Couldn't agree with you more. I used to buy lots of cheap LPs in Oxfam but I read in the paper the other day that Oxfam are now very picky about what they keep for sale and send a lot of LPs off to landfill (I know they're probably inundated with easy listening and some less than classic 80s albums), but this just seems wrong somehow.
These were alphabetised about ten years ago. I could have a party and give people a letter each, couldn't I? Some people redecorate their houses that way.
I have the same problem - but after fighting off my wife's suggestions that I don't play them much anyway, so why can't she 'sort them out', I've also ended up with CDs all over the place as well. They now cover the record deck (still got the USB one upstairs) and are stacking up on the floor in the living room. At the weekend, I saw a 'recycled' something or other wooden, six drawer CD cabinet in the Times interiors bit for just £450. They are kidding, I thought. So I Googled 'CD storage' and found the most appalling piles of nasty old rubbish you could imagine. The most tasteful of them held 260 - odd CDs. I imagine there's double that amount lying around downstairs. If you don't mind, can I ask anyone reading this - have you found a nice, non-plastic, non black-ash veneered, way of storing a lot of CDs? By the way -there is no better way to 'break the ice' at social gatherings than to have a few shelves of albums around the house. We recently saw an old video of a christening party here, in which a relative was caught on film saying " ...you do have a great collection of Dave Edmunds albums, you know"
Oxfam shoppes now seem to consult the likes of 'Record Collector' for the value of 'obscurities', yet with curiously scant regard for the condition of the vinyl. Or so it seemed to me, the last time I perused a quite ruined, yet ludicrously priced copy of The Hollies' 'Butterfly' elpee... David - my contribution to the long haul reorganisation: in terms of 'significant discrepances', I note 2 Byrds albums have crept into the C section. No, this is not merely an excuse to gratuitously also note that 'Tambourine Man' is an Embassy reissue - I also possess such a version - terrible pressing. (Is it okay to use crass, clumsy and unlovely cyber-terms like 'lol' here?) I suppose to fully utilise 'da Web' , rather than have a recataloguing party, you could post shots of all the spines and let the observations just rolllll in. Maybe not. Nor is this a poor attempt to discover how many Black Oak Arkansas albums you might own....
Paul, reagarding storing your CDs - just making your own shelves or cases. I'm no carpenter, but we're tlaking about cheap planks carefully measured for your walls, assembled with right angles, and painted or varnished to your taste. It's pretty simple, and very satisfying. I do recommend getting hold of a workbench and an electric saw, though; gets the job done in a fraction of the time.
Ken- Thanks for helping. I like to think of myself as a bit of a rocking Barry Bucknell and have constructed some pretty good record shelves in my time.
The problem is that my house has been well and truly knocked through by the previous owner. Result is, plenty of light and space etc, but not many walls,(existing space in the only permitted room already has album shelves on it) so a freestanding cabinet or something is the only answer, but they are usually so naff that I'd rather leave them on the floor. Must say I'm enjoying all this old record stuff, though. Perhaps we can find somewhere to put up our own scratchy compilations? Is Divshare the best place? Mind you, it is an incredibly blokey thing to respond to someone's choice of music with your own, immediately afterwards. As was pointed out in this Times article yesterday. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/men/article1788160.ece
Good grief - I've justed re-read my last post and realised how many typos are in it. I didn't even grant my own name a capital letter. I blame the new specs - I never wore any before last week, when I had my eyes tested and the optician handed me over to a salesperson with the ominous words 'starter readers'. In other words, I blame the loss of the power of typing on being able to see too well.
Didn't Monty Python produce an 'Instant Record Collection' that folded out into a large box, so filling your shelves with interesting album spines? Probably available now for £50 Near Mint in your local Oxfam.
Thommo is spot on with the Ikea thing, I use three Benno (because thats all I`m allowed) units to hold around 350 cds, the rest are in the garage. Dead cheap, unobtrusive, nice and modern, sturdy, etc. Whats not to like. All the poncey ones you see advertised at the back of other (ahem!) `music` magazines are too expensive and lets face it, not that great looking for the money. Go Swedish, pal.
Hmmm... looks like a Benno or two, then. Thanks thommo & gerry. If you don't see any posts from me next week, I'll still be in Ikea Purley Way, looking for the exit with a trolleyfull of little candles as well. Could I buy you some meatballs ?
As I read this post, six years after it was written, a tweet arrives advertising prints "re-imagining" album names as book spines: http://www.retrotogo.com/2013/04/the-smiths-albums-as-book-covers-prints-by-standarddesigns.html
Too nice/neat not to add here, for future generations of readers (and anyone still subscribed to the topic).
PS: Ikea's larger bookshelves feature cubes which are marginally taller (and wider) than 12". I'd like to think this isn't coincidence. (It's certainly where we store our vinyl, although I'd warn you to have them above the unit's ground-floor level if your house features cats.)
Dave. Their out of sync alphabetically. Thought you would be a stickler for that or is that just me? Graeme H.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree with you more. I used to buy lots of cheap LPs in Oxfam but I read in the paper the other day that Oxfam are now very picky about what they keep for sale and send a lot of LPs off to landfill (I know they're probably inundated with easy listening and some less than classic 80s albums), but this just seems wrong somehow.
