It’s not always about listening to the music, sometimes it’s about looking at it. For years I have bemoaned the inaccessibility of my 7″ singles. Held fast in a baker’s dozen’s worth of carry-cases on the bottom shelf of a sideboard in the dining room, too rarely did these records see any action. It was sad.
A few weeks ago I designed a shelving unit to contain my neglected vinyl. Pleased with the specs, I commissioned a friend to construct the storage system. In the meantime, I ordered plastic divider cards and labelled them using rub-on letters of various typefaces.
Last Friday, I took delivery and set about organising the records (so many, many questions about filing!) in a fit of nebbish anal-retentivity the like of which the Elham Valley, let alone Casa d’Asbo, seldom sees.
Having satisfactorily filed the collection, I straightaway moved the records out of their new home to undercoat and then paint it to match the Lp and CD storage units (see the Thrifty V wallpaper featuring shelves also built by my friend).
Now normally, of course, I couldn’t afford such frivolousness, but I recently came into quite a tidy sum as a result of the eBay sale of an item featured in this very organ. There are prizes for correctly guessing which item it was.*
Even as Comic Book Guy’s last-minute existential angst (“Oh, I’ve wasted my life.”) rings loudly in my ears, I can’t help but indulge in some thoroughly rewarding staring time.
*And by “prizes”, I mean “no prizes”.
Thrifty Vinyl 
17 replies on “Grand Opening of New Unit To House 7″ 45rpm Singles at Asbo HQ”
was it the “tribute to beatlemania” ep that paid for this unit? very nice, but personally i would have varnished or otherwise enhanced what looks like some very good wood rather than cover it up in paint…
my “looking at music” accoutrements include a 6 x 4 display of plastic interlocking boxes containing most of my old cassette collection (240 of them). it has pride pf place on a wall in my bedroom, even though in theory i no longer have need for it as i have copied everything i couldn’t get hold of on vinyl or CD from the cassettes to my computer. i had considered getting rid of it the next time i moved, but now that moment is upon me i have changed my mind, and hope to display it as a focal point/piece of art on the lounge wall of my next abode…
No, the Beatlemania thing is fairly worthless and yes, under other circs I might have varnished the piece, but it needed to match some other items.
I think you’re right to display your cassettes as an art pieces.
This storage unit would appear to be about 36″ x 18″. Where did you find an otherwise unoccupied flat surface on which to put it?
You were pretty close, it’s aprox. 37″ x 18.5″ x 21″, so much living room juggling was required!
I’m going for one of the Island haul?
Getting warmer.
i wasn’t being serious when i suggested the beatlemania tribute ep – that wouldn’t have paid for a bag of nails!
I’m so sorry, but I’m afraid we have to take your first answer.
Kossof for nearly 500 quid is my final answer.
And I like to think the ‘bay blurb – pure princeasboness – might have added a few sovs to the final price. Well done! I wish more offerings there could read like that, it would much more entertaining.
Your first entry on Popsike?
i’m guessing if you “make” the popsike website then that’s some kind of achievement/honour in record-collecting circles? i’ve just checked and a record i sold last year is now listed there… but sadly i got nowhere near 500 smackers for it!
Epsom is right-well spotted. Actually, I had no idea about Popsike entry–I suppose the listing was a bit of a giveaway clue at to its author. What’s truly remarkable is that at least two people were willing to pay that amount. In the end, I got into a pleasant dialogue with the guy who bought asking why he parted with such an outrageous sum; he admitted that it was about £300 more than he ought to have, but he had to have it. When Island was putting together deluxe re-issues of Free and Paul Kossoff, they went to him for memorabilia, so it definitely went to the right person.
I noticed it sold on New Year’s Eve (my birthday as it happens). Brave to list it over Xmas when people may have had other things on their mind and other pressures on their wallet. On the other hand evidently a masterstroke – the potential buyers probably had lots of dosh for presents rather than socks and undies!
Oh and also that is of course the crazy thing about an auction, get a few ( just two will do) people who really want it in a bidding war and your laughing all the way to your new 45 storage cabinet, on another day with less interest it may have sold for a fraction of the price.
There was a perfect storm contributing to such an inflated price, but, as you say, it does’t always work out that way. I recently sold an ELP white label/promo copy of their first Lp, which goes for £150, for £30. It was only G+, so I was happy enough with that (and having only spent a pound on it), but I’d say the buyer got lucky with that one.
[…] Not everything was an unqualified success this weekend. This lovely 7″ ep from Charles Mingus, while containing prime examples of the edgy big band style one associates with the influential bassist/band leader, is overburdened with surface noise. I am hoping to organise a disc washing system which will at least give vinyl like this a chance–more to come in this vein later.Likewise, the A-side of this Wicked Wilson Picket 45 is unplayable; however, the flip is in fine shape and a great tune to boot. I’ve been keeping an eye out for the 7″ers much more lately following the installation of the MegaSingles Storage Unit®. […]