MUSIC MONDAYS: MUSIC COSTS MONEY

You may think music doesn't cost money since no one seems to pay for it anymore, but if you want that good shit, you gotta pay. Sure you can basically find dirt weed on the streets of any major city, but if you want that pure kush, you gotta spend. I've already wasted many a post pontificating on the price of mini-LPs and rare records and the like. This is a bit different because I'm on a quest to decide my limits. What's the most I'd pay for a single CD? For a box set? For a record? I mention this because I am currently drooling over this 10 CD Parliament Mini LP Collection. It's all their albums from 1974-1980. Some of the original albums came with great inserts like pop-out figures, comic books, t-shirt iron-ons, etc. Now it's out in mini form. Well it WAS out in mini form. About 300 of these were made or something. And now the cheapest I can find it for is $287, and that's a shady site I don't trust. From a real place, the cheapest is about $400. That's 40 bucks a CD. Jen would never allow me to sell off some IRA money for this. Never. But I can still drool, right?

This brings me to my initial question. How much is too much? I remember a time when I could get this rare Japanese-only Eddie Hazel CD for 40 bucks. Back then, 40 was too steep. Now it's on eBay for at least 100. Sure, when it was 40, my income consisted of the money I took from my parents. (I didn't exactly rob them. They'd give me money for food and I'd keep the change. Or not eat. Or eat neighbors' pets. With the excess money, I'd buy a CD here and there, but nothing ever more than 20 bucks).

Right now I'd say my CD price limit is about $27. I bought a couple mini LPs last week for about that much or less (including shipping). 30's too much, unless I were to see a CD that's usually rare enough to fetch 100-150, going for 30. Then I'd cave.

As far as records go, I'd spend 100 bucks on the right record. Nothing more though. Records like Parliament's "Osmium" or Terry Callier's "Occasional Rain." I'd pay 100 for a copy in VG+ or better condition. Nothing less. I saw "Osmium" in VG- condition. I passed... A few months back I bought the limited edition Harold and Maude soundtrack for 80 bucks. Only 2500 were made. It comes with a bonus 7 inch record and a 40 page book too. Last week I checked on eBay and one sold for $130. So not a bad investment.

I always tell myself that it's better to be addicted to music than to Horse. Not sure if I'm denial or if there's some truth to that... Ha horse! Did they ever REALLY call heroin that? Smack, junk, horse. It's gotta be the best drug name ever. All drugs should be named after farm animals. Acid can be "Rooster." Coke? Bunny. PCP? Pig. Weed? Donkey. Uh... Crystal Meth? Chicken. I don't know. Horse. No, music addiction isn't horse. Unless of course I'm boiling down my vinyl and injecting it into my veins. But I'm not doing that... not yet at least.

One more thought... If any of my dedicated readers want to show their undying love for me, I will happily accept that Parliament Mini LP Set as a gift. Thanks in advance!