Vinyl Revival: Going on the record

Vinyl records are back from the dead. Like musical zombies, their sales in recent years have reanimated, reaching 9.2million units last year according to Time magazine.

Surprisingly, this resurgence is not only being driven by nostalgic old audiophiles but by a growing crop of younger listeners eager to get in touch with rock music's vinyl roots.

"[The vinyl revival] has got a lot to do with younger kids wanting to be able to touch music again. I don't think having a lot of files on your computer gives you the same sense of ownership and achievement as having to find and care for a vinyl," said Guillaume Lemaire, owner of online vinyl store Croak.co.za.

"For the older generation, getting back into vinyl forces you to make time to listen to it.

"You have to get up, put it on and then half an hour later turn it over. You're buying free time for yourself because being involved in vinyl means you'll make time to listen to it as opposed to digital, which you can just put on in the background."

It's not just the tangibility of vinyl that's bringing it back from the dead. Digital files like MP3s often sacrifice sound quality when they are compressed into downloadable chunks.

"I think vinyl sounds more natural and more true. Recording onto vinyl is complicated so the mastering engineers had to really know what they were doing to get maximum [quality], which means greater care was taken when mixing onto a vinyl. With digital you can get away with murder," said Lemaire.

To feed this growing hunger, a number of online vinyl stores and fairs have sprung up across Johannesburg, offering a buffet of options for old and new collectors.

Benjy Mudie, owner of Vinyl Junkie, said: "There are two types of customers. There are newbies, many of whom are coming in asking for classic records like Dark Side of the Moon and Electric Ladyland.

"Then you have the hardcore collectors, who buy records from a particular label or a particular artist. For instance, I have hundreds of Jimi Hendrix records. It's a bit obsessive actually ."

For those wanting to wade into the high-maintenance world of vinyl ownership, Lemaire has a few tips:

• If you want to buy a turntable for under R2500, get a used one that has been well looked after. "Most of the new turntables sold at that price are really mechanically unsound and could cause unnecessary damage to records."
• Make sure you have the right audio system. "Whatever youuse needs a phono input (as opposed to the aux input that most modern systems have) because turntables have a lower output than CDs.
• Good quality vinyl sounds are the result of teamwork. "Great speakers will not make a poor turntable much better. You need a good balance throughout the chain."
• Care is critical. Vinyls should be kept vertically. Never stack them. Never touch the playing surface. The less dust you get onto the playing surface the better. Be careful with cleaning solutions.
• If you want to get your hands on some vinyls visit the Vinyl Fair at Katy's Palace Bar on April 5. Contact hello@vinylfair.joburg. Alternatively, visit www.croak.co.za or www.vinyljunkie.co.za

Waxing Lyrical

Wayne Stathakis, founder of the Vinyl Fair, spoke to us about finding good vinyls:

How much has the Vinyl Fair grown since you started?

It has grown massively. When we started we had about 100 people. At the last one (on March 1) we had anywhere from 600 to 700 people here. On July 25 we are going to have a national Vinyl Fair which shows how far we have come.

How do people tell the difference between a good quality vinyl and a bad one before they buy it?

If it has light surface scratches it will play through, but if it has deeper scratches that will cause the needle to bounce and create a popping sound.

How do you tell a good album from a bad one without being able to listen to it first?

I find album cover art gives a lot of information. If it's a cool, artistic cover, it will probably be something interesting. If it is just a guy sitting in front of a piano looking bored, give it a miss.

What is your favourite record?

I would have to say 'Afreaka!' by a group called Demon Fuzz.

• Stathakis also buys used records. For more information visit www.vinylfair.joburg