff. I recently went through a binge where I listened to couple hundred new albums / artists between grooveshark / noisetrade / daytrotter, which converted to about 50 CD purchases (plus about 50 more from record store day time sales). Now I am feeling 'maxed out' and will probably only buy a handful of albums in the next few months. I don't make much effort to make 'owning' CDs meaningful; that is to say, I don't ensure that I listen to them all. My tastes move and flit between different ideas and I don't always like now what I liked before. When I first started collecting music I was huge into Canadian rock like Tom Cochrane, 54-40, Spirit of the West, and Odds, but now I find I almost never want to listen to these guys, so I don't. But every once in a while, the itch will come to listen to something I haven't listened to in years ... and it sounds brand new. By only listening to what I want when I want, I make my music collection serve me, instead of feeling like it owns me. It allows me to have a ton of CDs without really caring that maybe I haven't listened to ELP in 3 years or etc... I find the biggest problem with owning as many CDs as I do (I think somewhere between 1200 and 1300 now) is finding shelf space for them. A bunch have ended up in the closet because I ran out of space on my 'display' shelves (which is a ridiculous idea in the first place, because nobody I know has ever browsed my collection but me XD)
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Posted By: King Manuel
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 09:03
 .... but I enjoy it when some vistitor once in a while brouses through my "display shelves" and comments: "Strange, I don´t know any of those bands"
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Posted By: Mormegil
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 10:20
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You can never have too much prog. So many sounds, so many moods. Heaven! (Honey, where'd we store that other PODS trailer??) ------------- Welcome to the middle of the film. |
Posted By: zumacraig
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 12:17
Excellent point about consumerism. I strive for simple minimalism, but have always seen music as art and not a product. Over the last few years, I've changed my mind on this. The reality for me is that most of the bands I like only create a few albums worth of good music...at least to my ears. The only artist that I've enjoyed 99% of his out put is Pat Metheny. One example of this saturation of product in prog is Roine Stolt. He has put out a few modern day masterpieces (Stardust We Are, Garden of Dreams), but man the dude releases every damn thing he thinks of and even has hours left on the cutting room floor. There's tons of music he's put out solo, Transatlantic, Kaipa, Agents of Mercy, 3rd World Electric, Flower Kings. For a while I just assumed I was going to be a completist of all things Flower Kings. Alas, it's impossible and now I really don't care. I really liked their last album, but that's enough for now. I think the same could be true of all the big prog artists out there. Aside from their main bands, they have lots of projects that are less than stellar most of the time. Steven Wilson, Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Neal Morse. ------------- Stardust we are. -Roine Stolt |
Posted By: zumacraig
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 12:22
Ha, I'm a buddhist too (for all intents and purposes)! I see exactly where you're coming from. I've gone from hundreds of CDs to about 50. I don't even like keeping tons of music on my computer either. ------------- Stardust we are. -Roine Stolt |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 12:23
My dad comes to visit fairly often (he lives here in Atlanta too), and he always browses through my collection for something to borrow, or sometimes I'll give him something I think he'd like. It's inside a walk-in closet with concrete walls in the basement, so it's not the most inviting place in the house, but I think that makes it that much more mysterious. ------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 12:28
------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 13:46
I don't know if 'enjoy' is the word but I completely follow you, when people come to my place they at first are surprised by how many CDs I have, then they start scrolling around them and their faces get weird, like thinking 'god, all those CDs and I don't know any of them, what is this guy up to?
