What worries me more is the disappearance of music here, mostly because of foreign traders (Western and Japanese) who buy up stuff dirt cheap in bulk and then proceed to sell it again very expensively in their countries of origin or on the web. Got to really hating them actually. I have helped some folks to find music here but they were exceptions, total music lovers trying to find what they really love, not looking to make a buck. For the rest I always have the same answers to the questions I regularly get asked via mail or comments. “Where do you buy your music?” Well, I ain’t telling. “Will you sell your records to me?” Nope. “Will you be my personal crate-digging guide when I come over?” Nope, do your own digging, it’s hard work….

Kudos to all the great bloggers out there that SHARE what they’ve got through hard work and endless searching but I’ve got nothing but contempt for those that go to all these third world countries and empty them of their culture for the sake of money….

Whilst the advent of the Internet has spawned low bitrate rips, it has had one beneficial effect – easy and usually free online access to rips of long-deleted vinyls from the most obscure corners of the world. Back then, trying to find a Zimbabwean or Jamaican pressing, for example, was virtually impossible even for those living in major Western cities – for those out in the sticks, nigh-on impossible. And once out-of-print, well, no chance. But now dedicated sites circulate this African musical heritage to all who have the patience to search the web for it. Robert will know all these sites, but readers may not: globalgroovers, wrldsrv, freedomblues, electricjive, each . blogspot.com, which specialize in rips of long-extinct but bouncing African vinyls. My humblest thanks to them, to rhythmconnection and to all who keep this heritage alive, cheers Dave Sez.

PS: for a most interesting discussion by a working musician (Dave Allen, bassist of the legendary politpunkfunk group, the Gang of Four) on digitisation and its impact on artists, see:

http://www.pampelmoose.com/2011/06/dear-musicians-please-be-brilliant-or-get-out-of-the-way#comments.

I, in my own little way, try to help preserve rare recordings in ‘megaposts’ of mostly new wave groups, indexing links to all available live or unreleased recordings by a particular group. For those who don’t yet know the Gang of Four, you’ll find a link to my megapost of their work in the comments to the pampelmoose piece; all of my megaposts (two pages, so click ‘Older Posts’ at the bottom of the first page) are at the address below, and don’t forget to check the comments for additions and reuploads – hope you find something you like, cheers, Dave Sez.

http://knowyourconjurer.blogspot.com/search/label/Dave%20Sez

and one prog-jazz/blues megapost here:

http://overdoseoffingalcocoa.blogspot.com/2011/07/colin-hodgkinson.html

Cheers, and thanks for visiting.

I got so emotional when I read your article and what you have experienced over the years. I am the founder of a Non-Profit organization in Kenya and one of our main goals is to preserve the African art, music and culture. It is very sad that we are losing ourselves so fast.

I am keen on connecting with you and anyone interested in learning more about my organization.

Am glad that there are people like you who are trying to put the word out there.

Simon.