9.10.2010

Scaling Mount Vinyl, pt. 1 - Know Your Enemy

In the pursuit of cleaning the house out, I have thrown myself into combat against a foe that weighs a ton, reeks like a barroom ashtray, and lurks within my music studio closet: The Vinyl Pile.

The vagaries of life have deposited box upon box of these records on our doorstep with no other place to call home.  Despite my love of all things music and getting stuff for free, one truth has remained constant since my foe's arrival - whatever we keep, we will love and listen to forever; everything else has got to go.

Sizing Up the Beast

 

My opponent hails from the collected efforts of two Houstonian disc jockeys, who acquired, purchased, and possibly pilfered hundreds of LPs through the 60's, 70's, and 80's. I, the challenger, have a history of collecting odds and ends, alphabetizing the components of such collections, and possess a knee-jerk aversion reflex to clutter.

By my estimation, the collection exceeds 1,500 long-playing (LP) record albums. The albums are packed upright into U-Haul 'Small Boxes,' approximately 100 albums per box. No method seems to have been employed to organize the packing process. Some boxes are alphabetized, some are not. The boxes themselves bear no markings to assist me in my endeavor, ultimately resulting in a colossal  unknown of the contents lodged therein

As a warm up, I decided to casually thumb through the contents of randomly selected boxes, and it became instantly apparent how thoroughly these records preserve a period of time in popular American music. The genres contained within span rock 'n' roll, country, jazz, soundtracks, film scores, and all points in between. Akin to a Whitman's Sampler or a can of assorted nuts, they can't all be zingers, and I will undoubtedly have to sift through fleets of junior varsity-tier LPs before stumbling across the occasional holy grail or two.

Another entry level observation - people had so much more hair back then. 

In any case, mission accepted.  Engaging in such open warfare will require time and motivational energy to remain focused and see the battle through to the bitter end. An undertaking of this size will not be accomplished in a single blitzkrieg assault. I must be deliberate...

...and methodical...

...and persistent...

...and patient....

Wish me luck.

-A


(photos by Gallo Photography)

1 comment:

Nay said...

Sadness! We collect as well and have two record players in the house, one for upstairs and one for down. Good luck on the departure and always remember Paul Simon is well worth keeping!