IT COULD be the crackling sound when the needle first gently kisses the record, or the silky soft sensation when your hands first touch the wax, DJs around are undecided about what they love most about spinning vinyl.
Records first made an appearance in 1867 when a gentleman by the name of Emile Berliner patented the gramophone. It was to become the first vinyl record player.
A lot has changed since then, with the advent of reel-to-reel machines, cassettes, CDs and USB memory sticks. Chuck music streaming into the mix, and DJs have it oh so easy these days.
But vinyl have made a massive comeback. And here in Cape Town they are particularly sought-after. In fact, it is big business.
Several marketplace sites and groups on social media exist for enthusiasts to buy, sell, swap, and even haggle for discounts on everything from 7 to 12-inch records, turntables and accessories.
And it really is a case of you snooze you lose, because as soon as second-hand stock is put up for sale on social media, it's gone.
Some Cape Town DJs have spoken candidly to the Weekend Argus about their addiction to record collecting. Most have described the selling and swapping of vinyl in the tightly-knit music community in the city, as a “disease”, because as one collector put it “we simply cannot stop buying records”.
Second-hand records can set you back anywhere between R50 and R1 500. A used turntable is likely to cost in the region of R5 000.
Good Hope FM radio personality, Julian “Dr Jules” Brache, gets excited when he starts talking about his vinyl collection.
Brache, whose first taste of the record life started in 1991 at a matinee disco party at Club Fame in Elsies River, now has in excess of 800 records.
“I've sold and given away quite a few that no longer interest me as the focus is on quality, not quantity,” he says. “Vinyl for me is more of a sentimental hobby as each record has a story or great memory of moments in my career. Notably 90s dance favs like 2 Bros on the 4th Floor - I can't help myself or the Strictly Rhythm record label stuff like Rhythm Factor's Joy or Reality, Yolanda.”
Brache admitted that “(I spent) every last cent I had on purchasing records back in the day when clubs had turntables”. That was then. Now he budgets around R1 000 every month to add to his collection.
And Brache is not the only one with a “vinyl addiction”.
Meet Oliver Smith from Strandfontein, who’s been a club DJ for nearly 30 years.
Smith is a regular guest DJ on Bush Radio's flagship old school music show called the Retro Rewind, every Sunday between 10am and 2pm. And if he is not spinning tunes on Bush Radio, he's mixing up a storm on The Feel Good Friday Mix Experience on Radio Atlantis FM.
Pressed on his favourite genre, he responded: “I have a big big love for 80’s night club classics. I have a big love for 90’s Club classics and an even bigger love for 90s and 2000s R&B Hip Hop.”
Smith said his love affair with vinyl started “during my primary school days”.
“My dad was in a band before he got married, so growing up there was always music in the house, some old records and so on,” he recalled.
“Even the langarm stuff every household in Mitchells Plain used to play during the festive times. Getting back to the love affair, I remember when I was 12, I went with my sister to a matinee at Westridge City to check out some dance competition and found myself sitting next to the DJ box.
“And that’s where I stayed for most of the day. Mesmerised by the DJ playing tunes I had never, ever heard, and all this from vinyl, I immediately knew I also wanted to be able to do that.
“By the age of 13 I would cycle from Rocklands to Lentegeur with my BMX to get my turntable lessons from Angelo Prins aka DJ Cosmo.”
Smith said by the time he reached standard 9 at high school (Grade 11) he had started playing at a local club. “I was buying my records from DJ syndicate (in Cape Town CBD).”
He said the most expensive record in his current collection was one he got as a gift – Suzy Bunce – Hot For You / Addict For Your Love.
“Currently there are no copies for sale on popular site Discogs, and a few years ago one in a similar condition sold for R5 000 plus.
DJ Mark “The Guru” Brown from Cape Town said he started collecting records in the late 80s while still at school.
“Those were mostly compilation records bought with pocket money,” he said. “I started DJ-ing early 90s. Today I have about 2 000 records including one of my favourites Summertime by Nocera, which was given to me by the late great Mark Adams, aka DJ Catt.”
Brown also started producing his own record cleaning liquid called Guru Juice.
“Bottled and sold for R100, it deep cleans the groove in the records, removing dust and greasy deposits thereby improving the sound quality.
“I have also successfully rescued records that were exposed to years of moisture, removing the mould and liquid damage. I have received only rave reviews from DJs and collectors.”
And dispelling any notion that this is a boys club, or for the old hands only, was teenager Hannah Poliga from Pietermaritzburg. She's only 17, but has amassed nearly 200 records since taking up the hobby about a year ago.
Her Michael Jackson collection is her pride and joy.
“I have 15 MJ albums. Vinyls are my passion,” she boasts.
“I have made a lot of friends, a lot of vinyl collectors. It's very rare, as they would say in my generation, and in my age group, who likes old music from back in the day, like vinyl and cassettes, CDs, DVDs and hi-fis and turntables and stuff.”
Shane Kissoon from Johannesburg used to get into a fair amount of trouble with his wife over his spending habits with regards to vinyl.
“In nine months this year I built up a collection of nearly 1 000 records,” he said. “I spent nearly R20 000 a month buying new stock.”
Kissoon sold his entire collection and turntables recently and made R250 000.
Dr Jules adds: “Records are able to create emotional connections due to that vinyl feel when mixing with them, or the unique scratchy sound when just listening. They evoke memories of great people, awesome times and unforgettable moments.”