VINYL VIBES | MUSIC STORIES, VINYL CULTURE & RECORD COLLECTING - Music Blog

I Sold a $3,000 Record for $2 — And I Have No Regrets

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Meet Peder, a Swedish vinyl collector who never abandoned his records, still believes in the thrill of the hunt, and wonders whether the vinyl revival has made collecting too expensive.

Peder once sold a record that he believes could now be worth as much as $3,000. He got $2 for it.

It was a copy of an album by Bathory, the influential Swedish black metal band, featuring the now-famous yellow goat on its cover. Back in the 1990s, it was just another second-hand record changing hands for a couple of dollars.

He doesn't regret selling it. He wasn't particularly fond of the music, and $2 was what records like that were selling for at the time.

It's a story that says a lot about how vinyl collecting has changed.

For more than three decades, Peder has watched records go from everyday objects to unwanted leftovers and, eventually, desirable collectibles. Through it all, he's held onto his collection.

But while vinyl has become more valuable, he wonders whether something has been lost along the way.

A record Peder once sold for $2 — and one he believes could now be worth as much as $3,000.

From Bill Haley to Bathory

Growing up in Sweden, Peder's earliest musical memories were shaped by the sounds of 1950s American rock and roll.

His father often played the music at home, and when Peder was around seven or eight, he chose his first record: a greatest-hits collection by Bill Haley & His Comets.

Music soon became his biggest interest.

As a teenager, vinyl wasn't a lifestyle choice or a fashionable format. It was simply how people listened to albums.

Then CDs arrived.

Like everywhere else, people began moving on from records. Collections were sold, given away or packed into storage.

Peder never followed.

When he moved away from home in his late teens, his records came with him. Ever since, vinyl and a listening setup have had a place in his living room.

There were years when he hardly bought anything, not because his interest had faded, but because second-hand vinyl had become difficult to find.

That changed in the early to mid-1990s when an annual record fair started in a nearby city.

For Peder, it meant he could start searching again.

And searching, as it turns out, is one of the things he loves most.

Ten Years Looking. One Moment Finding.

From Peder’s Instagram: three glimpses into his world of vinyl, from favourite hard rock albums to music memories and discoveries shared with collectors around the world.

Today, finding a record can be as simple as opening Discogs, entering an artist's name and choosing a copy.

Peder understands the convenience. He's occasionally used online marketplaces to track down rare albums himself.

But he believes something gets lost when almost everything is available with a few clicks.

"I have albums that I have looked for for over 10 years in the wild until I found them and the buzz when I finally find one is what makes vinyl collecting fun."

He has always preferred second-hand vinyl to new pressings, and that hasn't changed with the revival.

Record fairs and second-hand shops offer something an online search can't quite reproduce: uncertainty.

You might find exactly what you're looking for. You might discover something completely unexpected. Or you might go home empty-handed and try again another day.

For Peder, that unpredictability is part of the experience.

And the record doesn't have to be particularly rare or valuable. Sometimes it's simply an album missing from his collection.

The satisfaction comes from finding it.

When Did Collecting Become So Expensive?

Peder is happy that people are interested in records again. What troubles him is how expensive collecting has become.

He remembers being able to pick up an unfamiliar album simply because the artwork caught his attention.
You could take a chance on something without worrying too much about the cost. If you didn't like it, you hadn't lost much.

Those discoveries helped shape a collection.

Today, he says, bargains are increasingly difficult to find where he lives in Sweden. New records are expensive, and second-hand prices have climbed alongside them.

"I think collecting vinyl has become more and more something for the privileged."

It's a striking observation from someone who has spent most of his life collecting.

And it raises a question worth considering.

What does the vinyl revival mean for a young music lover who wants to start a collection but can't afford to experiment?

For Peder, the rising prices have taken away some of the enjoyment. The freedom to buy an unfamiliar record on a whim is no longer what it once was.

He also knows that music formats have a way of coming and going.

He wouldn't be surprised if CDs eventually returned to favour and vinyl took a back seat again.

After all, he's seen that happen before.

The Records That Stay With You

Although Peder shares plenty of rock and hard rock on Instagram, his collection is far more eclectic than his posts might suggest.

After decades of listening, his shelves reflect a much wider range of musical interests.

But ask him to choose three albums he couldn't do without, and he has an answer.

Deep Purple — Stormbringer

Tom Petty — Wildflowers

Oasis — (What's the Story) Morning Glory?

Three albums from three different periods, each connected to artists who have remained among his favourites.

It's a reminder that collections aren't always defined by their rarest or most expensive records.

Often, the albums that matter most are the ones we keep returning to.

A Swedish Collector With a Global Community

Peder began posting records on Instagram without knowing much about the platform.

He'd heard that people were sharing albums and talking about music, and thought it sounded interesting.

Today, his account, @runningmusiclover, has more than 20,000 followers and nearly 2,000 posts.

What began as a place to share his collection has introduced him to music lovers around the world.

He enjoys the conversations, even when people disagree about an album or artist.

For someone who prefers discovering records offline, there's an interesting contrast.

Online marketplaces may have removed some of the mystery from record hunting, but social media has opened up a community he might never otherwise have found.

And he appreciates that there are passionate collectors of all ages, sharing discoveries and keeping those conversations alive.

Away from music, Peder has another passion: travelling solo by train and backpacking across Europe.
He shares those adventures through @pederspassport.

Surprisingly, record shopping rarely features in his travels.

He doesn't want to carry vinyl around for weeks, and he'd rather spend his time exploring new places than searching through record shops.

The records can wait until he gets home.

The Thrill That Never Disappears

Peder has been collecting long enough to remember when vinyl was everywhere, when it was difficult to find, and when it became fashionable again.

He's watched records once worth a couple of dollars become valuable collectibles. He's seen the cost of building a collection rise and the freedom to experiment become more limited.

Yet the thing that drew him to collecting has never really changed.

"It doesn't have to be a rare one for that buzz to appear."

Somewhere out there is a Bathory record Peder sold for $2, now potentially worth considerably more.

He doesn't lose sleep over it.

The records worth remembering aren't always the ones with the highest price tags.

Sometimes they're the ones that take ten years to find.

And sometimes they're simply the ones that make you want to put the needle down and listen.

After more than three decades, Peder is still searching.

Not for the most valuable record.

Just the next one worth bringing home.

Follow Peder

Discover more of Peder's collection and music discoveries at @runningmusiclover, and follow his solo train journeys across Europe at @pederspassport.

Keep Digging

Collector Stories — Meet collectors from around the world and discover the stories behind their records.

Record Store Stories — Explore the independent record shops and people keeping crate digging alive.

Deep Cuts — Rediscover overlooked albums, hidden gems and the music that deserves another listen.

The Vinyl Dinosaur: A Lost Record Collection and the Record Store Nobody Planned

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Every record collector has one that got away.

Maybe you sold it, gave it away, lost it during a move, or held it in your hands at a record store and decided you'd come back another day.

Sometimes it isn't even particularly rare or valuable. It just means something to you.

Steve didn't lose one record. He gave up his entire collection in the 1980s.

Decades later, he started buying it back.

That decision would eventually lead to a flea market, a small room in the back of a thrift shop, a dinosaur with a story stretching back to 1925, and The Vinyl Dinosaur, an independent record store in Bayville, New Jersey.

But none of that was the plan.

It Started With Aerosmith

Music had been around Steve for as long as he can remember. He was five or six when he started playing his parents' 45s on their record player. In his late teens, he picked up a guitar and has been playing ever since.

“Music has always figured deeply in my life in one way or another.”

By the 2010s, vinyl had started creeping back into his life. Steve was seeing records at flea markets and thinking seriously about rebuilding the collection he'd given up. One of his college students encouraged him to go for it.

“It didn't take much prompting though!” he admits.

The first album back was Aerosmith's Rocks.

From there, things escalated quickly. Steve started buying entire boxes of records and eventually recovered most of what had once been in his collection, along with plenty that hadn't. As he puts it, he had his old collection back “and then some.”

The problem with buying boxes of records is that you don't necessarily want everything in the box. Steve had accumulated enough extras that he started selling them at a flea market.

Within four months, an opportunity came along to open a small record store in the back of a thrift shop.
He took it.

The little store worked. In fact, it worked well enough that within two and a half years Steve needed to find somewhere bigger.

What had started as an attempt to rebuild an old record collection had somehow become a business.
There was just one rather obvious question left.

Why the dinosaur?

The Dinosaur Was Already There

You could probably invent a good story about why someone would call a record store The Vinyl Dinosaur.

Steve didn't have to.

Bayville already had one.

The town's dinosaur arrived in 1935, but its story goes back even further. According to Steve, it was originally a movie theatre prop created for the 1925 film The Lost World. Somehow, it eventually found its way to Bayville, where it stood outside a taxidermy shop and became one of those wonderfully strange local landmarks that people simply come to associate with a place.

Just before Steve opened his store, there was an attempt to restore the aging dinosaur. The project became caught up in local politics and, in Steve's view, the finished restoration didn't quite do the old landmark justice.

So when he started thinking about a name for his record store, the answer came quickly.

“I took the mantle of the dinosaur by naming my record store The Vinyl Dinosaur.”

The dinosaur in the store's logo became its mascot, appropriately named TVD.

There's something fitting about a piece of Bayville's past becoming the identity of a record store that existed because Steve had gone looking for a piece of his own.

A Place to Hang Out

Walk into The Vinyl Dinosaur today and vinyl is only part of what you'll find. There are books, movies, art, cameras, video games, musical instruments and whatever else Steve thinks might be worth discovering.

“There is no sense in selling what everyone else sells!” he says.

That attitude extends beyond what's sitting on the shelves. Steve describes The Vinyl Dinosaur as a “community hub.” People come in to dig through records, but they also meet people, talk about music and hang around. Steve is perfectly happy if somebody comes in and doesn't buy anything at all.

He thinks of the people who shop there more as friends than customers.

And then there's the stage.

Steve remembers what it was like being a young guitarist and struggling to find somewhere to play. Once he had a space of his own, he could do something he wished someone had done for him.

“Growing up I could never find a place to play, so I built a stage for the younger bands to play on free of charge, many of them playing live for the first time in their lives.”

Young bands are getting onstage, some for the first time, and Steve says he's simply happy to see them getting the opportunity.

A kid who couldn't find somewhere to play grew up and built the stage himself.

“Holy Sh*t! I’ve Been Looking for This!”

One of Steve's favourite moments at The Vinyl Dinosaur happened when a customer was digging through the records.

Suddenly, Steve heard him shout:

“Holy sh*t! I’ve been looking for this and never thought that I’d see it again! This album changed my life!”

Naturally, Steve wanted to know what he'd found. From the reaction, he was expecting some legendary record that everyone would immediately understand.

He looked at it.

Steve had no idea who the band was.

Even better, the record was only $3.

That's record collecting.

One person's three-dollar record can be another person's missing piece. The price, pressing or value doesn't matter much when you've just found something you thought you'd never see again.

It's also a moment that seems to sum up what Steve wanted The Vinyl Dinosaur to be.

“It isn’t always about the money. It is more about making people happy.”

For Steve, there isn't much more satisfying than hearing someone say they've been looking for an album for years. He wants coming into the store to be an experience, not simply a transaction.

And people do come.

Steve says visitors have arrived from across the United States and from outside the country, despite Bayville sitting within reach of the much bigger record-shopping destinations of New York City and Philadelphia. Some people vacationing in the area have even made The Vinyl Dinosaur a regular stop when they return.

But perhaps the best way to understand why they keep coming back is still that guy standing over a $3 record.

Steve gave up his vinyl collection in the 1980s. Decades later, he went looking for those records again. One of the first was Aerosmith's Rocks. Then came boxes, a flea-market table, a little shop and eventually The Vinyl Dinosaur.

He went looking for something he'd left behind.

Somewhere along the way, he built a place where other people could find theirs.

Keep Digging: More Record Store Stories From the U.S.

The Vinyl Dinosaur is part of our growing Record Store Stories series, exploring the independent shops, owners and communities keeping record-store culture alive.

1) Tracks In Wax - Phoenix, Arizona

A Phoenix record store that's been part of the city's music culture since 1982, now in the hands of a school principal who sees himself not simply as its owner, but as the steward of something worth carrying forward.

READ THE STORY →

2) Time & Again - Sturtevant, Wisconsin

Beatles singles bought with paper-route money, decades in music retail, time spent working alongside a young Al Jourgensen, and finally the “F— it” moment that led Ray to build the record store he wanted to see.

READ THE STORY →

3) The Hidden Problem in Every Record Store That No One Talks About

After spending a year inside independent record stores in New York and around the world, Andy kept noticing the same thing. Someone would discover an unfamiliar record, reach for their phone, and sometimes put the album back. What he found became a bigger story about record stores, music discovery and what happens when curiosity meets a record you've never heard before.

READ THE STORY →

4) Explore Record Store Stories

More independent record stores. More people behind the counter. More stories about the places where music discovery still happens.

EXPLORE RECORD STORE STORIES →

5) Find Your Next Record
Stories like The Vinyl Dinosaur are a reminder that finding the record can be part of the experience. Explore different ways to discover your next record, from independent shops to trusted online sources.

FIND YOUR NEXT RECORD →

Take Care of What You Find

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Record Store Day Black Friday 2026: Is the Thrill of the Hunt Still Alive?

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 07:00:00 GMT

The excitement, the exclusives, the crowds and the changing experience of digging for records.

Some collectors will be lining up outside their favourite record store before the doors open on November 27.

Others will be happily avoiding the crowds, hoping to find something interesting once the excitement has settled down.

And some won't bother with Record Store Day at all.

That's the interesting thing about Record Store Day Black Friday 2026. Nearly two decades after the event began celebrating independent record stores, collectors still have very different ideas about what makes it worthwhile.

Is it the limited releases? The atmosphere? Supporting a local shop? Or simply the possibility of discovering something unexpected?

With Black Friday approaching, I reached out to independent record store owners and collectors to hear what they think about Record Store Day today.

The responses ranged from genuine enthusiasm to questions about prices, exclusives and unsold stock.

I also looked at how collectors are reacting to this year's release list.

Whether you're planning to line up early, browsing the releases for the first time or wondering if the event is worth attending, here's what you need to know — and what the vinyl community is saying.

Record Store Day Black Friday 2026: Date, Releases and Where to Shop

Record Store Day Black Friday takes place on Friday, November 27, 2026. Participating independent record stores across Canada and internationally will offer special vinyl releases.

If you're hoping to find a particular record, these official resources are the best place to start:

Record Store Day Canada Black Friday 2026 release list — Browse the announced releases for Canadian collectors.
Find Canadian record stores — Locate independent shops in your area.
USA Record Store Day releases — Explore the American release information.
UK Record Store Day Black Friday — Find information for collectors in the UK and Ireland.

Not every store receives every release, and availability can vary by country.

Check with your local record store in advance. If there's something you're interested in, ask whether the shop expects to carry it and how it's handling requests. A request doesn't guarantee availability.

It's also worth checking opening hours, lineup arrangements and any purchasing limits before making the trip.

You don't need an elaborate plan. A short list of records you're genuinely interested in is a good place to start.

What Independent Record Stores Are Saying

For all the discussion about limited releases, Record Store Day still comes down to what happens inside independent record stores.

And the people running those shops don't necessarily approach it the same way.

At Sonic Boom in Toronto, Bryce appreciates the excitement the event brings.

“It's a great day that really amplifies the fun we have at the store.”

There's something appealing about that simplicity. People arrive excited about music, compare what they've found and sometimes leave with something they hadn't planned to buy.

Sonic Boom has long been part of Toronto's music community, with plenty to explore beyond the special releases.

We previously explored its history in Sonic Boom: Through the Eyes of a Lifelong Record-Store Kid.

At Speed City Records in London, Ontario, Mike takes a more cautious approach.

“I generally don't bite down too hard on Record Store Day anymore. I bring in stuff for my regulars and treat it as just a giant release day.”

Then there's the stock that doesn't sell.

“My RSD leftovers bins are jammed as it is!”

It's a funny line, but it raises a serious question about the business side of the event.

Independent shops have to decide what to order, how much to bring in and whether those records will find buyers.

Mike's approach is to look after his regular customers without getting too caught up in the hype.

We explored more of his story in Real-Life Record Warfare: Inside the London Record Show and Speed City Records.

Bryce enjoys the atmosphere. Mike is mindful of the stock that remains after the crowds disappear.

Both perspectives matter.

And both remind us that supporting independent record stores shouldn't begin and end with one event.

When Record Store Day Felt Different

For some longtime collectors, the experience has changed.

Zack, a Hamilton collector featured in Why Am I Still Buying Records?, remembers when the event felt smaller.

“My first RSD felt special. There were just a handful of us waiting outside the record store, excited to see what we'd find.”

These days, he prefers having a little more room to browse.

“I'm not one for crowds, and I like some space when I'm digging, so if there's an RSD release I want, I'll take my chances and visit the next day or the following week to see if it's still available.”

I can understand that.

Half the enjoyment of visiting a record store is taking your time, flipping through the bins and seeing what catches your attention.

And if you're not chasing a particular exclusive, there's no rule saying you need to be first through the door.

The Records That Mean Something

Not every collector embraces the hype surrounding Record Store Day. But that doesn't mean they've stopped looking at the release list.

Josh Greenberg, whose recent book The Record Keepers, explores record store culture in Canada, has several releases on his radar for Black Friday.

There's a Jerry Garcia Band recording from a 1991 tour he attended, INXS's Welcome to Wherever You Are, which he considers an underrated gem of its era, and Bill Withers Live '74.

He's also interested in the 50th anniversary reissue of Bob Seger's Night Moves, one of his dad's favourites.

Josh puts his feelings about the event into perspective:

"I'm also not a huge RSD enthusiast because I'm averse to lineups and industry hype. But I always review the list, inevitably seek out a few releases every year for my collection, and enjoy the event through the eyes of first timers and the shops for which it remains so important."

What I like about Josh's choices is the personal connection.

A concert he attended. An album he considers underrated. Music that reminds him of his father.

We previously featured Josh in Discovering The Record Keepers: A Journey Through Canadian Vinyl Culture.

That's something worth remembering when browsing the release list.

A record doesn't need to be the rarest or most expensive pressing of the day to deserve a place in your collection.

Sometimes the music is reason enough.

Are Record Store Day Exclusives Still Worth Buying?

Joe Hat, a Toronto collector featured in From Black Flag to Sneaky Dee's: Joe Hat's Toronto Vinyl Story, thinks Record Store Day could benefit from a little restraint.

“I think Record Store Day would be better with fewer releases, but releases that are genuinely special.”

He'd rather see albums receiving their first vinyl release or long-out-of-print records becoming available again than more colour variations of records collectors can already buy.

“Record Store Day originally felt like a way to bring people back into record stores and make vinyl exciting again. Now that collecting has become mainstream, I think it needs to bring that sense of discovery back.”

It's a fair distinction.

There's a difference between making an unavailable album accessible again and producing another variation of something that's already sitting on store shelves.

Of course, some collectors love coloured vinyl and special packaging. There's nothing wrong with that either.

But limited doesn't automatically mean essential.

Before buying an exclusive, ask yourself whether you want the music, the particular pressing or simply the satisfaction of owning something that might be difficult to find later.

What Collectors Are Saying About the 2026 Black Friday Release List

The reaction to this year's Black Friday releases shows just how divided collectors can be.

In a recent Reddit discussion about the 2026 list, some collectors expressed disappointment, questioning the number of live albums, repeated editions and special releases they felt offered little new.

One commenter welcomed having nothing they wanted to buy, while others questioned whether the event had become too focused on collectibles.

But there was enthusiasm too.

Collectors singled out releases from Ween, Barenaked Ladies, 10,000 Maniacs and several jazz artists.

One person said the 10,000 Maniacs box set was the only thing they wanted — but they really wanted it.

Another offered a simple reminder: “Every day is a record store day!!”

I think those reactions capture the debate quite well.

What looks like an uninspiring list to one person might contain a record someone else has been waiting years to own.

And that's why judging Record Store Day by the number of releases you personally want probably doesn't tell the whole story.

Every Day Can Be Record Store Day

That brings me back to Kevin Crump, better known as the Record Detective.

Kevin's approach to collecting has always been about the music and the pleasure of discovering something worth listening to.

As he explained in our earlier feature, it's not about finding records simply to flip them. It's about what the music means to each listener.

We explored that perspective in Record Freaks and Vinyl Geeks: Inside the World of the Record Detective.

For longtime collectors, discovering music has never depended on a particular date.

But Record Store Day can also introduce someone new to the experience.

Imagine walking into a busy independent record store for the first time, surrounded by people who love music, shelves of records you've never seen and conversations about artists you've never heard of.

That can be exciting too.

A veteran collector might be looking for an elusive pressing. Someone new might simply be discovering the pleasure of holding an album, reading the sleeve and taking it home to listen.

Neither experience is more authentic than the other.

Is Record Store Day Black Friday Worth Going To?

That depends on what you're hoping to get out of it.

If you're planning to visit a record store on November 27, here are a few things worth considering.

