Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Glitch Slap
-or-
Why I Suddenly Hate Spike Jones

Fucking technology; stupid me.
Earlier tonight I discovered an incredibly stupid glitch in Windows Media Player. This weekend I picked up a Spike Jones 3 CD set out of the WalMart bargain bin on a whim. When I ripped it to my EHD, the artwork for the first 2 discs downloaded, but not the third. Instead of finding the artwork online and pasting it manually, I clicked on the "update info" WMP function. It updated that disc and (for some fucking reason) replaced about 1/5th of my files with that same artwork. Now about 750 of my files have the image (below) as their album art:Arrrrrrggggghhhhh!
I'm way too anal-retentive to ignore it, and this will drive me mad until I get everything back to the way it's supposed to be. Of course all of the files that were replaced were those that were not in the WMP library. We're talking about obscure Japanese punk comps, vinyl transfers, self-produced CDs, out-of-print crap, promotional discs, etc. Essentially, it's all of the stuff that it took me forever to find the graphics for the first time around.
Something that took about 2 seconds to happen is going to take about 65 hours to fix. Seriously.
The final kick in the nuts? The CD set is of such unbelievably crappy production that it is virtually unlistenable.
I know, I know, I know - WalMart, $7 box-set, Windows Media Player - I was totally asking for it. Bite me.
That doesn't matter. I'm about 6 shots of tequila away from driving out to California, defecating on Jones' grave, stealing the headstone, driving North to Washington, and hurling it through the front windows of Microsoft's main building. That might seem excessive, but should take up less time than it will to fix the fucking problem itself.
Cocksuckers.

5 comments:

Chris B. said...

Microsoft can't even get business programs to work right and you're trusting your entire record collection to them. If you get far enough into it and decide to make a sweeping change, there are tons of better options than WMP.

I am, however, impressed that Walmart carries something as artistically relevant as a Spike Jones compilation, but I'm guessing he's already rolling in his grave by that very fact. (So, save yourself a trip.) Not surprising that they squished the life out of it.

Please stop supporting Microsoft and Walmart. You're out of D.C., dude.

edP said...

So I think I know what the next WILT cover is going to be

garv said...

If ya like Spike, I'd suggest renting SPIKE JONES: THE LEGEND through NETFLIX. It collects a few television appearances of the City Slickers, and it will give you a new appreciation of what went into those recordings (especially considering we're talking the days of single-track live recording). I'd fast-forward through the painful skits to the musical numbers.

PYLB said...

You might consider giving Songbird a try.

PYLB said...

Oh, and this album art manager add-on.