Milano, Brett (Buck, Peter; Crumb, Robert; Moore, Thurston et al.)

Vinyl Junkies: Adventures in Record Collecting

New York, NY: St. Martin's Press, 2003. First Printing. Softcover. “From the first time a record was pressed back in 1894, people have been fascinated with the black spinning disks that elevate our moods at parties, get us through rough patches in our relationships, and provide background music to our daily routines.” (from back cover). Author Brett Milano, veteran music critic and columnist of Boston’s music scene, centers his first book Vinyl Junkies on the endless fascination with the world of vinyl records. Despite living in the digital era and music streaming services becoming the norm, a modern resurgence of appreciation for vinyl has been well-documented in recent years. According to the RIAA, vinyl record sales surpassed sales of CDs for the first time in three decades, making up at total of 70% of physical music sales in 2022, in large part due to popular music artists like Taylor Swift. The undervalued community of vinylphiles that has existed for as long as vinyl records themselves is growing in numbers as a new generation is exposed to the quality and beauty of vinyl records. Those who transitioned from vinyl to CD are nostalgic for the era of spinning records and the romance of discovering an album in its rawest form. The record store resurrection keeps the hunt alive for buried treasures among the new stock. With a deep dive into the lives of collectors and their outlook on the collecting lifestyle, Milano exposes the negative side of collecting; giving into the obsession can affect relationships and other aspects of one’s life if not reasonably managed. He dissects the compulsion to collect and the psychology behind why humans have this tendency. Included is an exchange with the prolific Zap Comix creator Robert Crumb about his opinions on collecting and collectors. Milano went on to write The Sound of Our Town: A History of Boston Rock and Roll (2007), a comprehensive history of the rock music scene in Boston from the 50s onward. Larger movements in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Detroit often overshadow Boston’s music scene, and Milano’s writing has made a large contribution to the proper positioning of Boston music history in the larger history of music of the 20th century. [ISBN: 978-0-312-30427-7]. Trade Format Softcover Original, "First Edition: November 2003" as stated on copyright page, First Printing as indicated by number sequence thereon. Near fine condition with rubbing and scratching on the front and back covers. Front cover has a crease in the bottom corner and some denting in the center. Top and bottom of spine show some shelf-wear. A small moisture stain is present on the bottom of the page block near the spine which is ever-so-slightly visible on the pages of the second half of the book. Pages yellowing slightly and one dog-eared page was unfolded (page 24), otherwise fine. Near Fine. [Item #5440]

Price: $15.00