Why I Buy Records
Because of Damien Jurado. And Tim Easton. And The Gourds.
Seems that issues and arguments around illegal downloading have basically come to a halt over the past few years. Or maybe it's just that I'm not immersed in the business like I used to be. I can only guess that with respect to the acquisition of music, I've taken a strange route. I've never really been opposed to illegal downloading, per se, but outside of a few occasions, I've never really taken part. Oh, I've accepted many mix CDs and perused a P2P network for out-of-print material, but downloading a new release has likely happened less times than I can count on one of my mitts. Perhaps that has something to do with the artists that land atop my last.fm charts. With a few exceptions, I can only imagine that a large portion live tight to the belt. Without the support of their core fans, there's a good chance that their art could disappear. And this isn't a reality that sits well with me.
For some reason, Damien Jurado always comes to mind. Jurado's now 13 years into his recording career, and of late, I've heard rumblings of "stepping away." Maybe it was just said in passing but we heard the same from Richard Buckner following 2006's Meadow and there's been nothing since. But I wait. Because in my little corner, his music, as well as that of countless others, is sort of akin to the air I breathe. I simply can't imagine life without them. And when one falls into the recesses, whether it be Kenny Roby or John P. Strohm, a part of me gets chipped away.
Last night, somewhere around 10pm, I felt compelled to go to the park. Bennett and I walked up a block and did a few rounds. And then, instead of rushing home, we took a seat on the grass and watched the mist hover over the city lights. And then I hit play on my iPod and on came Damien Jurado's "Denton." It was sort of one of those moments. A seemingly ordinary few minutes given enormous meaning via the sights, the smells and the sounds streaming through my ears.
I'm not sure there's a more important in our lives to support musicians, writers, photographers, painters and artists as a whole. Without the support of the public, many call it a day. And that's an enormous price to pay.
Seems that issues and arguments around illegal downloading have basically come to a halt over the past few years. Or maybe it's just that I'm not immersed in the business like I used to be. I can only guess that with respect to the acquisition of music, I've taken a strange route. I've never really been opposed to illegal downloading, per se, but outside of a few occasions, I've never really taken part. Oh, I've accepted many mix CDs and perused a P2P network for out-of-print material, but downloading a new release has likely happened less times than I can count on one of my mitts. Perhaps that has something to do with the artists that land atop my last.fm charts. With a few exceptions, I can only imagine that a large portion live tight to the belt. Without the support of their core fans, there's a good chance that their art could disappear. And this isn't a reality that sits well with me.
For some reason, Damien Jurado always comes to mind. Jurado's now 13 years into his recording career, and of late, I've heard rumblings of "stepping away." Maybe it was just said in passing but we heard the same from Richard Buckner following 2006's Meadow and there's been nothing since. But I wait. Because in my little corner, his music, as well as that of countless others, is sort of akin to the air I breathe. I simply can't imagine life without them. And when one falls into the recesses, whether it be Kenny Roby or John P. Strohm, a part of me gets chipped away.
Last night, somewhere around 10pm, I felt compelled to go to the park. Bennett and I walked up a block and did a few rounds. And then, instead of rushing home, we took a seat on the grass and watched the mist hover over the city lights. And then I hit play on my iPod and on came Damien Jurado's "Denton." It was sort of one of those moments. A seemingly ordinary few minutes given enormous meaning via the sights, the smells and the sounds streaming through my ears.
I'm not sure there's a more important in our lives to support musicians, writers, photographers, painters and artists as a whole. Without the support of the public, many call it a day. And that's an enormous price to pay.
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