DURBAN - Whether it’s millennials going retro or the older generation reminiscing about a wild misspent youth, vinyl is back on track.
And with vibrant trading online for rare albums, and vinyl and turntable shops popping up around the country, The Independent on Saturday asks what is behind the surge in interest.
It’s interesting to note that in Rolling Stone magazine’s listing of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, The Beatles have four in the top 10 (Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Revolver, Rubber Soul and The White Album), while Bob Dylan has two (Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on Blonde).
Other top albums include The Beach Boys (Pet Sounds), Marvin Gaye (What’s Going On?), Rolling Stones (Exile on Main Street), and The Clash (London Calling), with King of Rock Elvis Presley only making the cut at number 11 with The Sun Sessions, featuring his early work.
The psychedelic high of the swinging Sixties exploded into a frenzied creativity which turned the music world on its head. Perhaps these rebellious rhythms retain a heart-pumping hold on today’s generation, or is it simply the tactile comfort of putting on a record?
According to collectors and traders, it’s not so much the big sellers that are worth money, such as Michael Jackson’s Thriller, which is ranked as the biggest seller ever.
Rather, it’s albums which were limited, such as a South African pressing of AC/DC’s Let There Be Rock, as there was a mistake on the cover which saw it being recalled.
Durban’s Jonathan Buckley, who has been trading in vinyl records for 35 years, said there had been a “massive renewal” of interest.
He started going to record fairs in the UK when he was nine years old and started holding them when he was 16.
“Records died out, but they have come back again and it’s happening big time now. Online trading is for the really serious collectors and if a rare album goes up for sale, it’s gone in seconds,” he said.
Buckley paid R9 for an album by Durban band The Flames (from which Ricky Fataar and Blondie Chaplin played for The Beach Boys, then Blondie for the Stones and The Rutles). He sold it for R4000 to a local buyer.
That buyer then sold it online for R37000.
And Buckley says that while rock, blues and jazz are the most popular music genres in vinyl trading, also sought after are Zulu records.
When it comes to collections, he said, “there are ‘completists’ who want a complete collection of an artist, including different pressings”, with German pressings often considered the highest quality.
“A collector may buy a Pink Floyd pressing from Germany which he will keep for his collection, but also buy a UK pressing which he will play.
“Buyers want an original pressing in excellent condition and don’t mind paying,” said Buckley.
His records are at Mrs Pinkerton’s at the Mushroom Farm in Shongweni, where owner Jacqui van der Pol loves the sound of vinyl records
“I buy them for the warmth of the sound. When I get home and am chopping and preparing food, I like to put on a record. I listen to vinyl every day,” said Van der Pol, adding that her favourites are jazz and big band sounds.
Another fan of vinyl is music producer Daniel Basckin, who said his interest in vinyl started when his father handed over his old collection.
“There was a copy of The White Album by the Beatles and it really sparked my interest. I listen to music constantly and I started buying contemporary as well.
“It’s a nice physical medium where you can look at the artwork and it supports the artist.
“I can also listen to it in the correct order it is supposed to be listened to - I go from the first track on the first side and then turn it over. It’s relaxing and listening to music on a different level,” said Basckin.
Rare
Contemporary artists who have taken advantage of the vinyl revival include Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Radiohead, Adele, Draft Punk,
Anohni, Jessy Lanza and Justin Timberlake.
Based in Durban, Khaya Records owner Paul Buttery, who holds auctions once a month on Bidorbuy, said there was demand from both the older and younger generations.
“Everybody’s doing records, I think it’s something tangible. I have found that the ones you think wouldn’t be collectable are in fact collectable. There’s lots of rare SA jazz and progressive rock which will fetch a good price,” said Buttery.
He has been in the record business for 13 years, and says he used to sell outside of Durban but that this has changed over the last three years.
“The interest has grown. It’s cool to be able to put on a turntable and drop the needle.
“To do your vinyl justice, it’s advisable to do a lot of research before buying a turntable.
“I prefer the refurbished turntables from the 1970s or 80s. Newer turntables cannot be upgraded and needles cannot be changed,” he said.
Matthew Middleton from Kloof, who upgrades turntables as a hobby, said some of the new cheaper turntables could be “very rough” on vinyl records.
“A turntable from the 80s will definitely sound better, although a brand such as Rega is still making turntables and they are quite reliable,” said Middleton.
He also enjoys collecting vinyl, adding that favourites on the market include the likes of Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and The Beatles.
With many millennials turning to an organic style of living, perhaps the retro feel and sound of vinyl brings them back down out of the cybersphere for a while. And perhaps in 30 years, streaming Pink or Bruno Mars will bring that sense of nostalgia. Store it somewhere for those autumn years, when it could turn out to be worth a bit.