My external hard drive is my sidekick; the main necessity being my music and the ability to share my collection with others on my travels.
The best part about sharing your collection is the free reign people feel. Swapping music is akin to good conversation or creating art together, it sets you in motion for exposing your inner mind, your sensual soul even. However, as a music lover, your music collection can also become a nasty business.
For example, do you hate it when songs and accompanying folders aren't named properly or changed without permission? Can you stand it when someone makes you hear an earful of their play-lists but won't extend their openness and listen to yours? Or, do you hate it when people absentmindedly add something you already have and/or they change what you're playing before it ends? I could go on.
Great music sharing is when you double click on that drive and see additions made by that trusted friend. These individuals know what you like, or would like, and genuinely enjoy experimenting on your ears. This is the person that without fail is your kindred music geek.
One night I was sifting, looking for an inspired soundtrack, when I saw this strangely named folder. No details of the artist were present except “ba ba ti ki di do”. I thought to myself, “Is this African or something? Is this a new Indie band with a weird name from Canada?”.
I drag and dropped, and pressed play.
For the next 2 weeks, the songs that Sigur Rós composed for Merce Cunningham's “Split Sides”, haunted me. It carried with it the ability to travel through melancholy and escalate to pure joy in 3 delicate tracks simply titled ba ba / ti ki / di do. The hope and solitude in being a writer, in being me at that precise moment seemed to be captured momentously through the sound of great emotion and intimacy. That sense of welcome and discovery became a ritual, a confidante, a friend.
Thank you J. what a wonderful surprise.
Pronounced "see oor rose" http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/
Split Sides Dance Project w/ Radiohead http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/tour/2003/20031014.php
My Trusted MOGs
Nothing aggravates me more than when someone changes my labelling system, or really anything on my computer. Maybe I'm being over-dramatic, but it feels like such an invasion of privacy and a betrayal of trust to have someone you obviously consider a friend do something like that.
On the other side, one of my favorite things about sharing music is the insight into what that person feels and knows about you. The songs they choose to give you, the things they want you to feel like they feel will often show me more about a person and our relationship than most anything else. It shows you what's most important to them and what sides of themselves they feel you would appreciate most.
And thanks for the heads-up on the Sigur Ros tracks. I've loved them for ages, and to find something new is always a treat. Whats your opinion on Takk, if you've heard it?
My Trusted MOGs
Aww crap. Sorry about that...
My Trusted MOGs
You went crazy there emo hehe, no worries Mog been kinda wonky. I only let people really close to me play around on my computers. The few who crossed the line usually did the 2 most irritating things: 1/ changing my playlist before being finished 2/ only listening to their music agh. I love Takk, I have loved everything I have heard from them. Defo, get this special album if you can it is worth it. Only thing left for me is to see them live.
My Trusted MOGs
I have a really bad habit of being completly ADD with my playlist, but I try to warn people about it ahead of time, especially when I'm in the car with them. My real pet peeve is when someone takes one glance at my list and writes it all off as crap simply because they've never heard of most of it.
Takk is probably my favorite Sigur Ros album so far, if for nothing else then it feels so much more coherent and pulled together. Ágætis Byrjun and Untitled are both a little esoteric for casual listening, especially when trying to expose someone new to them. One of my greatest musical finds was Thursday, one of my all time fav bands, covering Ny Batteri which is my favorite Sigur Ros song. I geeked so hard when I found it, I had to have played it nonstop for an hour.
My Trusted MOGs
I always like playlists more if I haven't heard most of them! New mixes are just about the best gift you can give me.
But I don't understand the concept you are discussing here. Maybe I'm clueless (more likely it's just because I'm too poor to afford an external hard drive)... so, you put your music on the hard drive and then you let your friends borrow it? Is that what you mean?
And Sigur Ros, yes, absolutely. I saw them at Coachella and was so disappointed at the horrible sound quality. They are incredible.
My Trusted MOGs
Oh that's sad you didn't have good sound. Coachella is prob the main festival I'd like to attend aside from SXSW and Austin one.
Ext HD are pricey but convenient for carrying around your files and folders when without a laptop or comp. I basically store my film/music library on mine and bring it with me so if I am at someone's house I can get their music or vice versa. It's great if your travelling. Mine isn't the biggest but it's the same size as my notebook which is compact.
New music is definitely more interesting.