The reason I got into vinyl was because there were these bands that I really liked but nobody around me listened to that kind of music. I was the weird one in my class. They always made fun of my music. I bought my first vinyl on an EMI so I could repeatedly play it and find others just like me. As a vinyl enthusiast you’re kind of an archaeologist. If you have interest in any form of dead media, be it vinyl, cassette or film then you’re a media archaeologist.
The first time I stumbled across vinyl was in HKV. Pagal Records was an underground music den housing all kinds of LPs, cassettes and more. I felt I was in a Linklater movie as I dug through those crates.
To have your favorite music on vinyl must be the true joy of life I felt as I climbed up from the Pagal Records basement to real life but a certain sentiment of nostalgia had seeped inside of me along with the sound of that Beethoven’s symphony.
It took me years to get my first vinyl. It was at Pagal Records finally. I asked its then manager Donnie who had the same favorite bands as me to recommend me the best vinyl in the store and he sold me Spring Songs EP by Title Fight!
‘Is there a difference of quality on vinyl?’ I had asked.
‘It’s more about the commitment to experience and less about the quality of sound.’ Donnie replied as he put the needle on the EP.
A vinyl is an exhibit of music. Possessing an archive of your favorite songs on vinyl makes life easier. No more fights over what to play next in a roomful of people.
Our favorite songs are the direct derivatives of our experiences. ‘Let me play a song for you.’ Finds a new relevance and a better reception when you play it on vinyl. That’s what it is all about honestly. To be able to play your favorite music without stoppage…
A vinyl is an accessory that makes music a style statement. Through the possession of music on vinyl everybody becomes a walking culture curator. Just grab your records, pick up a player and throw a Listening Party wherever you want.
Nishant Rai is a cinematographer, photographer and collector who claims- ‘I don’t stream music anymore’. Anytime he pops a mint vinyl there’s a young smile on his aging face. MF Doom is his favorite and he can tell you exactly why Madvillainy is genius in a hundred different ways.
To collect is to put time in a bottle. He has so many records that he has had to catalogue it all. ‘These are all my investments.’ Amidst his hundreds of records my picks for the best are Untitled Unmastered by Kendrick, Greatest Hits by The Doors, Ye by Kanye and The Best of Soulmate. He has a sealed bootleg of Bjork that is worth a lot. He also has signed records by Green Day. There’s a CD of Bukowski reading his poetry that I feel deserves a mention. At his house it is as if an exhibit is always on.
If he likes a person he buys the vinyl of the artist they like and invites. ‘Come over I got your favorite.’ Such is the culture that the mere playing of a vinyl is enough to spur friendships.
We usually judge people by their taste in books and songs. Vinyl Listening Sessions unite listeners to come and participate in the communal listening of a favorite artist.
The culture is cool but the culture is also classist. Records are still very expensive. There are albums in the market that are being sold for 10,000 which aren’t more than 1,500 in USA. The market is both running on and exploiting the community’s love. Hoarders will buy all copies of an album to pull it off the market, they will create an artificial scarcity to hike prices to upsell.
I have heard stories of people paying 50K for a Rockstar vinyl. There are no controls over who decides the price of a vinyl. These complexities remain alongside the simplicities.
‘I just want my buddies to come over, listen to vinyl, get inspired and do their thing.’
Nishant is a seasoned collector. Signed copies, first pressings, bootleg rarities, etc. He is the kind of buyer who quotes the price before the seller does. ‘I clean my records every week.’
He hates it if you put the needle wrong to the point where if you do it once in front of him you will hear about it forever as I still do…
Where to buy Vinyl in India?
Vinyl is about intentionality. Placing the LP on a turntable, lowering the needle and holding your breath as you wait for the first second or so…
On the Jungle Floor, Bangalore
Their collection is the most eclectic in the country. They only sell what they like and have some prized rarities. I got Romance by Fontaines DC from OTJF. They have recently opened up a physical store also.
The Revolver Club, Mumbai
Deals in hi-fi sound equipment besides of vinyl. They offer great deals and have a widely curated catalogue. They were recently in the buzz for selling a combo of two Peter Cat Recording Co albums for less than 4K.
Music Circle, Mumbai
Has an extensive collection for some of the cheapest prices in the market. I got records by Arcade Fire and Arctic Monkeys from them for a steal. Their choices are limited but their prices are extremely fair.
Drocer Records, Mumbai
Founded by Kinjal Gosar, Drocer is an online record store that is building its mark in the culture. I got Brightside by The Lumineers from them when it wasn’t available anywhere else.
Digging in India, Delhi
Founded by Nishant Mittal, a DJ and music archivist, Digging is Delhi’s newest space claiming a mark in vinyl resurgence.
Kala Ghoda Records, Delhi
Prices are exorbitant but if I had the money I would shed it over those rarities. The Smiths, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Mac DeMarco, Mac Miller, Frank Ocean, Radiohead, more…
Pagal Records, Delhi
The OG record store from Delhi. Pagal is the vinyl culture’s frontier. The basement located in HKV is where lots of us heard music on vinyl for the very first time…
