Is the record shop having a second coming? Just when it seemed that all record shops were doomed to failure there has been an apparent surge in people seeking them out, and where record shops can't be found, turning to the internet to buy real lovely crackly (sometimes) vinyl records instead of sterile digital downloads.
We can certainly appreciate the usefulness of buying digital downloads, but come on - no artwork, no physical manifestation of the music, nothing to cherish and file away. You just can't replace record collecting with downloading. And, of course, you can create your own digital versions of your own records so it's a win-win situation for record collectors.
Here at Recordauction, we are particularly devoted to the 7" single, or 45 as our American friends would call them. Nothing comes close to holding a genuine 45 in your hand. Record collecting is a bit like stamp collecting in that the actual record in your hand or on your turntable tells a story, has it's own history. Has been bought by someone, maybe 60 years ago, and kept safe through good times and bad until it ended up in your home, on your deck, on your record shelf. They have an intrinsic beauty. Then there's the smell of records. A room full of vinyl has such a wonderful smell. Some people might think it smells of musty old stuff, and maybe it does. But it's a gorgeous smell for those of us who grew up surrounded by real genuine records. I can't imagine life without my vinyl. I have some rare picture sleeves (of 45s) on my walls, and I pull out cherished records almost every day to hold, admire, and to play. NOTHING captures the sound of real music better than a 45/7". The dynamism of the recording is always loud (unlike albums which are usually mastered slightly quieter - though they still sound the same with an extra couple of notches on your amplifier).
Demo records are particularly evocative as they are little beacons of hope that were pressed up to try and get airplay or support for an artist or release. Tiny artists had demos pressed up and so did mega stars. Beatles red and white Parlophone demos are amongst the most valuable and highly sought after vinyl records, as are early 500 series red and white Tamla Motown demos.
We hope records really are making a comeback. OK they are slightly unwieldy and in an age when "everyone's a DJ" we concede that they are a bit more of an effort to take out to a club than a tiny 80GB MP3 player, and they require more skill to play. But they're worth it! Anyone can download a pile of MP3s and play them through a cable. Finding, acquiring, caring for, cleaning and transporting a DJ playbox of 7" singles is what every DJ should aspire to do (OK, we'll let you dance music fiends substitute 12" singles). Love your vinyl records and they will love you back. Honest!
Have we whet your appetite to buy some rare records? Scroll down the list of artists and music genres on the right of this page and see what's available.
