My records collection is poor

Khnud · Post by **Khnud** » Mon Apr 21, 2014 7:02 pm

You're starting to sound like a broken record with all this power pop nonsense.

Anyway, this topic makes me curious. I wonder which collector on this forum has the biggest collection? Or the most valuable. Is it German, American, Swiss, Greek, Italian etc?

chatzial · Post by **chatzial** » Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:55 pm

ION BRITTON wrote:I guess a minimum of 6-7000 items. So much music cannot be digested properly in one lifetime if you ask me.

Sorry, but can you explain that?
Do you mean how many times you can listen to each song of every release you own, so you can understand/feel it?

I am sure that these days with the help of downloads and internet most of the Corro member have listened to way more records (even if they don't own them).

rumblefist · Post by **rumblefist** » Tue Apr 22, 2014 5:05 am

Khnud wrote: Anyway, this topic makes me curious. I wonder which collector on this forum has the biggest collection? Or the most valuable. Is it German, American, Swiss, Greek, Italian etc?

1 time a french dude who is collecting since mid-80's and that was at one time the Nightmare manager told me through email that he had 23.000 originals (vinyls in every shape and CDs in every shape) - he told me he also had tons of tapes, CDrs and mp3.
I think he only misses 2 or 3 things in French Metal. He also wrote a book on French Metal.

In this Forum - my bet goes for an american.

ION BRITTON · Post by **ION BRITTON** » Tue Apr 22, 2014 6:47 am

chatzial wrote:
ION BRITTON wrote:I guess a minimum of 6-7000 items. So much music cannot be digested properly in one lifetime if you ask me.
Sorry, but can you explain that?
Do you mean how many times you can listen to each song of every release you own, so you can understand/feel it?

I am sure that these days with the help of downloads and internet most of the Corro member have listened to way more records (even if they don't own them).

Most of the times you can 'understand' to a certain degree a song with only one or two listens, regardless of whether you like it or not. Especially when you have been seriously into music for a good number of years and you're experienced enough.
On the other hand you listen to the things you really like dozens of times until you had enough of them. Until you have taken all the enjoyment and pleasure you can take from them. And that usually takes some time. At least thats what happens to most people. That's what I mean by 'digesting properly'.
Considering that most people's collections don't consist of garbage that they will listen to only once in their lives, this process can become very time consuming. And a person who lives a 'normal' life (i.e. having a job, responsibilities etc) usually doesn't have the time to sit and listen properly all the records he likes. This isn't a mere theory, I've seen it happening with fans that had 3000 items in their collection, not big time collectors, just regular fans that made, with their own sweat and blood, a respectable collection after +20 years. So, having this mind I'd say that there is some sort of limit to the amount of records you listen to properly in one lifetime. Hope I made myself clear enough.

Prowler · Post by **Prowler** » Tue Apr 22, 2014 10:33 am

rumblefist wrote:
Khnud wrote: Anyway, this topic makes me curious. I wonder which collector on this forum has the biggest collection? Or the most valuable. Is it German, American, Swiss, Greek, Italian etc?
1 time a french dude who is collecting since mid-80's and that was at one time the Nightmare manager told me through email that he had 23.000 originals (vinyls in every shape and CDs in every shape) - he told me he also had tons of tapes, CDrs and mp3.
I think he only misses 2 or 3 things in French Metal. He also wrote a book on French Metal.

In this Forum - my bet goes for an american.

You're talking about Metalfranc/Christophe. 23000 vinyls do sound impressive, but you have to be aware that he needs to have every shit then, Power Pop, AOR, Hard Rock and Metal. Plus what money he has spent for it. I've a decent amount of vinyls now and it took me more than 20 years spending every Cent that I did not need for records and I'm not nearly in the regions to say I'm soon at 10000 records ... in the early 90's the records had been 1-3 $ pieces but it changed later and nowadays to start buying records became a pretty expensive fun. I would not start again from today on to buy records if I was a beginner ...

humus · Post by **humus** » Tue Apr 22, 2014 4:36 pm

Considering my young(ish - compared to the average here) age I am very happy with my collection. Both when it comes to quality and quantity.

