And The iPod You Rode In On.
February 25, 2011 5:24 PM Subscribe
I know who this is without looking, and trust me I DO
posted by wheelieman at 5:53 PM on February 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by wheelieman at 5:53 PM on February 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
That man has on the order of half a terabyte of music. Better split it up into several torrents. (It's either that, or the collection dies when he does.)
posted by ryanrs at 5:57 PM on February 25, 2011
posted by ryanrs at 5:57 PM on February 25, 2011
He's apparently something of an asshole. Which is no surprise if you've ever seen him interviewed.
posted by OmieWise at 6:02 PM on February 25, 2011
posted by OmieWise at 6:02 PM on February 25, 2011
Bussard? Cool, I've always liked his interstellar ramjet design, even if it did turn out to be impractical.
posted by happyroach at 6:03 PM on February 25, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by happyroach at 6:03 PM on February 25, 2011 [3 favorites]
Is he the kind of asshole Metafilter likes, or the kind we hate?
posted by ryanrs at 6:07 PM on February 25, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by ryanrs at 6:07 PM on February 25, 2011 [3 favorites]
Omie I dont get that from him
I figure if I show up at his house with a vinyl copy of anything, he'll probably think I am lame. But, I also think this guy is a true American treasure. I wish there was some tech way where i could right click save as for his whole collection and any memory in his head as far as collecting them.
Really, to me, this is the sort of shit I hope survives a nuclear blast, for the good of us all.
That's just me.
posted by timsteil at 6:12 PM on February 25, 2011
I figure if I show up at his house with a vinyl copy of anything, he'll probably think I am lame. But, I also think this guy is a true American treasure. I wish there was some tech way where i could right click save as for his whole collection and any memory in his head as far as collecting them.
Really, to me, this is the sort of shit I hope survives a nuclear blast, for the good of us all.
That's just me.
posted by timsteil at 6:12 PM on February 25, 2011
Reminds me of Vinyl by Al Zweig. Here's a clip. Didn't know Harvey Pekar was a collector too…
posted by bobloblaw at 6:23 PM on February 25, 2011
posted by bobloblaw at 6:23 PM on February 25, 2011
My neighbor puts trees in his yard to try and block the view of the lake from all the other houses. I will take this guy for the win.
posted by Senator at 6:23 PM on February 25, 2011
posted by Senator at 6:23 PM on February 25, 2011
Yes indeedy, count me as one of the people who sure as hell hope Bussard's amazing collection can pass into the public domain, somehow, after he passes on. I'm thinking the Smithsonian would be the natural place for it to go. I wonder if he's made any arrangements for anything like that.
He's a crusty old bird, for sure. His complete and utter disdain for rock and roll seems odd to me, given that rock was such a natural development out of the blues and jug band stuff that he loves so much. But he really drew a clear line there: NO ROCK! Oh well. His unbridled enthusiasm for the music he loves is a beautiful thing.
This documentary is great. Thanks so much for posting, timsteil.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:02 PM on February 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
He's a crusty old bird, for sure. His complete and utter disdain for rock and roll seems odd to me, given that rock was such a natural development out of the blues and jug band stuff that he loves so much. But he really drew a clear line there: NO ROCK! Oh well. His unbridled enthusiasm for the music he loves is a beautiful thing.
This documentary is great. Thanks so much for posting, timsteil.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:02 PM on February 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
This is neat, thanks for posting! And I discovered Charley Patton, too.
posted by carter at 7:18 PM on February 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by carter at 7:18 PM on February 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
And I discovered Charley Patton, too.
Whoa! You're in for some hellacious listening experiences, carter! Patton is deeeeep.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:25 PM on February 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Whoa! You're in for some hellacious listening experiences, carter! Patton is deeeeep.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:25 PM on February 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Wow, what a sublime documentary. Just driving around the South, door to door, buying records off people . . . . this is pretty much the dream vacation (hobby, job, retirement) of all of us who think an entire afternoon hanging about a record store is a little slice of heaven.
posted by FelliniBlank at 7:27 PM on February 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by FelliniBlank at 7:27 PM on February 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Whoa! You're in for some hellacious listening experiences, carter! Patton is deeeeep.
:)
posted by carter at 7:46 PM on February 25, 2011
:)
posted by carter at 7:46 PM on February 25, 2011
When I retire, I'm gonna have a listening room in my house, with a big comfy couch. I am going to listen to classical, jazz and blues, and spend the rest of my days learning to appreciate them with an epicurean ear. I hope it makes me as young in my waning days as his listening makes him.
