Collecting noise (/related)

[Goat93]

I think the Problem within the Collecting without being a Library Collector is this Feeling, that the Stuff will be Heared in some time. Realised it this Week when i sorted out Stuff for Trade/Sell, since i'm not lomger interested in it. At the Beginning i thought that will be much stuff, in the End it wasn't compared to that, was left. Crazy at all :/

[audiodissection]

i am very obsessive collector, from hunting the releases to keep them catalogued and maniacally handle/stored.
"Music" and packaging are first factors which determinate if something will be collected or less. I love the good packagings, i think they complete the sound. I love to look at my shelves and to crazy stuffs i have hang in my room like throphies. Anyway if i don't like the sound it's very hard i keep the release.
I prefer tapes and vinyls but i have no problem collecting also CD and CDr's.
Criteria i follow:
- specific artists
- specific labels (Self Abuse, MSNP, GROSS, Vanilla, Freak Animal, Tesco, Praxis Dr. Bearmann, Bloodlust!, Broken Flag, Alchemy Records, Slaughter Prod, Xn, MSBR Records, AMP, Less Than Zero, Come Org, Lust Vessel and many more!)
- specific countries (Japan and USA 90's harsh noise. 80's/90's UK Power Electronics, 80's/90's italian and german Industrial Noise)
- specific genre/style (most violent and harshest sides of noise and power electronics)
Lately i buy less than in the past, probably because most of the stuffs i wanted are sitting here. I try to keep only very selected material in my collection for several reasons.

[RyanWreck]

There are many reasons for collector behavior from just the appreciation of the art and sometimes nostalgia to pride of ownership and recognition by fellow collectors. I fit into a little of both of those camps. I appreciate the art a lot but it also comes with a certain pride when I get to show my collection to others interested in it. Then there is the actual act or process of listing your trades/wants, the act of trading itself, mailing stuff out and receiving new "pieces" which is one of the best parts of being a collector, in my opinion. Receiving something new, finishing a good trade comes with a sense of satisfaction. Music (especially Noise/PE/Industrial) is an "open-ended" type of thing too, it is probably never going to end so you will probably never be "done" with your overall collection altogether (maybe bands and labels but the collection in its entirety), which is something else I like about collecting Noise.

I don't know the psychology behind it and I don't know if I really care. I did read once that collecting stems from our ancestors need to forage and collect materials for survival and when a culture or group of people stop migrating and become settled they still feel a need to do that.

As far as my tastes are concerned I have pretty much stayed the same since I first got into Noise and Power Electronics. I aim for a few certain labels (Come Org, Aquilifer Sodality, TF/PE, Filth & Violence, FA/IOPS and a few newer ones like PI, White Centipede, Anabolic Dimensions, Waterpower and Bleak Environment) and also a certain style/aesthetic of both sound and presentation. The last year or so I have been really into collecting certain types of Zines and books, even catalogs from old XXX companies like Slave & Master. I do have a few things in my collection that I do not like but that comes with being a reviewer/interviewing and having people send me stuff constantly.

[Vehemency]

Another thing I've been pondering is some people's compulsion to collect every version of a particular record / or of the whole discography of a certain band. Being an utmost completionist, getting the album in every format possible. To me, this sounds useless. How I perceive my collection is that the main idea indeed is the ability to listen to whatever I want, the records are always there. I've done it once, collecting everything from a particular band that is, but some time later realized that it would be an almost incessant task to keep up with all re-releases and shit, and that in the end the satisfaction of a "complete" collection wouldn't be sufficient in the light of the money and effort spent.

The only format I've had my Graveland collection on is tape, which I've admittedly come to regret. Not because of the format itself, but due to the poor quality of some of the releases. Poor dubbing or lack of (IMO) necessary artwork or lyrics. At this point I've come to think of buying them all on a different format, perhaps CD, and I'd still keep the tapes for old time's sake. In this situation I understand collecting the same releases in different formats, but if there's nothing wrong with the, say, tapes (and their characteristic lacks of functionality which is up to everyone's personal taste & customs), I see no point in getting different versions. I.e. a new album comes out on four different LP colours, and you feel it's mandatory to get them all, or a new album comes out on CD & LP and you just have to get the CD along with the vinyl although you'll only listen to the latter.