If you're chasing a particular release: Browse the official list, check with your local store and ask about opening hours and availability. Arriving early may improve your chances, but nothing is guaranteed.

If you don't enjoy crowds: Consider Zack's approach and visit later in the day or over the following weekend. You might miss a limited release, but you'll have more time to dig.

If you're watching your budget: Compare the Record Store Day edition with other available pressings. A different colour or special sticker doesn't necessarily make it better value.

If you're new to vinyl: Don't feel pressured to buy an exclusive. Browse the shop, ask questions and choose music you're excited to listen to.

If you love digging: Spend some time in the used bins. You might find something more interesting than the releases you came to see.

If you want to support independent stores: Buy something you'll enjoy, and consider returning when the event is over.

And if you're bringing home a new addition to your collection, our Collector Essentials guide has practical advice on cleaning, sleeves and storage.

The goal isn't to leave with the most records. It's to enjoy the experience.

Is the Thrill of the Hunt Still Alive?

I think so.

But after hearing from record store owners and collectors, I'm not convinced everyone is hunting for the same thing.

For some, it's the excitement of a busy shop. For others, it's finding a record connected to a concert, a memory or a favourite artist.

Some collectors would rather avoid the crowds entirely. Others want fewer releases that feel genuinely special.

And for independent record stores, there's the challenge of making the event worthwhile while continuing to serve the customers who come back throughout the year.

All of those perspectives deserve a place in the conversation.

What interests me most is what happens after Black Friday.

Will someone who visits a record store for the first time return a few weeks later? Will a conversation with another collector lead them to music they've never heard before?

Because the best part of digging has never been knowing exactly what you're going to find.

It's the possibility of discovering something you didn't know you were looking for.

And that doesn't need a special day.

What about you? Are you lining up for Record Store Day Black Friday, waiting for the crowds to clear or skipping it altogether?

Record Store Day Black Friday 2026 FAQs

When is Record Store Day Black Friday 2026 in Canada?

Record Store Day Black Friday takes place on Friday, November 27, 2026. Participating independent record stores across Canada will offer special releases.

Where can I find the Record Store Day Black Friday 2026 release list?

Visit the official Record Store Day Canada release list. The list includes announced titles, but not every release will be available at every store.

Which Canadian record stores are participating in Black Friday 2026?

Use the Record Store Day Canada store directory to find independent shops in your area. Contact your local store to confirm its participation and release availability.

Can I request Record Store Day Black Friday releases in advance?

Some independent record stores welcome requests for particular titles ahead of the event. Check with your local shop early. A request doesn't guarantee availability or reserve a copy.

What do RSD Exclusive, RSD First and Limited/Regional mean?

RSD Exclusive: A release intended specifically for Record Store Day, generally without a planned wider release.
RSD First: A release that debuts for Record Store Day but may become more widely available later.
Limited/Regional: A release with restricted quantities or availability in particular markets.

Understanding the difference can help you decide whether to buy immediately or wait.

Do I need to line up early for Record Store Day Black Friday?

Not necessarily. If you're hoping to buy a highly sought-after limited release, arriving early may improve your chances. If you're visiting to browse, going later can be just as enjoyable.

Are Record Store Day Black Friday releases available online?

Some stores may offer remaining releases online after their in-store sales, depending on their policies and applicable release restrictions. Check with individual retailers for details.

Keep Digging With Vinyl Vibes

Explore more of the people and places behind the music in our Record Store Stories and Collector Stories.

The Punk Who Was Afraid to Sing

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Sid had been making music since he was a kid. Growing up in Salford, Greater Manchester, punk became central to his life. He played, he wrote, he absorbed everything around him. But there was one part of making music he had pretty much ruled out.

Singing.

“I always refused to sing because I thought having a bad voice should stop me. For years in fact I believed that.”

It's an interesting admission from someone who describes punk as “everything to me.” Sid had spent years listening to voices that weren't conventional and weren't trying to be. Eventually, he had to confront the fact that he wasn't giving himself the same freedom.

“Then I realised I was a hypocrite.”

Sid didn't suddenly decide he had a great voice. He simply stopped believing that having the “right” kind of voice should determine whether he was allowed to use it.

“I’ve been writing music my whole life but now I wanted to be the one telling those stories.”

That hadn't always been the case. It wasn't until his mid-20s that Sid really wanted to start writing about himself.

“I’m not sure I felt I had anything interesting to say until then.”

He does now.

Salford

If you've ever opened a copy of The Queen Is Dead, you may already know Sid's hometown without realizing it.

Salford is a city in Greater Manchester in northwest England. For music fans, one of its most recognizable landmarks is Salford Lads Club, where The Smiths were famously photographed in 1985. The image appeared inside The Queen Is Dead and became part of the band's visual history.

For Smiths fans, the building became a destination.

For Sid, it's home.

“Salford is the city I am from. You’ll have seen it in the classic Smiths picture in front of Salford Lads Club. I’m so proud of being from here and the working class history which is massively important to the city’s past.”

That working-class identity is something Sid wants visible in his own music.

“I am from a working class background and intend to celebrate the culture of musicians, poets and artists through my music.”

“It’s important to me to have some kind of representation of that in everything I do artistically.”

But the Salford Sid writes about isn't just its musical past.

One of his songs, Salford Is Sleeping, comes from looking at what's around him now.

“I think I’m overly emotional and sensitive in a lot of ways and so I over observe everything.”

One thing in particular stays with him.

“One thing I feel very emotionally attached to is the suffering of a lot of the poverty around me and the lost potential.”

Lost potential.

Of everything Sid said about Salford, those were the words that stayed with me. There's pride in where he's from, but also an awareness of what can be lost there. Salford Is Sleeping sits somewhere between the two.

His Grandpa's Guitar

Sid's grandfather was a huge musical influence.

He was also an important part of the first story I wrote about Sid for Vinyl Vibes, which explored his collecting, Manchester punk history and his efforts to preserve photographs, records and memories that might otherwise disappear.

But his grandfather's influence goes beyond what Sid preserves.

“My grandpa was my musical hero. Guitar hero especially.”

His grandfather was inspired by Bob Dylan and acoustic protest music. Sid has found himself drawn towards something similar.

“He was inspired by Bob Dylan and that kind of acoustic protest music. I feel the same way about acoustic punk.”

Acoustic punk.

It's a good description of one direction Sid Spungen is exploring.

Sid writes poetry too, although poetry readings aren't really his thing. He's more interested in what happens when words are carried by music.

“I love the likes of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Boris Grebenshchikov and how they use the acoustic guitar to tell stories and poems.”

It's actually a relatively new love.

“I didn’t used to. It’s definitely a new love for me and it’s something I have thrown myself at.”

And acoustic isn't where he intends to stop. Sid wants electric punk on the album too.

The Prettiest Girl

Then somebody broke his heart.

Prettiest Girl came from what Sid calls his “most recent and most devastating heartbreak.”

He could have made the song as miserable as the experience. Instead, he wanted something different.

“I still want it to be an upbeat love song as a goodbye or a thank you, perhaps.”

That “thank you, perhaps” says plenty on its own.

Musically, Sid found himself looking towards Green Day's Saviors.

“Billie Joe writes love songs the best in my opinion.”

Prettiest Girl and Salford Is Sleeping begin in very different places, but when I asked Sid what keeps appearing in his writing, the answer was immediate.

“I think I write the most about sadness.”

He already has an album's worth of songs written, and sadness keeps turning up in different forms.

“I try to be ironic about it in some songs, optimistic in others and depressed in the rest but that is the recurring theme.”

Then he puts it more simply.

“I think I’m just generally quite a melancholic person.”

Maybe that's enough of an explanation.

Salford, heartbreak, family and working-class life don't need to fit neatly into a concept. They're things Sid thinks about.

Now he's writing songs about them.

I Had Already Heard Sid Spungen

There's a strange twist in how I discovered Sid's music.

I'd already spent time talking with him about punk, collecting, Salford and his grandfather. Later, music by Sid Spungen crossed my path online.

I heard it.

What I didn't realize was that Sid Spungen was Sid.

When the connection finally clicked, it caught me off guard. I'd managed to encounter music made by someone whose story I already knew without connecting the music to the person.

It also hit on something I've been exploring on Vinyl Vibes: if music has never been easier to find, why can music discovery still feel so difficult?

We have streaming, social media, playlists, algorithms, record stores and recommendations. Music isn't scarce. Attention is.

I didn't miss his music because I couldn't find it. I missed it while it was right in front of me.

If that can happen with someone I already know, what am I missing from everyone I don't?

Sometimes discovering new music might be less about finding more and more of it and more about stopping long enough to notice what's already there.

This time, I stopped on Sid Spungen.

Sid Spungen: From Acoustic Punk to an Album

Sid Spungen's music is already available digitally, and he has an album written. What he's still figuring out is exactly what that album should sound like.

“I’m still struggling with it but I think it’s because I’ve convinced myself I must create something that is one style or one theme and I need to get out of that.”

Part of the problem is simply having too many influences pulling in different directions.

“I have so many influences and I definitely get overwhelmed deciding which path to follow.”

So he's giving himself room.

There's the acoustic storytelling he's recently fallen for, but also the electric punk he wants to bring into it. Different instrumentation. Some genre bending. Less concern about everything fitting into one box.

“I want an album however with a mix of instrumentation and a little bit of freedom with genre bending.”
And then there are the shows.

“I hope to do shows. I miss punk club shows and pub shows. I hope to get to that soon.”

There's something fitting about that image: Sid in a small pub or punk club, singing songs he once thought he shouldn't sing at all.

His music is already out there. The album is written. The rest is taking shape.

But this is Vinyl Vibes, so there's one question I can't resist.

Will we eventually get Sid Spungen on vinyl?

As for figuring out exactly who Sid Spungen is, Sid isn't pretending he has that answer yet.

“Hopefully by album two I’ll understand Sid Spungen completely.”

What to Spin Next

If Sid's story brought you here, there are a few more places to go.

Meet the collector behind the artist
Before I knew Sid Spungen as a musician, I knew Sid through his records, his family and his connection to Manchester punk. Read his Collector Story: Manchester Punk Memories: A Salford Archivist's Story.

Why are we missing so much music?
Sid's music was already in front of me before I realized who I was listening to. That experience connects directly to a bigger question I've been exploring on Vinyl Vibes: Why Music Discovery Is Harder Than Ever in the Streaming Era.

Go deeper into The Smiths and Morrissey
Salford Lads Club gives this story another natural path. From The Queen Is Dead to Morrissey's music today, explore the Smiths & Morrissey stories and tour guides on Vinyl Vibes.

Discover another independent artist
Continue through Artist Spotlight, where Vinyl Vibes slows things down and spends some time with the people behind the music.

PCV Records Oakville: Right Outside the Spotlight, Where Music Grows

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Every major music city has places around it where culture grows quietly, just outside the noise, just beyond the spotlight.

New York has Jersey City.

Manchester has Bolton.

Toronto has Oakville.

And in Oakville, that place became PCV Records.

It didn’t start with confidence or a grand plan. It started with trepidation: a small shop called Pop Culture Vulture opening its doors without knowing if anyone would care.

John, the owner, puts it plainly:

“Not sure there was ever a spark… there was a lot of trepidation. We were not sure people in Oakville would care or be interested.”

But people did care.

They walked in. They stayed. They came back.

Within a year, the shop moved down the street to Fourth Line, where it settled into the space it still calls home. Over time, that early uncertainty turned into something much bigger than a business.

It became a community.

John’s follow-up line says everything:

“It turns out they do and they are. I am grateful.”

That sense of gratitude runs through the entire story of PCV.

What Makes PCV Feel Different

Every great record store has a feeling.

A warmth. A personality. A sense that you can slow down for a while.

PCV has that.

The walls tell stories. The bins invite you to dig. The memorabilia gives the place a lived-in charm.

John’s hope is simple:

“I hope they feel welcome and that they enjoy our decor. We have some nice memorabilia on the walls.”

And that feeling comes through again and again in what customers say about the store.

People talk about the selection. The knowledgeable staff. Reasonable prices. Fair treatment when selling records. The vintage bins that can keep you digging much longer than you planned.

One reviewer described PCV as a place that brought back decades of memories of buying music with an old friend. Another praised the staff for being smart, friendly and knowledgeable. Others simply talk about finding what they were looking for, in good condition, at a fair price.

That matters.

Because the best record stores aren't simply places where you buy records.

They're places where you remember why you love music.

I've felt that myself.

PCV is one of those shops where you can lose an afternoon without trying, flipping through the used section, talking music with the staff and finding something you didn't expect.

That’s not an Oakville thing.

That’s a record store thing.

And people everywhere know that feeling.

How PCV Thinks About Vinyl

PCV’s identity isn’t built on hype or scarcity.

It’s built on fairness.

For John, that philosophy starts with how people are treated when they sell their records:

“If you pay people fairly for their records and are transparent you will always have some nice used and vintage product.”

It sounds simple.

But in a business built around used music, trust matters.

People are bringing in collections that may have taken decades to build. Sometimes they're selling records that belonged to a parent or someone they've lost. Sometimes they're simply making room for the next chapter.

How you treat those people becomes part of what your store means.

PCV's approach has helped create a used selection that feels curated rather than random.

And when it comes to new releases, John understands that a record store can't stand still.

“Offering your customers a variety is really important… A lot of the old staples don't sell that well anymore so selection is really key.”

That means paying attention to changing tastes.

John admits that's not always easy:

“We try to pay attention to what younger people want. That can be challenging for us old folks but is also rewarding.”

That willingness to adapt may be one of the reasons PCV has continued to connect with different generations of listeners.

Fairness.

Transparency.

Variety.

Evolution.

Those values don't belong to one town.

They belong to record stores everywhere.

The Community Around PCV

Over time, PCV became more than a place to buy records.

It became a place where people grew.

Oakville sits just outside Toronto, close enough to feel the pull of a major music city but far enough away to develop its own character.

That makes PCV part of something interesting: the musical culture that develops just outside the spotlight.

John has watched that happen firsthand:

“Even in the short time we've been open we've seen customers grow older and become musicians and music aficionados. We like that.”

There's something powerful in that observation.

A customer walks into a record store looking for their first album.

Years later, they return as a musician.

A kid becomes a collector.

A collector becomes a regular.

Families become part of the rhythm of the shop.

The music keeps moving, and the people around it change with it.

That's how a record store becomes more than a retail space.

It becomes part of people's lives.

And Oakville has its own musical history running through it. PCV sits within that wider story, alongside the musicians, listeners and collectors who have helped make the town's relationship with music what it is.

The store didn't have to be in downtown Toronto to become meaningful.

It just had to become meaningful where it was.

The People Who Keep PCV Alive

Ask John what makes PCV work, and he doesn't point to himself.

He points to his employees.

“The heart is obviously my employees. They are good at what they do and keep the customers coming back.”

That says a lot.

A record store can have an incredible inventory, but without the right people, it's just a room full of records.

The people behind the counter are what turn browsing into conversation.

They're the ones who know the difference between someone looking for a specific pressing and someone who simply wants to discover something new.

They're part of the reason people come back.

And at PCV, that connection to music goes beyond the people who work there.

James Clark, the musician behind The James Clark Institute, works at the store as head of acquisitions for vintage releases. He's also performed at PCV, bringing the relationship between the shop and the local music community full circle.

That's one of the things I find most interesting about independent record stores.

The people selling the music are often deeply connected to the people making it.

Musicians.

Collectors.

Writers.

Record obsessives.

People who have spent their lives listening.

The culture doesn't exist in separate boxes.

It overlaps.

The Support Behind the Store

There's another part of the story John is quick to acknowledge:

“It also helps to have a supportive spouse who will help you through a career change, global pandemic or anything else.”

It's a small sentence, but it carries plenty of weight.

Every independent business has a story behind the story.

The long days.

The uncertainty.

The difficult decisions.

The moments when it would be easier to walk away.

And usually there are people behind the scenes helping make sure that doesn't happen.

For PCV, that support mattered.

Why PCV Records Matters

PCV Records is what happens when trepidation meets community.

When fairness shapes the bins.

When musicians help shape the culture.

When employees become the heart of the store.

When customers grow up with music.

When a place becomes part of people's lives.

That's what makes an independent record store matter.

Not simply the number of records on the shelves.

Not how rare the latest pressing is.

Not whether the store happens to be in a major music city.

It's the relationships.

The conversations.

The discoveries.

The memories.

The feeling that you can walk through the door and belong there.

PCV isn't built around hype or nostalgia.

It's built around music and people, and the belief that there is still value in having somewhere you can browse, talk, discover something unexpected and take your time.

John and Tim weren't sure anyone would care when they opened the doors.

They do now.

And after everything PCV has become, John's words still seem like the perfect way to describe it:

“I am grateful.”

Keep Digging

PCV Records is one part of a much bigger story about the independent shops, people and communities keeping record-store culture alive.

Explore more shops and the people behind them through Record Store Stories, find more places to dig with Find Your Next Record, or discover upcoming events through Record Shows.

Take Care of What You Find

Are Rice Paper Inner Sleeves Worth It? Paper vs. Anti-Static Vinyl Sleeves

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 17:58:16 GMT

Are traditional paper sleeves good enough for your records? Here's what makes rice-paper and HDPE inner sleeves different, why I use them, and when upgrading makes sense.

Yes, rice-paper inner sleeves are worth considering if you want to protect your vinyl from paper dust, unnecessary friction and static buildup. A well-made sleeve with a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) lining provides a smoother surface against the record than traditional paper.

That doesn't mean every record needs an expensive sleeve. And it certainly doesn't mean a new sleeve will fix an old scratch.

But after years of collecting, I've come to appreciate how much difference the smallest details can make.
Especially when it comes to records I wouldn't want to replace.

Two Smiths Records That Changed How I Think About Protection

I have a US Rough Trade pressing of The Smiths' How Soon Is Now? that I found at Flashbacks Hamilton.

It's one of those finds that reminds me why I still love digging through record stores.

From the same shop, I also picked up a UK Rough Trade pressing of Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, backed with Girl Afraid and Suffer Little Children.

They're two of my favourite finds, and both now have protective rice-paper inner sleeves from Vinyl Storage Solutions (VSS).

Not because I'm planning to sell them. Quite the opposite.

They're records I want to keep enjoying.

And the more I thought about protecting those pressings, the more I began looking at the sleeves themselves.

Paper vs. Rice-Paper vs. HDPE Inner Sleeves: What's the Difference?

Most collectors have encountered the ordinary paper sleeve. It's inexpensive, familiar and has been used to package records for decades.

But paper isn't necessarily the best surface to have rubbing against vinyl.

Here's how the main options compare.

Sleeve type	Advantages	Limitations
Traditional paper	Inexpensive, widely available	Can shed fibres and create friction
HDPE/polyethylene	Smooth, low-friction surface; doesn't shed paper fibres	Thin versions can be less structured
Rice-paper-style, HDPE-lined	Smooth contact surface with added structure; often designed to reduce static	More expensive than basic paper
Specialty anti-static sleeves	Various constructions and handling features	Performance depends on materials and design

The terminology can be confusing because a rice-paper inner sleeve isn't simply a record sitting inside a sheet of rice paper.

In quality designs, the important surface is usually polyethylene.

That's what comes into contact with the vinyl.

What Makes VSS Rice-Paper Inner Sleeves Different?

Canadian company Vinyl Storage Solutions uses a layered construction for its rice-paper inner sleeves.

According to VSS, its design places a rice-paper insert between two sheets of high-density polyethylene.

The HDPE provides a smooth surface against the record, while the insert adds structure and helps with static management.

Want to know what makes these sleeves different? Explore VSS's guide to HDPE inner sleeves.

That construction addresses several common concerns.

Paper fibres: The vinyl sits against polyethylene rather than exposed paper, reducing the risk of loose fibres transferring to the record.
Friction: A smoother contact surface can make removing and replacing records easier, helping limit handling-related surface wear.
Static: VSS designs its sleeves to reduce static buildup and the dust attraction that can accompany it.
Long-term storage: VSS reports that its inner sleeves have passed ISO 18916 Photographic Activity Testing, a material-compatibility test used in preservation. That supports its archival-material claims, although it doesn't guarantee that a record will never develop wear or static.

For a deeper explanation, VSS has published a useful guide to HDPE and record sleeve materials.

It's worth reading if you're interested in what's actually touching your records.

Which VSS Inner Sleeve Should You Choose?

For collectors replacing ordinary paper sleeves, VSS offers a range of options.

Its 2mil rice-paper inner sleeves provide a flexible, low-friction option for everyday LP storage.

The 3mil versions offer a thicker construction for collectors who prefer a more substantial sleeve.

VSS also offers other styles, including crystal-clear designs and specialty inner sleeves. The best choice depends on the record format, jacket fit and how you prefer to handle your collection.

For most people, the important decision isn't necessarily buying the thickest sleeve available.

It's choosing a suitable, well-made sleeve and using it consistently.

Looking to upgrade your inner sleeves?

Explore VSS 12-inch Rice-Paper Inner Sleeves

Vinyl Vibes readers can use VINYLVIBES10 when ordering from VSS.

Do Rice-Paper Sleeves Prevent Scratches and Static?