I don't really know how people get 5-figure record collections, I have a wellpaid job and can spend quite a lot of money on music, and been into this music since I was 11 years old. But I don't think I'll ever have that much vinyl.

Noisenik · Post by **Noisenik** » Tue Apr 22, 2014 5:03 pm

Prowler wrote: You're talking about Metalfranc/Christophe. 23000 vinyls do sound impressive, but you have to be aware that he needs to have every shit then, Power Pop, AOR, Hard Rock and Metal.

Not necessary. I made some calculations via well known Metal site, and it would suffice to have everything from Shades of Deep Purple onward to the end of 1999, to land at the 60.000+ items, adding another 10 years the number triples, and adding the rest of years one gets 245.000+ items at the moment. And not everything is included, there's no Hard Rock, no AOR, no Power Pop there, not to mention the sub-genres I shouldn't mention.

+ possible different editions, colors, different labels, mispresses, demos on vinyl and whatnot + High Roller + ...

Btw., I was told few yrs ago, mr. Andy Preissig has 30.000+ items, but it's true, he's into cds as well.

I believe, Cyrcka and Khnud actually wanted to know which Corro-member has the largest collection ...

Noisenik · Post by **Noisenik** » Tue Apr 22, 2014 5:07 pm

I guess Charlie could have the largest, but also John H., Rob (DP), ...

I dare to say Chatzial and Prowler have pretty large collections ...

For DaN, I don't know, Roman has more to sell than he allegedly owns ... LOL

I guess it's not even that important to even have everything you think you need. If you'd attain that goal it could be very disappointing. the joy of accomplishment would last max for a few minutes, then you would experience an eternity of inner emptiness ... . That's why I have other interests as well.

chatzial · Post by **chatzial** » Tue Apr 22, 2014 5:16 pm

@ ION BRITTON:

I get your point. But partially disagree. There are some collectors that are in their mid 40s, that gave them more than enough time to listen to a lot of music. I am listening to hard rock and heavy metal since 1982, it is 32 years and i am certain that i have listened to way more than 6 to 7 thousand records and CDs. And i am sure that i am not the only one. I understand that if someone buys and listens to music for only 10 years, yes it will be difficult to carefuly listen to thousands of records. But for someone my age it is not. I am listening music every chance i have (work, while driving, home).

As for who has the biggest collection or the most valuable, it does not really matter. As long as you enjoy the music of your collection, quantity does not matter.

Prowler · Post by **Prowler** » Tue Apr 22, 2014 5:26 pm

Noisenik wrote:
Prowler wrote: Not really. I made some calculations via well known Metal site, and it would suffice to have everything from Shades of Deep Purple onward to the end of 1999, to land at the 60.000+ items, adding another 10 years the number triples, and adding the rest of years one gets 245.000+ items at the moment. And not erverything is included, are there's no Hard Rock, no AOR, no Power Pop there, not to mention the sub-genres I shouldn't mention.

Btw., I was told few yrs ago, mr. Andy Preissig has 30.000+ items, so he's perhaps somewhat ahead of the french guy.

Maybe, but I know that he has alot of the softer stuff as he considers many Hard Rock bands as Heavy Metal. By the prices that Andy Preissig pays it's hardly imaginable that he has 30000 records. But I know his basement was packed with about 2000 records that he had for trades or for sale 10 years ago. Some members here don't even have 2000 records in the shelves ...
I've about 6500 (+-100) vinyls now and as I said earlier it's getting harder to find heavier (means Thrash, Power, Speed or Death Metal that I don't have yet) records at decent prices. What's left to buy are the unknown records but prices don't go down and 30 Euro mistake-purchases are not really desired. I rather concentrate on filling the rows with standard stuff for funny prices and threw out most of the Pop Metal/AOR stuff now (except of private pressings). What I wanna say, with that kind of larger vinyl quantities it's not that easy anymore to find proper things of your liking because you already have it or you don't like and therefore did not need it yet. In the end you'd buy stuff you don't like just to spend some money on anything and it's rotting in the shelf.