 ' |
Posted By: johnobvious
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 14:43
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Short answer is yes, too much music. The dilemma lies in the good and bad in your collection. Not enough time to listen to the good stuff and too much self flogging over the bad stuff that you spent good money on and rarely listen to. If someone could coordinate a huge prog swap meet where all us proggers could get together in one place with all our music and we could trade, then it's problem solved. Someone get on that. Let's shoot for Vegas in the fall. ------------- Biggles was in rehab last Saturday |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 15:04
Too bad he has never seen anything about music to see that he is confusing the computer with the bathtub of the mind! The computer is just another tool to clean things up ... of course, if you have to use 10 different soaps and 5 shampoos, I think that some of us might think .... that it is stupid! Of course, if I use 10 microphones, one for my nose, one for my mouth, one for my armpits, one for my butt, one for my _______ and so forth, we might thing we're overdoing it, too, and then ... the whole thread about a "prog collection" really takes a wash! But at least we know that, hey? Btw ... 1600 LP's/1600 CD's and over 1000 hrs of Cassettes, now all MP3'd, and some of these were from 1974 on!
------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: zumacraig
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 15:34
Self flaggation over stud we can't get into! So true! Couldn't we start an online swap meet? Maybe a subforum here? ------------- Stardust we are. -Roine Stolt |
Posted By: Knobby
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 15:53
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I try VINYL swaps on various prog forums.
No one ever sincerely responds. No one interested.
"That's an interesting trade offer list." is about all I get.
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 16:00
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My collection is probably too big, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to continue to add to it and enjoying the effort of trying to give all the old stuff a listen on occasion while trying to also get to know the new stuff. ------------- 
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Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: June 03 2013 at 16:22
| I am on a current "buy anything with Kristian Schultze" bent. Those kind of buying urges are still fun. |
Posted By: friso
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 03:04
Yes, I can understand! I once had a good meditation, I stood up and watched a while a my record collection and suddenly though; this is madness. How much can a man want all for himself? Somehow I feel like a lot of collectors are living by the illusion that they are somehow responsible for what they collect. It gives them a feeling of importance. This is however an artificial feeling, and letting go of this buying- and listeningfrenzy gave me a great feeling. |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 04:43
That's fantastic! No idea what it means, but a very enjoyable read. Wonderful imagery. One minute we're in the bath with a large collection of soaps and shampoos. Then we're sticking microphones in every orifice.. Incredible. ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: Knobby
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 07:35
I AM important.
I am a Prog Masterman.
....
A vasty collection deludes the owner into thinking he will live much longer than the average man.
This can only be a proper, healthy misconception - just think of the power of positive thinking.
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Posted By: zumacraig
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 10:05
Wise words. I'm in the middle of moving and feel compelled to sell a bunch of CDs that I Know I will never get into. Alas, it's hard to let go, for some reason. I think that someday I will get into these CDs. If it hasn't happened yet, then it probably won't. Oh Well. All things are impermanent.  That to me is a liberating thought.------------- Stardust we are. -Roine Stolt |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 10:34
I have no idea what it means either, or why he has a microphone up his butt.
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Posted By: TODDLER
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 10:37
| Collecting Prog on LP back in the 70's and going overboard with cd's for years has put a bad taste in my mouth. I made bad choices. If you're a newcomer..the wise (obvious), procedure is to research a Prog band. Sample as much as you can, find out which founding members of Prog bands departed and observe a change in the band's writing style. Attempt to decide what time period of the band you like before purchasing a entire back catalog recommended by a majority of hardcore fans. Besides...unless we are talking about Frank Zappa...you will become jaded over a short period of time with a Prog band that has 10 releases because you bought them all in one day. Foolish and very moronic of me to buy so much and appreciate so little. |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 12:21
I ca see the Storm album cover now; a woman in a bath tub on a building site, as black clouds billow over head. ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 12:29
NICE ... you do Stormm (and me!) proud! Actually I did that at work ...we were selling telephone real hard, and I had the idea of a cartoon with a phone receiver on your left ear, another one on the right, one receiver on the left nostril, another on the right one, one in your mouth ... and the boss said ... ohh we have one more to go ... bend over! It's where the idea came from for me. The idea was ... that the computer digitizing or "editing" (which was his term) ... was wrong ... and that's like telling you that if you used a soap that was 50 years old, you could not clean yourself, or that if the situation was reversed you would not ever hear the old stuff again! Come to think of it ... maybe that's where the history of music went ... all washed away by bad editing and computers ... with music by Vangelis and Roy's last line, OF COURSE! How could I forget! Ohhhh please ... we have to call is SCI-FI, too!
