Roots Archives Forum

Hi...

Got a new question, following a post by Leggo...

*How do you look for new GOOD stuff that you dont know...??* because most of you dont know all the stuff you are getting, before getting it...

this was more a message to vinyl owners ifrst, by I also wonder how mp3 traders choose their stuff.

To be more clear...

I started not so long ago to collect vinyls from the web... but at this time, no sound samples or that stuff...
Most logic way: buy stuff from artists I loved. Wrong way... jamaican artists do the best and the worst at the same time... I then started to look for conscious titles by known artists of the 70s (years I discovered were really different...)... wrong way too in 50% of cases... Finally with label, year, title and artist... still a lot to eliminate. I accumulated 500 untasty records this way... (they are yet sold, no worry).
Nowaday I buy only stuff I already know or stuff I can listen to.

What about you?

I think the best way is to look for producer info, really. Combined with the release year, you can get a pretty good image of what kind of sound you are getting. Another good thing to do is to find out the backing band / players of instruments beforehand.

Label doesn't always tell you the producer, but it's still good to find out to get some kind of an idea of the _quality_ of the sound you are getting. This goes not only for vinyls, but for cds as well; some record companies have a havit of trifling with the sound with compressors, limiters, EQs and such.

I wouldn't trust titles that much myself, although I'm often more inclined to buy spiritually influenced titles for some reason or another. To each his own.

In the end, I wouldn't stick to the artist info that much. It's often easiest to find a certain kind of sound with the afore-mentioned producer + era combination. Plus, that way you actually _are_ introduced to more artists than you would by sticking to a few artist names only.

And the last but not least; message boards. There are no better introductions than people's own reviews and descriptions. Yet it's good to keep in mind that opinions do vary and hence maintain a certain level of criticism while reading them.

There you go!

Newsgroups: alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.reggae

Download complete songs and albums. It's whatever others (like myself) have put up there at the time. If you like what you've downloaded, go out and buy it.

Actually I rather enjoy the Russian Roulette style.

I take a lot of risks and have ended up with some really duff stuff as a result. But I have also bought stuff that has really surprised me lately. Like:

Bye Bye My Love - David Isaacs.

I had never heard this guy before and thought (wrongly) that it might be a version of the Pancho Alphonso tune of the same name. It isn't, but it is such a great 12 inch it's gone right into my 'PLAY LOTS" box...

i started out just buying anything without hearing it but true u end up with a load of crap but i used to sell all the bad ones and keep the good. but now i suppose what to look for, artists names etc. but these days theres plenty free download sites or sites with streams at the click of a mouse so u should get no problems finding good stuff to buy these days if u use the net. I've found a few good unheard of artists on www.cdbaby.com plus u can usually get some free downloads of full albums there, check it out....

Youthman Deh, good write up. Agree 100% and that is exactly what I do.

Taking a risk and picking up anything under the sun is to costly for me. Ive done it in the past and I ended up with way more useless junk than the good stuff I was aiming for.

My ways to find new good tunes:
- find websites with soundclips, go through them all and take notes on which i like (out of 10)
- go on ebay and listen to the soundclips from certain sellers that sell rare tunes with clips (take notes for later)
- listen to online radio, tapes, anything you can get hold of and identify the tracks for future purchace
- Go out to local record shops and listen, do one off trips to London when I have some ££ laying around.
Label choice, buyer preferences, grading.. All comes with experience with purchasing vinyl, i find it helps to grade different labels in a book of some sort for future reference.
I have this little book of info, its like my music bible, heh.

Lounge around the recordshops.
Every week new 7"/12" and albums.
In the old days and now a day
Reading magazine and listen to the radio.
And reggaeparty's and concerts.

Lion

grab a cd or record from any artist who interests u and look for the old sound u want late 70's - late 90's, so u look at the year, studio, backing band, producer, and if u want to get all into details, look for backing vocals too.

for instance if u like mighty diamonds and u see a junior brammer cd and it says backing vocals of "tabby diamond and al campbell" u kinda have to figure its gonna have a mighty diamonds sound all lovers rock cause u aint gonna hear a heavy roots song from the mighty diamonds cause their singing style is lovers rock. u guys get it ?

THE COVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the backingband/musicians ... the year ...etc. come here search favorite labels , studios , artists musicians etc . , write it down on a list and keep an eye out for it .