How do you choose what to listen to next?

Posted by: JeremyT2 on 17 April 2006

Like many others I have a large collection of vinyl and CDs where I do not listen to some of the "forgotten" albums for years. i-pod has helped with the shuffle songs randomiser as it prompts me to get out albums on the basis of a good song that matches the mood/place. But this only works for my digitised collection and vinyl is based on staring at the rows and rows of albums and seeing what catches the imagination.
I was reading a piece on Joe Boyd, the Fairport/Nick Drake producer, in this month's Word. His vinyl collection was "shuffled" by some Polish removal men and given his thousands of albums he has not re-filed them but listens to every thirteenth album in the rack.
Sadly my collection is in neat alphabetical order but I thought I would give this a try and 13 being a prime number should help the randomness.

The first running order produced a fairly eclectic mix:
Allman Greg Laid Back
Band Stage Fright
Blondie Plastic Letters
Browne Jackson Late for the Sky
Clannad Macalla
Costello Elvis My aim is true
Crosby Stills and Nash Daylight Again
Dexy's Midnight Runners Too-rye-ay
Dylan Bob Blonde on blonde
Earle Steve Shut up and die like an aviator
and errily
Fairport Convention Full House
Produced by same Joe Boyd!

Anyone else using a method to dig out the lost and forgotten?

Jeremy
Posted on: 05 May 2006 by cdboy
I use the child method - I get them to choose something for me, and we all enjoy the guess what it is before settling in for a listen.
This means a lot of music gets reheard without my selection head getting in the way. This method started when the kids were young and I just used to play what they had pulled out and dropped on the floor. Great fun!


Otherwise it is the new pile that demands attention .. and never seems to get any smaller.
Posted on: 27 May 2006 by Alan Paterson
Generally at the start of the listening session i listen to whatever has been bought recently and as the night draws on (and the alcohol consumed) that i put on old favourites.
Posted on: 27 May 2006 by Guido Fawkes
At the moment I start listening to a varied selection with a fair bit of traditional Irish music which sounds great and then I end up playing The Drift by Scott Walker, it is just addictive and I'm going to learn to sing along to it if it's the last thing I do.
Posted on: 30 May 2006 by Diode100
quote:
Originally posted by Fredrik_Fiske:
Dear Gianluigi,

I think I have lost it already today! I went down to town and had my (joke) hair cut, and went in to the record shop and layed asisde the Beethoven First and Second Piano Concertos played by Solomon, as I did not have the cash in my pocket to bring it home. Then I went to the Fish and Chip shop and collected supper, to eat over some lovely Teme Valley Ale. It has gone straight to my head, so I might as well call quits and take an hour or two as sleep! I am supposed to be going out later. Perhaps not?

Hell Freezes Over is my fairly low key listening at this moment!

Fredrik


I get a vivid and well balanced image of Fredrik sitting eating fish and chips in front of a high value Naim ensemble. What interests me however, is the number of posts from people, who by virtue of being on this board, probably own staggeringly expensive gear, wax lyrical about how fabulous it sounds, but feel the need, more than occasionally seemingly, to get plastered to fully enjoy it. Should Naim gear be required to come with one of Nanny Bliars health warnings ? Should there be government recommendations on a sensible limit for the number of hours spent listening per week, with a suitably lower level recommended for ladies ?
Posted on: 30 May 2006 by JoeH
quote:
Originally posted by Diode100:
I get a vivid and well balanced image of Fredrik sitting eating fish and chips in front of a high value Naim ensemble. What interests me however, is the number of posts from people, who by virtue of being on this board, probably own staggeringly expensive gear, wax lyrical about how fabulous it sounds, but feel the need, more than occasionally seemingly, to get plastered to fully enjoy it. Should Naim gear be required to come with one of Nanny Bliars health warnings ? Should there be government recommendations on a sensible limit for the number of hours spent listening per week, with a suitably lower level recommended for ladies ?


Shurely an even lower level should be recommended for those with vinyl-based systems?