Chronicles of a Vinyl Collector – The Lisbon Era

One of the first purchases I made when I moved to Lisbon a couple of months ago was a turntable (slash radio slash cd and mp3 player) for I wasn’t in the mood to bring my whole hi-fi from home.

The first sign arrived when I was looking for an appartment and the one I ended up choosing has shelves especially designed for vinyl records that seemed to have been constructed four ou five decades ago – which, I may add, is a visible sign of a music lover when you are talking about an appartment as small as a studio. Then, slowly, I began to bring some of my records and, obviously, made some new, interesting purchases.

So this entry is a micro-catalogue of what is on those shelves the moment I write about it. I therefore present you about 10% of my collection.

Imagine, John Lennon (1971),

EMI 2000 digitally remastered edition

 

The Velvet Underground and Nico, Velvet Underground (1967),

Verve 2000 yellow vinyl remastered edition (ltd 500 copies)

 

Portishead, Portishead (1997),

1997 Go! Beat edited by Polygram US double LP edition

 

MTV Unplugged in New York, Nirvana (1994),

2008 Geffen Records European release (part of the Back to Black series)

 

Waiting For the Sun, The Doors (1968),

2009 Elektra reissue 180-gram vinyl US edition

 

A Arte Maior de, Elis Regina (1983)

1983 Polygram Discos double vinyl edition

 

Abbey Road, The Beatles (1969),

1995 Capitol Records Yellow Apple US Release

 

 

Transformer, Lou Reed (1972),

Undated Portuguese RCA – Polygram release

 

 

Disque d’Or vol. 1, Edith Piaf (1980)

1980 Portuguese Columbia edition

 

 

Ralph Burns, Cabaret OST (1972),

1977 ABC Records US edition

 

About Love, Plastiscines (2009),

2009 Nylon Records US Edition

 

Back To Black, Amy Winehouse (2007),

2007 Universal Island Records Europe edition

 

Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, Leipzig Philharmonic Orchestra (1982),

1982 Spanish Phillips, brazillian edition

 

Pulp Fiction OST, V.A (1991),

2008 MCA Records Europe (part of the Back to Black series)

 

Big Brother & the Holding Company, Big Brother & the Holding Company (1967),

2008 Sundazed Records US mono edition

 

Falco 3, Falco (1985),

1985 A&M edition, US promotional use only release

 

The Big Black & The Blue, first Aid Kit (2010),

2010 Wichita Recordings Ltd UK edition

 

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts’ Club Band, The Beatles (1967),

1967 UK EMI/Parlophone first edition with cutout insert

 

Serge Gainsbourg ft. Brigitte Bardot, Bonnie and Clyde (1968),

2009 4 Men With Beards US edition 180 gram vinyl

The Singles, Pretenders (1987),

1987 WEA Records European edition (Spain)

Und das grau wird auf einmal blau [willkommen 2011]

This is becoming quite a tradition: during the first days of the year I often re-organize my vast discography and find myself in a revival of the fabulous sounds of Berlin during the 1930s – its Golden Years.

This year the revival was made under the form of a very special purchase – finally I am the proud owner of a Bob Fosse’s Cabaret OST copy in vinyl. The minute I laid the fragile record in my modest turntable, my house was immediatly warmed by the astonishing music of Kander and Ebb, and lightened by Minnelli’s and Grey’s voices.

But, as in any revival we perform through our most precious memories, they never cease to reflect our own state of mind and, as a consequence of that, a new discovery is found through the items we thought we knew by heart. This time was no exception, as I fell hopelesslly in love with Greta Keller’s voice in Heiraten, a track forgotten for those who only associate Weimar Republic songs with Dietrich when it comes to music.

Her voice flows freely through my appartment as I sneak through my window while I drink my Sunday morning coffee with no hurry at all, still in a robe-de-chambre, and gazing at the languid Winter sun that spreads its rays over the city in shyness. The moment created is of such preciousness as if a brand new world had its beginning today – a fresh new start after the thunderstorm.

maybe this time [welcome 2010]

Liza Minelli in Bob Fosse’s Cabaret (1972)