They can help reduce some of the conditions that contribute to surface wear, but they're not foolproof.

A smooth polyethylene lining reduces direct contact with rough paper. That can be particularly useful for records you remove and play frequently.

Anti-static construction may also help reduce dust attraction.

But a sleeve cannot repair existing scratches. It won't remove dirt already sitting in the grooves, and it cannot completely eliminate static.

If a used record arrives covered in dust, simply transferring it into a new sleeve isn't enough.

Clean the record properly first.

Otherwise, you're putting the same contamination into a cleaner environment.

It's also worth remembering that handling matters. Even the best sleeve won't protect a record from careless removal, dropping it or touching the playing surface.

The Records I Chose to Protect First

Beyond those two Rough Trade singles, I've been upgrading the inner sleeves on several other favourites.

Hatful of Hollow is one.

I've written before about why I consider it The Smiths' best album. It's a record I return to regularly, and that makes a smooth, reliable inner sleeve worthwhile.

Louder Than Bombs is another prized possession.

I've also used protective sleeves with records such as Led Zeppelin IV and a Kinks album that changed how I thought about vinyl storage.

None of this means I treat every record like a museum piece.

I still want to pull them out, play them and enjoy them.

That's the whole point of having a collection.

But there's a difference between using a record and unnecessarily wearing it down.

And a sleeve is one of the easiest things to improve.

Should You Replace Every Inner Sleeve in Your Collection?

If you have hundreds of records, replacing every sleeve at once can become expensive.

I don't think it's necessary to do everything immediately.

Start with the records that matter most to you.

That might mean an original pressing you've spent years searching for, an album you play every weekend or a sentimental favourite that isn't worth much money at all.

Next, look at records housed in old, torn or dusty paper sleeves.

Those are sensible candidates for an upgrade.

And when you bring home used vinyl, consider inspecting and cleaning it before giving it a fresh sleeve.

I explored this question in an earlier story, Should You Replace Vinyl Record Inner Sleeves?.

There's no requirement to resleeve an entire collection overnight.

You can do it gradually, one record at a time.

What About Outer Sleeves?

It's worth making an important distinction.

Inner sleeves protect the record. Outer sleeves protect the jacket and artwork.

They're different products serving different purposes.

I've run into the challenges of outer sleeve sizing with Smiths albums, particularly records whose packaging doesn't fit a standard sleeve comfortably.

I covered that experience in The Queen Is Dead Didn't Fit: What My Manchester Records Taught Me About Vinyl Sleeve Sizes.

If you're protecting both the disc and the artwork, it's worth getting both right.

For a broader comparison, see our Best Vinyl Sleeves for Collectors 2026 Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rice-Paper Inner Sleeves

Are rice-paper inner sleeves better than paper sleeves?

For collectors concerned about paper dust and handling friction, a quality HDPE-lined rice-paper sleeve is generally a worthwhile upgrade. The smooth polyethylene surface provides a different contact material from ordinary paper.

Are rice-paper inner sleeves anti-static?

Many are designed to reduce static buildup. VSS specifically describes its rice-paper insert and HDPE construction as helping manage static. However, no sleeve can guarantee a completely static-free record.

Can rice-paper inner sleeves scratch vinyl?

A clean, well-made HDPE-lined sleeve is designed to minimize friction and surface contact. Dirt or grit trapped inside any sleeve can still damage a record, so cleanliness remains important.

Should I clean records before replacing inner sleeves?

Yes, particularly if they're dusty or visibly dirty. A fresh sleeve helps preserve a clean record; it doesn't clean the grooves itself.

Are thicker inner sleeves better?

Not automatically. Thicker sleeves can provide more structure, but a thinner, well-made sleeve may be easier to fit inside certain jackets. Material quality, construction and fit matter more than thickness alone.

Are rice-paper inner sleeves worth buying for inexpensive records?

Absolutely, if they're records you enjoy. Protection doesn't have to be reserved for rare or expensive pressings.

Where to Buy Rice-Paper Inner Sleeves

I've been using VSS products in my own collection, and their range gives collectors several options depending on their needs.

If you're starting with ordinary paper sleeves, their 12-inch rice-paper inner sleeves are a sensible product to consider.

If you're unsure about which style is right, VSS also offers an inner-sleeve sample pack so you can compare different designs before committing to larger quantities.

Vinyl Vibes reader offer

Use code VINYLVIBES10 when ordering from Vinyl Storage Solutions.

Shop VSS Rice-Paper Inner Sleeves

Compare VSS Inner Sleeve Styles

For more on the company's range, visit our Vinyl Storage Solutions Guide.

Affiliate disclosure: Vinyl Vibes may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made using our reader code, at no additional cost to you.

The Bottom Line: Are Rice-Paper Inner Sleeves Worth It?

For me, they are.

I don't buy records just to keep them sealed away. I buy them to listen to.

And whether it's a rare Smiths pressing from Flashbacks Hamilton or a $10 Kinks album, I want to keep enjoying those records for as long as possible.

That's why I've been gradually replacing older paper sleeves with better protective options.

It's not the most exciting part of collecting vinyl.

But there's something satisfying about pulling a favourite record from a clean, smooth inner sleeve, putting it on the turntable and knowing you've taken one more small step toward looking after it.

Because the best records in your collection aren't necessarily the most valuable.

They're the ones you keep coming back to.

Keep Digging: More Ways to Protect Your Records

Should You Replace Your Vinyl Record Inner Sleeves?
Not every record needs a new sleeve. Two jazz albums got me thinking about when an upgrade actually makes sense.

Best Vinyl Sleeves for Collectors: 2026 Guide
Inner sleeves, outer sleeves and the options worth considering before you buy.

The Queen Is Dead Didn't Fit: What My Manchester Records Taught Me About Vinyl Sleeve Sizes
A few favourite Manchester records revealed why one-size-fits-all protection doesn't always work.

Vinyl Storage Solutions: Premium Vinyl Sleeves Guide
Explore VSS inner and outer sleeves, product options and the Vinyl Vibes reader offer.

Alice Coltrane Changed Everything. 3,000 Records Later, He Had to Let Go.

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Three thousand records. A two-bedroom apartment. And the possibility of a vinyl avalanche.

Ben Riggin jokes about that last part, but there came a point when his growing collection raised a serious question. How much music could one person realistically listen to?

He did the math. At three albums a day, every day of the year, it would take nearly three years to hear everything he owned. And that was without buying another record or returning to an old favourite.

For someone who had spent years digging through bins, it was enough to make him reconsider what collecting meant. Not because he'd lost interest in music, but because he wanted to spend more time enjoying what he already had.

And much of that passion could be traced back to one Alice Coltrane album.

Alice Coltrane Opens the Door

I first came across Ben through The Record Collectors Club, which featured his collection in 2020. One detail caught my attention: he'd bought a worn copy of the Zabriskie Point soundtrack for $2 at the London Record Show while he was in ninth grade. It was the rare Pink Floyd recordings that drew him in.

It's the sort of discovery that explains why collectors still turn up at events like the London Record Show, never quite knowing what might be waiting in the next bin.

But it was another discovery, a few years later, that changed the direction of Ben's listening.

By sixteen, he was deeply into underground psychedelic music from the 1960s and '70s, much of it discovered through music blogs and online forums. He loved the freedom and experimentation of those recordings.

Around that time, he read an article about Alice Coltrane, who had recently died. He knew little about her music, but decided to listen to Journey in Satchidananda.

“Listening to Journey in Satchidananda sparked my brain.”

The tamboura's drone, warm bass lines, Pharoah Sanders' wailing saxophone and Alice Coltrane's harp made an immediate impression.

“It was perfect,” he recalls.

To this day, it remains the Impulse! album that means the most to him.

The Orange-and-Black Obsession

A few years later, Ben had a growing jazz collection and an eye for something distinctive: the orange-and-black spines of Impulse! Records.

He already owned albums by John and Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders and Charles Mingus. Whenever he spotted another Impulse! release in the bins, he was inclined to take a chance.

The music was only part of the attraction. There were the big gatefold sleeves, laminated covers and the satisfaction of finding an unfamiliar album for around $10.

“Paying $10 for a record you've never heard is a lot easier to do than shelling out the big bucks for something like an OG Blue Note.”

That willingness to buy something unfamiliar is part of what makes digging so rewarding. It's the same spirit found in independent record stores and at events like Campus Discs, where an unexpected find can send a listener in an entirely new musical direction.

For Ben, Impulse! did exactly that. Beyond the experimental recordings that first caught his attention, he began discovering older jazz musicians he'd overlooked, including Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Johnny Hodges.

Buying those records without knowing quite what to expect became an education in itself.
What started with Alice Coltrane had opened up decades of music, something anyone who's spent time exploring jazz on vinyl can appreciate.

When 3,000 Records Become Too Many

Ben's collection continued growing, helped along by the pleasure of finding good records at good prices. But eventually, the shelves and the time required to listen to everything began to weigh on him.

Living with his girlfriend in a two-bedroom apartment made the space problem difficult to ignore. The realization that he could spend years listening to his collection without repeating an album was harder to shake.

“I've shifted more to the buying habit of saving for something I really want, and will love and listen to instead of constantly coming home with stacks of records that might never leave the shelf.”

He still enjoys digging and the excitement of finding something unexpected. The difference is that he's become more selective, saving for albums he knows he'll enjoy rather than buying stacks that may never get played.

He's also spending more time with the records already on his shelves.

It wasn't about having fewer records for the sake of it. It was about getting more out of the music.

Heavy Sounds: Records That Helped Pay for School

Ben's move into selling records began simply enough.

“I started selling records to buy more records. That's how that started.”

At the time, he was working as a produce clerk. Buying small collections, keeping what interested him and selling the rest helped support a hobby that his regular income couldn't always accommodate.

When he decided to return to university in his late twenties, that side of collecting became more important.

He started buying and selling more seriously, putting the proceeds toward his education.

He also began looking more carefully at his personal collection.

How often was he likely to play a particular album? How difficult would it be to replace? And might someone else get more enjoyment from it?

Those questions made it easier to let certain records go.

Eventually, Ben sold most of his remaining Heavy Sounds stock in a bulk deal to pay off his master's degree.

What had started as a way to fund his next record purchase had become a way to fund his education.

Most of his Heavy Sounds Discogs inventory is now unlisted, although he hasn't ruled out selling more in the future.

His personal collection, meanwhile, has reached a place he's comfortable with. It's no longer daunting, but there's still enough music to keep him occupied for years.

What Are Collectors Really Chasing?

After years of buying, selling and digging, Ben has developed an appreciation for the different people drawn to vinyl. He enjoys seeing younger collectors getting started and longtime enthusiasts still searching through the bins.

He also recognizes the excitement that comes with finding something you've been hunting for.

“I've come to think there's a certain amount of endorphin chasing that goes along with collecting - that's not just records but anything really.”

But he doesn't confuse that rush with the reason he started collecting.

“I don't want to diminish the love of the music though, that's still the end game for the majority - the satisfaction of dropping the needle and getting transported somewhere.”

It's a distinction worth remembering. Finding a rare pressing or a great bargain can be exciting, but the music has to matter once the record comes home.

For Ben, that's what has always made the search worthwhile.

A Collection That's Never Complete

Great bargains may be harder to find these days. Ben has noticed that the vinyl boom has brought more careful pricing, making the unexpected cheap discovery less common.

But there's still plenty of music keeping him interested.

One label he continues to follow is International Anthem, whose adventurous releases and well-pressed records remind him why he became a collector in the first place.

The appeal isn't so different from what he found in Impulse! as a teenager: interesting music, thoughtfully presented, with the possibility of discovering something new.

“I love that a record collection will never be complete.”

You can finish an artist's discography or finally track down a pressing you've wanted for years. But there's always another record you haven't heard.

Ben no longer feels the need to bring every interesting discovery home. Some records have found new owners. Others helped pay for his education. And the collection he has now gives him plenty to return to.

There's still room for another great find, of course.

But these days, there's just as much pleasure in putting on a record he already owns and remembering why he bought it.

Up Next — Keep Digging

There's always another record to discover and another story behind the music.

Record Shows — The collectors, dealers and discoveries that keep people coming back.

Record Store Stories — Independent shops and the people keeping record culture alive.

Collector Essentials — Cleaning, protecting and storing the records you love.

Why We Listen — Deep cuts, overlooked albums and new music worth discovering.

Collector Stories — More personal stories from the people behind the collections.

Why Am I Still Buying Records?

Sat, 10 Oct 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Zack of Zack’s Records has spent most of his life collecting. He owns plenty, can stream almost anything, and has even wondered what would happen if he sold it all. Yet another record always seems to find its way home.

A few years ago, a friend of Zack’s sold his record collection to a record store in Toronto for a substantial amount of money.

Naturally, Zack wondered what his own collection might be worth. But then he started thinking about what selling it would actually mean.

“Okay, so I sell it. Then what? I don’t really know.”

That's the problem.

Zack has been buying records since he was young. These days, collectors may know him through Zack’s Records on Instagram or as one of the voices behind Groove Daddies, a new project coming soon where five dads talk about records, music and everything that tends to come with it.

He buys less than he used to. Partly because he already has a lot.

Then something catches his attention and he's off again.

“So why am I still buying more? I don’t know if I have a great answer. I hear something I really like, and I want the record.”

Fair enough.

Still Looking for “What Is This?”

After decades of listening, Zack says it's now harder to find music that genuinely surprises him than it is to find a record he wants.

That doesn't necessarily mean the music isn't out there.

Recently he heard Angine de Poitrine. There were things he recognized, but also things he hadn't heard before. His reaction was immediate:

What is this?

“It made me think maybe there are still places for music to go that I can’t even imagine yet.”

He's started listening to college radio again while he works. If something jumps out, he'll Shazam it and save it. Friends send him music. He works his way through their playlists.

There's no shortage of things to listen to.

If anything, that's the problem.

Zack has a family, a job and access to more music than he could ever get through. When he was younger, he probably gave individual records more time simply because there weren't as many competing for his attention.

“Having access to almost everything is great, but it can also be overwhelming. There’s always something else I could be listening to.”

He still wants to discover more music. Finding the time to properly listen to it is another matter.

Music First

None of this means Zack has lost the collecting bug.

Put a Japanese pressing of a record he loves in front of him with an obi and, as he says, “boy oh boy, I’m interested.”

But it has to be a record he actually wants to hear.

“If I don’t want to hear the music, I’m not buying the record.”

He's not a completist either. There are records by artists he loves that he doesn't own simply because those particular albums don't do much for him.

It's also why parts of modern vinyl culture can leave him a little cold.

“There are times when I look at vinyl culture and think some of it is all show, no depth. The limited editions, colours, rarity, whatever.”

Then again, Zack knows he's benefiting from the same vinyl boom. Records he never expected to see again are being pressed because people are buying them.

“So who am I to complain?”

He'll pay more for a good pressing himself. If he loves an album, he wants to hear it sound as good as it can.

But the pressing isn't why he loves it.

“The better pressing isn’t what makes the music affect me. Whatever it is in the music that grabs me, it’ll still grab me on Spotify.”

Instagram brings out another contradiction.

Zack doesn't think social media has changed what he buys. If Instagram disappeared tomorrow, he says, his collecting wouldn't change.

But he's getting a little tired of how records are presented there.

And he knows he's done all of it himself.

“How many times can we see a stylus drop on a record, someone pulling a record out of a sleeve, posing with a record sleeve, or standing in front of a wall of records? I’ve done all of those things too.”

He admits he wants people to like what he posts. Who doesn't?

But there is something funny about how much time record collectors can spend doing everything around a record.

Finding it. Comparing pressings. Organizing it. Cleaning it. Photographing it. Posting it.

All before actually putting the thing on.

“I Have That.”

Some of Zack's best moments with his collection now happen because of his sons.

One of them will mention a band or an album.

Zack gets to say:

“I have that.”

Then he pulls it off the shelf and they listen together.

It reminds him of being 13. Back then, records weren't quite as individual as they are now. If one friend got something, everybody heard it. They were constantly at each other's houses listening, borrowing albums, taping them or walking around with a ghetto blaster.

“If one of us got hold of something, it almost became part of the collective collection.”

His sons have brought a bit of that back.

There is another benefit.

“When you’re a dad, your kids generally think you’re a loser, so every once in a while it’s like, yeah, maybe I’m still a little bit cool.”

As for what happens to all the records one day, Zack has already told his son to open a record store.

He isn't particularly sentimental about the rest.

“I’m not a pharaoh. I’m not taking it with me. Maybe put one or two in the casket. But at that point I’m dead. I don’t care.”

Hard to argue with that.

Aha. Gotcha.

Ask Zack whether finding a great record still feels the same as it did 30 or 40 years ago and the answer is yes.

He sums it up better than anyone else could:

“Aha. Gotcha.”

He might already know the album. He may have streamed it. But actually finding the record still does something.

“There’s something about finding the record. I now can own those sounds. I can put it on my turntable.”
Why should physically owning those sounds still matter?

Zack doesn't know.

“Why that still matters to me, I can’t really explain.”

And really, why does it need explaining?

There's still music out there that can make him stop and think, What is this?

There's still the satisfaction of finding a record and thinking, Aha. Gotcha.

And now there's his son naming an album and Zack being able to walk over to the shelves and say, I have that.

Zack loves talking about music. He says he'll talk about it to death with a complete stranger. Zack’s Records and Groove Daddies give him plenty of opportunities.

But when he's home alone and a record is playing, none of that really matters.

He's just listening.

“Maybe sometimes we should just listen.”

He's probably right.

And then, sooner or later, another record will come along.

The Death of Indie — Art d'Ecco Isn't Going Quietly

Fri, 09 Oct 2026 20:16:54 GMT

A little warning before we begin: Strong language, provocative ideas and an artist who isn't particularly interested in playing nice. Good. Independent music needs more of that.

“Did, did you hear? They’re building a data centre on the moon?
And now,
They wanna put one in my
Mother fucking back yard”

— Art d'Ecco, The Death of Indie

Well, that got my attention.

It's been a while since a Canadian artist grabbed my attention quite like this.

There's something about Art d'Ecco's attitude that brings to mind Carole Pope and Rough Trade's High School Confidential, a wonderfully provocative Canadian gem from the 1980s that wasn't afraid to challenge convention.

Plenty of artists have pushed boundaries since, but there's a similar spirit here.

Those familiar with Rough Trade will know what I'm talking about.

And if you're not? There's a terrific little rabbit hole waiting for you. Go digging.

Different decade. Different target. Same glorious refusal to behave.

Art d'Ecco has his own conventions to challenge. He's got AI, tech billionaires and the future of independent music in his sights, and apparently seven minutes isn't too long to tell us exactly what he thinks.

Good. Sometimes music needs to do more than entertain us.

Sometimes it needs to piss us off.

The Death of Indie: Seven Minutes of Fury

I've listened to The Death of Indie more times than I care to admit.

It's a seven-minute-plus opening track that doesn't exactly ease you into the album. The guitars push, the rhythm drives forward and the whole thing feels like it could come flying off the rails.

And then there are those horns.

I love the horns.

They cut through the noise, adding another layer of urgency to a song already bursting with ideas. There's a wonderful mix of post-punk energy, theatricality and outright mischief here. Art sounds like he's having the time of his life while telling us everything that's wrong with the world.

And the video? It's a blast.

Do yourself a favour. The next time you feel like punching something, put on The Death of Indie. Better yet, watch the video. It's angry, funny and thoroughly entertaining, with a point behind all that noise.

Art is taking aim at a world where computers keep getting smarter, data centres keep multiplying and the people controlling the technology seem increasingly removed from the consequences.

The song imagines data centres on the moon. It's absurd, until you consider how quickly yesterday's absurdity becomes tomorrow's business plan.

But beneath the satire is a serious question: what happens to music, art and culture when the platforms distributing them become more powerful than the people creating them?

That's worth making some noise about.

The Algorithm Made Me Do It

Here's where things get a little ironic.

I first stumbled across Art d'Ecco in 2021, around the release of In Standard Definition, during his glam-rock era.

An algorithm introduced us.

Yes, the very technology we're now questioning put Head Rush on my recommended listening path.

And I was hooked.

The glam-rock swagger, the new-wave influences, the theatrical delivery. It was adventurous, a little strange and exactly the sort of thing that makes me stop what I'm doing to find out who's playing.

But as much as I enjoyed Art's music, my relationship with it remained pretty passive.

That's the strange thing about digital listening. Something pops up, you fall into it, you enjoy it, and then it disappears from your radar. Not because you've stopped liking it. Something else simply comes along.

I didn't stop appreciating Art d'Ecco. I just never got around to spending more time with him.

Until now.

Five years later, he's making me question the very system that introduced me to his music.

And that's the contradiction I find fascinating. Technology can introduce us to artists we might never otherwise discover. It can also make music feel remarkably disposable.

The problem isn't necessarily the algorithm.

It's what happens when we let it do all the listening for us.

Disappear Here, How Real Is Real? And the Cost of Being Connected

The Death of Indie isn't an isolated outburst. The other singles from Scheele's Green suggest Art has plenty more on his mind.

On Disappear Here, he turns his attention to our obsession with visibility.

“Our addiction to being seen comes at a cost.”

