RUBY'S RECORD COLLECTION: THE VERY BEGINNING
So, for a while now I've wanted to start a record collection. The only problem being; I had no idea how. I knew nothing about music or where to find decent records, and I didn't even have a record player to play them on.
However, my 21st birthday arrived recently and everything has changed. My friend bought me a little Crosley record player. (Yes, I know some of the big music buffs reading this will judge me for that, but it's portable to go to uni and back with and it's covered with a marble pattern that matches my laptop case and my bed. Personally, I think it's the best gift a friend has ever given me.) To go with the player, my dad then also gave me ten records to play on it, and they are what I'm going to discuss.
More than anything, this post is a post for me. I want to build this collection and with this post, I'll always be able to go back and see where I started. I know I like reading about/watching videos about the records that people own, so maybe someone somewhere out there might find this interesting too! It's definitely a mixed bunch, but a very good bunch indeed.
(These records are all secondhand other than one!)
Greatest Hits - ABBA. 1979. Epic.
Since the release of Mamma Mia 2, Abba have well and truly been everywhere this yeat and I was so excited to see that this was one of the records I was given. People tend to look down on others for owning Greatest Hits albums, but at the end of the day records are for listening to, and every single track on this I can sing along to, so it's ideal. I've already given this one a listen so I know the vinyl is in perfect condition, and although there's some wear and tear on the cover, it shows that it has been well loved wherever it used to be kept.
PS: The amount of denim in the pictures featured on the sleeve somehow makes this find even better.
I've recently been listening to The Beach Boys for an essay I'm writing for one of my university classes, so I was impressed to see that my dad DOES in fact pay attention to what I post on my Instagram stories and decided to give me their Greatest Hits album. Having listened to them a lot very recently, I'd say The Beach Boys are one of the most underrated bands of the 60s/70s. Their music goes far deeper than just simple surfing songs. In the novel I'm writing the essay on, one of the main characters has an obsession with listening to The Beach Boys (Eat The Document by Dana Spiotta, if you were wondering) and honestly, I see why. I'm very excited to put this one on the player and see how different it sounds from Spotify, because I feel like it's going to give the songs a new edge.
I only watched the film of A Hard Day's Night the entire way through a few months ago, so I'm excited to own a copy of the soundtrack ( obviously as well as the second side with other Beatles tracks). I am also delighted to see that all 13 tracks on the album are written by McCartney and Lennon themselves, so this album really is a whole-heartedly Beatles album. I've listened to a few of the tracks that feature on it, but some will be brand new the first time I listen to it which is quite an exciting prospect baring in mind how old the songs are. Also, a great little feature is how detailed the information on the back of the cover is. A lot of the covers don't have any information on them, so to have that much writing to go through is quite nice!
The Best of Bowie - DAVID BOWIE. 1980. K-Tel.
It's the best of David Bowie, what's more to say? Bowie = good music, best of Bowie = the best music.
This was a record that I went out and searched for myself. Although Heroes is my favourite song, Hunky Dory is my favorite Bowie album (possibly tied with Ziggy Stardust), so this was an album that I was absolutely determined to find and buy. Luckily for me, I asked behind the counter of the first record store we went in for any Bowie they had, and there it was! It's one of those iconic albums that I couldn't see myself not owning so wanted to buy ASAP when I got the player. It's in great condition which I'm especially thankful for. I'd say it's probably my favourite of the bunch (that I've listened to so far anyway!).
Imagine - JOHN LENNON. 1971. Apple Records.
Admittedly, I didn't even know Imagine by John Lennon was a full album, rather than just a single, so you can imagine my shock when I got it and saw there were a whole 11 tracks on the disc. I gave it it's first spin today and the quality is great and although I didn't get very far into the album, I'm loving what I heard. There's something about listening to the track 'Imagine' specifically on vinyl that's almost...haunting so I'm very glad that I have the opportunity to listen to that track, as well as the others on the album in vinyl form. The vinyl also contained a poster of John Lennon playing the piano, which was a nice little extra that I didn't expect to find.
I'll be honest, this one's a bit of a random one. I don't know much about Paul Simon. Obviously I've heard the name many times, and know that he's a famous singer-songwriter but that's about as far as my knowledge on Simon goes. I'm yet to play the record so I have absolutely no idea what's going to be in it. This was one of the few that my dad gave me, so I trust that it's going to be great. As great as it is to have my favourite songs/albums/artists on vinyl, I'm excited to have something that's a complete surprise, and obviously I'll update on my Instagram when I do end up listening to it. Maybe I'll find a new favourite; who knows?!
Another greatest hits album by another one of the greats; the Rolling Stones. With this one, I hit the jackpot, with two discs and all sorts of information on the inside, I can't think of a more thorough summary of The Rolling Stones pre-1975. It features hit tracks that I love and tracks I'm yet to listen to, which if you ask me, is ideal; a combination of old loves and new discoveries. There's not a whole lot more to say about this. It's the best of the Stones so obviously it's a solid musical choice.
'Easy Rider' Soundtrack - VARIOUS ARTISTS. 1969. Stateside (EMI).
This one is a bit of a random one. I've never seen the film. I've never even heard of it. But, the soundtrack features Jimi Hendrix so I know I'm in for one hell of a ride. No pun intended.
Soul Hits - VARIOUS ARTISTS. 1970. Paul Hamlin/EMI.
I can only assume that this choice from my dad came from the fact I mentioned I was listening to Funkadelic (for the essay again), and he wanted to try me out with some soulful classics. Soul isn't normally a genre I listen to, bit baring in mind how many songs I already know on the tracklist, I'm excited to delve into the genre a little bit more. This album will definitely be a good start to get me involved with it, especially as a lot of the songs that were regarded as 'hits' in the 70s are now widely seen as legendary. This album, worth a whole 29p as you can see from the sticker on the cover, is going to begin my education into soul.
Youngblood - 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER. 2018. Capitol.
This is the rogue one of the bunch. This was a brand new album I bought earlier this year before I even had a player. If I'm being honest, the reason I bought it was to get a pre-sale code for 5SOS's more recent tour because I knew they were doing smaller venues. However, I decided on vinyl because I wanted a keepsake because I thought it might come in more handy than a physical CD, and it seems like my senses were right! The record itself is a little heavy (supposedly a lot of newer ones are) but I have no doubt I can get it working properly if I fiddle around a little bit. As my first official new record, I think a band I've supported since the beginning of their career aren't a bad choice.
So that's the end of my little record 'haul' if you will. It's small but special and I have every intention of making it much bigger. I'm excited to see what music I discover along the way.
Keep updated on my Instagram @rubyonmusic_ to see when I listen to some of the records I've yet to listen to!
Written by Ruby Crowhurst.
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