I was working my first full time job, in January 1975. Receiving my first pay packet, (an actual packet with cash in it) the following week, my first stop was Palings Music store where I purchased Neil Diamond’s double live album Hot August Night. It seemed at the time that every household had a copy of the album. My first pay was a total of $38, whilst I don’t recall the exact amount I paid for the album I know it was more than half of my pay. It was an enormously popular album staying in the Australian charts for years. Diamond was a prolific songwriter for himself as well as other artist, the double album was a great showcase of his songbook. I play it today and it takes me back to those days in the 70’s, when vinyl was king.

For my 50th Birthday my kids bought me a new record player so I could play all my Albums I collected as a teenager/ young adult. I forgot all about my milk crete full of vinyl records Kiss , The Angles, Aussie Crawl, Mondo Rock, Cold chisel and more, including all the various artist Lps from 1980-1990.
Like most of us I moved onto CD but getting the new Record player, it renewed my collection passion and now I am a crazy Album fair and Record Shop purchaser .
Any way my parents found out about my LP collection and have just given me all of my Great Grandfathers bakerlight record collection. All in His Masters Voice Album folder along with his prize possession a working, wind up 78 speed Portable Gramophone in a mint leather case.
I have wound it up,dropped the stylis and played all his collection. Just love the sounds, texture and smell of playing any vinyl record.
Everything Old is new Again!
Love the memories it brings back.

Found at a record fair in San Fran at the end of a year journey travelling the world

I purchased this gem in January 1984 at Chandlers in Mackay for $27.95.
It is a limitef edition released pror to the police Australian leg of the Syncronicity world tour. It is red coloured Vinyl. I purchased the Blue and yellow versions later in life but this gem is the most special to me as I purchased it brand new and no one else has owned it. The red copies are rare,so in 1993 I framed the record itself.

This is from my oldest 80’s record, and would you believe its the Field brothers pre “wiggles” day!!! The funniest thing …….i got it from a car boot sale in Blacktown held at the drive in many moons ago. It just caught my eye LOL . The kids think its funny to hear them perform rock songs in a non wiggly way .

The Beatles first album 1963 – A few years ago I found it at a garage sale and paid 50 cents for it amongst a few other records. The packaging was a little damaged but vinyl was in perfect condition. Googled it when I got home and found out it was the 2nd pressing of the record and worth quite a penny, although I’d never sell it. Unfortunately can’t play it at the moment as my cheap Aldi record player died when moving house in December.

I got gifted this record from my dad, it was the first record i ever got and is what started my collection. It isn’t that old being 1973 although it was very special to him being one of his first. I am slowly trying to build my collection up
1973

I got Alive! from my Father’s collection, it always fascinated from when I was a kid, from the front cover to the classic Kiss songs, it’s definitely my favourite Kiss album. Can’t wait to share this with my daughters when they are older.

The oldest record in my collection is this double album from Electric Light Orchestra. For years, I’ve been hunting down all the ELO vinyls out in the wild, visiting one record store after another to complete my collection. In all my searching, I never came across either of their first two albums – two of my very favourites! I gave up hope and decided to bite the bullet and just buy the re-released vinyl of the second album brand new. Lo and behold, I get to the record store to make my purchase, and what do I find? This beautiful double album packaging the first two albums together in a 1977 release! It may not be the oldest, but I’m so happy to have copies of these two albums complete with their authentic 70s sound.

This 1966 LP belonged to my late father Jeff and is one of his many Tommy James albums that I inherited. I was born towards the end of the next decade and given the names Tommy James. Perhaps it was just coincidence that both my grandfathers were named Thomas and James. I’ve kept the record in its sleeve away from dust and have never played it. One day soon I hope to hear it while remembering dad and his love for great music records.