The Life Of A Northern Soul Record

[Madmandy]

I was thinking today as I browsed through my little box of cheap vinyl

Just how much one piece of vinyl changes hands for in its lifetime bearing in mind that some of the vinyl we still buy is 1960s.. ish that makes it 45 years old and the fact that vinyl prices go up and down

and depenedant on its rarity or commonness

what would be its total cost over its life time??

Mand

[Guest Beeks]

Very good question, I should imagine in this particular scene records change hands alot more than any other...so would be very interesting to see the net worth of all those trades!

[Spacehopper]

not just the cost how many miles have some travelled ?!!...ive bought US issues from australia ,japan and all over europe !

[Dylan]

veron changed hands for a lot of money in football transfers but was pretty rubbish at British clubs.

just a bit off topic.....

[Jordirip]

I was thinking today as I browsed through my little box of cheap vinyl

Just how much one piece of vinyl changes hands for in its lifetime bearing in mind that some of the vinyl we still buy is 1960s.. ish that makes it 45 years old and the fact that vinyl prices go up and down

and depenedant on its rarity or commonness

what would be its total cost over its life time??

Mand

I've often wondered about the 'life' of a record, how it finally comes to nestle in a loving collector's home, from the outset of it coming off the presses with 300 of it's brothers and sisters, to then not have any distribution deal and be handed out or sold at a local gig by the band members. It would then be taken home and played by it's new owner till they got fed up with it, then the kids would play with it, flinging it around the room or yard, or writing on it. It might then get thrown out with loads of other stuff at a yard sale to be picked up by someone who either knows it or is curious about it. It could then end up in a second hand store languishing on a shelf for years until some dealer trawling second hand shops buys it with loads of others, not realising the significance of this particular record. It will then languish some more in another second hand record shop until a record digger finds it and then sells it to a British / Japanese / European dealer, who in turn brings it over the seas and moves it on to a collector of such records. It could then be put in a sales box to be thumbed past for weeks / months / years at different soul nights until that special someone picks it up and is at last introduced to that long looked for want.

Jordi

[Guest Andy Kempster]

I was thinking today as I browsed through my little box of cheap vinyl

Just how much one piece of vinyl changes hands for in its lifetime bearing in mind that some of the vinyl we still buy is 1960s.. ish that makes it 45 years old and the fact that vinyl prices go up and down

and depenedant on its rarity or commonness

what would be its total cost over its life time??

Mand

think of their carbon footprint, they must be one of the biggest culprits going

i had a $5 record misrouted via usps going from texas then japan, back to texas and then back here

[Madmandy]

Wow!! some great replies

how many changes of owner

how many changes of county

how many changes of country

some of the scenes vinyl is more well travelled than Alan Wicker! LOL

When I buy a record with a name written on its label I often wonder where they are now are they still here loving the music as we do did they just have that one soulful vinyl grow tired of it and sling it to the boot sale or do they have old babycham crates full of the black gold ???

thanks guys

Mand

[Madmandy]

veron changed hands for a lot of money in football transfers but was pretty rubbish at British clubs.

just a bit off topic.....

Dylan

bloody footballers want their balls kicked spoiled divas

Mand NUFC fan ( yes I know they re not a team LOL)

[Sean Hampsey]

I've often wondered about the 'life' of a record, how it finally comes to nestle in a loving collector's home, from the outset of it coming off the presses with 300 of it's brothers and sisters, to then not have any distribution deal and be handed out or sold at a local gig by the band members. It would then be taken home and played by it's new owner till they got fed up with it, then the kids would play with it, flinging it around the room or yard, or writing on it. It might then get thrown out with loads of other stuff at a yard sale to be picked up by someone who either knows it or is curious about it. It could then end up in a second hand store languishing on a shelf for years until some dealer trawling second hand shops buys it with loads of others, not realising the significance of this particular record. It will then languish some more in another second hand record shop until a record digger finds it and then sells it to a British / Japanese / European dealer, who in turn brings it over the seas and moves it on to a collector of such records. It could then be put in a sales box to be thumbed past for weeks / months / years at different soul nights until that special someone picks it up and is at last introduced to that long looked for want.

Jordi

Beautifully put.

I've bought hundreds of records that probably had that exact same sequence of events.

An obscure piece of vinyl, the only release on some exotic sounding label... by an unknown artist...

...unmentioned in any of the 'guide books'... unrecognised by those 'in the know'.

Curiousity gets the better of you and the money changes hands.

Finally... at the journey's end... and when that rare 45 eventually drops through the letterbox and hits my record deck... it becomes very clear... that most of them should have stayed in the second hand shop!

