Desperate Man Blues

An inspiring documentary about a man and his passion of collecting blues and jazz records. Joe Bussard is one of those rare people who actually protect and preserve a cultural pillar without expecting anything in return.

I am well aware of the cheesy intro sentence, but that is what it is. Personally I always liked old jazz records, and fervently detested U2 (by reference that Bono is the biggest crap in the world and symbolizes pop and rock music in general) and derivatives (anything that is recorded after 50's) for a very long time. Actually crappy music is why people get high on drugs and consume insane amounts of alcohol in pubs. That and low self esteem. And the prospect of getting some action. And the fact that they falsely reward you for things you would regret otherwise. I could go on but this is not an AA support blog.

Of course 'tis my environment who dictates me which musical aesthetics should be considered worthy of attention. So I will recoil to my pseudo zen philosophy that all ages have sincere and true music, and that you just have to look for it.

Nevertheless, the "old bastard" as he puts it, has tens of thousands of records, all classics. He apparently did it by traveling the back roads of Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Virginia, knocking on the doors of derelict or old-timer houses, most of which do not even have a road connection. His short rant in his myspace page explains much more:

"I'm an Old Bastard! I collect vintage 78's from the thirties. I don't like anything made after the the thirties. Rap music is pure garbage Now don’t classify that stuff as music, good Lord. You run into a teenager, 16 or 17, ask them what noise is. “I don’t know.” How could they know ‘cause that’s all they hear. All you gotta do is listen. It’s a shame that all that’s great in this country is gone. Rock music is garbage – Straight from hell. Look at the people who do it. Idiots, they’re like animals. 99% of ‘em’s drug heads. The Beatles are crap You ought to step on them. That’s what you do with beetles. It’s just a sign of the times, a bunch of weirdos banging crap. It’s too bad their plane made it over here. If one had to crash that should have been the one. That would have helped our music situation for years. Elvis Presley – Couldn’t stand him Stupid looking thing. I’m just tellin’ it like it is All you gotta have is a pair of ears and something in between that resembles a brain. I really believe that anybody who listens to that hard rock stuff has to be on drugs, ‘cause a person with a normal brain couldn’t listen to it. Go to www.vintage78.com and see my site. Or you can check out the new box set at www.fonotone.com"

As a lesser music appreciator in this era it is nice to get to listen a true music appreciator from an earlier one. If not the music, the methodology and the enthusiasm should be duly noted. Long story short, for wonderful music and sincere music appreciation go visit whatever links I posted on this entry.