Well since its Friday and I don't want to do any work and since you asked:
I have AFTP on Cassette, CD and a digital copy - I don't need a copy of this on vinyl.
I want it but I don't NEED it.
Quite frankly, I don't NEED any vinyl by even my most favorite artist.
The mere fact I can afford to participate in this hobby speaks to how crazy fortunate I am in comparison to the average person.
Being very conscious of the fact that every time I throw $20+ dollars at something so weirdly bourgeois and twee as a vinyl record - and because I can listen to Binky the Doormat in the round on three other separate mediums - I'm not going to grab a copy just to have a copy on vinyl.
If I'm going to throw money that could (should?) be going to my sons' college fund or something of actual and real value - there's going to be some very careful curation before I just hand it over the cash.
Now, lets do a thought exercise: Say I buy the black vinyl reissue, just to have it. One day, I'm going to walk into the record store and an OG/1st Press is going to be on the wall. Its AFTP - I cant just let that just hang there - that has to come home with me. (I know how stupid that is - but at least I can recognize my own pathology). So, knowing that is what is going to happen - I'm not settling for something lesser.
My preference is to exercise some self restraint and patience in favor of carefully curating my collection.
Now, I'm also a realist (and maybe a little bit of a nihilist if I'm being honest) and I know that the OG copy is likely to never fall into my lap - so the next best thing (in my curation model) is a great sounding limited edition pressing. For that reason I try to acquire the most limited colored pressings.
But that's me.
I like a challenge and am too painfully aware of how ridiculous this hobby really is when I put a critical eye on it.
But I'm also the guy that (aside from pre-orders) doesn't: buy on-line, from big box retailers or Amazon.
I buy from the artist, independent record stores, in store and make the occasional PIF acquisition (shout out to the best thread going).
I know that places a significant degree of difficulty on putting together a seriously quality collection of vinyl - but that kind of the point for me.
That's why I'm being snobby - since you asked.
P.S. That and because I'm still butt-hurt that I got F'd on pre-order by Stipe and Co.
I appreciate your explanation. Your restraint is admirable. I’m more of a cheap volume buyer with an appetite for VG records (because $7-$14 is my ideal price point).
I’ve been mostly off the streaming train for a while and still regularly buy blind (especially 50s-70s jazz, which I’m usually only moved by on vinyl for some reason).
As for my other irrational traits, I can’t get myself to sell unwanted records online because I’m too afraid of negative feedback, so instead I just trade them in at my local for 1/3 of their market value. And I’m yet to invest on a cleaning method beyond a brush and some liquid. I’ll see myself out now so people can preorder $45 single LPs!