[Goat93]

Hard to Explain why Buying different Editions is great sometimes. It was somekind of Fun and Hunter Thing to get Rare Versions of it. Sometimes the Coverartwork are different or there are Lyrics/No Lyrics, some Extras or or or. Other Point, when you get them Cheap.
But i see no Sense in this 1"0+ Colour Editions Lim. 100 each one" Stuff or this new "My Label have a Special Colour" Editions. But its a good Point to realise that the Differences are for Choosing, what you like most, as i do. Don't buy for example 4 different Impaled Nazarene 7" Edition, choose the one you like most.

To Buy all from on Band is like Collecting Stamps, can be Fun but depends on the Band. I think merzbow, Nunslaughter or Sabbat are not a good Deal to begin a Collection...

[Zeno Marx]

Another thing I've been pondering is some people's compulsion to collect every version of a particular record

Southern Lord has done quite well with these types.  Interesting financial security for the labels that have customers who buy every color and every reissue.  Hydrahead collectors come to mind as well.

[RG]

Not that those labels care, but I think most of those 10+ color vinyl editions draw in more eBay/discogs speculators rather than obsessive completists. Of course the record flippers buy them up to hopefully sell later to collectors at inflated prices, but surely the former outnumbers the latter.

To a lesser extent I've also noticed this with certain underground extreme metal labels and their "DIE HARD" vinyl editions that come with a patch and some other useless crap.

[Vehemency]

^ I'm somewhat annoyed with releases that can not be obtained without a patch or something as unnecessary as that. It happens too. Like just recently I was about the preorder the upcoming Mars Volta (you heard right, in fact a lot of Rodriguez-Lopez's solo work could appeal to noise fanatics!) only to realize that you either have to get a 50 dollar set with a t-shirt and a special lithograph, or a "regular" 30 dollar set of CD + t-shirt. No option to order the CD only, ha. Got to wait until it hits retail stores.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

In those cases it is basically pure materialism.

As I have mentioned before, I don't consider "records" as material, but carrier of spirit. It's unfortunate that so called "underground", which used to be less capitalist, less business oriented, is often nowadays MORE of that than the mainstream. You see it's pure material what matters. Color vinyl, poster, patch, etc. and you ask "why?". What does this add to album, other than physical object? Especially in some genres, the additional crap is really just crap. I wouldn't mind maximum amount of posters and inserts with LP if it was like Apostles or Crass or something. But it's really usually stretched pixelated album covers and booklets with photos of clown retards and exaggerated font sizes to fill the space. Patches nobody wears and stickers nobody uses.
When material has no real purpose, other than "lure consumer" or give additional income, it is nothing but 100% BS. If such resources and energy would be spent on having for example good artwork (or not spent at all = perhaps reduced price!), it would be great.

I tend to value most the spirit - which means being closer to source/creator. If not REALLY being there, but at least in my own impression. Therefore, shiny bulk edition digipak will never have the same "value" to me, as something that has more touch of creator(s). Be it label or artist. And I suspect this is quite common, judging by fact how many people miss innovations of early Tesco for example. It is not just "record". It goes way beyond.

[ImpulsyStetoskopu]

So, Francisco LOPEZ had right about his releases. No photos, no titles, only pure music - medium of spirit. Where is located a border between useless gadgets, unique packages from leather, concrete, wood, metal, textile and so on and necessary info, graphics? Does music of Les Joyaux de la Princesse still so much enjoy some people without packages, objects, graphics? Maybe this is so called overgrowth of form upon meaning? Maybe MP3, MY SPACES, MUSIC BLOGS are appropriate way of relation between artist-receiver? No middlemen, no stupid labels, no physical mediums, no printed goods and so on?

Anyway, I don't see problem with ultra limited C-2 cassettes, records with addded badges, stickers, chains, excrements, stupid photos and so on. If people like it and buy it, why not?

[Goat93]

Not that those labels care, but I think most of those 10+ color vinyl editions draw in more eBay/discogs speculators rather than obsessive completists. Of course the record flippers buy them up to hopefully sell later to collectors at inflated prices, but surely the former outnumbers the latter.

