Ste Jones lives in the UK, where he handles ticketing for a national concert promoter. He tells me it takes up a lot of his time, but it does mean he gets to go to a ton of shows. A big fan of all the different kinds of music I cover here on No Echo, he's become a regular reader of the site.
It's always nice to invite fellow music geeks from across the pond into the Record Collector club.
How long have you been collecting records?
I started off buying 7” records in early 2003, so almost 15 years at this point. Man, now I feel old.
Where/how do you usually find your records these days?
There a few great independent record shops within reach, which really helps. Other than that, it’s Discogs and eBay. Picking them up from shows is usually the most cost-effective way, if I can.
What is the most you paid for a single record, where/how did you obtain it, and what was it?
I recently paid £90 (which is about $115) for a Creation Records first pressing of Be Here Now by Oasis, which has a really ostentatious, huge signature by Noel Gallagher on the front. It’s not even that great of an album but original Creation presses are very hard to come by these days in good condition. That band holds a lot of nostalgia for me, especially the early period. A friend of mine who works at the local Rough Trade store gave me a very kind heads up that it’d come into their possession and I couldn’t say no...
Of everything in your current collection, what is your most prized record and why?
I have a few first press Beatles records which feel like they ooze history. I have an original UK copy of Sgt. Peppers which is virtually in mint condition and kind of feels like a time machine. It’s fifty years old and still sounds like it was recorded yesterday.
Is there anything that frustrates you about the current record collecting scene?
Record Store Day seems to have driven the price of everything up. I get the reasons why it’s a thing but hearing friends who get a lot of records pressed talking about how difficult its made everything in terms of tying up all the plants sucks. That, and trying to work out which pressings of classic rock records you have according to Discogs. Man, that’s a pain in the arse.
Which records are still on your want list that you've had a tough time tracking down through the years?
The 7” box set of Our Color Green by Glassjaw. I’ve only ever seen one for sale and it went for over $200. A first pressing of Converge's Jane Doe has so far eluded me. Oh, and a UK first pressing of Black Sabbath’s self-titled; a really good condition copy of that goes for way over $1000.
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Tagged: record collector
