Old but New

billhart

billhart

New member
Joined
Apr 17, 2015
Messages
40
Location
NY-Austin
I've been around some of the audio fora for years, but the 'shark' is new for me. I see a lot of familiar names here. For those who don't know me, I was a long-time NYC copyright lawyer, did decades of stuff in the music industry and on Internet law as outside counsel. Now retired, living in Austin part of the year, but still have residence in NY. My focus in the last few years has been older pressings on vinyl. Though I enjoy gear, I find that it becomes a pursuit for its own end. Only when I had time to start going through the thousands and thousands of records I had accumulated over the decades, did I finally start to appreciate that so much is dependent on on the recording, the particular pressing, etc.
Austin is a great town, and a welcome change from the crush of New York, where I've lived for 34 years.
I teach part-time at UT Law School, and have been involved in some grass-roots efforts to help educate artists. What's interesting about Austin- both a plus and a negative- is that there is a huge artistic community here- recording artists, songwriters, film-makers, writers, etc. but very little "infrastructure"; it makes it much more accessible in some ways- not the corporatized "industry" thing driven by suits; downside is, a huge amount of talent is working for almost nothing- they may get work on a project, or go 'on the road' but despite all the fanfare of events like SXSW, there is little support for the artistic community beyond non-profits and local benefactors who help out of generosity, and a desire to support 'the arts.'
I'm still glad I'm here, though. Just a walk through town puts a smile on my face.
Glad to be here as well.
Bill Hart
 
For those who don't know, Bill has recently started a new website called Vinyl Press focused on older vinyl pressings as opposed to the new reissues coming out now from some of the audiophile labels. I don't know Bill personally but know him from his posts on that other forum where he goes by Whart. On anything vinyl, Bill knows his stuff and when I have the time, and I see a posting of his on the subject, I usually read it and learn.

Here is a link to The Vinyl Press website: The Vinyl Press -

I hope you don't mind Bill but I would also like to attach a link to an excellent primer you did on buying used records: Buying Used Records-A Primer - The Vinyl Press
 
Thanks, Cyril, I'm always a little reluctant to engage in direct self-promotion on the sites (though I have- it seems a necessity these days, so much is out there) . I have been having great fun writing and researching, doing the interviews and discovering music that isn't on the radar, and the people who made it.
 
the professor said:
Welcome to AS!

Austin is a great city. But waaayyyy too hot in the summer. :)
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I have never suffered a summer here. I was on the phone with someone in Austin last summer, and I was on the line from NY. The phone signal cut-off. When we reconnected, he said that his Internet phone signal starts to act up once the temperature gets over 105F.
But, never fear- there are these silly beer wagons with bicycle seating- pub crawlers, i think they are called- mostly young, college kids do it- they pedal themselves around town, with an adult driving, sucking down beer from a keg stationed on the vehicle. I can't imagine what that would be like in the dead heat of summer. (I think the machines originated in The Netherlands, where it is flat, and not as hot). As they say in NY, 'go figure.' :)
 
billhart said:
Thanks, Cyril, I'm always a little reluctant to engage in direct self-promotion on the sites (though I have- it seems a necessity these days, so much is out there) . I have been having great fun writing and researching, doing the interviews and discovering music that isn't on the radar, and the people who made it.
Click to expand...

Bill...I enjoyed reading your primer on buying used records. I like to disseminate good sources of info. :thumbsup:
 
Yes, welcome to the Shark, Bill. You're so right about the Austin area having so many talented artists/musicians here that really don't get a lot of extra support. It still fascinates me that I can go to many, many locations around town and hear such talented artists for next to nothing cost-wise.
 
No problem. What do they say about weather here in Austin? If you don't like it, wait 5 minutes? It will change? Seems to be in a protected bubble most of the time, given some of the crazy storms elsewhere- up near Oklahoma.
Are you going to the Austin Record Show? I've been trying to make it for the last 3 years- every year, after buying plane tickets and making lodging arrangements (we are usually in NY in the fall), had to cancel. This year, will be there- May 22-24. Looking forward to it.
 
billhart said:
No problem. What do they say about weather here in Austin? If you don't like it, wait 5 minutes? It will change? Seems to be in a protected bubble most of the time, given some of the crazy storms elsewhere- up near Oklahoma.
Are you going to the Austin Record Show? I've been trying to make it for the last 3 years- every year, after buying plane tickets and making lodging arrangements (we are usually in NY in the fall), had to cancel. This year, will be there- May 22-24. Looking forward to it.
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More than likely, I'll attend. It's hard to resist buying records! They are holding it in the Palmer Event Center this year - moving upscale! I think I read that there will be over a million records there. I might be able to find one or two I don't have.:)
 
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