Meet Zoe, a record collector whose journey, though it began only recently, has fast become a passion. Whether she’s chasing rare Paul McCartney pressings or sharing her collection on Instagram, Zoe has embraced every part of the vinyl experience: the hunt, the art, the music, and the community.
How did you get into record collecting?
I used not to collect at all before this year because I only had a record player in my parent’s kitchen and as I didn’t spend enough time in it, I only bought records very rarely. It wasn’t something that interested me at the time, even as a vintage music fan. But then, everything changed when I got my own record player last Christmas.
At the beginning, it started as a casual interest but then I got more and more passionate about it. To find original stuff and see my collection growing was so exciting! Now, it has become a true hobby!
What is it about vinyl that you love most?
Firstly, what you can’t have with digitalised music: the fact that it’s material. I guess there is something satisfying about owning it, while it’s not really the case on your phone.
But mostly, records are, according to me, pieces of art, from the cover to the inner sleeve, plus the poster if there is one and then the vinyl itself – mostly if it’s coloured! Records are things you can both use in the daily life while also hanging them on the wall to admire them and that’s what so special about them.
How long have you been sharing your collection on Instagram and what made you start?
In September 2023, I created this Instagram account and it was completely random, to be honest. There was this band I really liked since a few years, The Beatles, and I thought that doing an account about them could be cool – but I wasn’t even a real fan yet! I had been following several fan accounts on the socials and I figured it could be fun to do mine.
But then I gained much more followers than what I expected to, so I began to create content by myself, not only posting Beatles photos or footage. So it started that way, and when I got into record collecting, I figured I could make content out of it! Now I’m trying to expand, do more than The Beatles and talk about other artists I love: Elton John, Billy Joel, Queen…
What’s your favourite thing about the vinyl community there?
What I love is that there is no competition, everyone progresses at their own pace and I think that’s great. We’re all linked to each other in a way because everyone collecting records can easily understand why others are doing it. I’m always thrilled to discover what friends of mine bought, even if I’m not familiar with the artist – I even discovered new ones thanks to that!
What’s the most prized record in your collection?
For the most expensive one, I still can’t believe that I have it, but it’s the original UK pressing of Abbey Road! I’m very proud of having it in my collection.
For the rarest one, it’s the original UK release of Off The Ground by Paul McCartney – a very underrated album! It’s very difficult to find, so when I finally managed to, I didn’t hesitate a second.
For the one I cherish the most – even if I love them all, of course – it has to be Chaos and Creation in the Backyard by Paul McCartney too (I’m the biggest Paul fan ever haha). The more I listen to it, the more I fall in love with it and I think it might be my favourite album of all time.
What’s your go-to crate digging spot?
I live in a small town but there is one record shop so I’m lucky, but they don’t always have what I’m searching for so I’m always keeping an eye on Discogs and eBay!
International Beatleweek in Liverpool is perfect for digging though, because during convention day you can find anything at a rather cheap price and in good condition, even for original stuff!
Follow Zoe’s record collecting journey over on Instagram.