The title references the billboards in Bret Easton Ellis's Less Than Zero, and the song questions what we're willing to sacrifice in the pursuit of attention.

Musically, there's plenty to sink your teeth into. Chugging distortion, a blaring saxophone and a sense of desperation that fits the subject perfectly.

The accompanying video was shot digitally and transferred to Hi8 cassette, giving it a deliberately analogue look.

There's something wonderfully appropriate about that.

But the question behind the song interests me even more. When did being seen become more important than having something meaningful to say?

It's a question for musicians, writers and anyone who's ever checked how many people liked something they posted.

And yes, that includes independent music sites. We're not immune.

Then there's How Real Is Real?, which takes the frustration beyond the music industry.

Built around a garage-rock riff, the song addresses ICE raids, Gaza and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Art describes it as a clarion call, questioning how we can have access to more information than ever while remaining disconnected from what's happening around us.

“Our new realities have desensitized us to the real life atrocities and injustices that are actually being experienced by people in our communities around the world.”

It's an uncomfortable thought. We're constantly connected, with news, images and opinions arriving faster than we can absorb them. Yet somehow it's still possible to feel completely removed from reality.

You don't have to agree with every position Art takes to appreciate an artist willing to take one.

That's something music has always done well. It starts conversations that might otherwise never happen.

Scheele's Green: Something Beautiful, Something Toxic

All of this comes together on Art d'Ecco's new album, Scheele's Green, arriving October 23 through independent Canadian label Paper Bag Records.

The title comes from a pigment developed in 1775 by chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele.

It was a beautiful shade of green, fashionable among the wealthy and used in everything from wallpaper to clothing.

There was just one rather serious problem.

It contained arsenic.

People were surrounding themselves with something potentially deadly because they liked the way it looked.

Art sees an uncomfortable parallel with our relationship to technology.

“What if humans are just intrinsically drawn to shit that fucking kills us?”

It's a provocative question, and a pretty good starting point for an album.

The record also marks a shift in how Art approached making music. Working with co-producer Eric Shea at Vancouver's HippoSonic studio, he assembled a band featuring Junny Chen on guitar, Olivier Leclerc on bass, Hayden Cohen on organ and synth, Kyler Young on saxophone and Yato Noukoussi on drums.

They recorded together, live in the room, bringing a rawer art-rock and post-punk energy to the material.

You can hear that restless spirit in the singles. The saxophone isn't just decoration. The guitars aren't politely waiting their turn. Everything feels alive, occasionally chaotic and refreshingly human.

There's something fitting about an album questioning our relationship with technology being made by musicians playing together in a room.

Sometimes the music makes the point for you.

How Much Music Are We Missing?

A while back, I read Michel Faber's Listen: On Music, Sound and Us.

It got me thinking about how much music we never hear because we rarely venture outside our familiar listening habits.

That question eventually led to a Vinyl Vibes story about Swedish artist They Owe Us and the album Katzengold.

Read: How Much Music Are You Missing? — Katzengold & They Owe Us

Kristoffer Ragnstam, the musician behind They Owe Us, approached making music with a refreshing sense of freedom. He wanted to create something meaningful to him.

Art d'Ecco is coming from a different place. He's angry, challenging technology, power and the direction society is heading.

But both artists remind me why independent music matters.

It's not necessarily about the size of the label, the number of followers or whether a song makes it onto a recommended playlist. It's about having the freedom to make something you believe in.

Of course, artists still need to earn a living. They need audiences, opportunities and places to share their work. Scheele's Green is being released through Paper Bag Records, with support acknowledged from FACTOR, the Government of Canada and Ontario Creates.

That support matters.

Independent music doesn't survive on artistic freedom alone. It needs people willing to take chances on artists, and listeners willing to take chances on music.

Which brings me back to why we started Up Next at Vinyl Vibes.

Not to predict who's going to be famous next. Simply to discover interesting music and give the people making it a little more room to tell their stories.

Art d'Ecco certainly has a story worth hearing.

And perhaps we have a responsibility here too. Visit an independent record store. Buy a record directly from an artist. Go to a smaller show. Follow an independent label.

Or simply listen to something you wouldn't normally choose.

You never know what you'll find.

From the Algorithm to the Turntable

Scheele's Green arrives October 23, including a limited-edition green double vinyl pressing through Paper Bag Records.

And this time, I intend to spend some proper time with the record.

On vinyl.

Not because there's anything inherently wrong with digital music. After all, it's how I discovered Art in the first place.

But I've realized how easily music can pass through my life when I'm not paying attention. A song appears, I enjoy it, something else comes along, and before long I've moved on without ever really getting to know the artist.

I'd like to change that with this album.

Put the record on. Sit down. Listen to the whole thing. Give it the attention it deserves.

Art d'Ecco has spent seven minutes on The Death of Indie telling us what he thinks about the world.

The least I can do is listen.

“We're drinking champagne as the ship's going down. But at the same time, I'm not going to give up.”

That might be the most encouraging thing Art has said about the whole mess.

And maybe that's where the future of independent music begins. Not with an algorithm, a streaming number or another industry prediction.

But with someone making music because they have something to say.

And someone else choosing to hear it.

If The Death of Indie is supposed to be an obituary, Art d'Ecco clearly hasn't received the memo.

Art d'Ecco photography: Izzy Kazanbroot Guppy.

It Started With The Specials. It Became a Collection of Memories.

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 07:00:00 GMT

The Specials started it.

Robyn, originally from Liverpool, was 12 when she got her first turntable for Christmas, along with the band's self-titled debut. The Smiths' Louder Than Bombs, purchased with Christmas money, followed soon after.

“I was so excited to get home and play it on my new record player,” she remembered. “I can still remember being that excited!”

Like most collectors, plenty more records followed. But some of the ones that matter most to Robyn today have little to do with rarity or value. One takes her back to two hours spent outside a concert on a cold October night with her nan.

It happens to be signed by Elkie Brooks, but the signature isn't the reason it means so much.

How record collecting changed her

I first came across Robyn through The Record Collectors Club, where she appeared as Collector No. 15. The project looked beyond photographs of vinyl collections to tell the stories of the collectors themselves.

A few years later, I was interested in what had changed.

“Collecting records has definitely expanded my music taste,” she says. “I feel like I’m more open to all kinds of different genres and recommendations than I would have been had I not started. I’ve discovered so many new artists and styles of music that have definitely changed my life!”

At 12, Robyn generally bought records she already knew she liked. Today, she's more willing to take a chance.
“I suppose I used to just collect records that I knew I liked at the time, but now I find myself picking up music that shop owners tell me to try or buying albums on a whim.”

She still goes back to the classic albums and artists she loved at that age, but record collecting has taken her well beyond them.

Little pieces of history

Some of Robyn's strongest memories of collecting aren't about rare pressings or expensive purchases. They're about going to car boot sales with her nan and grandad and hearing stories from the people selling their records.

“It felt like I was holding little pieces of history in my hands; albums and songs that people had lived to and loved through the years.”

Her nan also used to take her record shopping.

Robyn lost her unexpectedly in December 2024. Before her death, her nan had already chosen some records to give Robyn for Christmas.

Robyn can now hold those albums and think about her nan going through the racks, carefully choosing the ones she thought her granddaughter would like.

“It’s not just about having a collection, each record has a memory attached to it, a moment in my life. The record holds the memory and is a physical symbol of that time.”

One record in particular carries a memory that has become especially important.

Two hours on a cold October night

In 2024, Robyn and her nan went to see Elkie Brooks.

For readers who may not know the name, Brooks has been part of British music for more than six decades. She fronted Vinegar Joe alongside Robert Palmer before establishing a long solo career. Her 1977 album Two Days Away became her breakthrough and included “Pearl's a Singer.”

While writing Robyn's story, I spent some time listening to Elkie Brooks myself. “Don't Cry Out Loud” hit me immediately. It's one of those songs you feel like you've heard a thousand times, but in the best possible way. Familiar almost immediately, even if you couldn't have told someone who was singing it.

Robyn took her copy of Two Days Away to the concert in case she had the opportunity to get it signed. After the show, she and her nan waited at the back door for two hours.

They eventually met Brooks, got a photograph and had the album signed.

“Elkie Brooks was lovely,” Robyn remembers. “She had all the time in the world for the few of us that had waited.”

But the autograph isn't what Robyn remembers most.

“The most special part, though, was the time I got with my nan.”

Two months later, her nan was gone.

“I didn’t think that two months later she would no longer be with me and I’m so glad I got to spend that two hours on a cold October night with her.”

Today, that record takes Robyn straight back there.

“Every time I look at that record I get to remember that night, how happy we were and how we got to spend that precious time together, just talking and having a nice evening.”

What owning the record means

Robyn started collecting vinyl when streaming was already normal. She never needed shelves of records simply to hear the music.

“Owning music physically gives me the album art, the memories, the music itself!”

She loves album artwork and inserts and sometimes pulls records from the shelf just to admire the details.
“I just feel as though there’s something special about owning all of these beautiful album covers. I find myself pulling albums out and just admiring all the little details constantly.”

She also believes vinyl changes the way she listens.

“There’s something that helps you connect to an album when it’s on vinyl. You’re not skipping tracks, you’re hearing it exactly how the artist intended you to!”

That has led her to album tracks she thinks she might otherwise have skipped while streaming.

And, as Robyn puts it, “There’s also the added bonus that you actually own your records, I suppose.”

Her copy of Two Days Away makes the point. The music can be streamed, but the record on Robyn's shelf is the one she took to the concert, the one Elkie Brooks signed and the one connected to those two hours with her nan.

Ten years from now

I asked Robyn what she hopes her vinyl collection might look like if we have this conversation again in ten years.

“In ten years I hope my collection has grown to include genres and artists I don’t even know about right now.”

She'd also like some of the original pressings that are currently beyond her budget, or as she puts it, “the joys of preferring original pressings!”

And there's one more wish.

“The only other thing I could wish for is a new Kate Bush album slotted in there.”

But there's something more important she hopes will have changed by then.

Since losing her nan, record collecting hasn't felt quite the same.

“I do hope I can reclaim the excitement I had for record collecting prior to my nan’s unexpected passing. It feels slightly too much for me to fully involve myself in at the minute given that it was the main thing we used to do together.”

For now, Robyn is giving herself time to find her way back to something that has been part of her life since she was 12.

“I hope when the pain lessens I can take comfort in continuing my collection instead of sorrow. I know I’ll get there, so let’s just say in ten years I’ll be more excited than ever!”

Keep Exploring

Robyn’s collection is one story among many. Meet more people and explore the memories, discoveries and rituals behind their records in Collector Stories.

If Robyn’s story has you thinking about what you might discover next, Find Your Next Record explores different ways to find vinyl, from independent record stores to trusted online sources.

And for practical ways to care for, protect and enjoy the records you already own, explore Collector Essentials.

“Real Life Record Warfare”: Inside the London Record Show and Speed City Records

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 22:32:39 GMT

Put a room full of record collectors in front of thousands of records and something happens.

People dig faster. Records change hands. You spot something, put it back, change your mind — and it's gone.

Speed City Records owner Michael Todd has a name for it.

“It's boots on the ground real life record warfare!”

On October 25, collectors get another chance to experience it when the London Record Show returns to London, Ontario.

Mike runs the show, but he's been doing his own version of the hunt for nearly 30 years behind the counter at Speed City Records.

And after all that time, he still doesn't know what's coming next.

That's exactly why he likes it.

“Thrill of the hunt! Never knowing what's going to walk through that door. Buying records is still fun!”

It's also a pretty good explanation for why people still show up at record shows.

You can search for almost any record you want.

Or you can start digging and see what happens.

A Real Live Marketplace

Buying records online is incredibly useful when you know what you want.

A record show is different.

Mike says people love the event itself — the feeling of something bigger happening, with better deals, better selection and a better experience.

There's also a little more pressure.

At home, you can research a pressing and compare prices. At a show, Mike says, it's buyer beware. You can't always research everything on the fly.

And while you're deciding, somebody else is digging.

“A real live marketplace where records come and go in real time right in front of you.”

Put something back and there's no guarantee it'll be there when you return.

That's where the record warfare comes in.

And Then There Was the Dishwasher

Mike knows that uncertainty from the other side of the bins too.

Some of his more memorable experiences at Speed City have happened while buying collections.

He's visited people in their homes, bought estate collections and encountered everything from hoarding to families arguing over what has been left behind.

And then there was the dishwasher.

Mike went to look at one collection and discovered a woman running the records through it.

“Needless to say the records were no longer of any value.”

You can't win them all.

But that's part of Mike's hunt too. He can head out to look at a collection without knowing what will be there, bring it back to Speed City and start going through the boxes.

Eventually, some of those records end up in the bins.

Then it's somebody else's turn to find them.

The London Story Behind Speed City

Even the Speed City name has a connection to London's music history.

Jim Ashby recorded Speed City at Track Four Sound in London in 1970. Mike grew up knowing the record through his father, Wayne Todd, who was a close friend of Ashby.

When Speed City Records opened in 1997, that piece of London music history became part of the shop's identity.

The connection was later documented by Josh Greenberg in The Record Keepers, his journey through independent record stores across Canada and the people behind them.

Vinyl Vibes previously spoke with Josh about the project and the record stores and people he encountered along the way.

→ READ: DISCOVERING THE RECORD KEEPERS — A JOURNEY THROUGH CANADIAN VINYL CULTURE

A London record gave a London record store its name.

Nearly three decades later, Speed City has its own place in the city's record story.

What Collectors Want Changes

Nearly 30 years behind the counter has given Mike a good view of what collectors are actually buying.

And it doesn't stay the same.

Right now, he's seeing one noticeable shift.

“Records from the 80's are now in demand while the 60's fade and drop in value.”

Records collectors once walked past can become the ones everybody wants. Others that once commanded attention can start heading in the opposite direction.

Nostalgia moves forward.

So does the hunt.

Why Dig When You Can Search?

If you know the exact album and pressing you're looking for, there's a good chance you can find it online.

So why spend an afternoon flipping through bins?

Mike comes back to the thrill of the hunt — the same rush he gets after buying a large collection and finally seeing what's inside.

There's also a practical advantage to buying in person.

“And there is not crazy shipping $$”

He's got a point.

A search is very good at finding something you already know you want.

A record bin can put something in your hands you hadn't thought about in years — or something you've never seen before.

That's harder to search for.

London Record Show — October 25

On October 25, the digging moves to the London Record Show in London, Ontario.

“People love an event,” Mike says. “It gives the impression of something bigger! Better deals better selection better experience.”

For a few hours, the marketplace happens in front of you.

People dig. Deals get made. Records leave the room.

And something you saw ten minutes ago may already be gone.

London Record Show at a Glance

Date: October 25, 2026

Location: Centennial Hall, downtown London, Ontario

Organizer: Speed City Records

What you'll find: Dozens of dealers with thousands of records and CDs, along with stereo gear and music memorabilia.

For current hours, admission and any last-minute information, check the official event sources before heading out.

→ FULL LONDON RECORD SHOW DETAILS ON FACEBOOK

→ OFFICIAL LONDON RECORD SHOW PAGE — SPEED CITY RECORDS

Once you're inside, Mike's warning is worth remembering.

It's buyer beware.

And if you see something you really want, you might not want to leave it sitting there too long.

The Hunt Keeps Going

Mike describes Speed City Records as the longest-running record store in London, Ontario.

His plans aren't complicated.

“For now we keep going to further that legacy.”

After nearly 30 years, he's still interested in what might come through the door next.

The people walking into Speed City don't know what they'll find either.

Neither will the collectors walking into the London Record Show on October 25.

As Mike puts it:

“Ya never know what you'll find!”

London Record Show FAQ

When is the London Record Show?

The London Record Show takes place October 25, 2026 in London, Ontario. Check the official event pages for the latest hours and admission information.

Who runs the London Record Show?

The London Record Show is run by Speed City Records, the London record store owned by Michael Todd.

Where is the London Record Show?

The show is held at Centennial Hall in downtown London, Ontario.

What can you find at the London Record Show?

The show brings together dozens of dealers with thousands of records and CDs, along with stereo gear and music memorabilia.

Where can I find the latest London Record Show information?

For current hours, admission and event updates, check the official London Record Show Facebook event or the London Record Show page on the Speed City Records website.

→ LONDON RECORD SHOW — FACEBOOK

→ LONDON RECORD SHOW — SPEED CITY RECORDS

What to Read Next

The hunt doesn't end here. Keep digging through Vinyl Vibes.

→ FIND MORE RECORD SHOWS
Find upcoming record shows, digging resources and more stories from the record show community.

→ RECORD STORE STORIES
Step inside independent record stores and meet the people behind the shops.

→ COLLECTOR STORIES
Meet record collectors and discover the albums, memories and stories behind their collections.

→ 30,000 RECORDS. ONE ROOM. WHY TORONTO COLLECTORS STILL SHOW UP TO DIG
Go inside the Toronto Downtown Record Show and see why collectors still turn up to dig.

His Father Ran Into a Fire to Save His Records

Sun, 04 Oct 2026 17:22:42 GMT

Life has a way of pulling us away from the things that once mattered most. For Canadian maker Rémy Beaumont, finding his way back to music happened somewhere unexpected: in a woodworking shop near Québec City.

Rémy Beaumont grew up hearing a story about his father and his records.

Jean-Marie was young then, living with his parents and brothers in an apartment above a commercial laundry. One day, the laundry caught fire.

He got out.

His records were still upstairs.

So he went back into the burning building and saved them. Every one.

It's a story his father would tell him years later. And once you hear Rémy talk about Jean-Marie, it doesn't seem entirely out of character.

His father was always listening.

Saturday Mornings Had a Soundtrack

Dean Martin. Engelbert Humperdinck. The Platters. James Last and his band.

And mambo.

“He loved mambo,” Rémy says.

On Saturday mornings, Jean-Marie would listen through headphones while everyone else slept. Eventually, the headphones came off and the speakers came on.

“That was our alarm clock.”

Music was simply part of the Beaumont home.

Rémy found his own way into it. He played saxophone — a lot. In high school, he played baritone sax in a band that made a record in 1986–87. His name is still there on the back of the sleeve.

Then life took him somewhere else.

“Music was always a big part of my life too. I played saxophone, a lot, but life pulled me away from it, and I always wanted to find my way back.”

Life Pulled Him Away

Rémy's career led him into technology and entrepreneurship. He started businesses and invested in others. Playing music became less central.

Woodworking, another interest that went back almost as far, stayed with him.

Rémy was around 18 when he started watching Norm Abram on The New Yankee Workshop. He bought plans for a cabinet and built it with the tools he had.

He kept that first cabinet for more than 30 years.

There were other projects over the years. Furniture for the dining room. Pieces for his daughter after she was born.

He kept making things.

Eventually, music and woodworking found each other.

A Different Way Back

Rémy didn't find his way back to music by picking up the saxophone again.

He found it through making things.

Today, in his workshop near Québec City, Rémy builds record player stands and audio furniture from hardwood, one piece at a time, creating a place for records, turntables and listening in people's homes.

His workshop, Pantoufle Mobilier, is deliberately small. The work is made in Canada, and Rémy has his hands on every piece.

For him, bringing music and woodworking together felt natural.

Record collectors understand the connection. We remember where we found certain records, who gave them to us and where we were in our lives when we first heard them.

Then we bring all of that home.

Rémy makes things for that space.

Start With the Wood

One of Rémy's favourite parts comes right at the beginning.

“There’s something special about choosing rough boards and already seeing in your head what they’re going to become.”

Then the wood starts presenting problems.

A hidden crack can appear after a cut. A board can bow. Tiny holes and hairline cracks need repairing. Rémy sometimes uses an iron to steam a dent back out.

“It's constant,” he says. The satisfaction comes from knowing none of it will show in the finished piece.
Even the glue matters.

Rémy uses hide glue, a traditional furniture-making method that cleans away without leaving residue behind when it's time to finish the wood.

It takes longer to dry.

So he waits.

There isn't a production line.

It's Rémy, in Québec, from the rough board to the shipping box.

Near the end comes another favourite moment.

Rémy doesn't stain the walnut. He applies a natural oil-wax finish by hand and lets the wood show itself.

“That's when the walnut comes alive.”

Jean-Marie

Rémy knew from the beginning that he wanted what he made to carry the names of family members who had left a mark on him.

Anything connected with audio would carry his father's name.

Jean-Marie.

His daughter has a record player tattoo in memory of her grandfather.

Now Rémy sees the name becoming part of other people's homes.

While he's working on a piece, he'll send photographs to the customer so they can watch it take shape. After it leaves the workshop, he follows up.

Sometimes a photograph comes back.

The piece is in its new home. The turntable is on it. The records are there.

Someone is listening.

“I wish my dad could have seen that,” Rémy says.

His father once went back into a burning building for his records. Decades later, his name is attached to something his son makes for other people and their music.

This One Is Different

Rémy has built businesses before. He's invested in them too.

But he doesn't want to build this one the same way.

Pantoufle remains a one-person workshop. Each piece passes through Rémy's hands, from selecting the lumber to packing the finished work.

“This one is different. This one is for me, for my own satisfaction.”

