Posted: 15 April 2006 at 9:39am | IP Logged

My experience tells me that doing this is a bad idea Nicci.

When I was fifteen, back in around 1981, I had been going through a  three year phase of loving the new generation of ska bands - you know the ones? The Specials, The Beat etc.

But by 82 I had reverted back to punk once again, and dug out my old Clash, Stranglers and Pistols records..supplementing them with all the new stuff that was available around that time. I sold every ska record in my collection - and I was a completist! I had the complete works of Bad Manners, Madness, The Specials, The Beat, The Bodysnatchers, The Selecter..plus quite a few other rare bands that nobody had ever heard of, limited edition 12" versions exclusive stuff from fan clubs...the works.

I sold the lot for around £15 and used it mostly to buy booze  Now it's irreplacable, and I've regretted it for all my days.

Worse still, I used to have the original, ultra-rare 'An Ideal For Living EP' by Joy Division, and some guy at the hotel I was working in offered my £60 for it, and because I was desperate for money at the time decided to sell...knowing I'd bitterly regret it later, but short-term thinking seemed easy back then. Sure enough I'd kill to have that back now, and often lament over it, and my momentary act of foolishness.

Never again, I've learned my lesson. I have several other very rare things, or collector's items on vinyl, and nothing would get me to part with them now. They'll have to take my 'Spiral Scratch ep', 7" version of 'Blue Monday' and 'Atmosphere/Dead Souls' promo release from my cold dead hands!!!

Posted: 15 April 2006 at 4:24pm | IP Logged

My entire vinyl collection went down the rubbish chute nearly three years ago.  It was never going to get played and virtually everything I wanted has been replaced by either CDs or mp3 downloads.