Let's Talk Vinyl Records....

All right, so I recently reacquired (purchased) a record player after not having one for, well, a little over a decade.

I did not exactly grow up during the true vinyl era. Even though vinyl was still one of the most common and widely available formats, cassettes were the big thing, and it's what I mostly wanted and bought, mostly because of portability. I had a cheap all-in-one audio system (dual tape decks, lp player) that my father bought for me, and I used to go through his albums and listen to a variety of stuff, mostly Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Alice Cooper, some Queen, AC/DC, # like that, but I never bought any myself. I vividly remember laying in bed falling asleep listening to Abby Road and the early Beatles.

When I was in high school, the CD revolution was beginning, and it was at that time I actually bought my first LPs: Dark Side of the Moon, The Cure's "Disintegration," and Bad Religion's "Recipe for Hate." For many years I would listen to side B of Disintegration as I was going to bed. I eventually got tired of that POS record player, and it was trashed.

Fast forward to 2017. I still have all my dad's records.

I got another player. I hooked it up to my home theater surround sound + outdoor speakers and started buying vinyl.

I am ADDICTED.

After almost two decades the first vinyls I purchased were Swans: 'My Father Will Guide Me up a Rope to the Sky' (bought and signed at a show) and Sigur Ros: 'Valtari' and 'Takk.'

Jesus Christ. Lighting some candles, a bottle of wine, a little something, and some darkness, and it's amazing. Perhaps I have been stuck listening to compressed audio for so long now I have forgotten or never truly appreciated good analog/vinyl. The space, the sonic depth, the beauty.

So, I bought more:

Swans: 'The Burning World'
Red House Painters: Songs for a Blue Guitar
Sigur Ros: ( )
Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here
Beck: Morning Phase
Dead Can Dance: 'Toward the Within' and 'Spleen and Ideal'

And others on order:

Skip James: Complete 1931 Sessions
Robert Johnson: Complete Recording
Nirvana: Unplugged in NYC
Pink Floyd: Meddle, The Wall, 'Momentary Lapse of Reason'
Red House Painters: Down Colorful Hill
Orbital: Wonky

And many others on the wish list. Unfortunately, the NIN site is under maintenance so I can't order # from there, but it's usually sold out anyway.

Now I understand what Trent means when he says:

"Digital formats and streaming are great and certainly convenient, but the ideal way I’d hope a listener experience my music is to grab a great set of headphones, sit with the vinyl, drop the needle, hold the jacket in your hands looking at the artwork (with your [#N] phone turned off) and go on a journey with me."

I’ve begun listening to a lot more vinyl lately, because I like not being able to skip songs.

I like putting it on, and I like the idea that there’s a 20-minute suite of music, and then I have to get up and turn it over, and there’s another 20-minute suite of music. And if the phone rings, or something happens, it’s not as convenient as it just goes away.

Let's talk vinyl.

A vinyl record store has just opened up on the street I live on. I remember the record player my parents owned in their first apartment. Music like Abba

I was taken aback by my grandson. He wanted vinyl records of my day so I gave him all of mine.He goes to thrift shops , Goodwill stores, etc. to specifically shop for records.
2017 and he is a big fan of music I listened to 40-50 years ago
It is a growing fad today among young people.

a reply to: stormcell

That's awesome.

Does it deal *only* in vinyl, or do they have vinyl in addition to other formats?

There's a place or two in Little 5 Points that always carries vinyl and has an long as I can recall, but...that's Little 5.

I notice that a LOT more bands are putting out vinyl in increasing numbers. I wonder if it's partly a reaction to streaming/pirating, since vinyl *has* to be bought, and which goes back to what Trent said. Also, it's physical and can't be pirated. It exists.

Another addict here.

Can't stop buying soundtracks of either 80's films, spaghetti westerns or italian horrors, rarer the better.

I look at it as an investment too and when I need some pocket money I resell the ones I care about less.

All this is on top of my older collection of Dub Reggae and Metal.

a reply to: Liquesence

we were sold a lie with the CD and told that it was superior but the truth is it is not.

they scratch just as if not more easily than vinyl and when you go back and listen to vinyl you realise that most of the top end and life and sould in the music has been lost on cd.

I lost my vinyl collection years ago but had all my parents beatles and floyd stuff and a whole lot more of the 60's and 70's and then added my own. I had a lot of mudhoney and Nirvana, soundgarden that kind of thing but it was all stolen.

when I see the youth of today listening to substandard music via youtube on a smartphone I get a little sad at what they could have had.

a reply to: Liquesence

I've got a bunch of my dad's old vinyl. It had also become an obsession of mine. To me vinyl just sound richer.

