Collecting: Vinyl with JR Spiegel

By Heather Summerville
August 10, 2010

(Photo Credit: Ryan Hefner)

Whether it’s a revolt against the digital music age or simply an extension of the everything-old-is-new-again trend, the return of records as a viable music form is making vinyl junkies out of a whole new generation. (Not surprisingly, in the last year, eBay has seen vinyl listings jump 21 percent, according to Terapeak, a public tool for eBay users and sellers.) We recently popped into Heathers bar in Manhattan’s East Village to chat with New York deejay—and avid record collector—JR Spiegel about the vinyl resurrection, his own stash of LPs and what newbies (like us!) should know about starting our own record reserve.

The Inside Source: Thanks for letting us drop in while you’re working. What type of music are you playing tonight?

JR Spiegel: What I DJ is basically trashy rock n’ roll, punk rock, 70's glam, some hard rock, 60's soul, funk and some upbeat reggae.

TIS: Any memorable gigs?

JS: I think the best ones are probably the ones I can't remember. Some vague memory sketches from my damaged brain include: Mosh pits, the guys from Turbo Negro punching me in the arm every time I played a song they liked, DJing the after party for Jesus is Magic (Sarah Silverman) and Huey Lewis being there and leaving before I could play "I need a new drug,” and a year-long period where entire bars sang along to Night Ranger "Sister Christian.”

TIS: We’ve seen your “wall of records” and it’s massive—and entirely impressive. How many do you think you own?

JS: I have something like 5000-plus LPs and maybe 1000-plus 45's. It’s a lot of records to have moved 8 times in 8 years. It's also a lot of records for a studio apartment shared by the records, my amazingly kind and supportive girlfriend and me. However, this is a tiny collection compared to Biz Markie or Dr. Dre, who have second homes just for their record collections.

TIS: And when did you start hoarding vinyl?

JS: I started collecting music in Junior High, and really started collecting LPs in college. Collecting for me is less about getting first editions or rare pressings—though that is always an added bonus—and has more to do with trying to paint a history of a musical group, genre or scene and expose it through DJing.

TIS: Any current favorites?

JS: Some lucky scores and gems...Stooges S/T factory sealed, it's never been opened or played. The complete LP-pressings of The Germs. Quincy Jones demo mixes and outtakes of Michael Jackson "Can't stop til you get enough."

TIS: For the vinyl novice, what do we really need to own to get our collection started?

JS: 1. A good record player with a changeable needle cartridge.

2. A good needle cartridge.

3. Get a record sponge or record brush. Records get dust in the grooves and need to be cleaned out from time to time.

4. A stereo, some speakers and double check you have a pre-amp (or your tuner has a built-in pre-amp).

5. Your favorite records. I suggest you buy things you enjoy listening to—not music you hate but your friends’ love. Secretly they are not your friends if they ask you to buy crappy music.

TIS: Do you have any theories on why records are so popular these days?

JS: Those that care about music as an art form are still buying it—and LPs sound better than any other format. The quality is superb, and at least for me, the experience of playing an LP is far more enjoyable than clicking a button or inserting a disc. It’s so much more interactive and engaging.

Beyond the emotional though, the record labels issuing LPs are including digital downloads now, too. So people can travel with their music and still get the maximum home listening experience. This has had the biggest impact.

TIS: We hear that eBay has played a pretty big role in making your massive record collection even more massive. Why is eBay so great for LPs?

JS: eBay is a great resource. I’ve tracked down tons of rare records that would have taken me hours of digging through bins to maybe find (or maybe come up empty-handed). I'm a huge fan of the “buy it now” feature and the bidding status updates.