To a lesser extent I've also noticed this with certain underground extreme metal labels and their "DIE HARD" vinyl editions that come with a patch and some other useless crap.

Denovali Records from Germany make Lim. XXX several Editions and when they are Sold out, next Batch of Lim. Editions will come. I think its nice, since the Lp's are good and you can choose, what you prefer. Colourtype or Picture Vinyl ect ect. For Collectors it must be a Nightmare.

If such resources and energy would be spent on having for example good artwork (or not spent at all = perhaps reduced price!), it would be great.

Some Die Hards come with Extra Music, as 7" or even whole LP's. I think this Variation is nice, but i have also Tons of Stickers/Patches/Posters i don't need. Its somekind of Idiotic in my Eyes that so Many Collectors (or Buyer in Generell) claim that Black Vinyl Sounds best and Buy any Kind of Colour Editions. I have seen only a Few LP's were the Black Vinyl is not the Common, instead the Limited "Die Hard" Edition. For Someone, who likes Colour/Picture more than Standart Black its just better. I don't care about the Limitiation, but i like Colour/Picture much more than Standart Black. So i'll buy the Version i like most...

So, Francisco LOPEZ had right about his releases. No photos, no titles, only pure music - medium of spirit. Where is located a border between useless gadgets, unique packages from leather, concrete, wood, metal, textile and so on and necessary info, graphics?

This is not My Taste. I must have Information about the Release, the Intention, the Attitude ect. A plain Tap with just Music on it makes it shrunk to the Music alone. When you have 1 or 2 of those, is interesting, but if you have 2000 or more Tapes without Meaning and just Music, its Useless for me. Its not just the Music itself what makes the "Spirit". Its also the Intention WHY it is made and What it should Say.. Imagine a Bunch of Blank Grey Wolves Tapes. You can easily change them with a Bunch of Blank Con Dom Tapes. But for what are these Tapes then, if you can change them so easily?

[ImpulsyStetoskopu]

So, Francisco LOPEZ had right about his releases. No photos, no titles, only pure music - medium of spirit. Where is located a border between useless gadgets, unique packages from leather, concrete, wood, metal, textile and so on and necessary info, graphics?

This is not My Taste. I must have Information about the Release, the Intention, the Attitude ect. A plain Tap with just Music on it makes it shrunk to the Music alone. When you have 1 or 2 of those, is interesting, but if you have 2000 or more Tapes without Meaning and just Music, its Useless for me. Its not just the Music itself what makes the "Spirit". Its also the Intention WHY it is made and What it should Say.. Imagine a Bunch of Blank Grey Wolves Tapes. You can easily change them with a Bunch of Blank Con Dom Tapes. But for what are these Tapes then, if you can change them so easily?

It was irony.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Well, like there is a difference between chinese plastic toy and artists sculpture, there is difference between material.
Something is piece of art, something is piece of commercial business strategy. Which exists in sole purpose of selling product.
Like mentioned Impaled Nazarene re-issue 7"s. Label did 4 different 7"s with 4 different colors each. They know "die hard collectors" will buy 16 copies instead of 4. It is pure scam of worst materialistic nature, in my opinion ridiculing the essence of black metal.  Same doesn't happen so much within noise, but perhaps merely because there is no market? But perhaps also because different aesthetics apply within those "artforms" if you allow me to use such term.

In this case, spirit doesn't doesn't exclude physical material. It's about reasons and motivations. This is the difference of real art and consumer products.

[Goat93]

I think, cause there is no Market. The Metal Idiotic Collector Story is only, cause the People buy it. Metal Bands sells like Pop Bands and are also in the Charts, the Customers dreams with this about "being Underground" in the same Time. How can Black Metal be Underground, when the Bands sells more like Brintey Spears and others?

btw.:

This Kind of Artwork under the CD looks awesome. Think such would be a nice "Special" on some CD's :)

[Zeno Marx]

For Someone, who likes Colour/Picture more than Standart Black its just better. I don't care about the Limitiation, but i like Colour/Picture much more than Standart Black. So i'll buy the Version i like most.

It's unfortunate that there is an option at all.