Vintage Vinyls

It's funny how trends come and go (and then come back round again), especially in the music industry. Although music downloads seems to be the quickest and easiest way to enjoy music there's still something nice about buying tangible albums. Vinyls are making a huge comeback with more and more artists releasing their new albums on LP. The nostalgic in me means I can't walk past an independent record store without paying it a visit, proprietors range from the trendy hipster types to the bearded pipe smokers accompanied by an aged jack russell. There's a fantastic record store in Whitstable, Kent called Rock Bottom Records - if you ever find yourself in the town be sure to pop in.

Rock Bottom Records - Whitstable, UK

Over the past year or so I have managed to collect a few eclectic records myself. The great thing about starting an LP collection is that most stores maintain an excellent and diverse range. Also a collection like this can suit all budgets, you can easily pick up great records for relatively low cost, that said expect to sell your grandmother on ebay if you're looking for an original release of 'Dark Side of the Moon'. Don't be afraid to take a look in the 'all records £2 box' for some real hidden gems although you may need to sift through the Cliff Richard albums. I find the best way to start a collection is to browse all the genre sections, I've gone into a record store in search of The Jam and walked out with British Motown Chart Busters. Most reputable stores do their best to source records in good condition however it may be worth just taking a quick look over the vinyl to make sure there are no major scratches... Remember, a lot of the albums are some years old so expect the odd imperfection but that's part of the charm. The attraction of vinyl albums is the background noise and the ability to establish between the variety of voices and instruments, sometimes it can feel like you're sat in the recording studio as the track is being recorded.

Top tip - Make sure you store vinyl albums upright and not flat, sometimes vinyls are prone to warping if they are stored flat too long.

Frank Sinatra LP and Crosley player