ReplyDeleteThey do. Go to one of those shops with bins of 10p used records and haggle for a box or two, as is. Works for me.
ReplyDeleteThese were alphabetised about ten years ago. I could have a party and give people a letter each, couldn't I? Some people redecorate their houses that way.
ReplyDeleteI have the same problem - but after fighting off my wife's suggestions that I don't play them much anyway, so why can't she 'sort them out', I've also ended up with CDs all over the place as well. They now cover the record deck (still got the USB one upstairs) and are stacking up on the floor in the living room.
ReplyDeleteAt the weekend, I saw a 'recycled' something or other wooden, six drawer CD cabinet in the Times interiors bit for just £450. They are kidding, I thought. So I Googled 'CD storage' and found the most appalling piles of nasty old rubbish you could imagine. The most tasteful of them held 260 - odd CDs. I imagine there's double that amount lying around downstairs. If you don't mind, can I ask anyone reading this - have you found a nice, non-plastic, non black-ash veneered, way of storing a lot of CDs?
By the way -there is no better way to 'break the ice' at social gatherings than to have a few shelves of albums around the house. We recently saw an old video of a christening party here, in which a relative was caught on film saying
" ...you do have a great collection of Dave Edmunds albums, you know"
I'll die happy.
Oxfam shoppes now seem to consult the likes of 'Record Collector' for the value of 'obscurities', yet with curiously scant regard for the condition of the vinyl. Or so it seemed to me, the last time I perused a quite ruined, yet ludicrously priced copy of The Hollies' 'Butterfly' elpee...
ReplyDeleteDavid - my contribution to the long haul reorganisation: in terms of 'significant discrepances', I note 2 Byrds albums have crept into the C section.
No, this is not merely an excuse to gratuitously also note that 'Tambourine Man' is an Embassy reissue - I also possess such a version - terrible pressing. (Is it okay to use crass, clumsy and unlovely cyber-terms like 'lol' here?)
I suppose to fully utilise 'da Web' , rather than have a recataloguing party, you could post shots of all the spines and let the observations just rolllll in. Maybe not. Nor is this a poor attempt to discover how many Black Oak Arkansas albums you might own....
Paul, reagarding storing your CDs - just making your own shelves or cases. I'm no carpenter, but we're tlaking about cheap planks carefully measured for your walls, assembled with right angles, and painted or varnished to your taste. It's pretty simple, and very satisfying. I do recommend getting hold of a workbench and an electric saw, though; gets the job done in a fraction of the time.
ReplyDeleteKen- Thanks for helping. I like to think of myself as a bit of a rocking Barry Bucknell and have constructed some pretty good record shelves in my time.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that my house has been well and truly knocked through by the previous owner. Result is, plenty of light and space etc, but not many walls,(existing space in the only permitted room already has album shelves on it) so a freestanding cabinet or something is the only answer, but they are usually so naff that I'd rather leave them on the floor. Must say I'm enjoying all this old record stuff, though. Perhaps we can find somewhere to put up our own scratchy compilations? Is Divshare the best place?
Mind you, it is an incredibly blokey thing to respond to someone's choice of music with your own, immediately afterwards. As was pointed out in this Times article yesterday.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/men/article1788160.ece
Good grief - I've justed re-read my last post and realised how many typos are in it. I didn't even grant my own name a capital letter. I blame the new specs - I never wore any before last week, when I had my eyes tested and the optician handed me over to a salesperson with the ominous words 'starter readers'. In other words, I blame the loss of the power of typing on being able to see too well.
ReplyDeleteDidn't Monty Python produce an 'Instant Record Collection' that folded out into a large box, so filling your shelves with interesting album spines? Probably available now for £50 Near Mint in your local Oxfam.
ReplyDeleteIkea would be your friend for inexpensive cd and/or record storage. The only downside is that you'd have to go to Ikea to get the stuff. Well Bosch.
ReplyDeleteLook up Billy, Benno and Ivar.
Actually, that sounds like a stablemate of the 'tangle.
Thommo is spot on with the Ikea thing, I use three Benno (because thats all I`m allowed) units to hold around 350 cds, the rest are in the garage. Dead cheap, unobtrusive, nice and modern, sturdy, etc. Whats not to like. All the poncey ones you see advertised at the back of other (ahem!) `music` magazines are too expensive and lets face it, not that great looking for the money. Go Swedish, pal.
ReplyDeleteHmmm... looks like a Benno or two, then. Thanks thommo & gerry. If you don't see any posts from me next week, I'll still be in Ikea Purley Way, looking for the exit with a trolleyfull of little candles as well. Could I buy you some meatballs ?
ReplyDeleteAs I read this post, six years after it was written, a tweet arrives advertising prints "re-imagining" album names as book spines:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.retrotogo.com/2013/04/the-smiths-albums-as-book-covers-prints-by-standarddesigns.html
Too nice/neat not to add here, for future generations of readers (and anyone still subscribed to the topic).
PS: Ikea's larger bookshelves feature cubes which are marginally taller (and wider) than 12". I'd like to think this isn't coincidence. (It's certainly where we store our vinyl, although I'd warn you to have them above the unit's ground-floor level if your house features cats.)