------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 12:31
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"Bathtub of the Mind" That is cool. ------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 12:33
Am I getting too cynical or weird for everyone? The expression was a natural sentence for me! I think I'm becoming a mix of Burroughs and the Magic Theater! Or is that way yyyyyy too proggy for here?
------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 13:18
 ------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: ScorchedFirth
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 14:34
I sold almost all of my CDs when I ran out of money a couple of years ago
 I still have all the MP3 files though, and listen mostly on my computer anyway. Plus I kept the really important ones. I will never part with my Fish-Era Marillion albums, for example. ------------- breathing, eating, defecating, screwing, drinking, spewing, sleeping... 
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Posted By: progbethyname
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 17:43
I agree on a ton of what you said here. I think being 'picky' represents a person who knows and understands their 'sound' very well and that is a huge advantage. You most likely don't make the mistake of buying something you completely don't like; thus, wasting your money. We all gravitate towards a certain sound we really enjoy that gives us goosebump city and some of us have a core of bands that we gravitate towards as well. All in all, I'm like you where I am picky and I have high standards as a listener because ultimately I know what I like and it sounds to me you do as well. Now sometimes we take a 'risk' here and there by buying something from a band that we don't know much about, but I gotta tell ya 9/10 I end up liking it cause I at least know what kind of sound that band produces or if it's similar to some of my all time favs. This is very interesting and I'd have to say overall that my prog collection is well oiled and organized machine cause everything gets a spin now and then, but my cd stack is massive. It takes time to go through it all, but I get around to everything cause i average at least 4 albums a day. :) ------------- Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣 |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 17:54
Same for me.....I have plenty of lp's and cd's (can't possibly play them all..) but there are always new things that one likes.....but these days I hold it down to just those I really like from the samples I hear.
------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 17:56
Just curious Knobby......what's in that can you are drinking from ?
 ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Knobby
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 19:12
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Bruichladditch if Im lucky.
Deffo not beer. Beer is for losers.
Not tramp's juice either.
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Posted By: Floyd Steely
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 19:43
| If my prog collection WAS too big, it would be entirely the fault of this web site. In fact, what is the purpose of this site if not to celebrate the vastness of it all and to thereby mock each of us for our utter failure to have collected all available material? Until I develop the eternal immortality I seek, this site allows me opportunities to spend at least a wee bit of time considering artists and releases I'll never actually have time to explore properly. |
Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 19:53
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Posted By: zumacraig
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 21:59
Great points. I like your system. My problem is the bands I think I should like. Like I said above, all of the bands related to Flower Kings and Yes, really aren't essential, but I still feel the need to buy them. Like right this minute, I'm thinking about trying once again to get into the recent Kaipa album. But I hate the singer! WTF? I'm crazy That being said, I do have a sound I love, but goose bump city seems to be evading me lately. ------------- Stardust we are. -Roine Stolt |
Posted By: zumacraig
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 22:00
Tell me about it! There are so many rabbit holes on this site. One weekend I went down the Canterbury hole and didn't come out till monday morning. So much stuff to check out!------------- Stardust we are. -Roine Stolt |
Posted By: Second Life Syndrome
Date Posted: June 04 2013 at 23:20
| In response to the original question, "no". It's not too big. I thought it was about a year or two ago, but then I started finding new, obscure bands. In my opinion, much of the real "progression" is happening with these bands, and less so in the more established bands (for obvious reasons). So, now I can't help myself. I started using Spotify for some things because, let's face it, Prog is expensive, especially if you live in the U.S. It might cost me $30 to get single album that I'm not even sure I like. However, after I like an album, I have less problem with that. I loved Riversea's debut album last year, and had to have a physical copy. It cost me almost $30, but it was worth it. |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: June 05 2013 at 08:25
