Savage Distortion

FOR THE RECORD

When I first started buying records, in 1976, your average LP went for about five bucks, at least at the PX they did, and my weekly allowance was also five bucks. It was a tidy arrangement.

As my lust for vinyl grew, as it very quickly did, I found employment to cover the cost of my habit.

In the early eighties Fred introduced me to the institution known as the used record store via Nuggets in Boston.

Nuggets was heaven for me, but it was in Boston, and I didn't live there, so nearly all of the records I bought until I went to college in 1984 were purchased new at records stores, most of which were located in malls.

For all the wrong reasons I chose to attend the University of Maryland at College Park. It's fairly accurate to say that my affiliation with U of M was disastrous, but there was one definite positive thing about the time I spent there, a used record store on Route 1 in College Park.

I bought most of my Stones collection there as well as hundreds of other LPs.

From that point until this day, the used record store has been my main source of recorded music.

A few years after that the Compact Disc arrived on the scene, and a great many of you sold off your vinyl.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

By 1990 retail record stores no longer stocked vinyl, it's value dropped - with the exception of 'original copies' and rarities.

I never put too much stock into the 'original copy' line of collector thought. I don't care when it was made, I want the music first and foremost, and as long as the jacket has all the original artwork and such, then shit man, what's the big deal. My copy of 'Revolver' was bought new in 1976, and it's fine with me, the record is still mindblowing.

At any rate the CD revolution ushered in the boon years of used vinyl. The past seventeen years has been great, and my collection has soared to over 1,200 volumes.

For a good while I could go into a used record store and haul in a big score of twenty or so LPs for under a hundred bucks.

After a while, as I mentioned in my recent related post, it got more difficult to land the big score. As far as Metal goes, I have it all - with the exception of the elusive Angelwitch record. I have all the Nazareth, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, and Blue Oyster Cult. I have all the Sabbath, Alice Cooper, and Nugent.

I diversified. Eagles, Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, U2, Ramones......

I've got toe holds in Country (Willie, Johnny, Glenn Campbell), R&B/Soul (Marvin, Diana, Teddy Pendergrass, Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes), Gospel (Staples Singers), Jazz (Miles, Charlie Parker), Classical (the big names), Reggae (Bob, Peter, Jimmy), and all those categories need further exploration along with early Hip Hop and, of course, Funk.

To that end, I'm happy to report that there are plenty of used vinyl stores for me to visit, and deplete, not only here in NYC, but in Albany, Rockville, Atlanta, and Austin.

Another sea change in the story of vinyl is currently under way.

There are a number of small companies who are licensing and re-releasing classic records on 180 gram vinyl, with all the original artwork. Often, these records are actually better than the 'original'.

So the used record bins are now sharing their space with an increasing amount of new vinyl.

The days of finding the big score, or the great deal may be ending, but the interest in vinyl has survived drought, and is on the rise.

Good thing I got my 'Blond on Blond' when it was going for six bucks.

So, my friends, I have this to say to you all:

Get rid of your vinyl. You don't need it, and I do. You don't use it, and I will. Your significant other wants you to dispose of it, so haul it all down to the used record store cash it in, and buy the new iPod.

It's the best thing, really.