Rémy didn't recreate the musical life he had when he was younger. He found another way to bring music into his days.

And every so often, the past turns up right there in the workshop.

A Record From 1986

Rémy recently made a small Now Playing stand from a walnut offcut left over from a larger build.

For the photograph, he put a record on it.

Not just any record.

It was the album made by his high-school band in 1986–87.

Rémy played baritone sax. His name is on the back.

The record stayed with him through the years when playing music became less central. Now it sits on something he made himself, in the workshop where music is part of his everyday life again.

The Platters Are Still Playing

Rémy listens while he works.

His playlist is simply called My Favorites: Sting, Phil Collins, Melody Gardot, Depeche Mode, Billie Eilish, Glass Tiger, The Box.

And The Platters.

One of his father's favourites.

Sometimes Rémy listens through the speakers. Other times the music comes through the hearing-protection headphones he wears while working.

Which brings us back to those Saturday mornings.

Jean-Marie in his headphones while the rest of the house slept. Then the speakers coming on and music filling the room.

Decades later, Rémy is in his workshop near Québec City, working with his hands and listening to some of the same music.

“So I guess, like him, I spend a lot of time listening with headphones on. Mine just happen to be hearing protection.”

Keep Exploring

The Space Between Loving Music and Living With It
Inside Sidetracked Workshop and another approach to creating a home around music.
Read the story →

Collector Stories
Meet the people behind the records — and the collections, memories and moments that keep them listening.
Explore Collector Stories →

Collector Essentials
Practical ideas for caring for your records, your setup and the space around them.
Explore Collector Essentials →

The Song Is Hers. The Feeling Is Yours.

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 19:21:07 GMT

Lydia Stephen was standing over a laundry basket holding a pair of jeans.

There was a small mustard stain on them from a hot dog she'd eaten with her boyfriend.

Except he wasn't her boyfriend anymore.

She knew that if she put the jeans in the wash, the stain would disappear.

Normally, that's the point.

This time, Lydia hesitated.

That little stain was attached to a memory of someone she still loved. Washing it away felt like letting another small piece of their time together disappear.

What made the moment even stranger was that Lydia had already written a song about this feeling.

She just hadn't written it about herself.

The Song Came First

Years earlier, one of Lydia's sisters had gone through what she describes as an “earth-shattering breakup.”

“I carried her devastation in my chest for months like it was my own and I had no idea what to do.”

So Lydia wrote.

One of those songs became “What Not To Do.”

It starts with a very ordinary moment: “I washed my duvet / For the first time since you left me.”

Changing the sheets. Washing a cup. Moving the couch.

Things you've done hundreds of times suddenly feel different because you're doing them for the first time without someone.

The song began with her sister's experience.

Then, years later, Lydia went through a devastating breakup of her own.

Suddenly she was standing over those mustard-stained jeans, hesitating to wash away something most of us wouldn't have thought twice about.

The song belonged to her now, too.

What Not To Do hasn't been released yet. Lydia is currently working on the mix.

But people are already finding themselves in it.

When the Song Becomes Yours

Lydia has played What Not To Do live enough times to notice what happens.

A sniffle somewhere in the room. Someone wiping away a tear. Someone approaching her afterwards, or sending a message later, because the song put words around something they hadn't been able to express themselves.

“The song was mine, and it was my sister's, and hopefully soon it can take its own shape for everyone else too.”

That might be the best way to understand Lydia Stephen as a songwriter.

Her songs begin somewhere personal — heartbreak, loneliness, uncertainty, things that aren't always easy to say out loud.

Then somebody else hears them.

And something changes.

The song is hers.

The feeling doesn't have to be.

For Lydia Stephen, a song can begin with one person's experience and eventually become somebody else's.

Finding a Way to Say It

Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Lydia Stephen is a singer-songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist who has been writing music since her teens.

She's still figuring out exactly where music might take her.

What she isn't questioning is whether it will remain part of her life.

As Lydia puts it, “To walk away from music would be to walk away from so much of who I am, what I value, and how I express myself.”

Another unreleased song, It's Not What We Do, grew from feelings and experiences Lydia had spent years trying to understand.

That's a recurring idea in her writing: taking something difficult to explain and finding a way to say it in a song.

Where that eventually takes her — further into performing, songwriting for herself or writing for others — she doesn't know yet.

For now, she keeps writing.

And she keeps showing up.

For Lydia Stephen, songwriting has become a way of making sense of things that aren't always easy to put into words.

Two People or 150

Lydia has played her share of nearly empty rooms.

She doesn't romanticize it. It's discouraging.

You write the songs. You rehearse. You show up ready to play.

And sometimes almost nobody else does.

Some of the best advice she received was simple: use those shows as reps.

Two people in the room don't deserve a lesser performance simply because another 148 didn't show up.

“Whether 2 people are listening or 150 people are listening, I am still doing something I love, and it does not mean I should stop,” Lydia says.

There's something about that which captures what remains so compelling about independent music.

Before the streams, followers, algorithms and career milestones, someone still has to make the music.

And someone else has to listen.

Whether the room holds two people or 150, Lydia says the reason for playing doesn't change.

Then I Heard “Longer”

I'd heard enough of Lydia's music to know there was talent there. But after reading the answers she'd written for this Up Next profile, I wanted to go a little deeper.

So I spent some time with a handful of her songs — nothing exhaustive, just listening to a few that came up and seeing where they took me.

“Until July” caught me.

Then I heard “Longer.”

And I stopped.

It's sweet and simple, and it doesn't seem determined to force an emotion out of you. It invites you in, and somewhere along the way I started finding pieces of my own experiences inside Lydia's words.

That's when something she'd written about What Not To Do really clicked.

A song can begin with Lydia, but what you find inside it can be entirely your own.

There's something about that which gets to the heart of what Vinyl Vibes means when we talk about listening to music on vinyl.

It's not really about the format.

It's the idea behind it: putting something on and giving it your attention. Letting a song finish before deciding what you think. Going back and hearing something you missed the first time.

Lydia's music rewards that kind of listening.

It doesn't demand your attention or insist that you feel something immediately. It simply leaves the door open.

You can keep scrolling.

Or you can stop for a few minutes and listen.

That's what happened to me with Longer.

Lydia provided the song, but the memories it brought back were mine.

LISTEN TO “LONGER” BY LYDIA STEPHEN →

How Much Music Are We Missing?

It's a question I've found myself returning to.

I wrote about it after discovering Swedish artist They Owe Us and the album Katzengold: how much music are we missing simply because we stay inside the artists and records we already know?

Lydia brought me back to the same question from a completely different direction.

There is an extraordinary amount of music being made by independent artists. Finding it isn't necessarily the difficult part anymore.

Giving someone you've never heard of enough of your attention to actually hear what they're doing might be.

Sometimes all it takes is one song.

What Makes It Worth It?

I asked Lydia to forget streams, followers and career milestones for a moment.

What had happened because of music that made all of this worthwhile?

She didn't mention a number.

She mentioned people.

Opening for Kingston band Kasador in April 2025 introduced her to Cameron Wyatt, who became one of her closest friends. Hamilton's Shaky Knees Songwriting Club brought Liam Kamerman of Floating Mansions into her life.

Those relationships would still matter if the music stopped tomorrow.

For Lydia, some of music's biggest rewards have happened away from streams, followers and numbers.

Maybe that's where all of this eventually leads.

A sister goes through a breakup.

Lydia feels it deeply enough to write a song.

Years later, that song becomes part of Lydia's own story. She plays it in a room and someone wipes away a tear. Somewhere else, somebody hears another Lydia Stephen song and finds something completely different inside it.

The song keeps moving from one person to another.

The song is hers.

The feeling is yours.

Or, as Lydia puts it:

“Music is worth it because it fosters human connection in a way that nothing else really can.”

KEEP DISCOVERING

Lydia Stephen is one of the artists we're discovering. See who else we're listening to.

EXPLORE UP NEXT →

How Frankie Goes to Hollywood Sparked a Record-Collecting Obsession That Never Stopped

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 07:00:00 GMT

It began with two friends chasing different versions of Relax. Forty years later, that obsession has grown into a 20,000‑square‑foot hunt for rare pressings, Japanese imports, promos, test pressings and records collectors didn’t know existed.

There’s a moment when buying records turns into collecting them.

It happens when you realize the copy on your shelf isn’t the only one. There’s an earlier pressing. A Japanese issue. A promo. A different sleeve. A 12-inch mix you’ve never seen. Maybe even a test pressing that was never meant to reach the public.

“Which one do I own?”

Robert and Julian discovered that moment through Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

In the early 1980s, the childhood friends became obsessed with the endless variations of ZTT’s 12-inch remixes. One version of Relax led to another. In 1985, they paid US$27 (£20) for a 16‑minute remix. Then they found another copy for US$9.50 (£7).

Most people see two copies of the same song. Collectors see the beginning of a rabbit hole.

Robert and Julian went down it — and never really came back out.

Today, that hunt fills more than 20,000 square feet of warehouse space in Kent, England, packed with original pressings, Japanese imports, promos, white labels, test pressings, picture discs and memorabilia.
It’s called RareVinyl.

“No matter how well you think you know the records you collect, there’s probably another version out there.”

Before Discogs, Finding Rare Records Was Different

Today, you can hunt for a rare pressing without leaving the couch.

In the 1980s, you had to go looking.

Record shops. Fairs. Magazines. Other collectors.

Robert and Julian bought records wherever they could and advertised their finds in Record Collector magazine. Their friend Cathryn eventually left her banking job to join them, forming Esprit.

The ads grew with the inventory. By the late ’80s and into the ’90s, Esprit had become Record Collector’s largest advertiser — sometimes filling more than 10 pages with typed listings.

No photos. No search bar. No algorithm. Just pages of records.

You scanned them artist by artist, hoping something would jump out.

“There it is.”

That feeling hasn’t changed.

Then Vinyl Nearly Disappeared

As the hunt moved online, Esprit experimented with Compuserve before launching eil.com — Esprit International Limited.

Then vinyl collapsed.

CDs took over. Shops closed. Collections were sold off. For a while, records looked like the past, not the future.

Robert, Julian and Cathryn kept going.

Eventually, the cycle reversed. Vinyl returned — and so did something more interesting:

the collector mentality.

Original pressings mattered again. So did labels, matrices, inserts, coloured vinyl, promos, Japanese editions and all the tiny differences that turn two copies of the same album into completely different finds.

In 2022, RareVinyl.com became the company’s new storefront.

The technology changed. The obsession didn’t.

Then You See Where the Records Ended Up

What began with two friends chasing Frankie Goes to Hollywood 12-inch singles now spans 20,000 square feet across four sites, with a team of around 30 people. Their buying network even reaches Hiroshima, Japan — a detail that should immediately grab anyone who’s fallen down the Japanese pressing rabbit hole.

And then there’s the inventory.

Original pressings. Japanese imports. Promos. White labels. Picture discs. Test pressings. Box sets. Autographs. Records from countries and decades collectors obsess over.

Twenty thousand square feet isn’t impressive because it’s big.

“What’s hiding in there?”

This Is Where Collectors Get Into Trouble

The rabbit hole begins when you’re no longer looking for another copy.

You’re looking for the copy.

A first pressing. A Japanese edition with the obi. A promo never sold commercially. A withdrawn sleeve. A rare 12-inch mix. A test pressing made before the final version hit the shops.

RareVinyl has handled some serious examples:

A 1957 first US deep‑groove mono pressing of Tenor Conclave on Prestige, with the W. 50th Street label and RVG in the runout.
A Kate Bush Experiment IV 7-inch test pressing.
An official Oasis promotional box designed like a Vox amplifier, reportedly limited to around 100.

These aren’t records you go looking for. They’re records you discover exist.

And that’s worse.

You search an artist you think you know and suddenly there’s a Japanese issue you’ve never seen, a promo you didn’t know was released, or an obscure 12-inch that somehow escaped you for decades.

“Don’t you already own that album? Just not that version.”

If that makes perfect sense to you, you’re already wondering what’s in the warehouse.

But Would You Buy a Grail You Couldn’t Hold?

Buying collectible vinyl online has a challenge: you can’t pull the record from its sleeve, angle it toward the light or check the runout yourself.

And once you’re hunting specific pressings, details matter.

RareVinyl uses the Record Collector Magazine grading system and says most listings fall between Excellent and Mint unless stated otherwise.

But collectors still do what collectors do:

Read everything.

Check catalogue numbers, countries, years, condition.

Confirm inserts, obis, variations.

Sometimes the smallest detail is the entire reason you want that copy.

A Warehouse Is Really Just a Very Large Crate

Seeing all those records brings the story back to where it started.

Robert and Julian weren’t trying to build a 20,000‑square‑foot operation in 1985. They were collectors chasing different versions of records they loved.

The scale changed. The behaviour didn’t.

You look for one record. Something else catches your eye. You notice another pressing — different country, different year, different label.

You didn’t know that version existed. Now you need to know why.

And suddenly you’ve forgotten what you originally came looking for.

It’s the same thing that happens in a good record shop.

The crate is just considerably bigger.

Don’t Search for an Album

If you’re curious about RareVinyl, here’s how to explore it:

Don’t search for an album you want.

Search for the artist you collect.

The Smiths. Joy Division. New Order. Depeche Mode. Oasis. The Beatles. Miles Davis. John Coltrane.

Whoever your weakness is.

Then look beyond the album titles.

Countries. Years. Promos. 12-inch singles. Japanese pressings. Test pressings.

See where the search takes you.

Because after more than 40 years of digging, the most interesting record you find may not be the rare pressing that’s been on your want list for years.

“A version you didn’t know existed until five minutes ago.”

That’s the danger of a good dig.

And why collectors never really stop.

Robert and Julian discovered it through Frankie Goes to Hollywood more than four decades ago.

They’re still digging. The rest of us are still looking.

What’s the one record — or exact pressing — you’re still hoping to find?

Keep Digging

The RareVinyl story started with two collectors looking for different versions of records they loved. More than four decades later, the hunt is still going.

Explore more of the people and places behind record collecting through Record Store Stories and Collector Stories.

Keep Hunting

Looking for something harder to find? Browse rare pressings, promos, Japanese releases and other collectible records through RareVinyl.

Disclosure: Some links on Vinyl Vibes are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy something through them. It never affects what I write or the records I recommend.

Exit...Stage Left: Retiring Into a Life of Vinyl

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 07:00:00 GMT

What are you going to do when you retire?

Stacey Agecoutay has been getting that question a lot lately.

His 36-year career in financial advisory comes to an end on December 31, 2026, and he already knows the answer.

“I am going to start taking my collection seriously!”

For Stacey, that means better curating, cataloguing and organizing a collection now approaching 8,000 records and CDs. It means acquiring music more carefully and thoughtfully, and having more time to enjoy what he already owns.

There is plenty to get through.

Stacey figures it would take the better part of nine years to listen to everything he owns today if he started at the beginning and played two or three records every day.

His relationship with music, though, goes back much further than the collection that now fills several spaces in his Kelowna, British Columbia home.

One of the albums that helped shape it wasn't originally on vinyl for Stacey.

It was a Rush cassette.

Exit...Stage Left

As a teenager, Stacey occupied the dark basement of his family home, which was essentially his bedroom. When he turned out the light, he liked having some white noise in the background.

His portable cassette player provided it.

Inside was Rush's Exit...Stage Left.

“Having listened to the tape at a very low volume several times, probably 300 times, I would guess that it is permanently imprinted in the deep recesses of my brain.”

There is an interesting story behind the album title itself.

Rush borrowed Exit...Stage Left from Snagglepuss, the Hanna-Barbera cartoon character known for making theatrical departures with variations of “Exit, stage left.” Geddy Lee confirmed the connection in an interview around the album's 1981 release.

In that same interview, Lee was asked whether the live album might represent the end of another era for Rush. He said it possibly did, although the band hadn't consciously planned it that way.

More than four decades later, that gives the album Stacey played hundreds of times an unexpected connection to where he finds himself today.

He's preparing to exit a 36-year career, but he's certainly not leaving music behind. Retirement means he'll finally have more time for it.

Rush has followed him through much of that journey.

When Stacey began building his collection, he paid particular attention to finding the band's discography in as fine a condition as possible. The collection grew again with each 40th anniversary deluxe box set.

In Rush's later touring years with Neil Peart, Stacey planned vacation time around shows to make sure he didn't miss them, including their Vancouver appearance on the final tour. When Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson announced their Fifty Something tour, he immediately booked vacation time again.

The cassette that once played quietly in a teenager's basement now feels like a fitting title for his next chapter.

The $8.85 Record He Would Never Sell

With nearly 8,000 pieces, it would be easy to tell Stacey's story through numbers.

One of the records that says the most about him is worth less than $10.

Stacey has owned 41 Hits From the Sound Track of American Graffiti for most of the past 45 years.

When he was nine, there were six to ten kids in his neighbourhood who had grown up in the same houses, on the same streets and attended the same school. Their parents let them hold weekend afternoon dance parties in basements, rec rooms and sometimes garages.

Everyone brought what they thought were the perfect records for dancing.

Stacey brought American Graffiti to every one.

His nine-year-old signature is still on the top edge of the cover, put there to make sure everyone knew exactly who owned it.

“Were we cool? No, not really. Did we care? Absolutely not.”

When Stacey shared the story, the record's Discogs median value was $8.85 CAD.

It's been with him for most of his life, and it isn't going anywhere.

Finding the Records You Didn't Know You Needed

Stacey doesn't pretend there was some grand plan behind the collection.

It began, as he puts it, with “the sheer love of music and appreciation for the artistry and vinyl culture.” A few records became more records, and before long collecting had become something much bigger.

What continues to drive it is the desire to learn and experience more.

Alongside his records and CDs, Stacey collects music history and biography books. Learning about artists, genres, musical eras and historical events inevitably sends him looking for something else to hear.

“The most attractive aspect of the hobby is the nearly infinite possibilities of discovery, the thrill of the hunt, the search for the vinyl grail and the seemingly endless journey of finding those pieces of music that you know you need and, more importantly, the ones you didn't know you needed.”

That discovery doesn't always happen one record at a time.

Stacey has bought collections ranging from a few dozen records to several thousand. A couple have exceeded 10,000 records.

Buying that way gives him the opportunity to upgrade copies he already owns while exposing him to music he might never have experienced otherwise. What doesn't stay in his personal collection can be donated or resold through Groove Garden Records.

It also creates work.

Organizing a large purchase and deciding what to keep can occupy weeks or months of his spare time.
Stacey knows there will eventually come a point when he runs out of space or energy and has to change his approach.

He isn't there yet.

Forty-Three Records From the Netherlands

Records have started shaping Stacey's travel too.

In April 2026, he attended the Record Planet Mega Record and CD Fair in Den Bosch, Netherlands, a trip he describes as a bucket-list experience.

Flying home forced him to be unusually selective.

Everything had to be carried on his back and fit into the airplane's overhead bin.

The final number was 43 records.

Stacey already knows he'd like to go back.

From Rush to K-Tel: A Canadian Collection in Kelowna

For someone who describes himself as a T-shirt-and-jeans kind of man who might appear mostly drawn to classic rock, Stacey's shelves cover a surprising amount of ground.

There is jazz, including releases from Canadian label Cellar Live alongside Impulse! and Blue Note classics. There is country and western, including Saskatchewan's Colter Wall and plenty of Marty Robbins. Blues, hard rock and metal are all represented.

Then there are the sections someone might not expect.

Hawaiian music has its own area. So does Japanese music. Stacey has more than 100 K-Tel records, along with classical, soundtracks and a sizeable amount of Easy Listening, Space Age Pop, Lounge and Bachelor Pad music.

Canadian music runs through all of it.

Rush may be the most personal example, but Stacey's shelves stretch from Lee Aaron to Walter Zwol.

“I am a proud supporter of Canadian music and will always seek out our amazing artists when hunting for new gems for the collection.”

From his home in Kelowna, Groove Garden Records has become another part of Stacey's relationship with collecting. Records come in, some stay in his own collection and others eventually find another home.

The discovery is the part he doesn't seem ready to retire from.

Taking the Collection Seriously

Which brings Stacey back to December 31.

He isn't waiting for retirement to start listening. For more than a decade, putting on one or two records has been part of his daily routine, and he has already listened to most of what he owns at least once.
What retirement gives him is more time.

Stacey wants to curate and catalogue the collection better, organize it and become more careful about what he acquires next.

He also wants to continue enjoying the physical details that have kept him interested in records for so long.
He talks about touching an outer sleeve and feeling the wear on its edges and corners. The ring wear of a well-loved record. Small rips and tears that add character to the jacket. Matrix etchings and stamped identifiers. Inner lyric sleeves and inserts.

Even the smell.

“Those of us who appreciate vinyl for the physical experience and the ability to cherish music that may not be available online truly understand how important it is to protect and preserve our collections.”

After 36 years in financial advisory, Stacey isn't struggling to figure out what retirement will look like.

There are records to catalogue, collections to sort, Canadian artists still to discover, Groove Garden Records to spend more time on and shelves containing enough music to keep him listening for years.

Somewhere among them is a copy of American Graffiti carrying his nine-year-old signature.

