🤔 IS RECORD COLLECTING DEAD?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ก.ย. 2024
- Record collecting has changed a lot over the years. We have 18 years of experience in this business. Lance shares his experience and thoughts in this video on the state of affairs in 2024.
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I agree with a lot of what you are saying. I have been going to Record Runner in NYC for 40 years already. I am great friends with the owner that knows all my likes and I go there also and hang out talking to the customers about music. Also during Covid I discovered bandcamp where I discovered many new artists that I got into. For me what I find most frustrating is the price of new music on vinyl. When a single vinyl dice is close to $40 dollars and some two disc are close to $60 I find this too much. I have combatted this by buying new music on CD.Anyway I enjoy watching your videos. Keep up the good work!
Getting to know your local record store staff can be one of the best parts of going to indie record stores. You'll get better recommendations that way and you'll likely get turned on to things that you may not have ever discovered otherwise. The price increases on everything these days is frustrating across the board, but there's not much any of us can do about it except roll with it and make tough decisions on how to spend our dough (on records and otherwise). I choose records! Thanks for watching and for the comment and your kind words.
Such a refreshing take! I was actually kinda bummed to hear Dillon and G.I.’s videos. Of course I’m a fan of both channels and really admire them both as music heads but was saddened to hear the disillusionment. To be honest, I think it’s from having too many records. I think there is a perfect amount to manage, different perhaps for each individual but I think paradoxically, having too many makes you appreciate them less; law of diminishing returns. Anyways, I’m sure there were both just having a moment, as I do too (and knew a video like that would attract viewers) but it was great to hear a “couldn’t disagree more” perspective. Thanks and greetings from Tokyo :-)
I always try to stay (at least cautiously) optimistic. Disillusionment and burnout happen to the best of us. I've been on this roller coaster for long enough to know not to let little dips get me down. I trudge on and do what I do best and it always ends up working out fine. This is a tough racket and the competition is fierce. It's important to work hard and do whatever it takes to stay positive, for your own mental health and for customer service. There's a fine line between a collection and a hoard and I've seen the worst case scenarios. It's not pretty. That's why I try to keep my collection lean and mean. Thanks for watching! Please come pay us a visit the next time your in LA. Arigato!
@@PermanentRecordsLA Thanks for the thoughtful reply and will come and visit on my next trip to L.A. If you ever make it out to Japan, please look me up!
@@tokyorecordstyleWill do!
Some great advice and insight on record collecting in this video. As someone who has been collecting for over 15 years, I find the hobby to be as rewarding and fun as ever.
It’s definitely sad. I went to a a drop at Amoeba for an extremely rare psych prog collection. There was no order. People were rude, crowding, grabbing over bins and beside to bins. The people in front were taking 30-50 LPs at a time to hold. One guy spent $7000 and hoarded a huge chunk of the desirables-but sadly I left after five minutes and no records in pure disgust. Doors opened at eleven am. 80 percent of this collection was gone in ten minutes. Record collecting is just sad in 2024 if you ask me. The commodification aspect out weights the community part now days. Total gluttony and dog eat dog mentality. Also on a different topic. The insane prices for g+ and VG- copies is ridiculous. Those used to be “starter” copies and priced accordingly. I don’t care how rare it is I’m not paying over a $100 for G grade records with jumps and skips.
I heard about that situation at Amoeba and I was sorry to hear that, but not surprised. I go to record shows all over the country and internationally and the "smash-and-grab" scenarios always bum me out. There is a code of conduct and etiquette that should be followed, but those niceties get ignored in the heat of the moment and it is frustrating, annoying, and I've even seen it result in verbal arguments and even fisticuffs. That should never happen, but it does. That's one of the reasons I choose not to do large drops of rare records at my store these days. There's no reason to create a "Black Friday" situation unnecessarily. All of those same records will sell in time and creating a hostile environment of demand should be avoided whenever possible. We always take condition into consideration when pricing and we always play grade anything that looks rough. Furthermore, we guarantee everything we sell and will take anything we sell back if there are issues that we didn't disclose. Thank you for watching and for sharing your thoughts.
@@PermanentRecordsLA the biggest disappointment was the total indifference and lack of intervention from staff. I talked to management about ideas like limiting items or having a line where you can pick 3 and go to the back and start again but they really didn’t seem to care because the objective-sell all the records-was met and the solutions required a little work and effort. They said “be more aggressive” next time. Um-I won’t contribute to behavior I abhor. They seem to also be on the side of the whales rather than the minnows. I probably only could have afforded one or two titles at most but they were long time wants. They didn’t seem to care a few individuals snagged the majority because of the big $$$. When I suggested they trickle em out they said oh we like to make it a fun event. I can promise you-even the ones who made out were not “having fun”.
Aaw man. This situation sucks. I've seen it and it just makes you not want to be a part of it. The indifference from the sellers is the worst part . if only people could relax and chill and share and engage. Sigh. But yeah,parsing it out or staggering would be better for literally everybody.
