Ebay is allegedly facing their worst day in two years, with stock holders panicking because of the forecasted lower revenue. Also, eBay is conducting a “mass layoff” in the Bay Area, consisting of an estimated loss of more than 260 jobs. It is repeatedly reported that the company has suffered massive revenue losses, and we may hope it may be the death of eBay.
Unworthy idiots hording limited editions early on only to sell them overpriced later on have made places like eBay and Discogs their domain. While honest trade also had a place through these media, they were also the first motivation for underground fraud by those who have no appreciation whatsoever for metal as an artistic creation in the first place, and as a symbol and conduit for something more.
Anything that opens the underground up to any idiot with a credit card and an internet connection is not a good thing. Metal, and underground culture in general, thrives “esoterically,” through informal membership enforced by a culture, a mutual respect for those who show themselves deserving and a sodomizing of the gullible. So, while on the one hand a good ruse against the hipster wannabe was to sell him a copy of Deafheaven’s albums at $50, or even $100, the long-term effects of this would be the creation of an unprecedente status for utter garbage.
One might wonder, however, if this would be the ideal way to create a rift, an abyss between the mainstream and the underground, as only those actually belonging to the culture, those possessed by the insight, would know the difference, and know not to buy or support otherwise mediocre music on the basis of group membership.
Keep the mystery alive! While Death Metal Underground does promote and indeed, to a certain degree, does “expose” many underground releases to more readers and listeners, the audience is not thereby “widened.” What we seek to do is make this underground culture available to those who have the potential, the character, the insight, in actuality or potential, to esoterically discover the art and unveil the mystery on their own.
Tags: ebay, mystery, underground
Unworthy idiots existed in the days of tape trading. I would say it’s a good thing if anyone can make a fortune out of them.
Capitalism. 100 bucks is 100 bucks, whether you get it selling some idiot a Deafheaven LP or a Burzum LP.
Metal isn’t a seekrit klub. Varg is a 4chan meme now, no “esoteric discovery” of his music is possible anymore. I know that mystique was part of the allure of getting into this music, but once it’s gone, it’s gone, and you can’t artificially generate it. If you want some genres that are still obscure, difficult to find physical copies of and pretty much undocumented both online and in literature, check out RAC or Japanese hardcore or something. (oops, did I just slightly demystify them?)
I’d really be ashamed if I was socially programmed by a gay image board full of images of transsexual porn to not enjoy some of the greatest music ever recorded. You are a fucking weakling.
read much?
Varg himself has fully embraced his meme-status by being an e-celeb. I doubt there is much “obscure” music out there, unless its some band that released some rare demos with copies ranging in the hundreds. Punk and its derivatives not withstanding.
Hahaha Man, you really are disconnected from the underground.
There is in fact a lot of such “obscure” music out there.
Many of which exists in precisely the quantities you described, and in more limitations held up by underground fidelity.
I guess that is precisely why you don’t know about it.
And, not only punk, but death, black metal of all kinds, electronic, noise, and more.
How much of it is just an imitation of “the good ol`days” in form and substance? I don`t doubt that there are such hardcore underground aficionados who trade third generation tapes for nostalgia, or novelty sake.
In some cases it may be “imitation” but it is actually continuance of a tradition with a purpose and utility.
In many cases it is uninterrupted continuance by an older generation, and in other cases it is this older generation directly influencing a younger generation by personal contact and “teaching”.
Then again, I noticed this simply by observation.
I have to add that there are many upstart bands around who have never released anything, except perhaps some demo and play as opener to some other 2nd rate band, or in some rare cases even world renowned bands. Its usually some hobbyist band that “hasnt made it yet” and never will. This the about the extent of what I know about the local underground scene, you mileage may vary, etc, etc.
eBay ist great for scoring secondhand stuff though, got myself a pair of very decent unused earphones for 6 Euros
Tipper Gore was a hot mama!
Was she actually called Mrs. GORE?