dope post. im going to have to check that book out. Peace.
Yo Emil,
what a dope review. i'ma have to go yank this book from my local B&N.
The questions you raise about race and gender are crucial, and although I don't think I am informed enough to address the race issue here -- other than simply that white folks are more likely percapita to have the disposable income necessary to build collections of culture -- I have some thoughts about the gender part.
I think the questions you ask about what our society does and does not endorse regarding the way that women consume are crucial and probably at the root of the issue. Thoughts along those lines are definitely my first reaction. When the media depicts music nerds, they depict men almost invariably, and while this may reflect trends, I believe it also plays a role in making them. Gender roles are crucial.
Another issue might be the status of record-collecting communities. You know that I think that the presence of racism and sexism is pervasive in most American communities. There ARE females and other-gendered and non-gendered folks who collect records, but are the communities of like-minded folks, already dominated by men, affirming of those women in their identities? Do they hear what they have to say and are they as willing to get down with what they're up on as they would be with their male record-collecting friends?
Another question might be in regards to the types of music that even get printed into records. There aren't as many successful female cult-level, collectible musicians as there are males, and many of the ones that are probably exemplify imagery that is as oppressive to females as some of that presented by male musicians. I wonder, if Ani DiFranco released her records on vinyl, would there be more female record collectors?
Just some thoughts
embryo
nice review, i wasn't a big fan of the book, maybe because i was expecting more.
as for the race issue, i wouldn't be surprised if white folks are more drawn to it as a way of setting themselves apart. racial minorities general have in a 'built-in' identity/culture, one that's almost predetermined (and if they stray from it, they're often chastised). white males might have a greater sense of urgency to distinguish themselves from the rest of white america. notice that record collecting isn't like other hobbies or interests like comic books or sports; record collectors wear their interest on their sleeves. whether its admitted or not, there's a snobbery that goes with having all that music, regardless if you've only spun half of those records less than half a dozen times.
Great post!
In the same thread, vinyl is back and a small group of us in Boise, Idaho are doing our part to get the word out and help organize social groups for communal listening and friendship.
We're a little under one year old but already have over 100 members and thanks to a recent Associated Press article (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080711/ap_en_mu/
vinyl_revival) we're getting requests from people all over the US and Canada who want to start their own local chapters of VPS.
Check us out at www.vpsidaho.org or on MySpace: www.myspace.com/vpsidaho
Thanks!
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