Sean

[Madmandy]

Beautifully put.

I've bought hundreds of records that probably had that exact same sequence of events.

An obscure piece of vinyl, the only release on some exotic sounding label... by an unknown artist...

...unmentioned in any of the 'guide books'... unrecognised by those 'in the know'.

Curiousity gets the better of you and the money changes hands.

Finally... at the journey's end... and when that rare 45 eventually drops through the letterbox and hits my record deck... it becomes very clear... that most of them should have stayed in the second hand shop!

Sean

Sean

I'm damn sure thats not true at all

your reputation precedes you

Im sure you'd change your mind about your vinyl if you saw my "vinyl" LOL

Mand

PS I do like what Jordi had to say tho brill

Wonder if anyone has actually tracked one piece of vinyl

you know how anorakky we are on here theres bound to be someone LOL

Edited July 21, 2008 by Madmandy

[Epic]

Often wondered about the "big ticket" tunes (ie - seriously rare - less than 10 known copies) do they just do the rounds with the world's top collectors or once they've got 'em they keep 'em?

[Madmandy]

Often wondered about the "big ticket" tunes (ie - seriously rare - less than 10 known copies) do they just do the rounds with the world's top collectors or once they've got 'em they keep 'em?

Epic

do you think they borrow them to their DJ buddies to play

I dont think so I reckon they'd rather keep them to themselves so it keeps that rarity going

but theres sooooo many bootlegs these days it defeats the object leggers only need one record to boot dont they

Mand

[Steve G]

Often wondered about the "big ticket" tunes (ie - seriously rare - less than 10 known copies) do they just do the rounds with the world's top collectors or once they've got 'em they keep 'em?

A lot of them do go round and round - Sam's told me that he has had at least 4 Del Larks over the years. Buys one, sells it, buys another one for more, sells it for even more etc etc. Record inflation.....

Records that come here though, stay here! I only ever sold one record and got £1 less for it than I wanted (£4 instead of £5) (this was at Wigan); the experience kind of put me of selling for ever. So ever since I've only ever bought records and leave the selling to others.

[Madmandy]

A lot of them do go round and round - Sam's told me that he has had at least 4 Del Larks over the years. Buys one, sells it, buys another one for more, sells it for even more etc etc. Record inflation.....

Records that come here though, stay here! I only ever sold one record and got £1 less for it than I wanted (£4 instead of £5) (this was at Wigan); the experience kind of put me of selling for ever. So ever since I've only ever bought records and leave the selling to others.

So how many babycham crates have you got full of vinyl Steve?

Mand

[Liamgp]

It's when you find records that have been 'personailsed' by their previous owners either by scratching their name in the run-out grooves (seemed to be popular with DJs once upon a time) or writing on the label or sleeve. My favourite is a French EP of the Mar-Keys with 'George from Fulham High Street. I brout (sic) it in 1965' on the cover. I still wonder who George from Fulham is whenever I see that record.

[Madmandy]

It's when you find records that have been 'personailsed' by their previous owners either by scratching their name in the run-out grooves (seemed to be popular with DJs once upon a time) or writing on the label or sleeve. My favourite is a French EP of the Mar-Keys with 'George from Fulham High Street. I brout (sic) it in 1965' on the cover. I still wonder who George from Fulham is whenever I see that record.

thats exactly what I'm saying

who is/was george

who is

KT?

B Conway?

the crescent soul club?

Mand

[Steve G]

It's when you find records that have been 'personailsed' by their previous owners either by scratching their name in the run-out grooves (seemed to be popular with DJs once upon a time) or writing on the label or sleeve. My favourite is a French EP of the Mar-Keys with 'George from Fulham High Street. I brout (sic) it in 1965' on the cover. I still wonder who George from Fulham is whenever I see that record.

My copy of Benny Sigler on Phil La has "A Fenn" in the run out groove.

My copy of Billy Prophet oN Sue has "Steve Snook" in the deadwax

I know who A Fenn is ,but S Snook? Who he?

[Jerry Hipkiss]

I know who A Fenn is ,but S Snook? Who he?

Steve Snook from Cirencester, old Yate boy (alright, younger than the rest of us ) ...lives in Spain, occasional poster on this yer site. Funnily enough, he was at Soulfusion last Saturday and I was reminding him how he had a copy of Gene Woodbury "Ever again" when it was big and he probably hadn't left school!

Edited July 24, 2008 by Jerry Hipkiss

[Guest]

I was thinking today as I browsed through my little box of cheap vinyl

Just how much one piece of vinyl changes hands for in its lifetime bearing in mind that some of the vinyl we still buy is 1960s.. ish that makes it 45 years old and the fact that vinyl prices go up and down

and depenedant on its rarity or commonness

what would be its total cost over its life time??

