Nicky WoulffeWhenever you take a look at someone’s record collection you will always become amused at what someone collects.
I have been collecting records on vinyl since the late 60s and I always question myself many times on why I bought a certain record at a certain time? Or indeed why I bought it at all ?
Vinyl record collecting was our Facebook, Internet, social media of those times. The Record shop was where you socialised with your peers, where you discussed music, where you learned about it. And where you got your references about what was happening at that time .
For six decades the vinyl record and its sleeve have been an integral part of record collecting.
The artwork as important as the record itself.
I know this from my long decades of record collecting, which still continues to this day. The cover artwork meant a lot to me and to the record buying public. It still does. Let’s face it: the record artwork was as important as the vinyl record itself, and as much a talking point.
I can still remember buying Rickie Lee Jones‘ debut record. It had a photo of Rickie Lee Jones on the front with a cigarette hanging from her lips. I was blown away by this magnificent cover. Indeed I bought it on the strength of the cover alone, it was that powerful.
Record Collections tells a lot about a person
At the outset of this article I said peoples’ record collections have always amazed me.
Recently, I visited a friend of mine who has a modest enough record collection and as I flicked through it. I was gobsmacked by the variation of artists that appeared on the shelves.
This is a man, in his late 50s, who went from Radiohead to James Last, to Vivaldi’s Four seasons in a matter of seconds. And then to bounce back to Def Leppard and AC/DC as I moved swiftly along. I always saw him as a guy who liked his music on the heavier side of life. But as I explored further it was undoubtedly a variation of serval different types of music.
After I left his house, many things ran through my mind. Firstly you really never know anybody that well and you certainly do not know their taste in music. But you learn a lot by admiring their random collection.
In an age where music is increasingly delivered direct to the consumer via Internet, downloads, or streaming, it took away from the physical product that was vinyl for sure.
A lifetime of musical memories
I am now collecting records for the best part of six decades and every single visit to the record store has been a real joy. As I scan my own record shelves, where there is a lifetime of musical memories, I never get tired of looking at the records and the beautiful covers that adorn them.
Covers like the iconic Abbey Road, or Revolver by the wonderful Klaus Voorman. Or the record labels like Sun, Motown, and Apple, which all bring memories flowing back for me.
Music has a fantastic way of bringing you back in time and to the place you bought or heard the tune for the very first time.
A welcomed comeback
I am glad that vinyl has made a comeback considering they said it was gone in the mid 80s. It was lovely to see so many people out and in the record stores for Record Store Day. I loved glancing through all the different releases for that special day and was lucky enough to pick up a number of records.
More importantly it was lovely to meet fellow music collectors and enthusiasts who really love their music. It was also great to hear some up and coming acts making new music and releasing new material on Vinyl Record.
Record Collecting has been a wonderful past time for me and I still very much love it. It has enhanced my life to a very rich degree.
Regrets, I have had a few. But then again, to quote a great song, record collecting has not been one them. As the Rolling Stones said “It’s Rock and Roll but I like it”.
Who am I to argue?
