Music snobs come in many forms. Don’t be one. That should be all you’d need to say but unfortunately, it isn’t. It comes in far too many forms. The fact that we need a group for women only speaks volumes about the state of snobbery/sexism. But that’s a topic unto itself, and one I’m not qualified to tackle. From genre snobs to equipment snobs, to format snobs, it’s just not fun to experience. If you see it happening in a forum, call it out in a reasonable manner and or notify an admin, please.
Equipment can be expensive and I realize not everyone can afford top-quality stuff. DON’T be that guy or gal who makes a snarky comment about a Crosley, or other low-end starters all in one setup. Do you really think the person doesn’t know it’s not producing quality sound? Damaging their records? You are the first one to notice and point this out? Please, check your ego and keep quiet. People will ask for help or advice if and when they are going to upgrade.
The format is only important to you. Some folks only care about vinyl. I know a YouTube live streamer who said, and I quote: “If it’s not on vinyl, I don’t care about it.” That is especially sad to me as so much wonderful music doesn’t exist on vinyl. As a music lover and musician, I don’t personally exclude any format, and even have multiple copies of some albums on different formats simply due to availability. Vinyl presents a different experience than a CD or cassette, but it’s not better or worse sounding. That’s just your opinion, not fact. Enjoy your format(s) of choice, but don’t feel the need to tell others how to enjoy their musical experiences.
By far the worst (in my opinion) is the genre snobs. Metal, Punk, Hip-Hop, Jazz or whatever you’re into has many subgenres. The one you like does not make you, or the bands you lump into it, superior to the ones you don’t. I’ll admit to having been guilty of all these snobbery crimes as a younger man, and even as recently as last year when I was told by a mod in a Metal group that my post wasn’t welcome when I questioned a flood of posts I didn’t feel were Metal, which annoyed me. I felt the group wasn’t living up to its advertised name but probably should have just left quietly.
Nobody’s perfect and none of this matters much if you don’t have an open mind, but at the very least, if you read this, hopefully, you’ll be mindful of being part of the solution and not the problem. The world would be a better place in general if everyone just stopped for a second and considered the potentially negative reactions and simply came down off their high horses.
Dig this series? Check out the full archives of Rapid Musical Perspectives with P.S. Idiot, by Andrew Earle, here: https://vwmusicrocks.com/rapid-musical-perspectives-archives/
Agreed. I lost all my records in Sandy. Now in retrospect i probably could have just washed them but i was so frustrated. Most of them were my mother’s and grandmother’s which is why my collection spans from the big band era to the late 80s. Mostly the unpopular 45rpm or as they’re called now 7in disks. I also love doo wop so i have a healthy selection of it and some not so common ones either. I love playing them. I play them alot. And i stack them. Back when i was growing up. I had a50s tube amp dynovox suitcase. And it played magnificently. I loved making my own playlists of singles and stacking them up and watching them drop. I liked singles because i controlled the format. When i play my records it brings me back to that time where i only had maybe 50 45s but played them all constantly shuffling them around to make different playlists. I now have almost 2k 45s at least 1500 in special dj cases. I have a number of lps and that collection is taking off as i enjoy finding compilation lp’s and stacking them ( some readers digest sets that can be bought for peanuts have some really nice and not so common music in them. ) I think the key is to remember we all started somewhere and it wasn’t with a million dollar set up. It was probably a “record chewer “. Don’t yuck someone else’s yum as they say. Im glad it’s come back. To see the vinyl section at the stores get bigger and bigger everytime i go in there is awesome. Wish they would start pressing more 45s.
Hey David. That’s really unfortunate that you lost your collection in Hurricane Sandy. You are definitely not alone as there were so many people I’ve learned about over the years who also lost their entire collections. I’m thrilled that vinyl is making a comeback for sure, and the more people buying, the more it becomes available for us. Who cares if they’re playing them on Crosley’s! As long as they’re buying records, then awesome; more music for everyone! Thanks for taking the time to comment. Here’s to hoping 2021 will bring you lots of records! Stay safe!