Thanks for the positive take on this often controversial subject.
Like Bad Brains, I always try to have a PMA! Life is too short for anything else. Cheers!
Great video. A lot of solid advice in here. The journey is the fun part. Hopefully there will be no destination and the discovery will continue until we are done.
The bonus tip of grabbing some off market titles is great. There are thousands of great albums waiting for the fan after they get past the initial name brand artists. Nothing against the name brand artists, of course 😂
100% What you said. All I could add would be if you're not having fun you're doing it wrong.
+1 for Dogpatch, great programme!!
Indeed! One of the best podcasts ever.
Not much to add. That's what my channel is all about, off the beaten path music, cheap and expensive. Because it's not just about the price : connecting on a personnal level to an obscure record is fun, same with a challenging one, it makes you feel you're growing, because you actuallt are. I would visit your shop every week if I was a local.
My sentiments exactly. There are amazing (and dull) records at every price point and everyone's taste and objective is different. Choosing records wisely (whatever that means for any given individual) is the key. I enjoy discovering cheap heat as much, if not more, than buying big ticket top wants. I dig the whole experience and always try find the silver lining in any given situation. It'd be great to have you as a regular! Your channel is great and you have exquisite taste. Please drop me a line the next time your in my neck of the woods or if you're ever at the Den Bosch Record Fair and we'll grab a drink. You can reach me at LApermanent@gmail.com
I’ve been collecting since the 70s, haven’t been to a record store since before rsd, all the crap I hear about that. Who needs that! Still collecting ❤
Personally, I have a music collection, which changes in volume due to either selling, giving away or buying more. My physical format music collection as a whole seems to be lessening over the years and is comprised of cassettes, cds and vinyls. Then I have a music archive which is digital. This is comprised of every piece of physical format music I have owned over the years converted to flac or mp3 and all of my purchased/downloaded mp3s. This only gets added to. I started digitizing my cd collection back when I was carrying around a Case Logic cd book from car to car. I only use a streaming service as a research tool. Since March of this year 2024, I have added about 1100 records (vinyl rips, mp3s, cds and vinyl) to my archive mostly from the Rare Groove & Library Music areas of collecting (if you have never been down those rabbit holes, use caution...they are difficult to get out of). I feel collecting evolves as music taste evolves. My methods and systems of collecting have changed from age 12 to 43 but still very much alive.
There's some really good, solid advice for anyone interested in collecting records right here🤘 nice work Lance, i hope a lot of people are paying attention, itll save em a lot of heartache
Thank you! I couldn't agree more.
'Collecting' is obviously a bit different for someone like Dylan/Lance vs someone that does not own/run a vinyl business. I'm in the prime of my collecting, labels like Guerssen, Ancient Grease, Permanent, Numero, Riding Easy, etc are bringing endless new bands/music onto my radar. Managing the collection is important, I'm trying to maintain rather than continuously growing the collection, quality over quantity. Sell off the duplicates, or at least some of them. I never buy vinyl without previewing the album online first. As far as selling off a collection to start over- I can see how that would be healthy/ necessary for some people who went off the rails with their obsessive habits, but I put way too much time/effort/$$ into my amazing collection to simply get rid of it and start over!
You seem to have a very healthy collecting mentality and you're choosing great labels to guide you down a rewarding path to incredible obscure music. Quality over quantity is definitely the name of the game. In this day and age, there's absolutely no reason to buy before listening first. That's one of the many reasons I believe we live in the Golden Age of record collection. You can pick and choose the best of the best and ignore the rest. I only sold off my entire record collection to open a couple of my stores and there are only a handful of records I wish I had back. That said, selling off an entire collection shouldn't become an necessity unless you mismanage your collection and finances or you happen to have a major life change. Record collections (like yours) are most enjoyable when they are managed properly and enjoyed daily. Good on your for putting in the time, effort, and money to keep your collection amazing!
Negative Ghostrider. You guys just sent records to me in Charlotte. Again. lol I will carry the torch.
Negative Ghostrider, indeed. Thanks for the DIBS, fellow torch carrier!
I hope so. As it has evolved to today. Lots of crappy records out of Czech GZ and Memphis. All my best to you though. Noble was always flexing which isn’t cool so not a lot of love for him….even if he didn’t mean it.
It has evolved and is always evolving. Dillon is still relatively new to the game, but he's a good guy and it seems like he puts in the work. He deserves respect. 100k TH-cam subscribers can't be wrong ;)
Cool take.
For me, just changing. But healthy. Many young people digging in and buying stuff.
Thanks! Change is good as long as you know how to adapt.
