Vinyl is my mistress....
I had the chance to be interviewed for the local paper about the resurgence in vinyl just recently. Talking about why and what customers are buying, future of, etc. (this was apart of my job working at the indie record store).
It was an interesting discussion about how over the holiday it was a huge seller for the store where I work at. Not like a few pieces over the course of the week, but a dozen a day going out the door. Watching people dig through the bins for that lost album they had as a kid or discovering something completely new like the "Figure 8" 180 gram repressing from Elliott Smith, a picture disc for "Sgt. Pepper" by the Beatles, or that super deluxe Metallica "Death Magnetic" 5 LP set with CD combination...oh heaven.
What's even better was noticing more and more younger kids/adults buying vinyl this year. And I'm not talking like teenagers or 20 somethings picking up a stack here and there but 8 & 10 year old kids walking up to the counter with stack of gems like Marvin Gaye, the Smiths, Toby Redd and others. It' simple sets me back in awe. Sure, some are buying to collect them, others to play. Whatever the case, it's just amazing to see the pickup in vinyl increase steady every year.
Me, I love vinyl. Everything about it. I collect it. I play it. I marvel at the shear greatness and sound that simple piece of plastic-vinyl material produces every time I drop the needle down. Playing vinyl is a zen moment for me. With a CD, you just pop it in and press play & then forget about it. But vinyl is such a tediously loving project of flipping from side to side, placing the needle down on the track you want to hear, and protecting the record with plastic dust sleeves and shelves. It's become something to respect and love for me.
I find it great reading articles and see stories about vinyl. Watching all the attention that this once forgotten medium is getting now. Seeing how vinyl sales were huge this year, up 50% from reports I read, it doesn't look like it's going away any time soon. If anything, I only hope that it can continue the trend of people going out and buying a record pressing of the favorite artist or album.
My favorite quote that I've read about vinyl sums it up best: "You can't roll a joint on a download".
1 Comment
January 15, 2009 at 8:37 PM
If I had a record player, vinyl and I would be best friends. It amazed me to see the vinyl for Fleet Foxes in Best Buy the other day.
My parents grew up with vinyl, they have classic Pink Floyd, Yes, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, and many others (yes my parents were hippies)laying around the house for us to listen to. Vinyl has been apart of my life for a long time.
I too am glad vinyl is coming back. there's nothing better than putting that record on, hearing that wonderful quick scratch, and listening to your favorite artists jam out.
Post a Comment