Record Collections

Kind of a lengthy quote, but far too apropos to condense:

What’s in your record collection, and what does it say about who you are and what you do? Of course, what with live performances, radio, television, and innumerable internet sources, the opportunity to hear music of any style, time period, or specific artist today is inexhaustible and all but effortless, so maintaining a collection could be considered Old School, at least – and even the word “record” is ambiguous if not obsolete: are we talking about LPs, or CDs and tapes too? How about Edison cylinders, for that matter? It’s all sound preserved, officially, for the record. Nevertheless, the desire to possess what we most appreciate is a sign of not just availability but need, of a stronger association, a deeper, more fulfilling relationship. New, digital, substance-less storage systems notwithstanding, the reality of having the music in the form of an object, to have and to hold, still retains its appeal for some of us Luddites, despite the limitations of shelf space and the uncomplaining-only-to-a-point tolerance of whomever shares our abode. What we keep closest to us reveals something about our image of ourselves, representing our interests, desires, obsessions, and secrets – especially something as personal and inspirational as the music that is most meaningful to us. (Art Lange, "A Fickle Sonance," Point of Departure Issue 50, 2015-03)