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Any interest in starting a "record listening club"?

Blake Klondike

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I have a friend who belongs to a group that is similar to a book group in that they listen to one important or exceptional album per month and then discuss. In their case, the discussions are via email. Not clear what form this would take, but it sounds like a fun way to engage with everything our Amir-Approved Equipment is bringing us, and find new music to boot. Hope to hear any thoughts folks might have!
 

GD Fan

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I started a group like this a few years ago. The 33 1/3 book on Exile led to the idea. Four of us like minded friends read it and assembled to play the album and discuss. As can easily happen the evening went in a different direction, discussing the Stones more generally, but it was tremendous good fun. We've kept it up for 2-4 such meetings per year, all focused around an agreed topic or theme and they always prove to be some of the most enjoyable nights of the year. Even the dreaded covid related Zoom based evenings were great.

My advice is to carefully consider who you include in the group and to allow some looseness in the topic or discussion. We also found that video helps the experience (e.g. on Exile night we ended up watching a Stones concert video from 1975). But if my experience is any indication you'll have great fun!
 
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Blake Klondike

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Yes— my thought was to get to hear what others favorite records are, broaden my ears— especially with the depth of listening that folks here do.
 

walt99

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In my younger days I belonged to the “let’s get stoned and play some tunes” club, usually at my house
Might be time when I can finally quit working to start it up again!
 

D!sco

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Music discussion is great. I'm a fan of Adam Neely's presentation, with perhaps less emphasis on theory when just discussing 'sound' in an environment like this. But the overall idea is good. I get stoned when I listen to music anyways, so I'm squared away for the old boy's club.

Is there a legitimate DJ in the house? Somebody from radio or broadcasting to talk about the significance of older albums, new good things, just to keep a group in a relevant discussion and pick a direction?
 
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Blake Klondike

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Sounds interesting. You mention ”record.” Are you thinking of vinyl specifically, or any recording format, digital included?
I was thinking of album in the sense of a collection of songs-- it is totally true that youtube is a tremendous resource. I teach music and the kids all have access to so much music that they actually don't listen as deeply as folks used to; Instead of having 4 albums to listen to a million times, they have all of the world's recorded music available for free!
 
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Blake Klondike

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Music discussion is great. I'm a fan of Adam Neely's presentation, with perhaps less emphasis on theory when just discussing 'sound' in an environment like this. But the overall idea is good. I get stoned when I listen to music anyways, so I'm squared away for the old boy's club.

Is there a legitimate DJ in the house? Somebody from radio or broadcasting to talk about the significance of older albums, new good things, just to keep a group in a relevant discussion and pick a direction?
DJ-lens is an interesting discussion point-- because different generations experience music differently. I wonder if just posting tunes here might be a way to get started? If anyone has any more suggestions for structure, think that would be a great thing-- what does it look like, where/how does it happen, if not here.

One thought I have as a starting point would be posting a song that is really resonating personally at the moment, with the idea that people would listen to it 5-10 times and make notes of thoughts and share them.

Especially the last year or two, the social aspect of listening has been totally erased, so this could be a really cool thing, i feel like.
 

Soniclife

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@Blake Klondike

I think your original idea of an album a month is better than people posting tracks they like, there are already threads on the forum for that and they sadly don't generate much discussion. I think if people commit to be in the club it would come with the expectation they listen to the chosen record at least a set number of times, and give their thoughts on it we might get more buy in to the discussion. A month gives people time to listen on their own timetable, and time to change your mind, many of my favorite records I hated on first play and this is a problem with the streaming world.

For how to discuss I like the idea of using discord, it's cross platform, free, and works well with quick chat, as if we were all rounds someones house listening to music.
 
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