And there is Rush, the band that once played quietly from a cassette machine in his teenage basement and remained part of his life for decades afterward.

So when people ask Stacey what he's going to do when he retires, his answer really doesn't need much explaining.

“I am going to start taking my collection seriously!”

After all those years with Exit...Stage Left, there is really only one question left.

What is he going to play first?

If you were retiring tomorrow, what would you finally have more time for?

Keep Exploring

Stacey’s story is one of many. Keep digging into the records, people and places that make collecting personal.

Collector Stories
Meet more collectors and discover the stories behind their collections.

Find Your Next Record
From independent record stores to harder-to-find records online, keep the hunt going.

Record Shows
Find upcoming record shows and discover why collectors still turn up to dig in person.

Protect Your Records
Simple ways to protect the records you’ve spent years collecting.

Why We Listen
Stories about the albums, artists and discoveries that keep us coming back to music.

30,000 Records. One Room. Why Toronto Collectors Still Show Up to Dig.

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 19:25:21 GMT

The Toronto Downtown Record Show returns October 25. More than 25 years after it began, Aaron Keele and Akim Boldireff are still giving collectors something the internet can't quite replace.

There will be almost 30,000 records in one room in Toronto on October 25.

Which raises an obvious question.

Why would anyone bother?

We can find almost any record we want without leaving the couch. Search for the album. Check the pressing. Compare the price. Click buy.

Done.

But that's not really digging.

Aaron Keele and Akim Boldireff know something about that.

Together they're The Record Guys, two longtime figures in Toronto's record community with more than 30 years each in the music business. Both have owned record stores. They've bought and appraised collections, represented the vinyl community in the media and, for more than 25 years, organized the Toronto Downtown Record Show.

Held twice a year and focused firmly on vinyl, the show brings dealers and collectors together for something increasingly difficult to recreate online: thousands of records in one room and the chance to simply start digging.

On October 25, they're doing it again.

Almost 30,000 Chances to Find Something

That's the number that jumps off the page.

Almost 30,000 records.

More than 20 vendor tables.

Rock. Jazz. Soul. Reggae. Metal. Punk. Blues. Funk. Disco. Alternative. Hip-hop. Classical. And plenty more.

The Toronto Downtown Record Show isn't meant to be some intimidating gathering reserved for people who can identify a pressing from the runout groove.

Aaron and Akim make that pretty clear:

“There’s something for everyone, from the casual browser to the most serious collector.”

You don't need to know matrix numbers. You don't need a carefully organized want list.

You don't even need to know what you're looking for.

Sometimes not knowing is better.

Because somewhere among those thousands of records could be the familiar, the unusual or exactly the sort of thing that keeps collectors flipping:

“From the solid classics, to the mouth-watering rare records you dream of…”

And there it is.

The hunt.

You Have to Look

There's something wonderfully inefficient about a record show.

You can't type a title into a search box and have somebody point you towards crate 17, record 43.

You have to start flipping.

Maybe you're looking for an original pressing you've been chasing for years.

Maybe there's one album missing from a collection.

Maybe you've recently fallen down a jazz rabbit hole and you're looking for where it takes you next.

Or maybe a cover catches your eye and you stop.

You weren't looking for it.

Five seconds earlier, you didn't know you wanted it.

Now you're holding it.

Your next favourite record might not be the one you came looking for.

We Keep Hearing the Same Thing

We recently spent time around the Hamilton Record Show asking collectors why they still go to these things.

Why drive somewhere, pay to get in and spend hours flipping through records when buying vinyl online is so much easier?

The answers weren't really about buying.

They were about the hunt, discovery and people.

Collectors talked about finding records they weren't expecting to find.

They talked about conversations that start across a table because somebody notices what you're holding.

An artist leads to a pressing. A pressing leads to a concert. A concert leads to a record shop somebody remembers from twenty years ago.

And sometimes it's simply being in a room with people who understand why any of those little details matter.

That stayed with us.

Because maybe the inefficiency isn't a problem.

Maybe it's part of the reason we're there.

→ READ WHAT HAMILTON COLLECTORS TOLD US ABOUT WHY RECORD SHOWS STILL MATTER

More Than 25 Years Later, They're Still Doing It

The Toronto Downtown Record Show has been around long enough to have watched almost everything around it change.

How we discover music changed.

How we buy music changed.

How we listen changed.

Records disappeared from the mainstream and somehow found their way back.

Aaron and Akim kept putting on the show.

That longevity is interesting.

There are much easier ways to buy a record in 2026 than walking into a room filled with thousands of them and starting at one end of a crate.

But buying isn't quite the same as finding.

And people still want to find records.

Worth the Trip?

The name says Toronto Downtown Record Show, but you don't have to live in Toronto to make a day of it.

A room with almost 30,000 records and more than 20 vendor tables is the sort of event that gives collectors a reason to travel.

And once everyone gets through the door, it doesn't really matter where they came from.

Some will arrive with a carefully prepared want list.

Some will be looking for rare pressings.

Others will be hoping to leave with a stack of inexpensive records they didn't know they wanted.

That's part of what makes a record show interesting.

Everyone walks through the same door.

They just aren't necessarily looking for the same thing.

Toronto Downtown Record Show 2026: What You Need to Know

The Toronto Downtown Record Show takes place Sunday, October 25, 2026, at the Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Ave., Toronto, just south of Bloor Street between Bathurst and Spadina.

General admission runs from noon until 4 p.m. and costs $7.

For collectors who want first crack at the bins, early admission begins at 10 a.m. and costs $20.

More than 20 vendor tables and almost 30,000 records are expected.

And you're probably not seeing everything.

If you went through one record every second, it would take more than eight hours to see 30,000 records.

General admission gives you four hours.

Choose your crates wisely.

What Would Stop You Mid-Flip?

Forget the want list for a second.

What would actually make you stop?

On October 25, almost 30,000 opportunities to answer that question will be sitting in one room.

Somebody will find something they've been searching for for years.

Somebody else will find something they weren't searching for at all.

We'd like to hear about both.

If you're going, what record would make you stop mid-flip?

Before You Go

Sunday, October 25, 2026

Tranzac Club
292 Brunswick Ave.
Toronto, Ontario

Early admission: 10 a.m. — $20

General admission: Noon–4 p.m. — $7

Records: Almost 30,000

Vendors: More than 20 tables

For the latest information before travelling, check directly with The Record Guys.

→ CHECK THE LATEST DETAILS WITH THE RECORD GUYS

The Toronto Downtown Record Show also has a public Facebook group where collectors can follow the show and the community around it.

→ TORONTO DOWNTOWN RECORD SHOW FACEBOOK GROUP

While You're Digging

Found something you've never heard?

You can always take the chance — sometimes that's the best part of digging.

Or, if you want to hear a little first, Plastic is one of the tools collectors can use to preview a record while they're looking through the bins.

We've been trying it ourselves at Vinyl Vibes.

→ SEE HOW PLASTIC WORKS FOR RECORD COLLECTORS

Make a Day of It

If you're travelling into Toronto for the show, there are plenty more crates nearby. We've spent time with two very different parts of Toronto's record-store story.

Sonic Boom

At Sonic Boom, longtime manager Bryce gave Vinyl Vibes a look at a store built for everyone from serious collectors to someone buying their first record.

And with two floors of records and music, there's a very good chance you'll lose track of time.

→ READ OUR SONIC BOOM RECORD STORE STORY

Kops Records

Then there's Kops Records, part of Toronto's record-store landscape since 1976.

Our story looks at some of the people carrying that history forward and why another generation of listeners continues to find its way into independent record stores.

→ READ OUR KOPS RECORDS TORONTO STORY

Keep Digging

Still have time to dig after the show?

The Toronto Record Stores Network is a useful guide to record shops across the city, including stores on both the east and west sides of Toronto.

It's an easy way to turn the Toronto Downtown Record Show into a full day of record hunting.

→ EXPLORE TORONTO RECORD STORES

When You Get Home

Found something good? Now comes the listening.

If the records you brought home need a little attention — or you're thinking about how to look after the collection you're building — we've got that covered too.

→ CLEAN YOUR RECORDS
→ EXPLORE COLLECTOR ESSENTIALS

Event details and organizer information are based on material published by The Record Guys. Check directly with the organizers for the latest information before travelling.

Manchester Punk Memories: A Salford Archivist's Story

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Guest feature by Sid James: This special feature comes from Salford punk archivist Sid James, who shares his story in his own words.

I grew up in Salford, and some of my earliest memories are of being at my grandparents' house in the middle of summer. I can still hear the Ramones drifting down from my Aunt Ray's bedroom upstairs. The sun was coming through the windows, everyone was in a good mood, and Joey's voice just fit the moment. Looking back, I realise that was where everything began.

Manchester has always been the centre of my life. I honestly think it's one of the greatest cities to be a musician in the UK.

When I look back on my own life, it feels like The Smiths are the soundtrack to every high and low. Cemetery Gates is about the cemetery where members of my family are buried. Still Ill became the soundtrack to my first heartbreak. Those songs aren't just music to me. They're places, memories and pieces of who I am.

I ended up connecting with Vinyl Vibes after commenting on one of their Manchester posts. I liked the way they talked about the city and the music that came from it, so when they asked if I'd share my story, it felt like the right place to tell it.

Punk wasn't something I discovered on my own. It was already part of my family.

My grandpa loved it. My mum loved it. My Aunt Ray loved it.

So when I finally heard the Sex Pistols as a very awkward teenager, it didn't feel like I was finding something new. It felt like I was coming home to something that had always been there.

Growing Up in the Manchester Punk Scene

There's still a great punk scene here. Manchester Punk Picnic and the smaller festivals were always my favourite places to be. I was usually the youngest person there by a mile, but that never mattered. Everyone shared the same passion for the music, and for the first time I felt part of something bigger than myself.

As I got older, I realised just how much of punk history was disappearing. Rare records became harder to find. Old gig flyers, photographs, fanzines, posters and personal stories were scattered across attics, boxes and forgotten collections.

I started sharing the pieces I came across simply because I loved them. Before long, people were telling me they'd never seen many of these items before. Hearing that made all the hours of searching worthwhile.

That passion eventually grew into making documentaries for YouTube, where I can tell the stories behind the music and introduce people to artists, collectors and moments that deserve to be remembered. For me, it's all part of the same mission: making sure these stories don't disappear.

Records That Shaped Me

People often ask me what my favourite record is, but I genuinely can't choose just one.

Leave Home by the Ramones. Static Age by the Misfits. So Alone by Johnny Thunders.

Each one reminds me of a different chapter of my life.

The Misfits have always held a special place in my heart. Whenever I hear them, I think of Halloween. They capture everything I love about it — the colour, the creativity and the sense of fun. They still make me feel like a kid.

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A post shared by SJH | MCR □□ (@vintagepunk77)

The Cramps are another band that shaped me. Over the years I've spoken with people who knew them or saw them live, and the stories are remarkably consistent. They were kind, grateful and genuinely understood what their music meant to people. Whenever I think about the heart of rock and roll, I think of The Cramps.

If I had to choose one album that captures the spirit of punk better than any other, I'd pick Cut by The Slits.To me, it's one of the greatest records ever made. They were fearless, original and completely themselves.

That's what punk has always been about.

Saving Punk's Spirit

Sometimes I worry that we're forgetting what punk was really meant to be.

It was never about perfection. It was about individuality, creativity and having the courage to start, even if you couldn't play your instrument particularly well. You learned by doing. You made mistakes. You figured it out together.

I'd love to see more young people start bands without worrying about whether they're good enough yet. That fearless DIY spirit is one of punk's greatest gifts, and it's something worth protecting.

Archiving has given me something I never expected: a real sense of belonging.

For a long time, punk made me feel different. Now it connects me with people who care about preserving the same music, stories and history that mean so much to me.

Being welcomed into that community has been one of the greatest honours of my life.

Legacy and Family

Everything I do today, including my documentary work, comes back to one person.

My grandpa, Anthony Sheerin.

He's the reason I fell in love with this music. He's the reason I care about preserving its history. If anything I archive inspires someone to discover a forgotten band, revisit an old record or appreciate the people who built this culture, then I feel I've done my job.

Keeping punk alive is my way of honouring him.

Sid's Story Continues

You met Sid here as a Salford collector and punk archivist. Now he's making music of his own as Sid Spungen.

Read: The Punk Who Was Afraid to Sing →

Explore Exploring

Sid’s collection is one story among many. Meet more collectors and explore the memories, discoveries and rituals behind their records in Collector Stories.

If Sid’s story has you thinking about what belongs in your own collection, Find Your Next Record explores different ways to discover vinyl, from independent record stores to trusted online sources.

And for practical ways to care for, protect and enjoy the records you already own, explore Collector Essentials.

Recommended Gear for Vinyl Lovers

Nobody Needs Another Record. Hamilton Collectors Told Us Why They Still Matter.

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 17:40:03 GMT

The Hamilton Record Show returns to Bridgeworks on September 27. Last time we asked why vinyl still matters. The answers went far beyond the records.

Last time the Hamilton Record Show came around, I asked what seemed like a fairly simple question:

Nobody needs vinyl anymore. So why does it still matter so much?

We can carry millions of songs in our pockets. We don't need to drive across Hamilton, flip through crates, inspect sleeves or wonder whether the record we've just found is the pressing we think it is.

And yet on Sunday, September 27, collectors will once again walk into Bridgeworks and do exactly that.
Since writing that original story, I think I've started to understand why.

Not because I came up with a better answer.

Because collectors started giving me theirs.

The Comments Became Part of the Story

After the original article went live, I asked readers a question: What's the one record you'd never part with?

One of the answers came from Hamilton Record Show organizer Rob Sweeney.

His was End of the Century by the Ramones, signed by the band at Star Records in Hamilton in May 1980.

Think about that for a moment.

A record bought in Hamilton more than four decades ago had become more than something to play. It carried a band, a record store, a city and a specific moment in someone's life with it.

That comment eventually became another Vinyl Vibes story of its own.

Another reader talked about returning to record shows after roughly 20 years. This time, he was bringing his kids.

The conversation moved from punk and metal to jazz, The Cure, The Smiths and the simple pleasure of continuing to discover music as you get older.

That may have answered my original question better than anything I wrote.

The record matters. But so does where you found it, who you were with and what was happening in your life when you brought it home.

Something Else Has Changed

I recently went back to Rob and asked what we might have missed the first time.

His answer was interesting.

Ownership.

Physical media gives us something fundamentally different from a streaming subscription.

Streaming gives us extraordinary access to music. I use it. Most of us do.

But access and ownership aren't quite the same thing.

A record on your shelf is yours. You can lend it to someone. Give it to your kids. Sell it. Keep it for 40 years.
Pull it out one day and remember exactly where you bought it.

Perhaps that's becoming part of vinyl's appeal too.

When almost everything around us can be accessed instantly, there is something strangely satisfying about owning something physical.

And there may be no better place to experience that than a record show.

The Hamilton Record Show Returns

The Hamilton Record Show returns to Bridgeworks, 200 Caroline St. N., on Sunday, September 27, 2026.

Once inside, the usual rules apply.

You can arrive with a list.

You can tell yourself you're only looking for one record.

You can even tell yourself you're not buying anything.

Good luck with that.

The better approach might be to leave some room for the record you didn't know you wanted.

Because that's still something record stores and record shows do remarkably well.

They let us stumble into music.

The Hunt Doesn't End at Bridgeworks

There's something else I've noticed since writing the original story.

The records I remember most aren't necessarily the rarest or most valuable ones.

They're often the ones with a story attached.

The $10 Kinks record I found in Niagara. A used jazz record that sent me down another musical rabbit hole. An album I wasn't looking for until somebody suggested I hear it.

That's the unpredictable part of collecting that is difficult to recreate online.

You can arrive at Bridgeworks with a carefully prepared list, but the best thing you find might be sitting three crates away from everything you came looking for.

Or someone standing beside you might point you toward something you've never heard.

That's the fun of digging. You don't completely control where it takes you.

And if the show sends you looking for more, I've brought together many of the places, shops and tools I've discovered along the way in Find Your Next Record.

Then You Bring It Home

There's another part of the ritual I enjoy almost as much.

You get home.

Put the records on the table.

And go through what you found.

Maybe there's something you've been chasing for years. Maybe there's a $10 record you bought on instinct. Maybe there's something you know almost nothing about.

I've become more particular about what happens next.

A used record doesn't automatically go onto my turntable anymore. An old Miles Davis LP changed how I thought about cleaning. Even a brand-new John Coltrane pressing reminded me that "new" doesn't necessarily mean ready to play.

Those experiences eventually became stories themselves.

And they've changed the way I look after my collection.

Find it. Clean it. Protect it.

Not because every record needs to be treated like a museum piece.

Because when you find something you want to keep, you want to be able to pull it from the shelf years from now and still enjoy it.

Maybe We Do Need This After All

Last year I went into this story wondering why vinyl still mattered.

Since then, I've heard about a Ramones record signed in a Hamilton record store in 1980.

I've heard from someone returning to record shows after two decades, now bringing his kids.

I've watched conversations about one record lead to completely different music.

And I've continued doing the same thing myself.

Maybe there isn't one answer to the question I asked last year.

For Rob, part of it is ownership.

For someone else, it's a record that takes them back to a particular moment.

For another collector, it's sharing something with their kids.

And sometimes it's much simpler than that.

You flip through a crate and find something you weren't expecting to find.

Streaming gives us almost unlimited access to music.

A record gives us an experience around it.

The hunt. The discovery. The people. The object itself. And eventually, the memories attached to it.

Nobody walking into Bridgeworks on Sunday really needs another record.

Maybe that's precisely why finding one can still mean so much.

What Are You Looking For?

If you're heading to the Hamilton Record Show, what record are you hoping to find?

And here's the question that started all of this:

What's the one record you already own that you'd never sell?

Tell me in the comments.

Your answer might become the next story.

Keep Digging

If this story has you thinking about why we still collect records, there’s plenty more to explore on Vinyl Vibes.

Why Does Vinyl Still Matter So Much?
This is where the conversation started - a look at why physical records continue to matter when virtually all the music we could want is already available instantly.
→ Read the original story

From the Ramones to Record Shows
A signed copy of End of the Century, a Hamilton record store in 1980 and the story that grew out of Rob Sweeney’s comment on the original article.
→ Read the story

Find Your Next Record
Explore independent record stores, record shows and other ways to discover the record you didn’t know you were looking for.
→ Start digging

Record Store Stories
Meet the owners, collectors and communities keeping independent record-store culture alive in Hamilton, across Canada and around the world.
→ Explore Record Store Stories

Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures: Still Unsettling, Still Essential

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Originally published November 2025. Updated September 2026 with new context and links exploring the transition from Joy Division to New Order.

Back in 1987, I was hooked on Substance 1987—a compilation of New Order singles that somehow ended up in my cassette deck. I don’t remember how it got there, but I do remember how it consumed me. The 12” versions, the B-sides, the pulse—it quickly became one of my top 10 albums of all time.

But Substance wasn’t the beginning. Before New Order’s shimmering synth-pop and emotionally layered dance tracks, there was Joy Division. Their sound was heavier, darker, and stripped down—a post-punk minimalism that felt more like a descent than a celebration. Where New Order lifted you up, Joy Division pulled you inward.

For years, I admired New Order’s invention but never ventured far beyond Joy Division’s most famous track, Love Will Tear Us Apart. That changed recently—45 years later—when I finally got my hands on a vinyl copy of Unknown Pleasures, remastered in 2007. And with that, I stepped into a haunted time capsule of sound.

A Sonic Artifact from 1979

Released in June 1979, Unknown Pleasures doesn’t sound like it belongs to any era. It’s eerie, experimental, and unconventional. The atmosphere it creates is haunting—one you have to be ready to sit with. Factory Records didn’t even promote the album at first. But after Ian Curtis’s death in 1980, everything changed.

The music is stark, the vocals distant yet devastating. Themes of alienation, anxiety, and existential dread run through every track. It marked a clear shift from punk’s raw energy to introspective art rock. Though it didn’t chart at the time, the album gained legendary status posthumously.

If you’re a fan of The Cure or Radiohead, you’ll hear echoes of Joy Division’s influence. Ironically, the band themselves weren’t happy with the final sound—preferring the raw aggression of their live shows over producer Martin Hannett’s atmospheric polish.

Ian Curtis: Vulnerability in Motion

Ian Curtis was the soul of Joy Division, and his pain was palpable. He suffered from epilepsy and depression, conditions poorly managed by medication. His seizures sometimes occurred mid-performance, adding a tragic intensity to his presence.

Curtis died by suicide in May 1980, just before the band’s first American tour. His death transformed him into a symbol of vulnerability and artistic honesty. The 2007 biopic Control captures his story beautifully—a must-watch for anyone wanting to understand the man behind the music.

Legacy Etched in Vinyl

Unknown Pleasures deserves its place among the greats. It’s listed in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, ranked 211 by Rolling Stone in their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, 400 by NME, and 19 by Q Magazine in their 100 Greatest British Albums. NME also placed it at 4 among the best albums of the 1970s.