This is not good. In general, you should consider the voice just another instrument ... and if you don't like that instrument, that music is not for you ... that simple! Progressive, was not JUST about lyrics, or the singer, or the rock'n'roll kind of thing! It was about the total experience. Now, it could be said that 40 years later, too much of it has become so formula based, as to lower the standard, but in many cases, like Dream Theater, the voice is not exactly an instrument, and this forces the lyrics to have to be more meaningful and important, and they are not ... and it falls flat! And here come the hate mail on LaBrie or anyone else. In the early days, Joe Cocker also got trashed senseless, as did Rod Stewart and others, who eventually broke the ground and showed folks ... there was more to the voice, than just a song ... and there was ... but we're STILL not able to get past that ... the experimentation and learning about the arts, has become meaningless ... and then we say ... hate that voice ... and now you know ... it's not about the "art" of it all anymore ... it's a rock song! AND you have your favorites! AND your favorites, do not allow a voice you don't like! That is not a very "progressive" look at music, and the art at all, btw! You might consider expanding your outlook of music from "favorites" and "likes and don't likes", to a better spread of definitions that are more about the art, than they are about your likes. My example is: ... Gentle Giant ... it's not one of my "styles" or preference, but I do admit that the musicianship ... is 2nd to none! They are truly magnificent, but it's not about the likes and don't likes! You got to learn to see things like that ... it's not your favorite voice ... but it is a part of that unity ... let it go!
------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: June 05 2013 at 08:43
To do it right, you would need to take some literature with you ... so if a few writers didn't accompany you, the whole thing seems to be wishy washy and crazy and stoned silly, and just a bunch of ABC's in the middle of the music ... notice the intellectual reference to Soft Machine and Robert Wyatt, not to mention "Tonite We All Love in London", but hopefully that is not an overload to you ... but in so many ways, it colors the whole thing so much better, and you see a bunch of "lives at work" ... and the appreciation for the work is much stronger and makes more sense! A really good recipe for an evening of Canterbury, has to have some Burroughs, Ginsberg, Barrett, Kevin Ayers, Robert Wyatt ... film makers ... actresses ... rich bums walking around ... a nobody with a white wall with a dot in the middle ... and things that get your attention ... a band playing some jazz and getting offended that no one is listening, and they break into an ABC that gets everyone clapping and singing with them ... and of course, you gotta have Prince John and Prince Mick walk around to help make it better and more important! AND both in FURS! Without some of that fun, an evening into Canterbury is empty! Very wishy-washy, strange, sometimes quirky, a bit drunk ... maybe even stoned ... but in the end, nothing to write home to ma about ... she would get mad at you anyway, for wasting your time!
------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: ShW1
Date Posted: June 05 2013 at 08:51
Yes, In a way I have the same problem. My collection is not very big, but I simply don't have enough time to listen and digest new music seriously, as I'd like to, and did, before. For now I have lot of albums which I bought during the last years, and havent yet get to listen to that stuff. So, like you I also decided to stop/limit hardly my new music purchases. I try to make it one album per year... but it's very difficult aim, and the temptations are high ... Surprisingly I am almost not a 'one artist collector', and there are very few artists that I own a lot of albums by them. most of the time it's up to 2-3 album per band, maximum. So there is enoughe 'room' to discover new and good artists... having that said, I came to saturation, and it becomes difficult for me even try to discover new artists... listen to a lot of 'garbage' until you find a good one... etc...
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Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: June 05 2013 at 08:52
------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: June 05 2013 at 10:12
Oh, by the way ... I play tennis left handed, and I serve just like John did in the old days, and have 3 little trophies to show for it. The trophies are cheezy, but what the heck ... felt like they were bought at Safeway, but I guess the meaning is ... better! Oh, and I was a serve and volley player, too! AND I still use colorful scarves around my head to hold the sweat and flying hair ... and my scarves are silk and better looking than Mc's bandanas!   ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: June 05 2013 at 10:31
------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: ginodi
Date Posted: June 05 2013 at 15:23
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CD's (or whatever media form you use) and books...never can have enough. |
Posted By: VOTOMS
Date Posted: June 05 2013 at 15:27
you said everything. but i have to control myself buying cds and stuff and books and MECHA models
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Posted By: The Rock
Date Posted: June 06 2013 at 06:42
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Never too big.Never too much of a good thing.I will NEVER stop purchasing prog and related musics.I LOVE discovering new bands and old ones I've missed out.
