Archive for the ‘Music’ Category:
Cleaning Vinyl Records
Anyone who has a classic music collection in its most traditional form knows the importance of cleaning vinyl records. There are many different approaches to this task but I find that the best approach is to find a product designed specifically for this kind of material. Cleaning vinyl records may seem like a simple task but it is very important that you choose the right product for the job.
I tried using rubbing alcohol for the project but this approach left my discs pretty dry and I was afraid that they would become brittle over time. Rubbing alcohol has a drying effect on many surfaces and it may not be the best choice for cleaning vinyl records.
Instead of going this route I decided to try something extra gentle. What could be gentler than baby shampoo? The concoction I used for cleaning vinyl records was a very simple mixture of baby shampoo and water. That’s pretty much all there is to it. Just wipe and the job is done.
This worked for awhile but I started to notice a slight build up and that made me pretty nervous about using this approach. This is when I decided that cleaning vinyl records required a professional grade product and I was determined to find it. Even though I was shopping for an antique cleaner of sorts, I decided to start shopping online for the right product.
I didn’t just find one product designed for cleaning vinyl records. I was amazed to discover that there are plenty of options to consider for this specific task. I’m still in the process of determining whether or not I even want to try more than one of these products for cleaning vinyl records.
The product I initially chose has done such a great job that I don’t think I need to shop anymore. I’m thrilled that I finally found something that works so well and I’m even happier that I don’t have to mess with smelly rubbing alcohol or baby shampoo concoctions when cleaning vinyl records.
My collection is in better condition than it has been in years. I’m glad that I decided to look for products actually designed for cleaning vinyl records. I’m also glad that companies make such wonderful cleaners for older materials. My records sparkle and they sound better than ever. The products used for cleaning vinyl records have really done the job.
Country Music DVDs
One of the hottest singing sensations in America right now is 20-year-old Taylor Swift. She has built up a huge fan base because of her catchy tunes and highly personal lyrics, and received tons of publicity after rapper Kanye West infamously interrupted her during an awards acceptance speech. Once that happened, I became interested in Swift’s songs, bought a couple of her CDs and a few country music DVDs on which she appeared, and now I’m hooked!
Believe me, I never thought I’d be buying country music DVDs and CDs, as I’ve never really been fond of that genre. But Swift’s tunes are more of a pop/country mix and are actually very catchy. No wonder she has tens of thousands of so-called “crossover” fans! Her songs have a certain quality that appeal to all kinds of people, and have helped her become one of the top-selling artists of the year.
Anyway, after liking what I heard from Taylor Swift, I decided to try other artists in the genre. I found a couple of websites that offer discount country music DVDs and CDs, and went on a bit of a shopping spree. I bought stuff from the likes of Toby Keith, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, and Rascal Flatts — and loved nearly everything! I have practically worn out all of my country music DVDs already and am going to have to buy a bunch more pretty soon.
Just in case you’re curious, these country music DVDs usually feature such things as official videos for popular songs, concert footage from live performances all over the United States, and behind-the-scenes interviews with the stars. Buying country music DVDs has allowed me to learn a lot about these artists in a very short period of time, and has made it easy for me to become a huge fan. After watching countless hours of concert and interview clips, I feel like I know the singers in a way that’s not possible just from listening to their songs. It’s almost as though I’m more deeply connected to the artists than I would be from audio CDs alone.
That might sound a bit hokey, but it’s true and makes me want to buy even more stuff. So in addition to country music DVDs, I’ve also purchased books, magazines, posters, t-shirts, and key chains featuring my new favorite singers. And who knows, I might even take in a concert or two in the near future!
It’s funny how an incident like Kanye West’s antics at that awards show can bring an artist like Taylor Swift to the attention of folks who might not have heard of her before and result in her becoming one of the top performers on the planet. Thanks to Kanye’s bad judgment and the right mix of country music DVDs and CDs, the genre now has at least one new fan!
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History of Punk Rock
When people think of punk, they might stereotypically conjure up images of spiky dyed hair, spiky collars, loud electric guitars and heavy eyeliner. While all stereotypes do have basis in some truth, punk rock is about a lot more than just hardcore music and fashion. A brief look into the history of punk rock gives us a deeper appreciation of the punk movement as a radical expression of political ideology.
The beginning of the history of punk rock takes us to the United States, Australia and the UK during the 70s. Punk rock arose as a separation from 70s rock that was considered too mainstream. It was definitely colored with rebellion, being characterized by opposing conventional political and social organizations, arranging music that was free of mainstream embellishment, and an emphasis on DIY—many bands would produce their own music instead of depending on a record label, similar to what we would associate with indie bands today. Punk was very much about rejecting the norm, which accounts for the outrageous styles and fashion that people associate punk rock culture with; it wasn’t so much about dying your hair green, but about not just looking like everyone else, not being a conformist to society’s standards. What people in the punk rock movement wanted to be was “real,” which mainstream culture was viewed as not.
However, punk rock culture today has slid back from what punk rock history embodied. Figures from the history of punk rock would look down upon modern punk rock’s “poseur” and sell-out mentality. Today, punk really is more about green hair than nonconformity, and being punk is almost like conformity in itself. Punk is mainstream—punk rock fashion is distributed commercially at chain stores like Hot Topic, punk rock music is played on mainstream “alternative” radio stations, Kurt Cobain is programmed into Guitar Hero as an avatar. Punk is now a fad as if being anti-establishment is cool, and when everyone tries to be “different” they all become the same again. Sadly, it’s very likely that many people today who dabble in punk culture don’t have a clue regarding the history of punk rock or what it was about. So to those who still try to keep to the punk rock roots watch in dismay as the next chapter of punk rock history is the eradication of punk rock itself because of those punks that are ruining it.
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