Strangechord

My mp3 collection is getting quite monstrous. I’m going on 28 GB. The evolution of its growth is rather interesting. About a year and a half ago, I ripped all of my 200 or so CDs to mp3 just to have on demand tunes in my computer. Then I got carried away in the whole Napster frenzy and was actually pretty obsessed there for a month or so, spending all of my free time downloading 80’s favorites and artists I’d always wanted to hear. When Napster died, I turned to Morpheus and KaZaA to get my fix, but not to the prior degree.

About four months ago, I noticed that the Multnomah County Library branch nearest me had a fairly decent CD stack. So I would borrow CDs about once a week that interested me, bring them home and rip them, then return them. Then I got really savvy and realized that I could place anything from within the library system (all branches) on hold through their website using my library card number. Ever since, I pick up about five CDs a week from library hold and am constantly finding out about new music to add to my hold list online. Some I’ve brought home I don’t end up ripping: e.g. I didn’t care for the Gillian Welch CD everyone was raving about (too bluegrassy).

I do buy CDs that the library doesn’t carry (which is rare), but then I turn around and sell the CD used on Amazon after I rip it. I know that there are people who would blast me for obtaining all of this “free” music, but I don’t really care(!) In the whole mp3 controversy, I have yet to hear any music artist cry poor; all of the bleating seems to come from the RIAA, and screw them.

Anyway, earlier tonight I ripped Cyndi Lauper’s “She’s So Unusual” and Elysian Fields’ “Queen of the Meadow”. Other CDs to rip this weekend - Basia’s greatest hits CD, Ween’s “12 Golden Country Greats”, John Digweed’s “Global Underground”, and “Lovelife” from Lush - all from the library. I wonder if I just gave some of you a good idea…