So I had a slow day at work today, and caught up on my forum reading. There is a thread in the Steel Cage currently that I don't wish to revive, but in it there are accusations thrown of a person being a "gear geek." It is not surprising that no one ever cops to being a gear geek, even though many of us painfully and obviously are. In fact, some of us are obsesive fetishists over audio gear. It doesn't matter how many records we own, for some of us, we know where to get our fix: the stereo shop. But, alas the badge of gear geek, often like "audiophile," is often avoided and denied even when someone is caught red handed with their fingers in the techno slop. Or, worse yet, caugth with their Golden Ear waiving in the breeze. So without further ado, and with much pilfering from Jeff Foxworthy I give you "If.... you might be" of Gear Geek vs. Music Nerd.

If you’ve ever bi-wired speakers… you might be a gear geek.

If you’ve ever had to explain to your wife why you’re buying a 20 year old amp for more than $500… you might be a gear geek.

If you’ve ever seriously contended the legitimacy of double blind testing … you might be a gear geek.

If you’ve ever taken public transportation to audition gear, and then brought that gear home on the bus… you might be a gear geek.

If you’ve never heard of the Rave Recordings forum… you might be a gear geek.

If you have at least two complete systems gathering dust in a closet… you might be a gear geek.

If you’ve ever made your daughter upset fussing with the audio settings while she’s just trying to watch “That’s so Raven”… then you might be a gear geek.

If you think Robert Johnson’s is a good place to have breakfast… then you might be a gear geek.



If you’ve ever gone to a Yo La Tengo concert, and it wasn't just to get some artsy chick… then you might be a music nerd.

If you've ever claimed to have not liked anything REM did after Document... then you might a music nerd.

If you've ever claimed any band anywhere ever "sold out" or if you have ever claimed for any band at any time to have "only liked their early stuff"... then you might be a music nerd.

If you’ve ever chosen a side in the Dave Davies/Ray Davies and/or Liam Gallaugher/Noel Gallaugher debate… then you might be music nerd.

If your girlfriend just doesn’t understand the genius that is Dinosaur Jr…. then you might be a music nerd.

If you’ve ever in a drunken stupor declared Billy Corgan as having unseated Little Richard as the “Architect of Rock’n’ Roll”… then you might be a music nerd.

If you’ve ever paid fifty bucks for a Japanese import pressing of anything… then you might be a music nerd.

If you’ve ever traveled overseas and your friends gave you a list of records to buy (or if you were the friend giving the list)… then you might be a music nerd.

If you’ve ever engaged in a debate about Rock and Roll being descended from Country music rather then the Blues… then you might be music nerd.


And last but not least, if you collect 78’s… your both.

For the record, many of these have been culled from my own experience and am guilty of more then my fair share.

Cheers, Slumpy