In his year-end recap over at Punknews.org, Justin August wonders aloud about a potential collapse of “the vinyl bubble.” I don’t want to re-state Justin’s thoughts for fear of skewing his ideas, especially as you can read it all yourself here - though it has to do in part with saturation and silly commercialism. Justin makes an interesting point; one for which I myself have mixed feelings, especially as the main example cited is Vinyl Collective, the company of someone I consider a friend and a cool dude.

I’ve been wondering about vinyl for a while now. I mean, don’t get me wrong – I totally get why people love records and I myself have some vinyl that I’m fairly attached to. I also collected comics and toys for years when I was younger, so I completely understand the collector mentality. But isn’t collecting things kind of like, I dunno – weird and crazy?

We turn items into totems by assigning to them specific emotional or psychological values. From good luck charms and blessed figurines to religious ornaments and clear vinyl with purple splatter, these things only have the value we agree to see in them. Sadly, there are people out there who couldn’t care less about the physical objects you love the most. Today, collecting is an accepted behavior, even though it rarely serves any purpose beyond the novelty of the collection itself. Objects are cool because we think they’re cool, but our collections are really just paper, plastic, ink, and other raw materials. They’re shaped into things, and we love those things, but they’re still just things. So that’s my first beef with vinyl – it promotes fetishism with no real end other than to satisfy a personal compulsion. To me it’s uncomfortably close to cat hoarding, or keeping your own pee in soda bottles.

My other long-standing issue with vinyl is its fossil-fuel base. I’m sure there are challenges in making records out of a sustainable material that can also generate that luscious depth that only a great piece of vinyl can produce. But really, how can any band that says they are pro-environment put out vinyl? For that matter, what does it say about those who purchase records and fuel the demand for these fossil-fuel platters? Why not just include an African elephant tusk and some baby seal eyeballs with every purchase? (*Ducks as readers throw tomatoes*)

Not only that, but I am not into clutter. I want to have less stuff filling up my house, not more.

What do you think? Do we have to fess up to a bad habit, or am I a maroon?

- The Gaslight Anthem are giving away some autographed vinyl – a limited edition of the demos from their debut full-length Sink or Swim. For your chance to win, you need to snap a photo of yourself helping the homeless. Seriously. Here is the release:

“Take a picture as you donate a blanket or jacket, work in a soup kitchen or give a meal to someone on the street and send that picture to VOLROCKS@LIVE.COM and you will be entered in the drawing. You can enter everyday from now until the 24th of December.”

- If you’re in Richmond, VA this Sunday you can catch Ann Beretta and Pedals On Our Pirateships playing a show in conjunction with the charity organizations Punks for Presents. There will also be art for sale from a number of artists, including Richard Minino, a.k.a. Horsebites, whose distinctive work has represented bands like Less Than Jake, The Loved Ones, Cobra Starship and many more.

All proceeds from the event will go to the Massey Cancer Center at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Punks for Presents describes their organization as being “dedicated to putting on ridiculous events to benefit Richmond-area charities and whatever the fuck else we deem worth… but it’s usually for kids.”

Saturday, 12/14/08
10pm
Empire Bar, 727 W Broad St
Richmond, VA

21+ / $5

Reunion shows are sort of a dead horse these days, but not this one. Unbroken, Swing Kids, Jenny Piccolo, Threadbare and Poland’s (non-reunited, currently a band) Fast Forward will be playing in May at The Glasshouse in Pomona, CA. The show is connected to the release of Brian Peterson’s upcoming book on 90s hardcore, Burning Fight. No bands are taking money, with proceeds going to a variety of charities including the San Diego Women’s Shelter, Planned Parenthood and more.

Click here for the whole story.

Unbroken, Swing Kids, Threadbare and Jenny Piccolo were some of the most coveted and influential bands of the 90s U.S. hardcore scene.

Hopeless/SubCity has announced the details for the 2009 Take Action! Tour. This year’s package features Cute Is What We Aim For, Meg and Dia, Breathe Carolina, Every Avenue and Anarbor. Like last year’s tour, this year’s Take Action! Tour will benefit Do Something, a national non-profit organization that helps motivate and inspire young people through a number of programs, including grants, social action training and more. 

Past TA! Tours have featured artists like Thrice, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Chiodos, Jimmy Eat World, Paramore and others. 

Learn more about the tour here.

The long-running radio show Live From the Fallout Shelter (WUML in Lowell, MA) is sponsoring the 2008 Rock For Tots show. The event will benefit One Lowell, an agency dedicated to promoting integration and self-sufficiency among Lowell’s immigrant community. Here are the details:

A Wilhelm Scream
The Swellers
Short Fuse Burning
Gunshot Wound
Battleships

12/5/08, 6 p.m.
The VPAC, 100 Pawtucket St., Lowell, MA 01854
$5