Where's It All From?

I get asked about where I find new music all the time. I used to trade mix tapes with friends quite a bit back in the day along with spending a significant portion of my paycheck on new LPs or CDs every few weeks. When Napster hit the scene, I used it to find stuff I couldn't find anywhere else. I got live performances, re-mixes that were never officially approved by anyone, studio out-takes, rare Peel sessions - you name it.

I'd also use Napster to sample a song or two before plunking down cash for a full CD by band I didn't yet know or trust. I've made a lot of purchases based on inaccurate reviews or bad advice (or even one good video on MTV.) These days, I wouldn't buy a car or a digital camera without doing a bunch of research on the internet, and music is no different. There are a few file-sharing options still available but you have to be a little savvy to use them without mucking up your system with viruses and ad-ware.

Most recently, I've been digging into a number of blogs that preview and either host or link to music. You can usually only get one or two songs from a given artist but I could spend full days wading through all of it. There are tons of these blogs/sites.

Big up to Neal at Blank Crisis for having a nearly identical record collection to me but having all of it still available to him. (He's unwittingly helping me to re-build much of what I lost or gave away during my "hazy" years in DeKalb.)

Finally, I still get mix CDs and suggestions from friends. Most recently, I have to thank trent-o, beer butt, john e., dc liar, lori and mostly b-rad for their influences. Oh, and a belated thanks to wouldpkr for the tip on the Dukes of Hazard songs. Those were great.