As we press forward, always on and toward the future, looking to what is ahead and unknown to solve today’s puzzles, we often forget to remember the past and things that were before; things that might not be searchable via Google. I was reminded of this idea twice this week: how the internet has spawned into an ultimate, multi-faceted reference source that has essentially triggered the foreclosure of the print publishing industry.
The first was a post from a blog called Victorian Horror that talks about our new album. The author, Victoria, says: “Aww, the Dears. I stumbled upon them about four years ago when I first moved to Chicago. I was on one of my CD buying sprees where I trusted the blurb at the record store, or just bought it unheard based on the 4-star “Q Magazine” rating on the sticker. Those were the days, when discovering new music came with a risk….the prospect that you may have just laid down $16.00 for a crap album! This was before I had bought my computer of course…a more innocent time!“
And the second: One Man’s Quest to Digitize and Publicize Rare Records, 78 by 78, tells the story of recordings on their way to being “lost” forever: record labels that don’t exist potentially may not care to digitize old masters. Masters that tell of a culture that once existed, proliferated, and dictated in certain ways how we think, interact and appreciate music today.
The past inhibiting the future and the future inhibiting the past. Which do we preserve? Which informs our lives in a more meaningful – though minute – way?
3 responses so far ↓
justinsb // August 13, 2008 at 22:06 |
While I think it’s important to save what we can of the past – for historical purposes (‘Those who do not learn from history…’) you can only go forward. Those who look to the past, or try to go backward are invariably headed toward a romanticized version of it and it always results in disaster (from the ne0-conservatives to the Taliban).
You learn from the past to prepare for the future, there is no going back. That said you should check out http://www.archive.org/ which catalogues things in the public domain and those who don’t mind being included to preserve them forever, for free (everything from old movies and music to books and photos). You should also check out librivox.org (which is in your hometown) where volunteers create audio books from books in the public domain (75+ years old).
Cheers!
J
lukamodric // August 14, 2008 at 17:34 |
that is one of the lamest reviews of the new album…sounds like indie rock is alive and kicking on this album after all, according to victoria?
nordboy // August 17, 2008 at 9:53 |
haha….that review is extremely lame, agreed.
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