We're all collectors -- or, rather, collections, aggregate holdings, a bunch of stuff held together by some energy. Basic quantum physics, particle and/or wave. We are each of us a nexus where ideas, phrases, emotions, expressions, sentences, paragraphs, geographies, books, records, memories and events meet up in a will-to-live we recognize as an identity -- in my case a lumbering hunk of flesh known in electronic circles as Lefty. When I die, that which was collected will disaggregate, the things I owned being the only trace of my rough collective manifestation. Hence and therefore, I buy an album from the guy on the next block over -- a double album, The Name of the Band is Talking Heads 1977-1979 ("I've got it on CD," says the spectacled dude selling his entire collection of records) -- and what was once a chunk of his ID is now a hunk of mine. For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you, says W. Whitman. It is, as the big sticker on the cover says, a "square deal."
A SQUARE DEAL: This album was returned to the manufacturer with its seal broken, although no flaws were found during a routine inspection. It is offered for sale at a substantial savings, and is not returnable. Manufacturer's suggested list price: $2
Squarer still! I got it for 25 cents. Thank you, Mr. Aging Hipster Who Lives On the Next Block Over and Already Has This Album on CD and Has Had Some Recent Deep Realization That He No Longer Needs to Be Hauling Around 500 Pounds of Vinyl to Feel Good About Himself Anymore. How very Buddhist!
Sucker.
Serious Izod funk, recorded live at Northern Studio, Maynard, Massachusetts, November 17, 1977.
A Clean Break - Talking Heads
1 comment:
Brother it may not be soon, but one day moving a ton of records will wear you down as well. I have (unfortunately) already shed one collection and restarted another.
Although losing the first collection was not necessarily planned
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