Flemming C. Lund is a talented guitarist who has played in such bands as Autumn Leaves, Invocator, Raunchy, and The Arcane Order throughout the years. Residing in Denmark, where he's an e-commerce consultant, Flemming is a fellow death metal fanatic who shares his vinyl treasures on Instagram.
It's no surprise I've asked him to be part of the site's Record Collector series.
How long have you been collecting records?
The answer is somewhat confusing; Between 4 years and 25 years. Let me explain: I began my interest in metal music, specifically thrash and death metal, around 1990. Around that time, I started to collect music. Be it cassette (mainly demos), CD or vinyl. Due to the fact that I didn’t have a very good record player, I mainly preferred getting music on CD, but I would say I probably had around 150-200 pieces of vinyl. It was all the old classics, you know. Worth a fortune today. I gradually started listening to more and more streaming music and mp3s. Around 7-8 years ago I then came to the conclusion that since I never listening to my vinyl and it was starting to grow in value, I might as well get rid of it. And so I did. A friend of mine helped me sell my vinyl, and I sold everything except for around 15 vinyl including two I just couldn’t let go (Entombed Left Hand Path and Autopsy Severed Survival on red vinyl). Needless to say it was one of the most stupid ideas I ever had.
But then four years ago my interest for vinyl came back, and I bought some good equipment that could really bring out the advantages of vinyl. And so I started to collect again. Totally from the bottom. And now around 4 years later I am close to having 600 vinyl in my collection, so I’ve kept myself busy, as you can imagine [laughs]. Funny thing is I really missed being able to go into a record store and actively look for music. It’s so great to have that feeling back!
Where/how do you usually find your records these days?
When I started collecting again, I was lucky to get my hands on some private collections, but other than that I have used eBay and Discogs, but mainly I use distros or shops like Iron Bonehead and High Roller Records, which are my two favorite. But I also buy from Dodax, Osmose, Perverted Taste, Invictus, World Terror Commitee, and on occassion, Century Media, Nuclear Blast, and Earache for pre-releases. If possible directly from bands to support them as much as I can.
What is the most you paid for a single record, where/how did you obtain it, and what was it?
I think that must have been my favorite vinyl Sadistic Intent Resurrection of the Ancient Black Earth in near mint condition, which I bought in Japan for $100. I know a $100 is not much these days, but I find it hard to pay the insane amounts that vinyl goes for today.
Of everything in your current collection, what is your most prized record and why?
It’s actually the same as the aforementioned Sadistic Intent. It’s an LP consisting of two of their mini-LPs that just meant so much to me growing up with death metal. I love this band and the fact that they are very underground in the death metal and at the same time makes some of the most awesome death metal out there. I thought the LP was impossible to get ahold of, but to my luck and found this nice piece and even in near mint condition. Should I mention another record it would be that Entombed vinyl Left Hand Path that I decided to stick with when I sold my entire collection. That one is my all time favorite album. I don’t care much about first presses, but for this record, it’s really important to me that I still have that vinyl which I bought in a store way back when it was released.
Is there anything that frustrates you about the current record collecting scene?
Well, of course the really high prices these days suck, but then again, it’s just a classic caseof supply and demand. If people weren’t ready to pay these prices, they wouldn’t cost that much. I guess I have often been frustrated that old classic weren’t re-released, but it seems that more and more records are finally getting reissued these days with updated sound and all. So I guess the thing that annoys me the most are the ridiculous postage rates these days. The price for shipping almost always equals the price of one vinyl, which is ridiculous. Other than that I am a bit annoyed by import taxes on stuff from outside of Europe, especially from stuff from the US, because I would often like to purchase vinyl from the US, but it’s just too expensive with import taxes. That being said I do understand that the import taxes are necessary. They should make an exception for vinyl though [laughs].
Which records are still on your want list that you've had a tough time tracking down through the years?
Well, since I recently started collecting again, I don’t really have stuff I have been searching for for years and years. But at the moment I would really like to get my hands on Melissa and Don’t Break the Oath by Mercyful Fate and the respective red and yellow vinyl versions that were released some years back. Also Storm of the Light's Bane by Dissection, Voivod's Angel Rat and The Outer Limits, and, perhaps, even Type O Negative's Slow Deep and Hard, are really high up on the list. All pricy as fuck though [laughs].
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Follow Flemming on Instagram.
Tagged: record collector