I bet that sigur ros is amazing.

I recently came across a yard sale that had MINT vinyl. Not goodwill thrift store crap. Like a massive collection of good stuff. Beatles, bowie, stones, pink floyd, neil young, etc

I bought Dark Side of The Moon and rubber soul.

Saved their info for a later date!

I have Neutral Milk Hotel, a bunch of iron and wine, portgal. The man. And others, all great on vinyl.

a reply to: Taggart

Can't stop buying soundtracks of either 80's films, spaghetti westerns or italian horrors, rarer the better.

That's interesting. Titles?

I have a few of my favorite soundtracks on my "wish list" (Last of the Mohicans, Solaris (2002), Twin Peaks, etc) but haven't bought any yet. I could always go for a Breakfast Club OTS on vinyl. Suspiria (and Goblin) might be interesting, too.

All this is on top of my older collection of Dub Reggae

I forgot reggae. Damn. I'll have to look at some Marley (Bob and Julian), Gregory Isaacs, etc. As far as metal, that stuff I want is really rare, like $200 an album. :/

Quit enabling!! j/k

My uncle gave me his old Technics SL-D202 turntable about 4 years ago as a gift and I've used it just about every day since then. I've probably bought around 70 records so far and don't see myself stopping any time soon. Some of my favorites in my collection include the Soft Machine's self titled, Van Der Graaf Generator's Pawn Hearts, Gong's You, and The Mothers of Invention's We're Only In It For The Money.

Vinyl?
This is the record store of a buddy:





For sure vinyl, if i see these "DJ´s" nowadays, with computers instead of turntables, mixing with mp3´s and stuff like that, i just can laugh!!!

a reply to: nonspecific

we were sold a lie with the CD and told that it was superior but the truth is it is not.

The lie was confusing "cleanness," "crispness," and loudness with superiority, I think.

when you go back and listen to vinyl you realize that most of the top end and life and sould in the music has been lost on cd.

True. That's what I mean about the sonic depth of analog and the compression digital uses, that loses those extremes and the space throughout the frequencies through compression.

That sucks you lost your collection. :/ Weird that my dad never had Pink Floyd, but plenty of Zeppelin/Beatles (his fave)/Stones/Alice Cooper. That you also had Mudhoney, and other grunge is impressive.

Man, I'm sorry all that got stolen or lost.

a reply to: Liquesence

Twin Peaks s.t. on vinyl would be freakin amazing.

originally posted by: denybedoomed
a reply to: Liquesence

Twin Peaks s.t. on vinyl would be freakin amazing.

I think one thing that fuels my addiction is that so many modern albums can now be bought on vinyl. I still think it's partially marketing, as I mentioned.

I have seen the new series on vinyl, but I haven't seen the original film OST, which I have on CD, on vinyl.

It would certainly be amazing.

a reply to: DerBeobachter

# That place is awesome. I could live there. And lose all my savings.

It reminds me of a place in Little 5, but yours is more polished.

Just curious, where is that, Germany?

a reply to: Liquesence

ohhhhh......

originally posted by: Gothmog
I was taken aback by my grandson. He wanted vinyl records of my day so I gave him all of mine.He goes to thrift shops , Goodwill stores, etc. to specifically shop for records.
2017 and he is a big fan of music I listened to 40-50 years ago
It is a growing fad today among young people.

Ok, so what records did you have???

You probably are a peer group of my father. You can't beat that stuff.

originally posted by: nonspecific
a reply to: Liquesence

ohhhhh......

Dude...Jump back.

a reply to: nonspecific

One minor point stated what we all know:
"...they scratch just as if not more easily than vinyl...."

Just planned obsolescence in action. They could easily make them virtually bullet proof.

originally posted by: Liquesence

originally posted by: Gothmog
I was taken aback by my grandson. He wanted vinyl records of my day so I gave him all of mine.He goes to thrift shops , Goodwill stores, etc. to specifically shop for records.
2017 and he is a big fan of music I listened to 40-50 years ago
It is a growing fad today among young people.

Ok, so what records did you have???

You probably are a peer group of my father. You can't beat that stuff.

Lynrd Skynrd , Black Sabbath , Led Zeppelin , Elvis (my wife's) , Credence Clearwater , Janis Joplin , the list could go on forever.
Even had 2 LPs of the Chipmunks (yes the Alvin and the Chipmunks )
And , I had every one of the LPs from most groups or artists.
All in all , I would say around 200 or more
Black Sabbath and the OzMan was my number 1 favorites though.

a reply to: Gothmog

I've got peter and the wolf on vinyl.

Mint