Mand

I think in the early days a lot of the 45s were in pretty good nick, having been stored away in warehouses / shops etc and being shipped over here by UK Northern dealers.

But not these days when you are buying off E bay, You are picking up the used 45s that are the copy's that were actually sold to to people at the time !

I was having this conversation with a mate the other day.

IMO Soul fans bought up everything decent from the USA that did not sell in the 60s in the 70s and 80s and in quantity from the warehouses etc, and now we are clearing

up the used issues with the many scratches, felt tip pen marks, stickers, the owners name, strange things written on them etc.

These 45s are the ones I tend to spare a moment looking at and imagining where they have been for the past 40 years !

A playing issue with a bit of ware and tear - Its a case of "If walls could talk" is it not !

I completely understand your wonder !

Mossy

[Guest sandi]

I think in the early days a lot of the 45s were in pretty good nick, having been stored away in warehouses / shops etc and being shipped over here by UK Northern dealers.

But not these days when you are buying off E bay, You are picking up the used 45s that are the copy's that were actually sold to to people at the time !

I was having this conversation with a mate the other day.

IMO Soul fans bought up everything decent from the USA that did not sell in the 60s in the 70s and 80s and in quantity from the warehouses etc, and now we are clearing

up the used issues with the many scratches, felt tip pen marks, stickers, the owners name, strange things written on them etc.

These 45s are the ones I tend to spare a moment looking at and imagining where they have been for the past 40 years !

A playing issue with a bit of ware and tear - Its a case of "If walls could talk" is it not !

I completely understand your wonder !

Mossy

Well l wonder not about the records that have done the rounds and incured a scratch or 10, scribbled names, stickers etc, but l wonder about the rare records that cost thousands of pounds ( Rarity for whatever reason ) and it's most probable that they are owned by collectors and not DJ's, these collectors in some cases then instead of playing them, in fear of damage that may ( god forbid ) occur, protect the said record by placing it behind glass and framing it........l believe records were made to be played and played and played, so how the bloody hell do these very lucky super rich collectors actually #1 get the record on the turntable when the hole in the middle is covered up!!!!!!!! ( now thats what l call a cover up ) and #2 get the needle to play along the grooves through glass !!!!!!!!! uuuuuuuuuummmmmmmm what a dilema.

Sorry lm just being naughty, could'nt help myself.

Edited July 26, 2008 by sandi

[Liamgp]

Well l wonder not about the records that have done the rounds and incured a scratch or 10, scribbled names, stickers etc, but l wonder about the rare records that cost thousands of pounds ( Rarity for whatever reason ) and it's most probable that they are owned by collectors and not DJ's, these collectors in some cases then instead of playing them, in fear of damage that may ( god forbid ) occur, protect the said record by placing it behind glass and framing it........l believe records were made to be played and played and played, so how the bloody hell do these very lucky super rich collectors actually #1 get the record on the turntable when the hole in the middle is covered up!!!!!!!! ( now thats what l call a cover up ) and #2 get the needle to play along the grooves through glass !!!!!!!!! uuuuuuuuuummmmmmmm what a dilema.

Sorry lm just being naughty, could'nt help myself.

Well the 'ultimate rarity' "Do I Love You" gets played by Kenny Burrell on a regular basis. It's quite interesting seeing £15,000 revolving at 45 rpm...

[Sean Hampsey]

thats exactly what I'm saying

who is/was george

who is

KT?

B Conway?

the crescent soul club?

Mand

I think KT is not a person!

I've always understood it's the abbreviation for Kentish Town where EMI records were once pressed.

Anyone confirm?

Sean

[MotownDave]

I think KT is not a person!

I've always understood it's the abbreviation for Kentish Town where EMI records were once pressed.

Anyone confirm?

Sean

KT its what they used as the tax stamp early on you see it as a rased stamp in the center on uk singles as well as stamped in the run out

[Guest WPaulVanDyk]

Well Do I Love You is the only one i know of that is tracked by owners but then again at 15,000 what do you expect.

I know people say records are for playing but only if your a DJ i mean i love playing my vinyl but i think why not save it and put it on cd and play the cd then i can keep my vinyl for when I DJ and then you just think sod it and start playing vinyl again lol as you do and only not long started playing my Higher and Higher LP again by Jackie Wilson

But also records that have your name written all over it doesn't that take the value away cause i really hate it when people write there names on the records i don't need to know that a person say m bridges owned a record or whoever

[Guest]

Well Do I Love You is the only one i know of that is tracked by owners but then again at 15,000 what do you expect.

