Thursday, September 28, 2006

Dischord

I am currently ripping my entire cd collection. It is no small task. My friend Ryan bought me a big, external hard drive as a wedding gift. We just bought a new computer--a much faster imac with dual processors--so it seemed like a good time to do it. I can put a stack of cds next to my keyboard and load them all day while I work on other projects. At any rate, running through these cds has been a trip down memory lane for me. I came across one of my favorite cds from high school, Fugazi's now-classic album "Repeater" and started thinking about my love of independent and punk music and how it fit with my politics. I loved that Dischord Records would discount their products and then put a suggested retail price on the back of their albums. Of course, most of the bands I like would hate my politics. But to me, independent music has always gone hand-in-hand with conservatism. I like how they do business. I want to encourage business practices I admire. I wouldn't like it if business were forced to do business like Dischord. I've never understood how bands or record companies with the message "don't tell me what to do" could end up hostile to the political ideology that emphasises individual freedom.
I wanted to see if Dischord Records was still in business. They are. Find them here.
I have been accused of being a cruncy-con or a south park conservative. My love of punk, independent music, and tofu predates those terms.

5 comments:

g_rob said...

I've been doing the same thing and it is a long tedious process. Next up, I'm going to convert a bunch of vinyl to my computer.

You bring up some excellent points especially about Ian Mackaye, Dischord and Fugazi. Don't forget Minor Threat (btw, if you search for your favorite bands on YouTube you get some amazing footage). Fugazi used to come to play shows at the skate park in Sacramento and would charge people whatever they could afford...usually 5 bucks or so, but no one that came would be left outside. After they played Ian would skate and hang out with everyone. Even later, as they got bigger and bigger and played bigger venues, they never charged more than 15 bucks, although they could have.

Do you really love tofu?

Stephen said...

Tofu is good if it is prepared right. Last weekend I had the best green curry I have ever had in my life and it had tofu instead of chicken. It was, without question, better than a meat. I wouldn't eat it if it didn't taste better, since I am not a vegetarian. I don't own any tofu stock either.

Stephen said...

Regarding converting vinyl, check griffin technology. They have some good products for conversion--better with a mac, of course.

g_rob said...

So you love curry? I don't mind tofu if, like you say, it is prepared right. I had a tofu scramble in San Francisco once, with peanut sauce and spinach, and it was the best breakfast I'd ever had.

Can you buy stock in tofu? Or tofu companies?

Stephen said...

I think it is just brown goo. I don't know who holds the patent.