by Julia Schrenkler
Member since:
August 31, 2005

What is the worst fate that has befallen your music?

November 19, 2006 11:40 AM EST
views: 88 | comments: 37
Overheard at the coffee shop this morning, "I was so sad when my album warped." Seeing as the barista was talking about a David Cassidy album she may or may not be alone in that sentiment.

At any rate it made me think of all the damaged music in the world: the cassettes chewed by car players, the cds in pieces on the side of the road.  What is the worst fate that has befallen your music? You haven't turned some classic album into a bowl, box or coaster, have you?
_____________________
Julia Schrenkler
Minnesota Public Radio Interactive Producer
link to this page
Bookmark this post:
Facebook
Twitter
Delicious
Buzz
More

Comments: 37

D Q. Nov 19, 2006, 2:36pm EST
The worst thing that can happen to your music is to hear an elevator musack version of your favorite song... second worst is to find that your box of CDs were accidentally left in the garage where the cold weather does weird things to them.
Brett Baldwin Nov 19, 2006, 3:36pm EST
That's easy... worst thing ever was that I lent a friend my cassette of Concrete Blonde's Bloodletting when I was a freshman in High School. She mistakenly left it out, and her erstwhile religious zealot of a mother, who read the lyrics, decided to smash the tape, and burn the insert. I thought that was way uncool, man.
Julia Schrenkler Nov 20, 2006, 9:25am EST
juni, the vinyl lp bowl could be cool, but I have a hard time looking at it. Breaks my heart in some sad, strange way. When you say a few seconds of warped distortion do you mean just that moment where there's a little tch sound in the tape, or like when the sound kinda drones and catches back up too quickly? Your friend sounds sassy, btw.

What happens to the cds left out in the cold, DQ? Is it permanent or was it just condensation or something? Can't say I agree with you on the musak version, it kinda amuses me to hear grunge tunes come out all pretty or something. Maybe I'm getting old.

BRETT! That is so rock-n-roll of you to have a tape that drives zealots to ... zeal! Smashed and burned? Wow. Did your friend get into trouble for hanging out with you, Mr. Bad Influence?
~ Zeldapie Nov 20, 2006, 9:38am EST
*sniff
Oooh, this is a sad topic.

I've had albums warp on me (uh... okay, I left 'em in the back of my car in the summertime... d'oh!).

I've also had evil tape players eat my tapes.

One of the saddest things was having a box of rilly cool old 45s of my dad's (from the late 1940s through the 50s) burn up in my storage locker at an apartment I lived in years ago. (It was arson.)
I've had a few albums get warped, and some tapes too. I've dropped a couple of lps and broken them, or at least took a chunk out of the side.

We have a vinyl bowl on our stereo. The Mrs. picked it up at a little funky shop while on a business trip. It's pretty cool, but also a little bizarre to look at.
The worst thing that can happen to your music is to hear an elevator musack version of your favorite song

Now playing: Wonderwall covered by Paul Anka (for true!)
Steviewest ;-) Nov 20, 2006, 10:40am EST
The worst thing that can happen to your music is to hear an elevator musack version of your favorite song

Now Playing: Masters of War - musack version (also true)
☃ Aunt Shanny Nov 20, 2006, 10:56am EST
I forgot my ice scraper one day and used the cassette Dangerous Minds. Most use it's seen in years.
Auntie Smedley Nov 20, 2006, 1:05pm EST
Most of my defunct vinyl collection didn't fall victim to anything unusual, just the usual scratches, crackles & pops. My CDs tend to remain fairly pristine because I take good care of them.

The one old album I sorely regret not taking better care of:



It's a cut-out that was *given* to me by a friend. I must have let it sit out and collect dust and scratches, because now the disc is only in "fair" condition, and the cover has some water damage. Bummer - now I can't sell it for big bucks on ebay!
Julia Schrenkler Nov 20, 2006, 2:20pm EST
Zeldapie, you are correct. There are evil tape players in the world. They're malicious, clearly display intent, and always seem to live in the used cars I've purchased. Let us evict them!

"Now playing: Wonderwall covered by Paul Anka (for true!)" Frick... what is there to say? I have not heard this. Would you recommend it? What can I say to Stevie?!

Shannon you crack me up. Was it effective at frost removal?

[gasping] Auntie. We feel your pain on that. Wasn't that printing very, very small?
Julia Schrenkler Nov 20, 2006, 2:52pm EST
Juni, we should encourage more artists to employ the drone and catch up sound.
Auntie Smedley Nov 20, 2006, 2:53pm EST
Julia, according to what I've read on the internet they pressed about 15,000 copies. It didn't sell particularly well and most of the copies ended up as cut-outs. Tori has kind of disowned the album and it's highly coveted by her fans. The CD format pulls in major bucks on ebay, and apparently there are quite a lot of bootlegs out there.
Julia Schrenkler Nov 20, 2006, 2:55pm EST
How can she disown her ART?! That's all I'm saying. Well, that, and I'm sorry you can't make big bucks of that limited edition, Auntie.
Now playing: Wonderwall covered by Paul Anka (for true!)" Frick... what is there to say? I have not heard this. Would you recommend it?

