Now that I can far more easily record to mp3 from vinyl, I can start to share with you some of my most listened-to music, as well as the music that I’ve collected over the years that has some personal significance.
I don’t buy CDs. I often get sent them, and I rip them straight to the computer and wonder what to do with the plastic afterwards — but I make an effort not to spend money on them. Records are a different matter. Records are worth money.
I like to buy records in shops, but most of the records I want — at least the second-hand ones I want — aren’t in shops I visit. So I’ve developed a strategy for buying records on eBay.
I’ll search through the jazz vinyl, looking for the right kind of stuff (anything on the CTI/Kudu labels are a good place to start) — and I’ll bid on everything I see. Sometimes that will be around 30-odd records at once. But I’ll only bid a couple of pounds. Three tops.
Most of the time, I’ll get outbid pretty quickly. And I don’t play the game. My first bid is my only bid. But sometimes — maybe once or twice out of that initial 30 records — I’ll get lucky and nobody else will put their hand up. And I’ll score a real bargain.
Things that ordinarily go for £15 or over, I’ll pick up for £2. It’s enough to keep a steady trickle of records turning up without breaking the bank.
This was one such bargain — and it’s currently the highest rotate record in the house. A miserable, despairing song — Gil Scott Heron’s originally — but a gorgeous track, glorious vocal delivery, superb Creed Taylor production and about the best wakka-chikka guitars out.
And it’s Bobbie’s favourite song at the moment.
Enjoy.