Noisenik · Post by **Noisenik** » Tue Apr 22, 2014 5:52 pm

I agree, of course. and wrong prioritization in the past can cost one dearly today. thankfully my wantlist is slowly shrinking anyway.

Noisenik · Post by **Noisenik** » Tue Apr 22, 2014 6:52 pm

ION BRITTON wrote:
Most of the times you can 'understand' to a certain degree a song with only one or two listens, regardless of whether you like it or not. Especially when you have been seriously into music for a good number of years and you're experienced enough.
On the other hand you listen to the things you really like dozens of times until you had enough of them. Until you have taken all the enjoyment and pleasure you can take from them. And that usually takes some time. At least thats what happens to most people. That's what I mean by 'digesting properly'.
Considering that most people's collections don't consist of garbage that they will listen to only once in their lives, this process can become very time consuming. And a person who lives a 'normal' life (i.e. having a job, responsibilities etc) usually doesn't have the time to sit and listen properly all the records he likes. This isn't a mere theory, I've seen it happening with fans that had 3000 items in their collection, not big time collectors, just regular fans that made, with their own sweat and blood, a respectable collection after +20 years. So, having this mind I'd say that there is some sort of limit to the amount of records you listen to properly in one lifetime. Hope I made myself clear enough.

Agree also, based on my own experience. The more one have the chance to listen to, the more "on the surface" he remains. More money means more music in our terms, but also less time, at least for majority. Less time demands more discipline, which in turn demands more energy. It could be me only, but I usually came from work quite exhausted, so music isn't first thing on my mind. However chatzial has given me an idea as well.

doomedplanet · Post by **doomedplanet** » Wed Apr 23, 2014 12:56 am

this subject was on the NWN site about 2 years ago and I posted this:

All metal/hard rock/psych. Less than 1% probably is black/death stuff.
Vinyl lp +2lp + 12" single (including pic discs): 5300
Vinyl 7": 1500
CDs:1200
Tapes(original and old C90 from tape trading): 1650
all estimates since I didn't include packages like lp+ 12", box sets, 2cd set, 3X7" releases, etc, etc.

so I bought more since then but not massive amounts since I only search for certain records and I don't buy records I don't like. (or try not to) Of course I have a few that are not the best or I mistakenly bought but usually I purge those.

I think Matthias A. in Switzerland and on this forum certainly has a much larger collection than I do.

Also I started in the 80's, BUT even by 1990 I only had about 100-200 lps then because I lived in a place with few records and it wasn't until I moved to California and got a job that I could afford to even spend $50-$100 a month on records. But this was at a time that it was easy to find fairly good records for $2-$10 and $15-$20 was a very expensive import. I mean for example I bought the common version of the MERCY "Swedish Metal" 12" EP with red logo for I think $1 back then in the junk bins at Amoeba. And I still have it and never got the rarer version.

My suggestions to you new guys with smaller collections: leave the computer and go out and dig. If you have no shops locally, then save some money and travel to a new place and dig there...Make friends elsewhere and go visit them and dig together.

doomedplanet · Post by **doomedplanet** » Wed Apr 23, 2014 12:58 am

I forgot to mention, I have listened to everything. Many records I played many many times. So I'm not hoarding the stuff and not listening to it.

Priamos · Post by **Priamos** » Wed Apr 23, 2014 11:46 am

My concerns about my collection are closer to Prowler than to the thread-starter's. I have already bought almost everything that was affordable(I don't want to give a fortune for anything), reachable (neither I want to start a new quest for "the holy grail") and desirable (and of course i don't want to fill my shelves with stuff I won't listen again not even in 1000 years). The things have become more complicated as I hardly like/buy thrash, hard rock and even harder black or death. So my want list is tiny, if not non-existant. I would have reached a dead end if it wasn't for my buying new stuff, as well. New releases, reissues, etc mostly underground, help me retain my interest and excitement in high levels, but also I support the scene (bands, labels, distros etc) and I help the flames of metal to keep on burning!