There’s a lot.
Just kidding! This isn’t therapy.
I’ve been collecting vinyls since 2009, but have been a fan of music for generations. My maternal grandmother said that she brought my toddler mother to a Beatles show in California in the early 60’s. So if you wanna get atomic, I have existed in the same area as John Lennon. I also have a passion for reducing, reusing, and recycling so I shop for most of my household items and clothing at thrift or second-hand stores.
One day I was standing in the middle of the slightly outdated technology and sports equipment section, I decided to try out vintage record flipping as a side hobby. I even bought myself a used stainless steel coffee cup to remind myself of that rare sense of purpose. While I haven’t totally dedicated my life to ruffling through milk crates at estate sales, searching for that needle in a haystack (which is totally the fantasy and goal), I still will come across a gem or two while restocking my wardrobe.
The first thing I look for in a resealable piece is the media. It’s my personal opinion that if the media isn’t playable or enjoyable to listen to, there goes some of the market. The story behind the production of each and every album in existence is someone’s favorite story to tell people. It could be the musical artist coming up with a song they felt worth releasing into the world, or the graphic artist who got commissioned to have their creation be the artwork someone thinks of when they think of their favorite record. The culmination of these humans’ experience on this earth combined with the record being free of any notable scratches or warps make me very selective when looking for items to list.
While I haven’t come across a method for washing cigarette smoke out of record sleeves just yet, I do ensure that I properly grade the sleeves of every item listed, noting any fraying edges or old owner’s signatures. While I can’t help that somewhere down the line this 1972 release of Big Bambu lost its promotional pack of rolling papers, I do try to keep everything that comes in the sleeve intact and with the record itself. Same with hardshell cassettes and cds. If the shell is scratched so badly it looks like it was used to summon the Blair Witch, I’ll replace it and then keep the original to have an adventure in the woods one day.
I know that I will probably never live out my dream of living above my own record shop in a cold coastal beach town, especially in this economy. This is side money for non-essential delights like Netflix and Spotify. I’ll keep working a job for someone else until I strike gold or marry rich (which is gonna be a problem to find someone since I work all the time). Every day is just one step closer to living that dream though.
Whoa that got off track. Uh, thanks for reading this creative-writing diary entry. I’ll be honest, I ate an edible and sat down to write and publish this tonight. I hope it’s all at least a bit entertaining or relatable to read.
Tl;dr : these items listed here are as close to legit as this evolved primate can deem them to be. Be kind.