Dust, Grooves & More
4 years ago a massive coffee table sized book appeared on the market, documenting the lives of vinyl collectors and their outrageously large collections, an impressive piece of work.

Lavishly illustrated with great full-page photos and fascinating interviews by Eilon Paz of the mainly male (*) collectors, it provides a mind boggling insight of the world of the vinyl hunters.
Always on the lookout for some elusive record, whether it concerns a library record, Japanese pop 45s or an obscure Sesame Street album, they won’t give up!

I considered it a great read and at times felt a familiar rush coming back, the collector’s bug…
Starting as backpacking traveler and finally settling down in the late 80s in Thailand wrecked havoc to any attempt to revive a collection, whether music, books, or comics related. Most of it I sold during my trips back home as it didn’t make any sense to ship everything over.
Even so, as a not too seriously taken hobby I occasionally indulge in my quaint love of vinyl, not so much in playing (**) as well as admiring the (large!) artwork, labels, and sleeve notes.

Some 45s and 33s I brought (& still bring) over from my visits to the Low Countries, but here in Bangkok and Nonthaburi from time to time I managed to score some cool stuff (***), more than a few promo 45s for instance.

Of course what I have doesn’t compare at all to the characters in Dust and Grooves, but still, it keeps me entertained.

My hunting grounds do not get near the vintage vinyl shops from recent years, but instead focus on garage style sales and some of the really ancient records shop from years gone by.

In the last ones I can’t stay too long as the dust is usually seriously evil!














(*) Obviously women are much smarter than men!
(**) I don’t even have a record player and never understood the logic of playing something that only can deteriorate after each play… Also I remember being not happy at all every time one of my records somehow ended up with another (very audible) scratch…
(***) Not according to my own family, they consider me bonkers!
