The marimba from Señor Coconut’s cover of “Trans Europe Express” reverberates down Elmyra Street, about half a block away from Homage Brewing. I recognize the song instantly because there’s a copy of the 12” single that’s been in my collection for more than 20 years. It was something that I loved on a conceptual level— German producer moves to Chile and releases Kraftwerk covers in various Latin American music styles— but also turned out to be a useful record to own if you like people asking “What is this?” when playing all-vinyl bar DJ gigs.
Your record collection should reflect how your interests have grown over time. Seen here: The Velvet Underground, Giorgio Moroder, Green Velvet, Cissy Houston, Throbbing Gristle, The White Stripes, Leonard Cohen, Mike Oldfield, Fun Boy Three
In many ways, I don’t think of myself as a record collector. I’m someone who happened to start DJing when CDJs were not as user-friendly as turntables and vinyl, particularly dance and alternative music from the ‘70s and ‘80s, fit my college student budget. Many years later, though, I’ve managed to build a record collection that I still sometimes use to DJ. Mostly, though, it’s a source of personal enjoyment.
Over years of crate digging, I’ve learned how to build a record collection. I’ll share what I learned here, beginning with how to source records in a way that’s sustainable for you.
