What $8 buys you

The joy of vinyl collecting is this:

11 records for $8

You can happen upon a random store (in this case a book sale place in Rockville, MD) and pick up a bunch of stuff for next to no money.

They might not all be world beaters but I know at least 4 (the Derek & Clive Live, Fun Boy Three, No Nukes and the Herb Alpert records) will be worth the $8 alone. The others are all experiments and could easily repay their modest fees just with a few moments of enjoyment.

Vinyl offers a tactile experience, great sound quality, a sensorial connection and a meandering variety that just appeals to me. The last point is important. It has variety but not in the calculated, whatever you want have it now Spotify/internet sense. It offers it in this way where you can cherry pick and discover. It also gives the possibility of gems not found anywhere else. Things lost to the internet age.

It’s a fine way to pass a few hours is record shopping. The excitement of leafing through stacks (or the hunt as I term it) is really as much of the joy as the listening. You find a beauty on to see a gouge on the shellac and have to pass it up. When you do find a keeper you feel part of some secret world.

Post script: I also got some bloody amazing JBL speakers for $40 here too. The importance of a good speaker can also not be underestimated. The sound quality just aids a greater enjoyment.