I spent weeks immersed in this album—watching documentaries, reading about the band’s history, and letting the music sink in. It all came together with Control, and today, I still pull out the vinyl to match my mood. Paired with Substance, it’s a sonic evolution that captures both despair and hope, darkness and light.

Final Spin

Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures isn’t just an album—it’s an experience. It’s the sound of a band grappling with the weight of existence, and of a frontman whose pain became poetry. If you haven’t heard it on vinyl, you haven’t truly heard it.

Let it play. Let it haunt. Let it matter.

From Joy Division to New Order

The story didn’t end with Unknown Pleasures. Years later, I found myself tracing the journey forward through New Order and the record that first pulled me in back in 1987. Read: New Order 1987 - History in Reverse: From Joy Division to Substance.

Looking for your next record?

The hunt is part of collecting. Explore Vinyl Vibes’ guide to finding records locally and online, from independent record stores to trusted sources for harder-to-find releases.

Find Your Next Record →

Why Music Discovery Is Harder Than Ever in the Streaming Era

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Originally published May 16, 2026. Updated September 19, 2026 with additional context and new resources.

THUS LOVE, a post-punk band redefining modern indie music through raw, intimate sound and atmosphere. Photo credited to Shervin Lainez

Music discovery in the streaming era is everywhere - and nowhere at the same time. There has never been more music available, yet fewer moments where it actually lands. Every week brings thousands of new releases pushed through algorithms, playlists, and recommendation feeds competing for attention. But the more access we gain, the harder it becomes to feel anything at all.

Music discovery isn’t broken because of access - it’s broken because of attention.

The Hardest Part Isn’t Making Music Anymore - It’s Getting Heard

One night in 2022, an algorithm did something it’s supposed to do all the time. It introduced me to a band I had never heard of: THUS LOVE.

I wasn’t searching for anything. I wasn’t digging through recommendations. I wasn’t even paying attention. The song just appeared - and it cut through everything else.

Moody, minimal, strangely magnetic. I didn’t skip it. I didn’t scroll past it. I just stayed with it. That doesn’t happen often anymore.

That single moment turned into more listening. Then curiosity. Then a trip to Sonic Boom in Toronto where I found their debut album Memorial. Then deeper listening. Then writing about them. Eventually, I was even talking directly with the band’s manager. Even my very first post on the Vinyl Vibes Instagram was THUS LOVE — so this is a band I’ve always felt passionate about.

That chain of events matters - because it almost never happens that cleanly. That is what music discovery in the streaming era looks like when it actually works.

Most of the time, it doesn’t.

Read the full story here: When THUS LOVE found me.

THUS LOVE performing live under intense pink stage lighting, captured mid-set in a high-energy moment that reflects their raw post-punk sound and immersive live presence.

There’s more music being released right now than at any point in history. Every Friday brings an avalanche of albums, singles, playlists, recommendations, reposts, and algorithmic suggestions all competing for attention.

In theory, music discovery should be effortless now. It isn’t. In fact, it feels harder than ever to actually connect with anything.

The problem isn’t a lack of great music. It’s that most of it never reaches people in a way that lasts long enough to matter.

As music manager Jon Garrett put it to me:

“People have easier access than ever before but it’s harder for people to listen.”

That tension sits at the centre of modern music culture. We live in total access, but also total distraction. Music no longer competes only with music - it competes with social media, short-form video, podcasts, gaming, news cycles, and an infinite scroll designed to fragment attention.

And attention rarely stays still long enough for music to land.

Before managing THUS LOVE, Garrett wrote for Pitchfork, NME, and Village Voice, watching this shift unfold from inside the culture itself.

Most Music Doesn’t Fail - It Disappears

The idea that great music naturally rises to the top is increasingly outdated.

Most artists don’t fail loudly. They simply disappear into the flood of releases before most listeners ever find them.

A record can be brilliant and still go unheard. A band can tour constantly and remain unknown. An album can deeply matter to a small group and never break beyond it.

This disappearance has only accelerated as release volume has exploded.

“It’s made it harder for people to find music that speaks to them and even harder for them to stick with it long enough for it to make a real impact on them.”

Even established artists can get lost in the churn. One release window can bury another, no matter the quality.

Music discovery in the streaming era is increasingly fragmented. Listening becomes passive. Songs blur into playlists, moods, and background sound rather than intentional engagement.

And something essential gets lost.

“If you’re just relying on algorithms and playlists, you’re losing that artist’s point of view and their story - the experience becomes very shallow,” Garrett said. “The humanity gets lost.”

When Music Discovery Actually Works

Algorithms aren’t entirely the problem. In this case, it worked exactly as intended. But the difference wasn’t the algorithm - it was what came after.

Streaming opened the door. Curiosity kept it open. Intentional listening made it real. Music discovery in the streaming era doesn’t usually fail at exposure - it fails at depth.

Without repetition, attention, and context, even great songs vanish quickly.

The Invisible Work Behind Every Emerging Artist

Photo of Jon Garrett with Thus Love. Calm before the storm.

When Garrett first saw THUS LOVE in 2018, they were playing to around ten people in Brattleboro, Vermont.

He flew to Boston, drove two hours in winter conditions, and watched them perform based on a Bandcamp demo.

“Even then I felt something special,” he said. “If I had that reaction, I thought other people might too."

But that kind of instinct is no longer enough on its own.

Modern music culture demands constant visibility, momentum, and endurance - while most listeners never see how fragile that system is.

A single injury, missed tour, or lost cycle of momentum can derail an entire phase of an artist’s growth.

Behind every band are invisible pressures: touring costs, logistics, mental health strain, exhaustion, and the constant need to remain discoverable in an overcrowded system.

Why Live Music and Vinyl Still Matter

In a streaming-first world, live shows and vinyl slow everything down.

“Sharing physical space with an artist transforms your relationship to them,” Garrett said.

Live music creates presence. Vinyl creates attention. Both resist the speed and fragmentation of algorithmic listening.

Buying a record forces commitment. You listen differently. You return to albums. You build memory instead of letting music pass through.

And importantly, it sustains artists. Merch and record sales often determine whether bands can tour at all.

If you’re ready to move from listening to building something more intentional, here’s a simple place to
start building your vinyl collection.

What Cuts Through Now

Despite everything, Garrett remains optimistic.

There is no shortage of great music - only a shortage of sustained attention. The real challenge in the streaming era isn’t access. It’s depth. Music still travels best through people - not platforms.

Maybe the Answer Is Better Human Curation

After the article was published, Jon Garrett added another thought in the comments that feels increasingly important: if the volume of new music keeps growing, better human curation may become part of the answer.

No listener can realistically work through everything being released. The value may increasingly come from people, record shops, independent publications, radio stations and communities that help make sense of the noise.

Algorithms can surface music. Human beings can tell us why it might matter.

Final Thoughts

The hardest part isn’t making great music anymore. It’s slowing down long enough to let it find you - and stay long enough to matter.

If THUS LOVE Stayed With You, Here’s Where to Go Next

If THUS LOVE led you down a rabbit hole, keep following it. Some records reward attention rather than speed.

Continue with La Sagne for another strange and compelling listen, or turn up the intensity with Boko Yout’s Gusto.

Discover more independent artists and the stories behind their music in Artist Spotlight, or go deeper into post-punk and new wave.

If discovering music this way makes you want to go looking for the record itself, Find Your Next Record explores some of the places where that kind of discovery still happens.

Should You Replace Vinyl Record Inner Sleeves? Two Records Made Me Wonder

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 20:08:44 GMT

A $10 record from 1987, a new 180g John Coltrane reissue, and a simple question about how much protection our records actually need.

I've had two very different jazz records spinning recently.

One is a 1987 copy of I Love Jazz that I found used for $10 at Flashbacks in Hamilton.

The other is John Coltrane's Giant Steps, a 180-gram gatefold reissue I bought new at PCV Records.

Different eras. Different prices. Different inner sleeves.

Both sound great.

But when I pulled Giant Steps from its jacket, the inner sleeve looked like paper.

My immediate reaction was:

Should I replace this?

Then I looked inside.

And realized the answer wasn't as obvious as I thought.

So, Should You Replace the Inner Sleeve?

Not automatically.

If an inner sleeve is dirty, damaged or made from plain paper, there can be good reasons to replace it.

But if it's clean, undamaged and already has a smooth poly lining protecting the record, I'm not convinced there's much point in replacing it simply because something “better” exists.

These two records are good examples.

The $10 Record From 1987

I'm still relatively new to jazz and have spent the past several months happily disappearing down the rabbit hole.

That's why I Love Jazz caught my attention while digging at Flashbacks.

For $10, I got Art Blakey, Thelonious Monk, Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis and plenty more.

Brubeck is one of those artists who can have you tapping your foot before you even know what you're listening to. Blakey has become another favourite discovery. And Miles Davis helped pull me much deeper into jazz through Kind of Blue.

Read: Arriving at Kind of Blue - A Late Introduction to Jazz

And this 1987 record?

It sounds great.

I found it at Flashbacks, a Hamilton record store I've previously featured on Vinyl Vibes.

Read the Flashbacks story

Then Came Giant Steps

Coltrane felt like the natural next step.

There was Kind of Blue, then Blue Train, and eventually Ballads, still my absolute favourite Coltrane album.

Read: Coltrane Ballads - A Post-Punk Fan Falls Into Jazz

So when I picked up Giant Steps at PCV Records in Oakville, it felt like another step in that journey.

Read the PCV Records story

The record sounds terrific.

But then there was that paper-looking inner sleeve.

The Sleeve I Thought I'd Have to Replace

When I looked inside, I realized the paper sleeve was actually poly-lined.

The record isn't rubbing directly against paper. There's a smooth lining between the vinyl and the outer paper layer.

It's clean. The record slides in and out easily. It's doing its job.

So am I replacing it?

No.

Could I put Giant Steps into a premium replacement sleeve? Absolutely.

But I'd be solving a problem I don't currently have.

I'd rather spend the money on another record.

When Would I Replace an Inner Sleeve?

For me, it comes down to what's actually in front of me.

I'd consider replacing one when:

it's dirty, torn or damaged
the vinyl is sitting directly against an old plain-paper sleeve
there's dust or debris inside
I've cleaned a used record and don't want to put it back into a dirty sleeve
static or handling is becoming a problem

If an original inner contains artwork, lyrics or other information, I'd always keep it with the album even if I moved the record into a replacement sleeve.

But a clean, properly fitting poly-lined sleeve like the one with my Giant Steps?

I'm leaving it alone.

I've since taken a closer look at the differences between traditional paper, rice-paper and anti-static inner sleeves, using a few favourite Smiths records from my collection.

Are Rice Paper Inner Sleeves Worth It? Paper vs. Anti-Static Vinyl Sleeves →

What If You Do Need a Better Sleeve?

That's where things can get confusing.

Inner or outer? HDPE or rice paper? What fits a gatefold? What about a double album?

I've already gone through some of that trial and error myself, including discovering that The Queen Is Dead wouldn't fit the sleeve I expected it to.

Read: The Queen Is Dead Didn't Fit

So rather than turn this story into another buying guide, I've put those answers in one place.

Need a Better Sleeve?

My Best Vinyl Sleeves for Collectors guide covers inner and outer sleeve options, including choices available from Vinyl Storage Solutions in Canada and GrooveWasher and Big Fudge in the U.S.

→ Read the Best Vinyl Sleeves for Collectors Guide

Not sure what size you need?

Current Vinyl Vibes sleeve offers:

I'd Rather Buy Another Record

The funny thing is that I started thinking about this because the sleeves were different.

Then I put the records on.

My $10 record from 1987 sounds great.

Giant Steps sounds great.

And I'm not replacing a perfectly good sleeve simply because I can.

Protect your records. But don't make collecting more complicated than it needs to be.

I'd rather spend the extra money on another record.

And given where this jazz rabbit hole has been taking me, I probably will.

Keep Exploring

If you're thinking about how to protect the records you already own, these are good places to continue:

Best Vinyl Sleeves for Collectors — Explore inner and outer sleeve options for protecting your collection.
VSS Premium Vinyl Sleeves Guide — A closer look at premium sleeve options and choosing the right protection for different records.
Collector Essentials — Explore more practical guides to cleaning, protecting, storing and enjoying your records.

Oasis Live ’27: 2027 Tour Dates, Tickets, Concert & Travel Guide

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:00:00 GMT

I bought Definitely Maybe on CD at Cheapies in Hamilton in 1994.

More than 30 years later, I finally got to see Oasis live when the reunion reached Toronto in 2025.

I wasn't sure we'd ever get Oasis back in the first place.

Now they're doing it again.

Oasis Live ’27 will take the band through the UK, mainland Europe, the United States and Ireland in 2027, with 38 stadium shows stretching from Glasgow in May to four nights at Knebworth in September.

Richard Ashcroft will join Oasis as special guest throughout the tour.

Here are the dates, ticket information and a few ways to turn an Oasis show into something bigger.

Watch: Oasis Live ’27

The official trailer for Oasis Live ’27.

Oasis Live ’27 Tickets: Registration Is Open

There is no general onsale for Oasis Live ’27.

Fans who want the chance to buy tickets need to register through the official Oasis website before:

September 17, 2026
4pm BST / 5pm CEST / 11am ET / 8am PT

Successful applicants will receive a unique, non-transferable code and an allocated onsale window.

Registration does not guarantee a code or tickets.

REGISTER FOR OASIS LIVE ’27 TICKETS →

Oasis Live ’27 Tour Dates

UK

Glasgow - Celtic Park

May 2027

May 21
May 23
May 25
May 28
May 29

Manchester - Etihad Stadium

June 2027

June 4
June 6
June 8
June 11
June 12
June 15
June 18
June 19
June 22
June 25
June 26

Europe

Munich - Allianz Arena

July 2
July 3

Barcelona - Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys

July 10
July 11

Amsterdam - Johan Cruijff ArenA

July 16
July 17

Paris - Stade de France

July 23
July 24

Rome - Stadio Olimpico

July 29
July 30

USA

Boston - Gillette Stadium

August 10
August 13
August 14

Las Vegas - Allegiant Stadium

August 20
August 21
August 24

Ireland

Slane Castle

September 4
September 5

UK - Knebworth

September 11
September 12
September 18
September 19

Tour dates are based on the official Oasis Live ’27 schedule. Concert dates and details can change, so always check the official tour information before making plans.

Looking for Oasis Tickets?

Oasis Live ’27 tickets for the North American dates will be available through Ticketmaster.

For the initial onsale, fans must first complete the official Oasis registration process and be selected for an onsale window.

CHECK OASIS TICKETS ON TICKETMASTER →

Ticket availability and prices can change.

Travelling to See Oasis?

This might be the tour where the concert becomes the trip.

Boston. Las Vegas. Barcelona. Amsterdam. Paris. Rome.

And then there is Knebworth.

BookSeats lets fans explore concert tickets alongside hotel and flight options, which can be useful if you're considering travelling for one of the shows.

EXPLORE OASIS TICKETS + TRAVEL PACKAGES →

Sometimes the concert is the destination.

Sometimes it's the reason to finally go somewhere.

From Definitely Maybe to Seeing Oasis Live

The tour may be why you found this page.

But the records are why Oasis are here on Vinyl Vibes.

I bought Definitely Maybe in 1994 at Cheapies in Hamilton. It became one of those albums tied permanently to a particular time in my life.

Then, three decades later, something happened I never really expected.

Oasis came back.

And I got to see them.

I wrote about that journey, from discovering Definitely Maybe to the 2025 reunion, in:

DEFINITELY MAYBE, DEFINITELY NOW: OASIS RETURNS →

If you're here because of Live ’27, that's probably the best place on Vinyl Vibes to understand why I'm still following the story.

Collecting Oasis on Vinyl & CD

Seeing Oasis live is one thing.

Finding the records is another.

Definitely Maybe.
(What's the Story) Morning Glory?
Be Here Now.
The singles.
The 12-inches.
The imports.
The live releases.

For collectors, the Oasis catalogue can become a rabbit hole pretty quickly.

RareVinyl carries a changing selection of Oasis records and collectables, including vinyl, singles, imports and harder-to-find releases.

Inventory changes constantly, which is part of the appeal.

EXPLORE OASIS RECORDS AT RAREVINYL →

RareVinyl - 12% off for new customers | 6% off for returning customers

More Oasis, Manchester & Britpop on Vinyl Vibes

Oasis didn't appear from nowhere.

Their story belongs to a much bigger musical lineage running through Manchester - from the darkness of Joy Division and the reinvention of New Order to The Smiths, The Stone Roses and eventually Britpop.
If Live ’27 has you going back through the records, keep exploring.

OASIS
Definitely Maybe, Definitely Now: Oasis Returns in 2025

THE STONE ROSES
1989: A Debut That Still Feels Like Arrival

THE SMITHS
The Smiths: Best Albums for New Listeners - A Lifelong Fan's Guide

JOY DIVISION
Unknown Pleasures - Still Unsettling, Still Essential

NEW ORDER
1987: History in Reverse - From Joy Division to Substance

MANCHESTER
Manchester: From Post-Punk to Britpop

Different bands. Different eras. But follow the records backwards from Oasis and you start to hear how one city kept reinventing itself.

See Oasis Live in 2027

Thirty-three years after I walked into Cheapies and bought Definitely Maybe, Oasis will be back on stadium stages in 2027.

If you're hoping to be there, start with the official registration process.
REGISTER FOR OASIS LIVE ’27 →

Looking specifically for the U.S. shows?
CHECK OASIS TICKETS ON TICKETMASTER →

Thinking about making a trip of it?
EXPLORE OASIS TICKETS + TRAVEL PACKAGES →

I got my chance to see Oasis in 2025.

For thousands of fans, Live ’27 might be theirs.

The records brought us here.

Now there are more dates on the calendar.

Explore more concerts, tour dates and travel ideas in Live Music & Tour Guides.

The Vinyl Vibes Christmas Gift Guide 2026

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 22:01:35 GMT

Gifts for Record Collectors & Music Lovers That Can Start Something

Some Christmas gifts are forgotten by January.

Music has a habit of doing something different.

A record can introduce someone to an artist they end up loving. A pair of speakers can change the way they hear a collection they already own. A concert ticket can become the night everyone is still talking about years later.

Sometimes the smallest gift can start something much bigger.

I know because it happened to me.

One Christmas, I received Everybody Digs Bill Evans. I had already discovered Evans through “Peace Piece,” but that record pulled me deeper into jazz. From there came Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Dave Brubeck and Oscar Peterson.

It wasn't just another record under the tree.

It opened a door.

That's the idea behind this year's Vinyl Vibes Christmas Gift Guide: records to discover, ways to care for a collection, better ways to hear it and experiences that might become memories.

Vinyl Gifts by Budget

Not sure where to start? You don't need to spend a fortune to find a great gift for someone who loves records. Sometimes the things collectors use every time they put a record on are the best gifts of all.

Vinyl Gifts Under $25

Think practical: quality inner and outer sleeves, record cleaning supplies, stylus care or a great used record. Small gifts can get a lot of use when they're chosen for someone who actually listens.

Vinyl Gifts Under $50

A sweet spot for record collectors. A good record cleaning kit, premium sleeves, an interesting pressing or a few useful accessories can make a genuinely thoughtful gift.

Vinyl Gifts Under $100

Look at larger record-care bundles, storage and display ideas, or something special for the collection. It's also a great budget for a record they probably wouldn't buy for themselves.

Looking for a Bigger Gift?

Powered speakers, premium record storage, concert tickets or even a music-focused trip can turn a Christmas gift into something they'll remember long after the holidays.

Keep scrolling for some of our favourite gift ideas for record collectors, from records and record care to speakers, live music and a gift that costs absolutely nothing.

Give Them a Record

Sometimes the obvious answer is still the best one.

The trick is finding a record they don't already own.

Maybe it's an album they've been searching for. Maybe it's an unusual pressing. Or maybe it's something completely unexpected that sends them down another musical rabbit hole.

Our recommendation: Start with your local independent record store. There's still something special about digging through the bins and choosing a record specifically for someone.

For harder-to-find records, RareVinyl is another option, with a huge selection of new, rare and collectable vinyl available internationally.

Not sure where to begin?

Find Your Next Record:

RareVinyl - 12% off for new customers | 6% off for returning customers

Help Them Protect the Records They Love

It isn't the flashiest Christmas present.

Ask a serious collector, though, and good sleeves can be surprisingly satisfying.

Our recommendation: Vinyl Storage Solutions (VSS)

VSS offers premium inner and outer sleeves for everything from standard LPs and gatefolds to box sets and 7-inch records.

It's the kind of practical gift a collector will continue using long after Christmas.

Vinyl Vibes readers save 10% with VINYLVIBES10.

See our VSS guide:

Give Them the Ritual of Record Care

There's something satisfying about bringing home a used record, cleaning it properly, putting it into a fresh sleeve and finally lowering the stylus.

For collectors who enjoy that ritual, a good record-cleaning kit makes a genuinely useful gift.

Our US Pick: GrooveWasher is the cleaning system I use on records from my own collection.

It's particularly useful for someone who buys used vinyl or regularly digs through record stores.

Vinyl Vibes readers in the US save 10% on individual products with VINYLVIBES10.

