An Evening of High Fidelity
Last night I watched my favourite music film, High Fidelity, for the first time in years. I say music film, but it’s actually a romantic comedy, centred on music mad characters. I guess I like it because I see myself in all three of the main characters from Championship Vinyl – Rob (John Cusack), Barry (Jack Black) and Dick (Todd Louiso). I have Rob’s emotional wreck-head tendencies, Barry’s excitability and Dick’s total nerdiness – and all of them in spades. Not to mention their obsession with list making and constant musical references… when Rob’s ex-girlfriend’s dad dies, Barry immediately starts a game of “Top 5 songs about death, a Laura’s dad tribute list”, I don’t find that offensive or inappropriate in the slightest – I find it strangely comforting!
It’s been a long time since I organised my record collection, I have some on shelves, some in my car, some in boxes under my bed and some in cupboards. Some digitised, some not. But that’s my own form of organisation, which only I can understand. Again, strangely comforting.
This film (and book, beforehand) always used to make me want to start my own record store, but these days no longer. Probably due to watching the demise of Spinadisc in Northampton and Plastic Factory and Tempest in Birmingham over the years. But it does still stir an entrepreneurial spirit deep inside. Watching how happy Rob is to start his own label makes me all warm and fuzzy.
So while “Purple Amp Records” is some way off yet, I am going to dabble in creating and producing once more. That warm and fuzzy feeling of creating something will be mine once again.
Oh and yeah, if you’ve never watched it, you’re a dork. Watch it.