(Also gonna learn Latin, Greek, Arabic and Middle Chinese, and study classical literature from the golden age of early man, 500bce-300ce. And read comics.)
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:49 PM on February 25, 2011
(Also gonna learn Latin, Greek, Arabic and Middle Chinese, and study classical literature from the golden age of early man, 500bce-300ce. And read comics.)
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:49 PM on February 25, 2011
Joe Bussard previously and previously on MetaFilter.
It's polite to give props to previous posts on the subject.
posted by y2karl at 7:49 PM on February 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
It's polite to give props to previous posts on the subject.
posted by y2karl at 7:49 PM on February 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
It looks like there is a collection available on Amazon (and luckily for me also thru my local library).
Thanks, tim, I missed this last time it was posted.
posted by readery at 8:35 PM on February 25, 2011
Thanks, tim, I missed this last time it was posted.
posted by readery at 8:35 PM on February 25, 2011
I discovered Charley Patton, too.
I think I just did a cartwheel, and you know, hit me with a fuckin truck right now and I will take my last breath knowing I put good into the world.
posted by timsteil at 9:13 PM on February 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
I think I just did a cartwheel, and you know, hit me with a fuckin truck right now and I will take my last breath knowing I put good into the world.
posted by timsteil at 9:13 PM on February 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
What happened in the 1930s that changed/killed folk music?
posted by stbalbach at 9:43 PM on February 25, 2011
posted by stbalbach at 9:43 PM on February 25, 2011
What happened in the 1930s that changed/killed folk music?
The Great Depression decimated the recording industry. Record sales plummeted from 150 million in 1929 to 10 million in 1933.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 11:53 PM on February 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
The Great Depression decimated the recording industry. Record sales plummeted from 150 million in 1929 to 10 million in 1933.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 11:53 PM on February 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
I almost do live next door to Joe Bussard; at least within a mile or so.
We have breakfast at Joe's favorite restaurant a couple of times a month.
He must eat there nearly every day. He's always there sitting at the same spot at the counter and talking music with someone. He's extremely opinionated, but seems like a genuinely nice guy who delights in spreading the word about his favorite records.
Oh yeah, he has a pretty loud and distinctive voice and you can frequently hear him from across the room.
posted by imjustsaying at 2:06 AM on February 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
We have breakfast at Joe's favorite restaurant a couple of times a month.
He must eat there nearly every day. He's always there sitting at the same spot at the counter and talking music with someone. He's extremely opinionated, but seems like a genuinely nice guy who delights in spreading the word about his favorite records.
Oh yeah, he has a pretty loud and distinctive voice and you can frequently hear him from across the room.
posted by imjustsaying at 2:06 AM on February 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
It amuses me that the lauded Dust-to-Digital Fonotone set is now out of print ...
posted by scruss at 4:50 AM on February 26, 2011
posted by scruss at 4:50 AM on February 26, 2011
Great post, thanks!
The guy holding the 78 at 4:56 in the first video is John Fahey by the way. Apparently they went on record hunting trips together.
posted by mahershalal at 5:42 AM on February 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
The guy holding the 78 at 4:56 in the first video is John Fahey by the way. Apparently they went on record hunting trips together.
posted by mahershalal at 5:42 AM on February 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
What happened in the 1930s that changed/killed folk music?
Also, the mass proliferation of radio had a hand in it. Walk up to a crowd of regular people today and ask them if they sing. You'll get a show of several hands -- whereas if you asked a group of kindergartners, it would be unanimous. Before radio, everyoneold and young sang. Most families had at least one member who played some instrument.
But now music is something most of us pay someone else to perform for us, or a hobby/job done by purposeful musicians, instead of a normal part of daily life for ordinary people. When the masses gained daily access to cheap/free professional entertainment, they lost some of the incentive to make their own.
posted by FelliniBlank at 7:23 AM on February 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Also, the mass proliferation of radio had a hand in it. Walk up to a crowd of regular people today and ask them if they sing. You'll get a show of several hands -- whereas if you asked a group of kindergartners, it would be unanimous. Before radio, everyoneold and young sang. Most families had at least one member who played some instrument.
But now music is something most of us pay someone else to perform for us, or a hobby/job done by purposeful musicians, instead of a normal part of daily life for ordinary people. When the masses gained daily access to cheap/free professional entertainment, they lost some of the incentive to make their own.
posted by FelliniBlank at 7:23 AM on February 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
I just discovered Charley Patton too. Thanks for this post.
posted by perilous at 3:49 PM on February 26, 2011
posted by perilous at 3:49 PM on February 26, 2011
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posted by bicyclefish at 5:39 PM on February 25, 2011 [4 favorites]