Gumshoe Testimonial #2: The Vinyl

So here it is: More than a decade of sweat, blood, pus and more than a fair share of toil, all packed into a vinyl collection that has no business being this bulbous.

I’ll give you a quick run-through, starting at the top going counter-clockwise:

• The Vault (lower photo): This is the main record room where most of the vinyl — thousands or so — stays. Thus this is the fulcrum on which the Gumshoe HQ rests, really. I just put these shelves together, with the help of a relative or two, and I’ve never been happier with the storage of my LPs. Of course it doesn’t take much to improve on moving boxes and cheap, plastic storage shelves.
• 7-inch vault #1 (Top-middle): This is where I keep the majority of my 7-inch records. I’m starting to really get into these little coasters, and as such these boxes are starting to swell to uncomfortable levels. Ouch.
• The Good Stuff (Top-left): I keep most of the Gems here. You know, the Animal Collectives (original pressing of Sung Tongs, Young Prayer and even Animal Crack Box) and Liars of any collection, sitting there in the middle like the cool guy in the group. Most of my Brian Jonestown Massacre lives here, too.
• In Rotation (Top-right): These three crates and assorted loosies represent the most recent of my finds. Being unemployed of late I’ve had a lot of time to do my detective work; much of it lies within these sacred arks of audio covenant. Oooh! Aaaah!
• In Super-Rotation (Bottom-left): These puppies are literally sitting right below the record player; not much left to explain here.
• 10-inch Pleasures (Bottom-right): Need I say more?
• Leftover Sevens (Bottom, middle): Again, not much to say; a bunch of 7-inch records that don’t get priority.

Now that I’m finally done with this it’s time to chronicle the cassette tape library. Shit.