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My first memory of a record player is one of these Fisher and Paykel plastic numbers. For some reason it lived in the attic, where my siblings and I spent hours listening to our brightly coloured records while playing rounds of Ready, Set, Spagetti and Mouse Trap.
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It's only now that I'm older I wish I had the foresight to take better care of my toys so I could find them now. These records apparently date back to the seventies. I'm sure we must of had a real record player growing up, but those memories elude me for some reason.
Despite not being a child of the sixties, I still feel something nostalgic towards the humble record player. Even now I like to put on a vintage record and have a little boogie in my bedroom. There is something relaxing about the knowing crackle of dust in the grooves.
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I like records, but why should you care? We live in the digital age so what's the point of getting into vinyl? Not only do you have to keep getting up and flipping the record over, they are also heavy and take up a lot more room than one external hard drive. I collect records for three main reasons:
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1. They are tangible. It's like with books, there are many e-readers and audiobooks available, but there's nothing quite like feeling the pages in your hand, or seeing a bookshelf full of 'I've slogged it out and finished you' trophies. Digital files are so airy fairy, and easy to lose when technology fails us. I should mention that most new records come with digital download codes as well, so you can have the best of both worlds. If you are going to collect something, it may as well be useful and practical.
2. They look so darn good. Unlike CDs, the artwork that comes with records is so big that you can get lost in it. Like this Fleet Foxes record I own, you can pick out all the tiny details on the Pieter Bruegel the Elder painting in a way that you couldn't if it was on a CD. Digital is even worse; most of the time artists don't give you more than a front cover with a clichéd close-up of their face on it. Yawn. Big artwork also means you can put it on display. At work we sell these fantastic vinyl display frames which I highly recommend and would invest in had I not been moving to Europe. There is something appealing about having the whole record with artwork package that you just can't beat. You can also get a whole variety of vinyl, like the sexy colourless KOL record (above).
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3. The purist factor. Music used to be captured onto tape and then pressed into vinyl, retaining the music's analogue soul. Now days most of our music is converted into zeros and ones several times over before making it to our eardrums. Admittedly most new records have been converted too, and increasingly they are made from less durable, cheap materials. Yet in this technologically advanced digital age, vinyl sales are on the increase. Why you ask? Because they still ooze that pure, retro vibe that some of us will never give up. There seems to be some sort of prestige associated with being in the 'vinyl club', and purist artists often reward collectors with bonus tracks and B-sides that never make it onto iTunes. Simply put, records appeal to our romantic sensibilities. Vinyl is sexy, and there's no denying it.
So in light of Record Store Day, I thought I'd throw together a Record Collecting For Beginners Guide for those of you who have always wanted to get into it but were never sure where to start.
First you want to get yourself a nice, yet affordable record player. My picks are this classy white Digitech record player which you can pick up from Jay Car Electronics (NZ Wide) for a reasonable price. It also has a rip feature which is great if you want to digitalise those old gems you find in the bargin bin. My all time favourite is the Crosley Mini record player, which has that old vintage look all packed into a portable case. You can buy it from Amazon, but you may need to invest in a power transformer to make it run. I have the Crosley in red and I love it.
Also, a handy tip about buying electronic stuff from the States - send it with YouShop! It is our very own little NZ Post freight forwarding company. So you always have an address in the USA to post to and never have to turn anything down again because it says 'we only post within USA'.
And while you are shopping on Amazon, it may pay to pick up a little record cleaning kit to keep your needle happy.
Now you have your player, it's time to start building your collection...
These are a couple of records I own. I'd suggest starting with a few classic artists; you can pick up a secondhand Beatles record for pretty cheap if they are your thing. Also I suggest hunting in bargin bins at record stores or even opshops to find a few unknowns. I like old jazz, and this Immortal Jazz Classics record has become one of my favourites.
Buying new vinyl can be quite pricey in New Zealand, but you should definitely pick up at least one. I tend to buy more mellow records, as listening to records is more of a lazy sunny Sunday afternoon kinda deal for me, and they seem to suit the medium quite nicely. Down in Christchurch we have been starved of Real Groovy once again, but you can pick up some good vinyl at Penny Lane (who have a record store day sale on today - did someone say 25% off all new vinyl!?) or Galaxy Records here in Christchurch. Slow Boat in Wellington are well worth your time, and if you pop in today they have a whole day of record-related excitement to entertain you. You can also pick up records either online or at live shows. I got the St. Vincent one from her show in Wellington last year, a great momento of her brilliant performance.
Lastly you will need a box to store all your new records in. The Warehouse sells these super affordable stacking boxes, which undoubtably house many a record collection. If you like something more rustic you can repurpose a wooden beer crate. I painted one white and now it holds my ever growing collection. But if you want to go the whole hog you should hunt down a vintage case on Ebay or at an antiques store.
That's a start my friends! Let me know how your collecting goes. As a wee treat I've uploaded a few tracks from my favourite old record for you to listen to...
Is the cover sexy or what? Here are the tracks.
Enjoy the rest of your Record Store day. There is still time to rush out and buy something!
Also, here's a few more tidbits for you.
- If you ever end up with a scratched record, don't throw them away...you can always make a record clock, vinyl bowls and a whole plethora of other things.
- 10 things not to do to your vinyl - good tips for those who are new to the medium or who just need to break some bad habits!
- Also some beautiful Magnum photographs of people listening to records.
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