I know people say records are for playing but only if your a DJ i mean i love playing my vinyl but i think why not save it and put it on cd and play the cd then i can keep my vinyl for when I DJ and then you just think sod it and start playing vinyl again lol as you do and only not long started playing my Higher and Higher LP again by Jackie Wilson

But also records that have your name written all over it doesn't that take the value away cause i really hate it when people write there names on the records i don't need to know that a person say m bridges owned a record or whoever

Another astute and thought provoking reply , but what are you picking on M Bridges for ? has he / she done something wrong to you ? ........

Explain yourself please ........

Malc Burton

[Madmandy]

I think in the early days a lot of the 45s were in pretty good nick, having been stored away in warehouses / shops etc and being shipped over here by UK Northern dealers.

But not these days when you are buying off E bay, You are picking up the used 45s that are the copy's that were actually sold to to people at the time !

I was having this conversation with a mate the other day.

IMO Soul fans bought up everything decent from the USA that did not sell in the 60s in the 70s and 80s and in quantity from the warehouses etc, and now we are clearing

up the used issues with the many scratches, felt tip pen marks, stickers, the owners name, strange things written on them etc.

These 45s are the ones I tend to spare a moment looking at and imagining where they have been for the past 40 years !

A playing issue with a bit of ware and tear - Its a case of "If walls could talk" is it not !

I completely understand your wonder !

Mossy

Hiya Mossy

Can you imagine they venues they've visited the buyers /Djs who have touched them ???

and that one person who decides wether it gets played to death or left in a dust filled attic

as you say if walls could talk

I wonder if anyone has written their name on a record to find it came back to them 30/40 years later

wouldnt that have a story to tell

Mand

[Madmandy]

Well l wonder not about the records that have done the rounds and incured a scratch or 10, scribbled names, stickers etc, but l wonder about the rare records that cost thousands of pounds ( Rarity for whatever reason ) and it's most probable that they are owned by collectors and not DJ's, these collectors in some cases then instead of playing them, in fear of damage that may ( god forbid ) occur, protect the said record by placing it behind glass and framing it........l believe records were made to be played and played and played, so how the bloody hell do these very lucky super rich collectors actually #1 get the record on the turntable when the hole in the middle is covered up!!!!!!!! ( now thats what l call a cover up ) and #2 get the needle to play along the grooves through glass !!!!!!!!! uuuuuuuuuummmmmmmm what a dilema.

Sorry lm just being naughty, could'nt help myself.

PMSL

hmmm playing thru glass to protect the vinyl ..now theres a thought

[Madmandy]

KT its what they used as the tax stamp early on you see it as a rased stamp in the center on uk singles as well as stamped in the run out

Its stamped on The Four Tops /reach out I'll be there TMG 579

Mand

[sister dawn]

Mand

Ive got one, (cant remember which one off the top of me head), which has charactures drawn on the sleeve cover, obviously of mates of someones, they are very jazzy orientated how they are drawn, will have to trawl through the boxes and scan and post it.

[Guest]

.... the 'life' of a record, how it finally comes to nestle in a loving collector's home, from the outset of it coming off the presses with 300 of it's brothers and sisters, to then not have any distribution deal and be handed out or sold at a local gig by the band members. It would then be taken home and played by it's new owner till they got fed up with it, then the kids would play with it, flinging it around the room or yard, or writing on it. It might then get thrown out with loads of other stuff at a yard sale to be picked up by someone who either knows it or is curious about it. It could then end up in a second hand store languishing on a shelf for years until some dealer trawling second hand shops buys it with loads of others, not realising the significance of this particular record. It will then languish some more in another second hand record shop until a record digger finds it and then sells it to a British / Japanese / European dealer, who in turn brings it over the seas and moves it on to a collector of such records. It could then be put in a sales box to be thumbed past for weeks / months / years at different soul nights until that special someone picks it up and is at last introduced to that long looked for want.

Jordi

mmmmm.... is it just me that finds this story slightly erotic??? man, I hate my vinyl addiction

[Guest mel brat]

not just the cost how many miles have some travelled ?!!...ive bought US issues from australia ,japan and all over europe !

So much for "reducing ya' carbon footprint"!

[Madmandy]

Mand

Ive got one, (cant remember which one off the top of me head), which has charactures drawn on the sleeve cover, obviously of mates of someones, they are very jazzy orientated how they are drawn, will have to trawl through the boxes and scan and post it.

Dawn I have a great one here it is

they are of one of my exes and some soulie mates I used to hang with

Love the one of Dave spinning

Edited July 28, 2008 by Madmandy