Crave Talk: All hail the analogue revolution

"It sounds like an unlikely revival, but vinyl is scratching and
crackling its way back to the top. Seven-inch vinyl records are once
again a popular format for some indie singles' sales in the UK. Sales
of 7-inch singles have risen to well over one million this year."


http://crave.cnet.co.uk/digitalmusic/0,39029432,49283730,00.htm

What would this mean for film? I met a couple of school kids recently
(~20yo) who were shooting with Bronicas and dismissing digital
altogether as a bad taste item. Will film see a similar artistic (or at
least a "cool/hip") revival?

 

isn't lo-fi always 'in'? I do wonder sometimes, watching videos for
indie songs just how many are video at all and how many are film.

 

It is most likely a craze, and will soon go away. The
reason given on the Web site for buying the plastic recods
is to have something tangible about a favorite group.
T-shirts and poster do that job better.

 

Two groups may continue working in film--

1: People like me, who have accumulated all the film equipment they need,
and for whom the cost of digital seems disproportionably high for the
relatively small gain to be had.

2: Artists who wish to achieve particular effects and for whom film can
better-achieve what they want.

If I were starting out today I would not even consider film. As it is I
have a lot of stuff, and there is no compelling reason for me to "go
digital" in any big way. Guys like me will eventually get old and die off.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to purchase new film cameras and
lenses. One day film stuff will be available only as used equipment
(perhaps Leica will still offer new cameras for $10,000). I predict that in
another 25 years film will be virtually unknown, except to specialist-types.

Most of my children's friends, all born in the early 80s, have never even
seen an LP. My oldest daughter was fascinated when she came over one day
and found me spinning an LP on my Technics Turntable, with Stanton
cartridge. Sure LPs are still available. Please show me where ordinary
people can buy them. Same for film. All things evolve. All things pass
from the scene eventually. Meanwhile, I'll continue to enjoy what is
available.

 

Hi.

I do not know ewhere you are based, but during that article on the BBC News
the other night, kids were buying Singles. At the end one of them, who had
been interviewed was shown picking up an LP from a rack in a record shop. It
most certainly was not a Single it was a 12 inch LP.

Roy G

 

Could be. But the small label singles I've seen were pressed in
several sizes. 7", 10" and 12". This wasn't recently though, but
back from the eras of disco and scratchin' DJs, where many of the
singles were custom, extended length versions, for use in clubs.
And they weren't sold in traditional heavy weight album covers, with
photos, art and text. They were just slipped in simple paper
envelopes, similar to what was used for most of the old 45s. I
haven't seen singles or LPs in quite some time, and that includes my
own!