Comments on my various Instagram and TikTok videos have included quite a few questions. Some of these I’m trying to cover in new videos, but here are some thoughts and answers now.
Sagging shelves
Some of you have commented on the sagging shelves, depressed by the weight of the vinyl on top. I, too, look at them, wondering if they will ever capitulate. I hope not, and they have been in place for around ten years, so surely… I do wonder though, as another album is squeezed in, if the risk might be increasing. Does MDF have a shelf life (pun accidental) and will it decompose and cease to be any time soon?
Sleeve protection
One of the most frequent observations is that I don’t protect my album sleeves in outer covers. And you’re right, in a perfect world, I would have outer sleeves on all my albums. But the records are quite tightly packed, and I find the flimsy polythene covers catch up when I try to slide the record back in place. And the thicker ones take up space that, when accumulated along the length of a shelf, would lose me space for an album or two, and space is at a premium. More, my fingers get chaffed by the sharp edges!
When the album cover is die cut or has some other oddity that might catch up when sliding back into position, or if I know the record had accrued a nonsense value (that I’ll never benefit from as my records are going nowhere!), then I will use a tough outer cover to protect it. Otherwise, I trust myself to take care. But the records themselves are different. I ensure they have the correct inner sleeves and the open edge is at the top of the outer sleeve (never facing the open edge) to protect them from dust.
“I can see you”
Some of you have been spotting albums in the background of my videos. You may see my tange is quite wide and diverse. I’m pleased to say I’ve been invited to theboAtpod so in a few weeks, you’ll be able to hear selections from my collection.
Save that url and I’ll tell you when I’m live.
Prepare to be shocked! (Or disappointed!)
Reissued albums and ‘overly expensive audiophile editions’
I might buy a reissued album if I don’t have the original that is ludicrously expensive. Or I might just say that I’ve managed without it for many years, so why worry now and leave it in the shop.
My first and favourite records
I can answer the first – though why anyone would be interested is beyond me! The second is impossible.
In my experience, people’s first records tend to be ones they would prefer not to admit to, especially if their tastes are still being formed. They tend to be easy to listen to, sing along to, or in my case, sing to an audience of friends and family. It was My Old Man’s A Dustman, by Lonnie Donegan. I knew all the words and would perform it when family friends came round for lunch. My parents must have been misguidedly proud or very forgiving, and it always struck me as odd that the friends didn’t come round so often after my performances! Needless to say, I don’t play it now (though I still have it). At least, not often!
As for favourite – I have been listening to and buying records since 1960, and I have had unnumerable favourite records in that time, and can return to any of them depending on my mood. So there isn’t any one record I can call a favourite. And why would anyone want to know, anyway? Music is so personal that anything I like may be a complete anathema to someone who, in other matters, might agree with me and share my opinions. What’s more, I have records that I listen to one day that I think are the greatest, then another day, wonder what I saw in them. Plus, I have so many that I might mention one album or a single and then, five minutes later, think of another, then another. No, it’s a question I can’t answer! Can you name your favourite record?
Vinyls or vinyl
Strictly, there is no plural to vinyl. The dictionary calls the word a “mass noun” like furniture and rice. And I have always avoided using “vinyls”.
Then I was given a t-shirt with the dreaded word on it. I tend not to wear it, or at least when it can be seen and certainly not at record fairs! But many other grammatical issues are constantly disregarded, like split infinitives and the incorrect use of “literally”, so if someone slips in a “vinyls”, I’d rather concentrate on their message than pick on the word they use.
Cleaning records
Of course, well looked after records shouldn’t need cleaning, but old ones that were neglected back in the day, or ones bought second hand, might need something. There have been a number of suggestions offered – such as water and wood glue – and they all terrify me. I have bought the special cleaning cloths, brushes and all kinds of gizmos to clean up records. In the end, I have bought a professional (and expensive) Pro-ject vacuum record cleaner. It sucks out all the grime from the grooves, and does it very well. I used it on a much-loved but ill-cared for album and couldn’t believe that, when I put it on my turntable and played it, it sounded immaculate, as if new. That only applies to discs that are dirty, of course. Scratches and damage across the grooves are there for ever.
But on buying new copies of albums I already own – that’s a tricky one! I have some original albums that are worn through frequent playing or that I would like to hear in true stereo (if the original was mono), or perhaps in a way that offers me a new perspective on the original. So I am occasionally lured into buying remixed reissues or audiophile pressings. Verdict? Mixed feelings. Where an album is stretched over two discs and plays at 45rpm, there is invariably a noticeable difference and I think I can hear elements in the performance I hadn’t been aware of before. Whether that’s worth the usually high cost, I’m not sure, but I have occasionally given in and probably will again if the right album is made available. But ‘remastered’ reissues tend to leave me cold. There’s nothing about them that seems to match the original pressings.
Ironically, now I know I can clean up my records to make them sound perfect again, I’m happy to allow the pops and clicks to remain, knowing I can remove them any time I please! Only if the damage distorts the audio do I get back to the faff of cleaning – then I ‘ll do a batch. But, as many of you say, the occasional surface noise is part of the vinyl experience!
I’ll try and keep on top of other questions either in the videos or here. For the moment, over and out!