Explore our Record Cleaning & Care guide:

Another US Option: Big Fudge

Big Fudge offers a broader range of cleaning, protection, storage and display products.

I'd particularly consider it for someone relatively new to collecting who hasn't accumulated all the basics yet.

Vinyl Vibes readers save 10% with VINYLVIBES10.

Explore Big Fudge at Vinyl Vibes:

Give Them a Better Way to Hear Their Records

This is the bigger gift under the tree.

A good pair of powered speakers can transform a turntable setup without requiring someone to build a complicated traditional stereo system.

Our recommendation: Edifier powered speakers

Vinyl Vibes has put together a dedicated guide to Edifier speakers for turntables, covering different budgets and listening spaces.

This isn't something I'd buy without knowing the person's existing setup. But if someone has been talking about upgrading their speakers all year, Christmas might be the time.

Then comes the important question:

What record gets played first?

See our Edifier Speakers for Turntables guide:

Give Them a Night They'll Remember

Not every music gift needs to fit under the tree.

Sometimes the gift is knowing exactly where you'll both be six months from now.

Our recommendation: Give an experience.

Concert tickets create two moments: the surprise at Christmas and the night itself.

For major tours, Ticketmaster can help you find concerts and tickets across numerous international markets.

If seeing the artist involves travelling, BookSeats combines event tickets with travel options, turning the gift into a music getaway.

Vinyl Vibes is also building live guides around major artists and tours, including Oasis and Morrissey.

Explore Vinyl Vibes Live Music & Tour Guides:

What Do You Buy a Record Collector Who Has Everything?

That's the hard one.

If someone has been collecting records for years, trying to guess which album they want can be risky. They probably already have a wish list, know exactly which pressing they want, and have opinions about things you didn't even know you could have opinions about.

So don't necessarily buy them another record.

Help them enjoy the records they already own.

A set of quality record sleeves protects the collection. A proper record cleaning setup can make records they've owned for years sound better. Storage and display ideas let them actually enjoy seeing the collection they've spent years building.

Or forget about buying another thing entirely.

Take them to a record show. Give them concert tickets. Make a day of visiting a great independent record store. Put together a playlist of songs that mean something to both of you.

Because the best gift for a record collector isn't always another record.

Sometimes it's another reason to listen.

The Best Gift Here Might Cost Nothing

Make someone a playlist.

Over the holidays, a friend and I exchanged our personal Top 50 songs.

It became a journey through decades of music, memories and discoveries. Songs we knew. Songs we'd forgotten. And songs one of us might never have discovered without the other.

No affiliate link.

Nothing to wrap.

Just one person saying:

These songs mean something to me. Maybe you'll find something in them too.

Read: A Holiday Journey Through Sound - Exploring My Top 50 Playlist:

Give Something That Can Start Something

I keep coming back to that Bill Evans record.

Everybody Digs Bill Evans wasn't simply something I opened on Christmas morning. It changed what I listened to next.

That's difficult to predict when you're standing in a record store holding an album or putting a present under the tree.

Maybe a record becomes a favourite.

Maybe a cleaning kit gets someone digging through used bins.

Maybe new speakers make them hear an album they've owned for twenty years differently.

Maybe concert tickets become a weekend they'll remember.

Or maybe a playlist introduces them to one song they never forget.

I've written before about The Best Christmas Ever: A Time Capsule in Sound, because that's one of the remarkable things music can do.

Years later, put on the right song and suddenly you're back there.

The room. The people. The feeling.

So don't worry too much about finding the perfect music gift.

Find something that might start something.

Read the Bill Evans story:

Read The Best Christmas Ever - A Time Capsule in Sound:

Vinyl Vibes partners with selected brands and services featured in this guide. Some links may earn Vinyl Vibes a commission at no additional cost to you. Recommendations are chosen because they fit the collectors and music listeners we write for.

What Happens When You Give a Child the Chance to Make Music

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 07:00:00 GMT

What one Hamilton music program can teach us about access, discovery, and the importance of giving kids a chance to find their sound.

The students were getting ready to leave.

But one boy wasn't going anywhere.

Darcy Hepner remembers him clearly. He looked, Hepner says, like the kind of kid who, when he was growing up, "would beat the crap out of all of us."

But this kid wasn't looking for trouble.

He wanted to try the flute.

"He couldn't leave until he tried the flute."

It was a small moment, but Hepner never forgot it.

And it helps explain something that sits at the heart of his work with the Hamilton Music Collective: children don't always know what they're interested in until somebody gives them the opportunity to find out.

Hamilton is where this story takes place. But the question could be asked in almost any city or town.

What happens when you give a child the chance to make music?

It Started in the Schools

Hepner is a Hamilton native, an accomplished performer, composer and educator whose career has taken him from teaching at Berklee College of Music in Boston to the jazz and Broadway scenes of New York. He has worked with artists including B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett and Blood, Sweat & Tears.

He returned to Hamilton in 2005.

Around 2008, he became part of the founding board of the Hamilton Music Collective. At the time, he was also working in the music department at Mohawk College.

A partnership between Mohawk College, the Hamilton Music Collective and Long & McQuade led to a program called Jazz in the Hubs, bringing the Mohawk College Jazz Band into elementary schools.

The idea was to do more than put musicians at the front of a classroom.

The band performed, but the students also got close to the instruments. Mohawk students walked into the audience and played. A singer led call-and-response. Instruments were set up around the room so students could try them.

"Every student in the room got to try all of those instruments."

For Hepner, the experience brought back his own childhood memory of first playing trumpet.

"I remember that indelible feeling of the buzzing of the lips with the trumpet mouthpiece and the sound it produced."

He wanted the children to experience that same feeling.

"We wanted the kids in the class to feel that same thing and never forget what it felt like to play an instrument."

And then there was the boy who wouldn't leave until he tried the flute.

Those experiences showed the group that there was a real need for music education in elementary schools.

"That experience led us to realize that there was a lack of music education in the lower schools."

Giving Kids a Chance to Explore

That realization eventually led to Instrument for Every Child, a Hamilton Music Collective initiative that Hepner says has served more than 10,000 students since it began.

The program focuses on younger children, from kindergarten through Grade 5.

Hepner says that age matters.

"We were targeting students from kindergarten to grade five before puberty set in, and they were open-minded. And you could really see the difference in the kids in those ages."

The program doesn't immediately ask a child to choose an instrument.

It starts with singing.

"The Instrument for Every Child program starts with them singing."

Children then have classroom visits with different instrumentalists and get introduced to a variety of instruments before choosing one.

"The second year they get to choose one."

From there, students can take part in small-group lessons involving guitar, drums, keyboards, trumpet and strings. The program has also grown to include a string orchestra.

"We now have a string orchestra, which is, to me, just wonderful."

And the lessons are free.

"The students that we give lessons to in the Instrument for Every Child program don't pay for those lessons. They are all free."

That changes the equation.

A family doesn't have to decide whether it can afford private lessons before a child has even discovered whether music is something they enjoy. The child doesn't need to arrive knowing what instrument they want to play.

They get to explore first.

Discovery Doesn't Have an Age Limit

A jazz quartet featuring NYC saxophonist Adam Kolker, highlighting the shared musicianship that shapes Hamilton’s music community.

That idea has stuck with me because I've experienced a version of it myself, just much later in life.

I grew up listening to post-punk and alternative music. Jazz wasn't something I thought I needed in my record collection. Then vinyl started taking me places I hadn't expected.

Bill Evans led me to Miles Davis. Kind of Blue opened another door. Eventually I found my way to John Coltrane.

I've written about those discoveries in Bill Evans and the Power of a Last Song, Arriving at Kind of Blue: A Late Introduction to Jazz and Coltrane, Ballads: A Post-Punk Fan Falls Into Jazz.

The interesting part isn't really the albums.

It's what happened when I gave myself permission to explore something outside what I already knew.

Children get to experience that kind of discovery much earlier, if we give them the opportunity.

The boy who wanted to try the flute didn't know where it would lead.

He just wanted to try it.

From Music Education to Community

Hepner's work with the Hamilton Music Collective isn't limited to children.

Around the same time Instrument for Every Child was developing, he was running a jazz series at the Corktown. When the Hamilton Music Collective established its own theatre, the series moved there.

Around 2014 or 2015, Jazz at the Gasworks began. It has since become Jazz at the Hamilton Music Collective.
Hepner deliberately mixes things up.

There is traditional swinging jazz, world music, contemporary work and something each season that might challenge the audience.

"I always try to put something in that's going to be a little bit challenging, more modern."

The idea is to expand people's understanding of jazz without making the experience feel like homework.

"The idea is that we expand people's horizons to the boundaries of jazz while at the same time providing a lot of enjoyment."

Over the years, the audience has become part of the experience.

There are season tickets, favourite tables and people who know one another. Some come as much for the social side as the music.

Hepner describes the atmosphere as:

"A family coming to your rather large living room to hear someone play a concert."

And, perhaps even more tellingly:

"The people come just as much to hang out with each other as they do for the music."

Music Doesn't Always Start With an Instrument

The Hamilton Music Collective has also adapted to the way young people make music today.

The organization has a recording studio that grew out of its technology programs, which began in different locations around the city, including Boys & Girls Clubs and schools.

The studio now includes workstations, beat-making classes and Saturday morning bands.

For one child, music might mean strings.

For another, drums.

Someone else might be more interested in making beats, recording or playing in a rock band.

Hepner sees all of that as part of the same picture.

The tools may be different, but children still need the chance to experiment and find what connects with them.

Hamilton Is the Example. The Question Is Bigger.

Hepner sees all of this as part of Hamilton's broader musical identity.

"It has always had a strong musical presence."

The city has produced and attracted musicians for generations, and Hepner is encouraged by the younger audience now showing up for live music.

"We're seeing that and we're seeing a younger group of people starting to want to hear live music, which I think is wonderful."

But you don't have to live in Hamilton for this story to mean something.

Every community has its version of this.

Maybe it's a music school. Maybe it's a teacher who stays late. Maybe it's a community centre, a youth band, a local theatre or a music store where kids get to try instruments.

It might look completely different from the Hamilton Music Collective.

That's okay.

The important part is that somebody is creating the opportunity.

The Challenge Behind the Scenes

Of course, providing that opportunity costs money.

The lessons through Instrument for Every Child are free to students, but the musicians, instruments and programs still have to be paid for.

Hepner doesn't shy away from that reality.

"We are limited for what we can provide by the amount of money we can get to do it."

There are more schools the organization could reach.

But Hepner says the goal isn't simply expansion for the sake of expansion.

"If we could expand schools, that would be great. But we really just want to do a great job with what we have."

Then he puts the situation rather simply:

"The city has the talent, that is for sure."

The challenge is making sure the resources are there to give that talent a chance.

And that's a challenge that will sound familiar in communities far beyond Hamilton.

What Happens When You Give a Child the Chance?

Maybe you get a musician.

Maybe you don't.

A child might play trumpet for a few years and eventually move on. Another might discover that drums aren't for them but guitar is. Someone else might never perform in front of an audience.

That's not necessarily the measure of success.

The point is that they got to try.

They felt what it was like to make a sound and know that they made it.

They discovered something about themselves.

And that opportunity can matter long after the instrument is put away.

For Hepner, it began with the trumpet.

For the boy in the classroom, it was the flute.

For me, it came much later through a record collection that eventually took me from post-punk into jazz.

Different paths, but the same basic idea.

You have to encounter something before you can know whether it speaks to you.

Maybe that's what music education really gives children.

Not necessarily a career. Not necessarily a lifelong musician.

Just the chance to discover something they didn't know was waiting for them.

The boy who wouldn't leave until he tried the flute understood that much already.

And maybe that's the part worth remembering, wherever you live.

Sometimes a child doesn't need to be told what they're good at. They just need someone to give them the chance to find out.

Morrissey 2026 Tour Dates & Tickets: Concert and Travel Guide

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 22:31:29 GMT

See Morrissey's remaining 2026 world tour dates, find concert tickets and travel packages, and explore the music from a lifelong fan's perspective.

I've been listening to Morrissey for most of my life.

I followed him from The Smiths into Viva Hate in 1988, through Bona Drag, Your Arsenal, Vauxhall and I, You Are the Quarry and so many great records in between.

Nearly four decades later, I'm still listening. In 2026, that means the epic Make-Up Is a Lie. It also means another opportunity to experience this extraordinary catalogue live.

Morrissey's 2026 tour continues through the United States before returning to Europe and the UK in December.

Here are the remaining dates, along with options for finding Morrissey tickets or building a trip around a show.

Morrissey 2026 Tour Dates

USA

September 19 - Chicago, IL - Riot Fest - Douglas Park
September 22 - Buffalo, NY - Shea's Performing Arts Center
September 26 - Brooklyn, NY - CBGB Festival
September 30 - Lowell, MA - Lowell Memorial Auditorium
October 15 - Washington, DC - The Anthem
October 18 - Greensboro, NC - Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts
October 21 - Louisville, KY - Louisville Palace
October 25 - Nashville, TN - The Pinnacle
October 29 - Fort Worth, TX - Dickies Arena
November 1 - Houston, TX - 713 Music Hall
November 6 - El Paso, TX - Don Haskins Center
November 10 - Tempe, AZ - Mullett Arena
November 14 - Huntington Beach, CA - Darker Waves Festival

Europe & UK

December 3 - Paris, France - La Seine Musicale
December 6 - Brighton, England - Brighton Centre
December 10 - Cardiff, Wales - Utilita Arena
December 12 - Liverpool, England - M&S Bank Arena
December 16 - Glasgow, Scotland - OVO Hydro
December 19 - Leeds, England - First Direct Arena
December 28 - Tilburg, Netherlands - 013 Poppodium
December 31 - Brussels, Belgium - Forest National

Tour dates are based on Morrissey's official schedule. Concert dates and venues can change, so always check the official tour information before making plans.

CHECK THE OFFICIAL MORRISSEY TOUR SCHEDULE →

Looking for Morrissey Tickets?

Maybe the concert becomes the reason to visit another city.

BookSeats has a dedicated Morrissey travel page where fans can explore concert tickets, hotels and flights together.

That gives you another option if you're thinking about travelling for a show, whether that's somewhere in the United States or one of the December dates in Europe or the UK.

Sometimes the concert is the destination.

Sometimes it's the excuse to go somewhere.

EXPLORE MORRISSEY TICKETS + TRAVEL PACKAGES →

Nearly 40 Years of Morrissey - And I'm Still Listening

The tour may be the reason you found this page.

The music is the reason I wrote it.

I've been a lifelong fan, beginning with The Smiths and following Morrissey throughout his solo career.

Viva Hate showed that the end of The Smiths wasn't the end of the story. Bona Drag became one of those records I've carried with me for decades.

Then there was the swagger of Your Arsenal, the reflective beauty of Vauxhall and I, the remarkable return of You Are the Quarry and so many other records and songs along the way.

That's what happens with music you've loved for most of your life.

You keep returning to it.

And sometimes it keeps moving forward with you.

Morrissey in 2026: Make-Up Is a Lie

Which brings us to Make-Up Is a Lie.

Nearly four decades after Viva Hate, Morrissey released Make-Up Is a Lie in 2026.

For me, it's epic.

And that's what makes this tour particularly interesting.

This isn't only about nostalgia or hearing songs that have been part of our lives for decades. There is new music too.

The past is everywhere.

But the story is still moving.

READ: MORRISSEY - MAKE-UP IS A LIE: FIRST IMPRESSIONS →

Collecting Morrissey and The Smiths on Vinyl

Seeing the music live is one thing.

For me, collecting the records has always been another.

If you're looking beyond the usual releases, RareVinyl carries a changing selection of Morrissey and The Smiths records and collectables. Depending on what's currently available, you can find vinyl, singles, imports and harder-to-find releases from across both catalogues.

And because the inventory changes, it's the kind of place that's worth digging through occasionally to see what has surfaced.

EXPLORE MORRISSEY RECORDS AT RAREVINYL →

EXPLORE THE SMITHS RECORDS AT RAREVINYL →

RareVinyl - 12% off for new customers | 6% off for returning customers

New to Morrissey? Or Want to Dig Deeper?

I've written extensively about The Smiths and Morrissey on Vinyl Vibes, from the records that first pulled me in to the music I'm still listening to today.

That includes Viva Hate, Bona Drag, Make-Up Is a Lie, guides to The Smiths and plenty more.

Rather than try to squeeze nearly four decades of music into this tour guide, I've brought those stories together in one place.

EXPLORE THE SMITHS & MORRISSEY: WHERE TO START & ESSENTIAL LISTENING →

Whether you're discovering the music for the first time, returning to the records before seeing Morrissey live, or you've been listening as long as I have, that's the place to keep digging.

See Morrissey Live in 2026

If you're ready to turn the records into a night out, there are two ways to start.

Just need concert tickets? Check Morrissey's current concert listings and available tickets through Ticketmaster.

FIND MORRISSEY TICKETS →

Travelling for the show? Explore Morrissey concert tickets alongside hotel and flight options through BookSeats.

EXPLORE MORRISSEY TRAVEL PACKAGES →

Nearly four decades after I first followed Morrissey out of The Smiths and into his solo career, I'm still listening.

There are new songs on the turntable and more dates on the calendar.

That's reason enough to keep following the story.

Looking for another show? Explore more upcoming concerts, tour dates and travel ideas in Live Music & Tour Guides.

VINYL VIBES | MUSIC STORIES, VINYL CULTURE & RECORD COLLECTING - Music Blog

I Sold a $3,000 Record for $2 — And I Have No Regrets

From Bill Haley to Bathory

Ten Years Looking. One Moment Finding.

When Did Collecting Become So Expensive?

The Records That Stay With You

A Swedish Collector With a Global Community

The Thrill That Never Disappears

Follow Peder

Keep Digging

The Vinyl Dinosaur: A Lost Record Collection and the Record Store Nobody Planned

It Started With Aerosmith

The Dinosaur Was Already There

A Place to Hang Out

“Holy Sh*t! I’ve Been Looking for This!”

​Keep Digging: More Record Store Stories From the U.S.

Take Care of What You Find

Record Store Day Black Friday 2026: Is the Thrill of the Hunt Still Alive?

Record Store Day Black Friday 2026: Date, Releases and Where to Shop

What Independent Record Stores Are Saying

When Record Store Day Felt Different

The Records That Mean Something

Are Record Store Day Exclusives Still Worth Buying?

What Collectors Are Saying About the 2026 Black Friday Release List

Every Day Can Be Record Store Day

Is Record Store Day Black Friday Worth Going To?

Is the Thrill of the Hunt Still Alive?

Record Store Day Black Friday 2026 FAQs

When is Record Store Day Black Friday 2026 in Canada?

Where can I find the Record Store Day Black Friday 2026 release list?

Which Canadian record stores are participating in Black Friday 2026?

Can I request Record Store Day Black Friday releases in advance?

What do RSD Exclusive, RSD First and Limited/Regional mean?

Do I need to line up early for Record Store Day Black Friday?

Are Record Store Day Black Friday releases available online?

Keep Digging With Vinyl Vibes

The Punk Who Was Afraid to Sing

Salford

His Grandpa's Guitar

The Prettiest Girl

I Had Already Heard Sid Spungen

Sid Spungen: From Acoustic Punk to an Album

What to Spin Next

PCV Records Oakville: Right Outside the Spotlight, Where Music Grows

What Makes PCV Feel Different

How PCV Thinks About Vinyl

The Community Around PCV

The People Who Keep PCV Alive

The Support Behind the Store

Why PCV Records Matters

Keep Digging

Take Care of What You Find

Are Rice Paper Inner Sleeves Worth It? Paper vs. Anti-Static Vinyl Sleeves

Two Smiths Records That Changed How I Think About Protection

Paper vs. Rice-Paper vs. HDPE Inner Sleeves: What's the Difference?

What Makes VSS Rice-Paper Inner Sleeves Different?

Which VSS Inner Sleeve Should You Choose?

Do Rice-Paper Sleeves Prevent Scratches and Static?

The Records I Chose to Protect First

Should You Replace Every Inner Sleeve in Your Collection?

What About Outer Sleeves?

Frequently Asked Questions About Rice-Paper Inner Sleeves

Are rice-paper inner sleeves better than paper sleeves?

Are rice-paper inner sleeves anti-static?

Can rice-paper inner sleeves scratch vinyl?

Should I clean records before replacing inner sleeves?

Are thicker inner sleeves better?

Are rice-paper inner sleeves worth buying for inexpensive records?

Where to Buy Rice-Paper Inner Sleeves

The Bottom Line: Are Rice-Paper Inner Sleeves Worth It?

Keep Digging: More Ways to Protect Your Records

Alice Coltrane Changed Everything. 3,000 Records Later, He Had to Let Go.

Alice Coltrane Opens the Door

The Orange-and-Black Obsession

When 3,000 Records Become Too Many

Heavy Sounds: Records That Helped Pay for School

What Are Collectors Really Chasing?

A Collection That's Never Complete

Up Next — Keep Digging

Why Am I Still Buying Records?

Keep Digging: More Record Store Stories From the U.S.

Finding a Way to Say It

A Warehouse Is Really Just a Very Large Crate