I like it for the kitsch value. swinging big band arrangement. Very Vegas.
Julia Schrenkler Nov 20, 2006, 3:01pm EST
Even with your recommendation, I'm fighting fear.
Julia Schrenkler Nov 20, 2006, 3:09pm EST
Oh, Juniper, I'm totally in. How's this for a bad press release tagline: "These are the drones you're looking for."
Auntie Smedley Nov 20, 2006, 3:12pm EST
Julia, you might understand if you heard the album. The majority of the album doesn't sound anything like her current material and was made during a difficult time in her life. For the most part it's very banal 80s-female-synth-pop. It contains only 2 worthwhile songs (IMO), which in retrospect foreshadow her later work.
Robin K. Nov 20, 2006, 3:20pm EST
I keep my vinyl in PRISTINE condition! I only wish I had a record player to listen to them. :(( My cassettes have been eaten by many a cassette player. Ergh. I've tried to rewind them only to have crimps that can't be fixed. This is why CDs are much better. They are more like records in how they're played. So, I think that's why they last longer.

Sadly, I don't listen to a lot of CDs. With yahoo radio, MP3 players (IPOD) and satellite radio (hoping for Christmas) who needs any other gizmo? Or worse, a CD case to lug onto a plane, bus, train, or subway.
Julia Schrenkler Nov 20, 2006, 3:21pm EST
Auntie, please hang on a minute while I try to wrap my head around Tori Amos performing 80s-female-synth-pop.

Oh. Nevermind. Tori, you're off the hook!
Julia Schrenkler Nov 20, 2006, 3:24pm EST
Ohhh Robin! Have you seen some of the retro-looking turntables out there? I'm not sure they're as spiffy as the really nice turntables but they're affordable, and then you could throw a record party!

We'll cross our fingers for you on that satellite radio for Christmas.
Auntie Smedley Nov 20, 2006, 4:11pm EST
Did you know that unlike record albums CDs are read backwards - from the inside of the disc to the outside? I have a program CD that has a big crack on the edge, yet works just fine in the computer. Isn't that wierd?
Julia Schrenkler Nov 20, 2006, 4:18pm EST
[Julia makes a mental note to call for Auntie to be on her team when it comes to trivia.]

Did the program cd come cracked or did you assault it in a moment of frustration? Not that I've seen anyone with a computer do anything like that or anything.
Auntie Smedley Nov 20, 2006, 4:41pm EST
Julia, I'm not sure how the damage occurred, but I blame the cats.

Speaking of trivia, the Friends of the MPLS Library is holding its 2nd annual "pub quiz" fundraiser soon. Last year our team (comprised of me, my husband, his sister & a friend) took 2nd prize. I think we were beat by a single point. Believe it or not, we won Barnes & Noble gift certificates! Just what I need... more books.

Just ask me something about opossums. G'on, I dare ya!
You can buy CD's and DVD's at the Rosevile B&N, Auntie.
~ Zeldapie Nov 20, 2006, 5:18pm EST
auntie, when is the Friends of MPLS Lib pub quiz? Onie and I could team up with yu and FFCG, and kick everyone's butts.
I kick butt at Trivia too..
~ Zeldapie Nov 20, 2006, 5:28pm EST
yu = you
Dannielle S. Nov 20, 2006, 5:34pm EST
Worst fate: garage roof collapsed on a boxful of old albums before we found proper (safe) storage for them in the house. Gotta love winter storms!
Susan Budig Nov 22, 2006, 1:48am EST
Not the worst fate, but most dramatic: my kid sister wrote in permanent marker on my Shaun Cassidy album. Under his name, she penned "+ Susan" and then drew a crooked heart.

And my mother laughed! And didn't even punish the lil' imp. I was furious. I mean, she tarnished my SHAUN CASSIDY album!
This just from Shaun, a listener in Birmingham, England:

The worst thing that ever happened to my music is the time my slovenly roommate and I were playing Playstation, when our flat was invaded by zombies. We managed to escape to the back garden with my vinyl record collection, where we proceeded to chuck the LP's at the zombies, slowing them down. We were doing okay until my friend threw my first edition 12" single of New Order's "Blue Monday" at them and it broke. That really hurt. I'll never get that record back.

Julia Schrenkler Nov 22, 2006, 10:57am EST
If y'all are going to dominate the MPLS Lib pub quiz, please, please flag me early!

Dannielle S., I offer a moment of silence for your albums. And your garage roof. (Garages have a special place in my heart, you see.)

Waitaminute (and hi!) Susan. You didn't do that yourself? Most girls did! Shaun Cassidy + Susan! Something tells me that wasn't the only naughtiness your kid sister managed.

Frick, I never saw that movie (this one, right?) but that scenario cracks. me. up.
Yes, that's the one. It's one of the greatest scenes in the film. They have a case of LPs and are flipping through them trying to decide which ones to throw, having an argument about what's good and what's not. "Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms?" - "Chuck it!" "Prince, Purple Rain?" - "Naahh.. Keep that one..'... etc.
Auntie Smedley Nov 22, 2006, 12:08pm EST
Gawd, you guys would all be such good Trivia team players. I think it's limited to staff this year, though. The teams have to be captained by a library employee. I'll check.

I melted some cassettes in my rear car window once. The end result looked like a cool piece of modern art.
If it's kosher, sign me up, Auntie. I lurve Trivia games.

Join the Conversation
Chime in! Become a Gather member to comment.
Already a member? Sign in
top
 
Gather | Friends | Groups | Share
About Gather | Engagement Marketing | Make New Friends | Gather Points | Advertise on Gather | Gather Press | Privacy | Terms of Service | Community Guidelines
Books | Celebs | Entertainment | Family | Food | Health | Moms | Money | News | Politics | Spirituality | Sports | Travel | Writing
Version 16961, "Pacino"; Copyright © 2009 Gather Inc. All rights reserved.