The Needle and the damage done - Neil Young

I've decided it's music March again. Last yearLast year for the whole of March I let iTunes decide the subject of my blip each day. I'd jot down the first ten tracks that iTunes threw up each day and try to find a blip which managed to fit with one of them. I've decided to do similar this year. Last time it was easy on some days and difficult on others. This year, to make it a bit easier I'm not going to be quite so precious about the randomness of the whole thing. If I find a relatively easy blip which will fit the list from iTunes I'll obviously go with that, but if I'm struggling and I see something whcih looks like it would fit with a favourite song then I'll go for that. The only rule I'll try and stick to is not to repeat any songs from last year.

Anyway, the first in this series is one of my favourite Neil Young tracks I think it's the way he does the walking bassline thing with his thumb I like about it. It's also quite apt as I'm off to see him on Monday.

Fortunately in my case the needle involved is one for a record player and the only damage done is to my wallet. I knew I was getting a lot of pay this month die to the fact I was getting my last pay packet from the agency and my first direct from the college at the same time (the only benefot of doing a months lie time with the agency). Between backdated holiday pay from the agency and overtime from the college I got quite a significant amount more even than I was expecting. I decided to add the last piece needed to really soup up my hi fi. A Linn Sondek LP12 has always been an object of desire for me. A friends dad had one when I was young and it's a fantastic record player.

There are far more expensive, and supposedly better, ones available these days (not that a brand new one is cheap by any standards) but I reckon most people would be hard pushed to notice much of a difference in sound as it sounds fantastic. I could only afford to buy one second hand, but it's still a fantastic turntable. Also even though it came second hand it was from a great wee shop on Leith Walk owned by hi fi buffs who recondition gear where it's needed.

Thankfully I'm on a budget as the whole place is full of the most fantastic kits including audio legends like Quad2 amps and NS10 monitor speakers. Maybe when I win the lottery I'll go and spend far more money there.