The Middle-Aged Spectator wonders what to do with a record collection

I started collecting records when I was 11 years old. My parents had a lovely cabinet stereogram, had been members of the World Record Club, and had quite a number of classic and jazz LPs, so I knew about records, sort of. My first purchase was a single by Doug Parkinson in Focus, “Dear Prudence”, the Lennon/McCartney song. The first LP I bought, a year or so later, was Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water’. Many, many followed over the years, both singles and LPs, then cassettes and later CDs.

Here’s the problem. I haven’t had a stereo player for records and cassettes for years. My CD player is actually a CD/DVD/Blu-ray player attached to the television and its speakers. I cannot play a record or a cassette. Our new car doesn’t even have a CD player!

I now have an Apple Music subscription and a Spotify account. I have access to more music now than I have ever had before. I just don’t need these records and cassettes! So, what am I to do with them?

My first thought was to sell them. I put a couple up on eBay to gauge the level of interest. There were a few ‘looks’ and a couple of ‘follows’, but no bids. A second attempt had the same result. Plan B was to take a stall at a market day and watch them just go. But before I had a chance to actually do that I saw a couple of (middle-aged) men trying to do exactly that at a couple of markets, and to be honest, they were not being rushed by crowds.

So I thought about that. Why would today’s buyers of LPs have the same taste as I did in the 1970s-80s? Considering that, by and large, I don’t have that taste in music now, how could I expect people attending markets to go nuts over the possibility of buying Emerson, Lake and Palmer or Uriah Heep (original) records?

Taking the advice of one of the market stall-holders, I approached a record store that deals in new and used vinyl records. I showed them the catalog I had collated, and was met with a clear “Yes” they would be interested. If I could bring the records in, they would assess them for condition and marketability, and make an offer. At first I was enthusiastic, and went home, and started sorting and packing.

But for a lot of work, I’m not going to get much for them. I understand how the process works - I know they have to maintain stock, some of which will be slow to sell, and that they must maintain a decent profit margin on each item because of their store overheads and so on. I’m not going to receive a windfall, and some of the records I once loved will be considered without value - a sad thought.

As I was cataloging and packing, I had an eye-opening experience. I had entirely forgotten the artwork and design standards so beautifully obvious on so many of the covers. This is a branch of art that has now almost entirely vanished. Record companies don’t need to supply any packaging with a streamed product!

And then I got nostalgic, and it was as if I were 16 years old again, and had just got home with my newest record. The anticipation, carefully taking the record out of its sleeve, placing it on the turntable, the “pop” as the needle touched the outer edge of the disc… And sitting down with the cover to marvel at the artwork, follow the lyrics, read in detail about who the studio musicians were and on and on and on.

So, there’s a very deep personal connection, and now a conundrum. What to do?

I’ve got a solution.

I’ll give them away to people who want a new (old) record. There’s about 70 of them that are in “good” condition or better. Some are pristine, but in the world of second-hand records cannot be considered better than “very good+”.

If you want a copy of the list of what’s available, email me dmorgan4405@gmail.com

If I am able to make a drop-off for you, or you want to take a trip to southern Queensland to collect an item, you can save some money. Otherwise, you will have to pay postage. But the record is free!

Hopefully, I can rehome some pre-loved records!