In those complicated times it’s nearly impossible to leave home, to have a drink with friends, a meal with the family and unfortunately impossible to travel… But with our series “Record Collectors from all around the world”, it’s time to leave aside all the troubles for a while and let’s take a moment to meet the record collectors.
Today, I made a stop in Turin, Italy to meet Elisabetta, a freshly new record collector who’s in love with Jazz, Blues, Hard Rock and Pop Rock from the 70’s. It’s time to discover Elisabetta’s interview and to warmly welcome her into the vinyl community!
Can you introduce yourself to our readers?
Ciao! My name’s Elisabetta, I’m an Italian girl from Turin and I’m 24 years old. I’m an university student: I study foreign languages and communication. I occasionally work too. I’m full of passions but my greatest are volleyball, foreign languages and cultures (as you could imagine) and of course, music.
I’ve always been in love with music. When I was a child especially, I loved how music used to make me feel: excited and happy
How and when did you start your record collection? How many do you own today?
I bought my first record in Camden, London, back in 2015 but I’ve started collecting them around 2016. Today I own 121 records.
What started your interest in music?
I’ve always been in love with music. When I was a child especially, I loved how music used to make me feel: excited and happy. I’ve always been a dynamic and energetic kid and music helped me to express myself perfectly. Through the years I’ve developed this passion by listening to and searching for different kinds of music. But I’ve always been fascinating by old masterpieces: when I was 14 for example I used to listen to Frank Sinatra all day long. Nowadays, although I listen to groove, jazz, blues and hard rock, I can firmly say my favourite genre is pop rock from the 70’s.
What was the first record you ever purchased?
The very first record I ever owned was given to me by my boyfriend in 2014: it’s an amazing and rare re-issue of one of my favourite album by my absolute favourite band: Songs About Jane by Maroon 5.
What are your 1st musical influences?
My first musical influences are my beloved parents.
What kind of music was playing in your house when you were a kid? Did your parents have records?
When I was a kid, a groovy and rock atmosphere used to fulfil my house: my dad used to spin 70’s and 80’s masterpieces from amazing artists like Stevie Wonder, Simply Red, Earth Wind Fire, Abba, Dire Straits, Genesis, Barry White, Toto, Rod Steward, Pino Daniele, Lucio Battisti, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, etc.
Do you collect a particular genre of music?
Not really, I do love different kinds of music. What I do not collect at all, are records belonging to genres I’m not interested in as: rap music or heavy (extremely heavy) metal.
What is your best find ever?
An old but amazing reprise of Strangers In The Night by Frank Sinatra.
Any regrets about a lost record or about records you did not buy?
Desperately wanted to buy an original version of Off The Wall, Michael Jackson but the price was too high and I couldn’t absolutely afford it.
An interesting / funny anecdote about your collection or about vinyl that you have acquired?
I’ve recently inherited an old and scratchy vinyl from my grandpa’s collection. Remember spinning it when I was 10: it used to jump from a song to another or repeat itself and my grandpa (who wasn’t a beloved collector) used to jump on the floor too in order to make it stop. This made me laugh really much. Fun fact: when I put this record on, it stills jump!
What was your latest purchase?
My latest purchase is The Essential Bob Dylan.
Is there an artist or label in particular that you are trying to get the full discography?
I’m trying to collect all the albums by Kings of Convenience and by Simply Red.
It’s the end of the world, you can only take 5 records from your collection with you! Which ones and why?
- It won’t be soon before long – Maroon 5: it was my very first cd (received in 2007);
- Men and Women – Simply Red: I simply adore this record. I also own a cassette;
- Off The Wall – Michael Jackson: I used to listen to its songs all the time when I was a child;
- Songs About Jane – Maroon 5: my first record;
- Frank – Amy Winehouse: this album recalls a period of my life which made me grown much.
In a world full of files and digital, records keep me in contact, physically and mentally, with music
Original pressings or re-issues? Why?
Both: originals are always incredible but some re-issues could easily compete with them.
What kind of digger are you?
I love record shops but if necessary I buy online too.
Do you think that collecting records helps to preserve our musical and cultural legacy?
Absolutely yes. In a world full of files and digital, records keep me in contact, physically and mentally, with music. In my opinion, it’s like giving back to music its original and ancestral setting.
What attracts you in a record?
As a record collector, I love to touch my favourite music and to feel directly connected with it. It takes me back to centuries I could never enjoy. In this sense, I love this feeling of nostalgia that records give me.
How do you organize your collection?
I haven’t developed a specified records organization. I simply divide records by the name of the artist, ordering the albums from the oldest to the newest. Nothing special, only deeply logical.
What does your record collection say about you?
In spite of my age, my record collection would say that I’m an old-fashioned girl who loves old-fashioned music.
What’s your current setup at home?
Currently, I still live with my parents. For this reason my personal collection lives in my room next to my re-issue of a little Crosley (turntable).
More about Elisabetta:
Instagram: @vinylonasundaymorning
Photo credit: Courtesy of @vinylonasundaymorning
Thank you very much Elisabetta for sharing your story with us, it was nice!
Don’t forget to visit Elisabetta’s IG to discover her pretty cool pictures of records and of course to follow her 🙂
Also, as a French guy, I send all my thoughts to my Italian cousins (and to anyone who’s in distress these days). I know it’s a complicated situation there right now, and pretty much all around the world, so keep strong everyone and play a record for our fellows everywhere.
