A Pinner resident has published his 31st book, detailing his worldwide travels in the pursuit of vinyl collection.
In 1962, at the age of 11, Graham Sharpe was gifted his first vinyl record, setting off the first domino for a lifelong hobby. He started working at the Harrow Weekly Post as a young journalist, where he reviewed records.
He then joined bookmaker William Hill, where he worked for more than 40 years and implemented a record review column into the in-house staff magazine.
Speaking to Pinnernews, Graham said: “There was a plethora of record shops in the area, and collecting became a hobby that never really gave me a reason to stop, despite my wife’s major objections as the records filled more of the empty spaces in our house.
“It has produced the occasional civil war in the house!”
From visiting his son in New Zealand to taking part in horse racing weekends across the globe, Graham has taken every opportunity to visit record stores around the world and has collected more than 3,000 LPs over the years.
When asked if there was a method to his madness, he explained that some records are organised by genre, while others are simply housed where there is space.
He continued: “I was the right age for The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, and as they veered into the psychedelic genre, I thought, ‘these are brilliant, where did they come from?’. It fascinated me. I’ve spent the last 40-odd years trying to collect [vinyls] from this era!
“I don’t have a musical bone in my body; I couldn’t even make a sound from a recorder, so a big part of this is about admiring what other people can do.”
Graham has now published 30 books, and his 31st was released last month. Titled ON THE RECORD(s), the book explores his vinyl collecting journey across the years, both worldwide and locally.
The vinyl enthusiast explained that he had noticed a surge in the popularity of vinyl collection over the years. However, the number of record shops in and around the area has declined rapidly.
Graham continued: “At one point, it seemed as if vinyls had disappeared, and if that had happened I wouldn’t be collecting anymore. But I’m not alone in remaining a huge fan of vinyls. People are growing into it, and I think this book really taps into that market.
“I wrote the book from my perspective, so people from my generation will relate, but it’s for all record lovers with a healthy or unhealthy obsession. Music appeals across the board.”
The book has since received a positive response and has been given nearly 100 five-star reviews in its first week of release.
To purchase a copy of ON THE RECORD(s), visit www.shorturl.at/1Fbsl
0 Comments