The resurgence of vinyl as a preferred listening format has been well documented in recent years and the three independent record stores scattered across Canberra, along with JB Hi-Fi in the city, have embraced this trend with record racks now a familiar sight alongside the usual CDs and DVDs.
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Dynomite Records, in the unlikely environs of the Kambah shopping centre, stocks second-hand vinyl exclusively and the shop van, brightly adorned with sleeve artwork from David Bowie and prog-rock luminaries King Crimson, is not hard to miss on Canberra streets.
Dynomite owner Phil Place decided a few years ago to realise a long-held dream and opened the store with a stack of records that covered most musical genres. When I visited, I happened to notice an Australian edition of the hallowed self-titled album debut from Black Sabbath – a happy discovery for the devoted collector in search of multiple editions. A young couple nearby eagerly browsed the recent additions and Place mentioned that music enthusiasts will sometimes trim large vinyl collections, which is a windfall for second-hand stockists such as Dynomite.
Although vinyl collecting became a niche pursuit after the ascendancy of the CD format in the 1990s, I have seen local record racks increasingly perused by younger music fans, who have chosen to overlook digital reproduction, including the weak sound quality of mp3s.
Records weave a special magic that is the antithesis of disposable consumerism, and Place knows a lot about the ongoing appeal of vinyl.
"I think the sound is part of it but also I think it is the collectable nature of it," he says. "The tangibility and the tactile experience that people are drawn to, particularly the 20-somethings who have never known this experience previously. The sleeve artwork is also an important aspect."
Many of us have known this experience, even though I did succumb to the CD explosion way back when. But browsing the racks of Dynomite momentarily brought it back and reminded me that a pristine vinyl copy of the Syd Barrett compilation Opel will always remain a cherished possession.
Commercial considerations can unfortunately intervene and when I ask Place about the challenge of operating an independent record shop in Canberra, he says: "Like any business, it has to pay its way. Sourcing stock can be difficult at times and finding ways to let people know I'm here without spending a fortune is the other challenge."
The flip side is that good quality music will always transcend the mundane, and when Place tells me a stand-out piece of vinyl that came his way was a copy of Pink Floyd's The Wall – signed by all four band members – you know all is right with the world.
