Based in the metal hotbed of Gothenburg, Sweden, Thomas Lundin is a father of two small children who works as a UX Designer at a digital studio there. In his spare time, Thomas also plays in the hardcore band Out of Vogue, and previous to that, he was a member of other like-minded groups as Subject to Change and Eyes Shut.
Another passion of Thomas is vinyl hunting, so please help me join him in welcoming to the Record Collector club.
How long have you been collecting records?
I’ve been a collector since the mid to late '90s. I have always collected stuff ever since my childhood. Everything from action figures to Garbage Pail Kids cards. So, when I started playing in bands and met people in other bands all around Sweden that collected records (big shoutout to Kalle, who played in Outlast, and Alexander, from Linköping) that really kick-started my interest in old collectable records. I especially remember one time when my band was playing in Linköping and we slept at Kalle's place, that he had the rev.txt printed out as a pamphlet on his toilet. I printed out one copy myself and started ”studying” pressing numbers and colors like a slave and dreamt away. Also the people from Oslo (Espen and Peter Amdam RIP!, Daniel Frankowski, among others) really inspired me with their massive record collections. So, when we became friends with them and hung out one summer, I remember flipping through Espen's boxes and instantly knew that I wanted to have a solid collection myself.
My first big ”haul" was buying stuff from Robby Redcheeks when he sold a lot of records from, if my memory serves me right, xMulletx.com. The big package contained a lot of cool stuff that just blew my mind when I read the sale list, Judge on green, Together compilation, the Faction, Rebuilding on gold, Bold LP first press, among other records. You could say that it was the collector starter pack. Thinking back at that list today makes me wanna take a bank loan and travel back in time and buy the whole lot!
And from there it just took off with buying stuff from people dropping out of hardcore and trading records with like minded people. Revelation have a pretty special place in my heart so I mainly focus on getting everything Rev 1-23 at the moment but I buy everything that I like.
Where/how do you usually find your records these days?
In no particular order: Discogs, Instagram, Facebook, eBay to some extent, record stores, and other online forums.
Instagram has been really good to me, actually! I’ve scored some real gems just by asking people if they’re up for trading/selling when they post a record that I’m after. Or if you post that you need a particular record or pressing there is always someone reaching out with a possible trade or guidance to someone who has that record. I’ve made several good trades and had really good chats with some super nice people along the way! A big shoutout to @lordxhumungus for being one of the nicest people out there for putting up with my constant questions about variants, prices and rarities and so on.
What is the most you paid for a single record, where/how did you obtain it, and what was it?
Tough question! I usually forget about the cost straight after paying for records… also a true gentleman doesn’t talk about prices right?
But it would probably be my Warzone Lower East Side Crew on clear vinyl. It took me forever to track down a seller that would let it go for a reasonable price. I had a few chances in the past but the timing always sucked. Either I was low on cash or I was second in line or something like that. But this time it just clicked! One other record that would be considered a high end record is my Chain of Strength True Till Death, with silver sleeve. I got it from a guy in Australia selling it on the Revelation Records message board. That record was a part of a big package deal so don’t really know the single price for it but it was a fair price for such a beautiful record...
Of everything in your current collection, what is your most prized record and why?
Also a very tough question! Ever since I started out collecting the Project X on Schism has had some attraction and quickly became a holy grail for me. Everything from the layout to the myths and stories about the band really got me going. I used to imagine how it would feel to own one copy once in my life. And when I later got a copy, my first thought was that I need to have a stamped copy as well. So, I guess the quest continues for that one...
Another record that I have close to my heart is the Together 7” first press stamped #001 on the sleeve. I got it from Robby Redcheeks and I learned that he probably got it from Ray or Porcell or Malcolm Trash. I remember that I was stunned that it was stamped 001 and for years it was my favorite possession in my collection. The thing is that the first press isn’t numbered but the third press is… So it turns out I have a first press record and insert with a third press sleeve. None the less it has a great sentimental value because I can still remember the way I felt when I first got the package from Robby and opened it up. Super psyched like a kid on Christmas eve.
But there are other records of course that in some way are more ”valuable” than others. Some records came in trades that took up to a year to settle out and nice friendships where made in the process. So that makes them special in that sense. Even if the record itself isn't a high-end record.
Is there anything that frustrates you about the current record collecting scene?
Not really… some people are annoyed with ”flippers." People that buy records just to sell it the next day. But since I mainly buy older records, that stuff doesn’t affect me really. But I can understand the frustration and the fucked up mentality with people making quick dollars on a record. Go and trade stocks or bitcoins instead if you wanna make fast cash is my advice!
Other than that I think it’s a lovely community with a lot of nice people helping each other out!
Which records are still on your want list that you've had a tough time tracking down through the years?
I actually got a lot of my main wants this year but there are some records that keeps on slipping away. Be it that I was overbidded on eBay or that I saw the post on a message board too late due to being on holiday and so on. I had the chance a couple of times to buy some records that I regret now that I didn’t pull the trigger on. But here is a small list with records I really need. And as always I will pay top dollar!
- Youth of Today, Can’t Close My Eyes 7"- orange (huge want!)
- Youth of Today, Can’t Close My Eyes 7"- Some Records pressing
- Gorilla Biscuits, Gorilla Biscuits numbered/102
- Turning Point 7” on red Hi-Impact
- Sick of it All 7” Gilman press
- Minor Threat 7" everything!
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Follow Thomas on Instagram.
Tagged: record collector