Great insight, Lance. I can see how whales like Dylan get burned out as they are on the upper echelon of collecting rare, first pressings of obscure titles most normal collectors will never have access to or the funds to buy. Now for us "little people", it's best to get what we like and experiment with "new to us" artists. You don't have to spend tons of money either to do the journey either. There are a few punk and metal grails I always keep an eye out for (Eyes "TAQN" EP is one) but at the same time, I have been collecting dollar records of country acts that are easy to find in the wild for super cheap, but they are awesome (Charley Pride, Dave Dudley, Merl Haggard, George Jones, Loretta, Tammy...). I'm also into 80's synth pop, which are pretty cheap too compared to my metal and punk stuff I'm into. I'm combing backwoods thrift stores, flea markets, antique shops, garage sales, estate sales, record stores, etc from Cleveland to Maryland. It's fun. One of these days, I'll find a stash of early 80's punk records at some mom and pop place for $.50 each with all Samhain originals! HA HA!
It's all relative. There are collectors that go even harder than Dillon and I do, believe it or not. I've seen it all. That said, it's best to always collect within your means and if you do that it'll always be fun. Half the fun is in the journey of digging! You have the right idea. Dig outside of the box and take the road less traveled. Those records you are buying cheaply now can't get any cheaper. The only direction for those is up. And yes, if you dig long and hard enough, you will eventually come up. When you do, please keep me in mind for the rares you find that you don't want and we'll trade for some stuff that is on your want list. Cheers!
Ah hell no Lance..✌️🤘 it shall live on.. thanks as always for a cool video man
Viva la Vinyl! Cheers, brother!
Music should always comes first, however, people seem to be the actual problem here. Everyone who calls the "hobby" of collecting records dead, are those people who use vinyl as a method to simply make money and nothing more. I hope all of the new vinyl and physical media enthusiasts that influx with the new "change" embrace the 'Music 1st' mentality.
Agreed! It's harder to find valuable records on the cheap these days than it used to be, but it's easy to find good records without spending a lot of money. You just have to use your ears (or trusted sources like your local record store clerk) to find 'em. Discogs can't help with that.
Hey Lance. Great video. And sound advice. Cheers
Thank you! I appreciate it. Sound advice, literally and figuratively ;)
Dante Carfagna has written a book about Ohio soul. It's massive. Dude' s knowledge is unparalleled.
Word. I forgot about that. Still need to grip a copy. Dante is one of the most knowledgeable record collectors on the planet. He's got impeccable taste as well.
Hear you on the "less than perfect" new vinyl and being more accepting of slight imperfections. Where do you stand on the super expensive 'audiophile' reissues where for $60-$150 (or more)? Paying a lot for brand new heavy like that would warrant getting exactly what you pay for, no?
Yes, I absolutely that you should get what you pay for! I don't actively buy audiophile reissues for my personal collection, but if I did I would contact the label first to inquire about their return policy and find out what they would deem defective and returnable before buying.
With the price increase yeah people are not stupid they will stop buying them i know im seriously getting there myself im almost done .
All you have to do is dig a little deeper. Take the road less traveled. Instead of Funkadelic, buy White Lightnin'. There are lots of cheap mind-blowing records in the bins. Follow your ears!
Agree with most that has been said. However, vinyls dealers should not wait too much before decreasing pricing at more reasonable levels to Keep transaction volumes and newcomers active. Most of repressed vinyls I’ve bought, appart from the serious brands like Analogue Production and likes are crapy sounding.
Vinyl business is a fragile ecosystem that do not care enough about its community…
All record sellers should reduce prices on records that haven't sold regularly. We are constantly marking things down in an effort to get them moving and it works and it makes our customers happy! Sadly, you're right. Most record sellers don't care enough about the community and that's unfortunate. We are all about the community and we always have been.
Good point on stuff that isn’t popular *right now*. Also there is lots of stuff that was $50-$150 15 years ago and is now much cheaper because of reissues or the increased demand revealed more supply.
Absolutely, it happens all the time! That's why it's best to buy the things that you'll love and enjoy regardless of the monetary value...and be stoked on the increase when you buy something low and are able to sell it high.
Why would i spend $30 on a brand new record that is (slightly)warped? and go with the flow...
Unfortunately, those slight warps are just a part of the reality of the business these days and they're usually non returnable. If you're not comfortable with that, I would recommend avoiding new records. It will only be a frustrating and difficult path for you.
All it takes is a recession to bring prices down again. Covid money caused huge increases in price... and that's for all collectables. People weren't touching grass a few years back and now people are spending money on other things. If the economy keeps slowing I'm sure things will get a bit cheaper.
Yes but the supply of truly limited things like clean OGs (jazz, punk, metal, experimental, blues, folk, psych, etc.) continue to decrease
A recession could certainly affect the prices of common records. Many other factors could as well. It's all about supply and demand. Go with the flow! Buy low, sell high. It's Econ 101. Be patient and buy records based on the music in the grooves and not because of future value and you'll enjoy collecting much more.
Much ado about clickbait. Sure, dead. Long live record collecting.