Enjoyment Based on Name

[absurdexposition]

Something I come across quite often when I'm going through new arrivals in the distro, listening to see if there are any I want to keep for myself, is that if there's a release by an artist I know I already enjoy, I will often keep the release even if it's not their best work. However, if I come across a release that is on first listen as good or perhaps even better than the "weaker" work of a known artist, I won't bother keeping a personal copy because it's not from an established artist recognized for putting out great works. Sometimes this will come back to bite me as I will later come to enjoy an artist and have already sold something that may have been a great work of theirs because I didn't give it a proper chance.

I wonder how often this happens with people? Listening / collecting based on (brand) name alone, and ignoring potential greats?

[Andrew McIntosh]

Understand the perspective of this, but I've settled my mind on the question because I'm tired of saturation and keeping up. I don't seek out much that's new, and often try to cut down on much that's old. So, for me, not just reliable names, but reliable releases are where it's at. Especially with Harsh Noise. Fortunately, the more PE styled projects tend to keep their releases to a necessary minimum. Some names - Eleh, Radigue, etc. - I'll seek out if I can based on what I've got, but to me they qualify as neither "big" or "unknown", if you understand me (that stated, I've refused to get Eleh's latest release because it's a hundred dollar 12" limited edition vinyl. Price and format are another important minimum of mine).

It's not that I'm not open to new things, and I wish nothing but the best for newer projects, but it'll take something particular for me to want to seek it out, and fortunately that only happens once in a while (Kevlar being the most recent instance).