I have over 5000 CDs/Lps mostly prog and related,and still purchasing with the same enthousiastm as when I began decades ago.
My basement is entirely dedicate dto my collection,and I recently acquires new record shelves to accomodate my ever growing collection.These will be mounted in my living room,for lack of space in the basement.Discovering,purchasing and listening to prog is my fave hobby. ------------- What's gonna come out of my mouth is gonna come out of my soul."Skip Prokop" |
Posted By: geegee
Date Posted: June 07 2013 at 07:16
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I'm very impressed by the quantity of music some of you have, especially knowing that (this is my understanding) those collection are 100% Prog (or related, I guess). I must say that from time to time, maybe a couple of time a year, I get all like : "what do you guys recommend / I need something new". Usually, at those moment there is always one, sometimes 2 bands that "emerge" and I listen to them a LOT. But then… even so I am lucky enough to be able to work with music on, pretty much all the time, I haven't got the physical time to have a 5000 cd's collection. After reading a few posts at the beginning of this thread, I went to "inquiry" my iTunes. First and foremost, my collection isn't 100% Prog, but has a strong emphasis on this genre (and most of its subgenre). that say, my collection spreads from Classical to Elecronics, passing by Fado or Flamenco, and I'm not ashamed to say that I have some hip-hop related material (Listen to Meshell Ndegeocello's "Peace beyond passion", you'll understand That said, the collection I have is of 380 artists for a total of 989 albums, all together (Not only prog.) And honestly, I always come back to the same LPs, the play count doesn't lie Can I have 5 times that collection and being able to listen to it all and enjoy it, and remembering it ? I don't think so, and I don't think there is much people on this planet able to, really .. And as I said above, I always come back to a very selective list of LPs, all genre shuffled, maybe 50, surely less. That list does grows year after years, obviously, but not to extreme extent. I'm 37, music is my passion, playing or listening to it. That's my main thing, my passion, my life for sure. Do I have too much music, I think I do. The need of discovering new stuff is very much alive, but the one or two LPs a year I discover and like doesn't justify my almost 1000 CDs collection. I actually have stuff I have listened just once. I keep them, I don't even know why :o) I am sure I can survive with 50 LPs plus that band a year for the following 50 or 60 years (hopefully I 'll get to 100 years old ------------- https://500px.com/gaelberthon |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: June 07 2013 at 07:50
Anyway, every time I buy a CD my kids tell me I have too many. My response is that's not possible.
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Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: June 07 2013 at 08:26
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I blame PA for everything - My collection is ridiculous.... big, yes, but I have room for a lot more. ------------- 
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Posted By: freyacat
Date Posted: June 07 2013 at 08:57
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My prog collection got too big the day I bought my first Galleon album! ------------- sad creature nailed upon the coloured door of time |
Posted By: Vibrationbaby
Date Posted: June 07 2013 at 09:01
I just moved across the country so I put it in storage at my sister's house. It doesn't mean as much to me as it did when I was in my teens and early twenties. If I want to listen to something It usually can be found on you tube. I'm even thinking of selling it if the price is right. I've got other things now that I'm 51 years old. But it's quite big and sometimes I don't even know what's in there because I bought so many albums back in the seventies & eighties. I would buy the same albums over again if they had a different cover or were from another country. I've got tons of oddities like a Hungarian Pink Floyd pressing of Meddle and a Canadian pressing of Skyrover by Omega with a different cover which I think is better than the Bellaphone and Pepita ones.  ------------- |