MISSING THE POINT?

Ben, I too am finding this site almost unbearable due to inane posts. I am almost apologetic to state that my musical tastes are what you would probably call boring. I try and try to explore different genres, but I can't get past my distractions in music that is disorderly, (i.e. I love Miles' "Kind of Blue" but can't stand his stuff after he got into the nose candy.) I fully appreciate and admire those of you who can really enjoy music that, for me, is really "out there." Best to you. Charlie

I am constantly checking out new releases/new music/new composers. As an audiophile, there's nothing better than finding a disk that's been recorded well and that gives me the sensations of being in the presence of live music. As a working composer, there's nothing that I enjoy more than finding a new, exciting, living composer. I've recently fallen completely in love with the music of Thomas Ades. It's remarkable how well recorded the four available disks of his music are. One thing that I really enjoy about looking for new music is the availability of clips on Amazon. If I hear of a new composer that interests me, I can go to Amazon and immediately hear one-minute clips of various movements of his/her pieces. There's certainly nothing wrong with listening to the same old albums over and over and over and over, but I personally just love to hear new stuff.

Oh yeah, I've probably bought 60-70 new cds this year. Now, not all of those were "new releases". I find that one of the best ways to find music that is new to me is to look at cd outlet stores (Border's has quite a few of them around here) or on www.berkshirerecoutlet.com. The latter really only applies to folks who listen to classical or jazz, though. At these places it's possible to purchase a new disk for between two and six dollars. Not much risk there.

Jeez--sorry about leaving three posts in a row, but I wanted to post an answer to your second question: Why does the above post try to start the usual petty arguments that are starting to make this forum unbearable?? I have been on both the internet and on local bbs systems since the eighties (before the public "internet" proper ever existed). Discussions in fora such as these ALWAYS degenerate into petty arguments and insults. After several insulting posts, the posters generally start to apologize and try to find some common ground (this is the modern equivalent of "guilt"). Then the posts completely leave the realm of the original query, and they become private discussions between two or three users. For whatever reason, the combatant users tend to, for the most part, be the same three or four people. I think that these fora act as an outlet for their own, personal angers. Beyond the first five or ten follow-ups, these discussions are generally worthless. This is not intended to be an insult to anyone, including Audiogon, for whom I have the greatest respect.

Ben- If you like obscure stuff, you've got to check out Wire magazine. It's from the UK so some of the stuff they review is hard to find, but you will read about stuff that you are not going to see in the store (unless it's a good one like Amoeba in San Francisco) It's my main source for new music, and rarely am I disappointed with a purchase reccomended by them. They don't grade based on recording quality, but what a shame to miss out on something good because the recording isn't perfect. Some of the best stuff in my opinion is terribly recorded. If you don't mind list some of the more obscure stuff you mentioned. -Ryan