I Don't Hate Digital Music

You know, while I love the experience of setting that 12" LP on the turntable, sitting back and listening to a record in it's analog brilliance, I do appreciate aspects of digital music...specifically that little mp3 player that fits in your pocket, is capable of holding hundreds if not thousands of songs, and makes it possible to throw together your own variety of song mixes with literally touches of the fingertips. I admit, the majority of my music listening time is spent with the little headphones jammed into my ears. You may have noticed that I described that digital device as an mp3. I'm in the minority in that I actually don't have an I-pod. I have a little more than 800 songs on my Sony mp3 player and will regularly add or eliminate songs from the player as suits my moods.

I appreciate it when I rediscover a song long forgotten and by downloading I can avoid the purchase of the entire Time-Life 10 disc set that is one of the few places to get it anymore. Those one-hit wonders...great songs that brought the songwriter or performer brief fame can now be obtained much easier than ever before.

I get enjoyment from the fact that the mp3 is like my own radio station. I can just let the player roll through the list and I'll have everything from AC/DC to T-Bone Burnett in the course of a listening session. I love the ability to have about 6 versions of Sweet Jane all in a row...done by the Cowboy Junkies, Mott the Hoople, along with multiple versions by Lou Reed including the original Velvet Underground version. I like that I have Pinball Wizard in it's original version, demo version, solo acoustic by Pete Townshend, and by Pete with his band Deep End. Then (as I sit here unable to sleep) there are the "midnight" songs: Midnight Confessions by the Grass Roots, Midnight Man by the James Gang, Midnight Rambler by the Stones, Midnight Rider by the Allman Bros, and Midnight Train by Buddy Guy and Jonny Lang.

Yeah, I appreciate the convenience, variety, programming ability, and portablity of the little black retangular wonder. But still...watching the black disc turning at 331/3 rpms, gently setting the needle on to the spinning disc, hearing the brief pop and hiss just before the music starts, then hearing the music flow from the speakers in the room...that's still the best way to listen in my world.