The dusty discographies that will never leave...
As I sift through the steadily increasing collection of plastic cases and small fonted spine labels for consideration of trading via Lala.com, I notice once again that there are certain bands that have stuck around even though I've stopped listening. Why do I still have these cds other than for nostalgiac purposes? Shouldn't these discs have been punted around the same time that I heaved my 'Empire Records' soundtrack and 'No Alternative' compilation? I can't keep them.. and yet I can't throw them away! Please don't judge me, readers.
Nirvana - Nevermind, Incesticide, Bleach, In Utero, etc :: Keepers: Nevermind, Incesticide, Bleach
I caught onto Nirvana only about a few days before Cobain hit the road to the afterlife, so I was late to the game but I quickly attempted to catch up. Now I own not only their entire discography release, but the Heart-Shaped Box and Lithium singles, a bootleg of one of their last shows in Rome, and the live Wishkah disc that probably no one bought except for me. It doesn't help that I later bought that silver, clunky rarities collection that was released last year. I still seem to be hanging on for whatever reason.. I have to get rid of this crap.
Pearl Jam - Vitalogy, No Code, Yield, etc :: Keepers: None
Here's a band that lost me somewhere around Vitalogy, but I kept buying their stuff to hear a trace of what I heard in Vs. and Ten. Now, thumbing through the stacks, I find that I still own a bootleg of theirs that I remember overpaying $25 or so for, their Dissident single I eagerly purchased off a friend in high school, and, of all things, Merkinball (?!). Gahhh! I don't think I could even give this stuff away now. Think it all sinks or floats?
Radiohead - Nirvana doesn't even compare... :: Keepers: Pablo Honey, the Bends, sigh.. I dunno..
Yes, I mention Radiohead because they've been sitting around and, unlike Pearl Jam, have maintained favor with me despite the fact I never listen to their stuff much these days. I'm not even really looking forward to their new album because Hail to the Thief was ok but, in my mind, more of the same. And so, I find myself seriously thinking of hucking my Creep and Karma Police singles that I never listen to, the pleasantly dusty My Iron Lung import, and the Airbag collection. I mean really, how much Radiohead does one need? I feel like I'm assembling an endless Jethro Tull discography which will never end until Radiohead puts out a 'Radiohead Covers Jethro Tull' comp. I don't even know if Amnesiac makes the cut anymore...
Thankfully I've successfully weeded out a lot of my 90s excess, like Hole, the Cranberries, and most of those annoying soundtrack albums (anyone know why I had that Angus soundtrack? anyone ever SEE that movie?). Now I just amass random indie junk that I'll probably roll my eyes at 5 years from now. It's a never ending cycle... but hey, are you interested in taking Merkinball off my hands or what?
Comments
I'm with you on wanting to dump Pablo Honey and not listening to Nirvana as much as I did in junior high.
I will quietly scoff at your Pearl Jam bashery, as I like a number of their later songs-but I listen to them vicariously through my younger brother, so I can't take on the persona of die-hard PJ fan (I can attest to their badass live show, having seen them in NJ this past July). Overpriced import singles are wack no matter who the band is.
And I'm convinced that the film Angus doesn't exist.
Posted by: jimbo | August 17, 2006 12:28 PM
Uh, I am not even going to pretend to be quiet at ANY of the bashery that is going on, because although yes I certainly do listen to less Nirvana than I did when I was 15, Pearl Jam is AWESOME, the Merkenball single is EXCELLENT, even though I already own a copy of the "Dissident" single, I will take yours off your hands because it does not deserve that kind of verbal abuse.
Pablo Honey is a perfectly fine album, and I would rather listen to that than most of the trash that comes across my desk these days.
I mean, whatevs for pricey import singles, but seriously...
Posted by: Jessica | August 17, 2006 02:02 PM
I will also take your apparently useless copies of Vitalogy, No Code, and Yield.
I am going through a similar CD purging, but I've dumped my stupid copies of new Tori Amos CDs, Carina Round, Basement Jaxx, and the like (after putting them on my ipod, of course) but I think my main issue with this is ... the lack of respect for one's musical roots.
People don't make it from Sesame Street to Neko Case in one step, and I guess I just have issue with the lack of respect for the music that got you where you are today.
Posted by: Jessica | August 17, 2006 02:08 PM
I knew I would get some inflammatory remarks from the locals, (though where are the "OMG! WTF?!" stuff?).
For the record, I would definitely keep Pablo Honey, (Jimbo misread, s'ok) but c'mon, Merkinball? "I Got Id" is a decent track, but what is this "Long Road" droning bit? And it's *too late* for the Dissident single... after writing the entry I have sent both of the neighbor's dogs after it after I sent it spinning towards them from my 3rd floor deck. But I will always remember that escaaape is neever... the SAFest path. Thanks Eddie.
Posted by: Evan | August 17, 2006 02:16 PM
Hmmm, I see what you mean about respect for the roots, but you know, thanks to WBCN and WAAF, I will always have Ten and Vs playing in my head forever. I don't even need to buy those albums, but maybe if I trade in all this later PJ stuff I could hard copy those suckers.
Vitalogy just hit the highway, though. I kept those faux polaroid inserts, though!
Posted by: Evan | August 17, 2006 02:21 PM
Evan, you are breaking my heart over here.
Why do you listen to shit like WBCN? You're not THAT old.
I would looooooooove to know what you kept, if "Vitalogy" was so crappily disposed of. Did you keep your Three Doors Down CD and the final [sniff] Creed album?
Posted by: Jessica | August 17, 2006 02:31 PM
Haha.. I love Creed. My arms will always be wide open for them. ;D You may have given me an idea to write a Creed feature! blarrgh
WBCN should just quit, WAAF was done years ago. I like Mike FM, though.
Next time we meet I'll have to give you my pricey PJ boot.
http://www.last.fm/music/Pearl+Jam/Covering+'em+Selves
Posted by: Anonymous | August 17, 2006 02:48 PM
Sorry about the Radiohead mis-read. I now COMPLETELY disagree with you :)
I'm with Jess on the whole "acknowledging one's roots" point, but I know that I've ditched some of the more embarassing mis-steps I bought during my musical adolescence: Dave Matthews Band records, most of my ska/pop-punk records (though I still like Blink 182's Dude Ranch), Limp Bizkit's Significant Other...although most of those records come from a period where I was torn, Natalie Imbruglia style (I still love "Torn"), between radio rock and album rock (indie, mainstream, classic, etc.).
And for the record, I never, EVER liked Papa Roach.
Posted by: jimbo | August 17, 2006 02:53 PM
This might just be willfull forgetfulness on my part, but the only CD I can remember buying that was truly, truly horrible (and I do not count a Britney Spears CD here and there as horrible, or Kylie Minogue, so think of that what you will), was Everlast "Whitey Ford Sings the Blues."
I think that the structure of the sentence that implies that some one 'white' can sing the 'blues' should have tipped me off that it was a bad idea.
Needless to say that CD is long gone.
Posted by: Jessica | August 17, 2006 03:09 PM