I used to live my life in record shops. Buying records mostly. I know most them don’t do records any more so they can’t really be called ‘record shops’. Although I was in Tower not so long ago and they do some albums on vinyl but you’d need a second mortgage to afford them.
What do you call them? Music Emporia? Multi-media outlets (because they sell books and games and fillums as well as music)?
Anyway, I was in a HMV yesterday and I have to say I was somewhat surprised at the prices they had on their DVDs. They were cheap. Really cheap.
From €3.99 for a single film to €14.99 for box-sets there was a huge range of stuff there for half nothing. Rack after rack of plastic wrapped DVDs that used to cost a fortune now as cheap as chips.
The problem was, of course, that it was all mostly shite. Bar the odd hidden classic (the Bowie freak in me could not resist Merry Clistmas, Mr Lawence) it was rubbish.
And the good stuff, well that was expensive. Bastards. The Wire, Sopranos etc were all top dollar. Not that in this age of downloading it makes much difference but the recession shouldn’t foist crap up on the people.
Here’s a thing though. Throughout your life you’ve probably spent a fortune on booze, petrol and music (I know I have).
If a magic genie came along and offered you all the money you’d spent on one of those three, which would make you richest?
I’d love to say booze but the 1000s of 7″ singles and 12″ singles and LPs and CDs beg to differ.
cigarettes by a mile
Booze by a country mile. Not only the actual expense, but the hidden costs of women, fines and kebabs all add up.
It’s frigging ridiculous that a set of ‘Inspector Morse’ DVDS cost a few hundred – it’s a relatively old series, they’ve showed it to death on TV and which would they rather – quick sales at about a hundred or not selling at all with the rip-off price they are chaging?
Better two fast fivers than one slow tenner – thats how I made my lot, easy and hassle free compared to the lingering feelings of resentment that attatch themselves to the over-priced tat.
‘Course there’s always Belmullet….
Records,definitely.. But i’d tell him to stick the money up his arse and fuck off while he was doing it…
You must have sniffed an awful lot of petrol to put it up there in the drink and CD spending league.
I was a petrolhead.
On reflection I think probably booze would give the biggest return. It’s just that I can pretty much remember all the music I’ve bought but nowhere near all the drink.
Man, I blew it all on the cds…
“the Bowie freak in me could not resist Merry Clistmas, Mr Lawence”
Good on you.
I haven’t had a turntable in decades, but I still have all my old records. The sad part? I don’t have an iPod or anything like that, either.
The really, really lame part? The most recent music I am qualified to talk about comes from “SpongeBob SquarePants.” I’m not allowed to play my CD’s because my son thinks they sound “Too scary.” Ah, the joys of parenthood.
Too scary? What in tarnation are you listneing to?
Smashing Pumpkins, Bauhaus, Siouxsie, NIN, you know, the usual geezer music. Apparently my son’s a delicate flower.
The Spouse Sparrow’s ruined him by playing Robbie Williams, anyway.
I find Robbie Williams far scarier for a 5-year-old than Trent Reznor, but I’ve been overruled.
And yes, the Spouse Sparrow fucking well loves Robbie Williams.
You have no idea of the crosses I bear.
That is indeed a cross. And to wilfully infect a child with that as well. How awful.
Up until I was 18 (16 really) it was music, first 7″ Adam and the Ants, Stand and Deliver. From then, music took a back seat after I discovered that the answer to life the universe and everything as not 42, but lying in the haze at the bottom of a pint glass. Then as I got a bit more responsilble (yeah right) I developed a need for petrol as all the local girls had become wise to my wiley ways.
Now I think it’s all three equally, 2 CDs and a DVD, 10 pints approx and €50 on petrol per week. Is this a balanced life I lead?
Music, LP, 12″s, CDs and sadly the kit to play it on. I have as much desire to “buy” MP3s as i had for Cassettes. Fair bit on Booze, Beer, Wine & ahem Rizlas. Fags come way down the list. Unfortunately, as i trawl through the vinyl archives, it is clear that all four luxury items have combined into a fossilised circular memento of sessions long past. I think that i need a record cleaning machine.
If the answer isn’t booze you aren’t drinking enough, Twenty.
Oh, it’s all about the tunes.
And it has to be real, I have to be able to see and feel it too. This MP3bittorrentblahfilesharingblahbollocks leaves me cold.
Oh, it’s all about the tunes.
And it has to be real, I have to be able to see and feel it too. This MP3bittorrentblahfilesharingblahbollocks leaves me cold.
And if you replace the word tunes with the word women,the same applies..
If only you could get free stout torrents.
Hi Peadar
“Hi Peadar”
i used to be schizophrenic but we’re ok now
booze would give me best return, especially seeing as have drunk a lot of stuf you could run cars on
oh booze by a long shot.
I buy fuck all cds cos they usually end up scratched on the floor whereas i don’t lose my mp3s on an external hard-drive.
only started to drive at 24-ish and don’t smoke…
i forgot to answer the question.. sadly, it would have to be booze..
Probably smokes. I don’t want to think about it.
Oh I just did.
It’d have to be the booze, unless I had bought all my music from Tower, the last place in Ireland selling €20 CD’s.. Theivin’ bastards
Don’t think about the money. It’ll make you like these guys…
http://www.kontraband.com/blog/18553/26-Life-Affirming-Epic-Movie-Deaths/
tennis racquets and tennis balls
followed by records, booze and petrol
Was in the HMV on Grafton street yesterday, saw season 2 of house md for 69.99, while the boxset of seasons 1-4 was …69.99. A little puzzled, I asked one of the staff who replied: “yeah mate, that’s the last copy of season 2 we have”. Are these people stupid or am I missing the big picture here?! Help a brotha out.
Actually, after thinking about it in scheming, crafty marketing terms for a minute I’ve realised that they’re just trying to shift the many unsold box sets, please ignore top post!
And ofcourse the answer is to kidnap the genie’s family and make him fork over the cash for all three options.
I would say booze would beat clothing, music, rent and the next 15 things that follow it by far.
Which HMV were you in, Twenty? It’d be gas if you paid a visit to the branch I work in!