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GERTJAN RUESINK
@inadutchhaze
Gertjan’s collection is eclectic to say the least, ranging from Jazz to Funk to Hardcore to Classic ‘70s Rock and Metal but there is an underlying theme of Pyschedelic Rock that you would find throughout his record shelves if you were to browse his collection. We also had a discussion about the Jazz genre and why that seems to becoming incredibly popular in recent times. It’s certainly a genre that I’ve been buying much more of since interviewing collectors for this project.
As with every collector I’ve spoke to, it was a fun and insightful couple of hours chatting with Gertjan and discovering the deep cuts within his record collection. I’d love to get out to the Netherlands to go visit Arnhem and dig with him in his local record shop. Once the pandemic is over, who knows? For now, I will enjoy seeing what records he posts next on his Instagram!
Why vinyl records and what do you enjoy about them?
Well vinyl started for me with a former girlfriend who I was collecting CD’s with. Her father had a big collection of vinyl records and he showed me those one day, we played some and I was really impressed by them. I loved that you could see the artwork so clearly on this larger format and I liked the feeling of it. You’re really holding something, even more than with a CD. A the time I was listening to a lot of Punk and Hardcore bands and a lot of those bands were pressing their music on both CD and vinyI. So I was at a music festival where some bands were selling their music and I got the vinyl version instead of the CD. I didn’t have a turntable at this time though that came a little bit later.
Do you get to see a lot of live music?
Yeah I try to see as much as I can. The area I live in has a couple of great venues and there’s some really great local bands who play these venues quite regularly as well. Jellephant & The Phantoms is definitely worth checking out if you like Psychedelic music and Paracetamøl is a great new Punk band who just released their first album on the label of my local store.
How long have you been collecting vinyl records?
I’ve been collecting for around eleven years now since 2009 I think. I have probably about 650 LP’s and 50 or so 7-inch singles
How big is your want list of records currently and what is on it?
It’s pretty big! I have a list of notes in my phone which is alphabetised of records I’m looking for. I don’t know how many records are currently on it though?
Is there one record that you are desperate to find?
Not specifically no, and because my musical tastes are so varied, it all depends on what I’ve been enjoying around that time. It varies month to month I suppose. With MF Doom recently passing away, I’ve started to try buy some of his records that I am missing from my collection, however prices are going up daily on those albums. I’m looking for “Madvillainy” by him but It’s sold out everywhere right now so will have to keep searching!
Where do shop for records? Is it online or in shops? Or a mix of both?
Yeah it’s a mix of both. My local record shop is a great shop and one of the guys who works there has a very similar taste in music to myself so he recommends me a lot of new music to listen to. It’s fun to go in the shop and talk about music with other collectors. Sometimes I go and not buy anything at all and just hang out but I usually get something to support the shop and keep it in business. Some of their stock might be more expensive than it is online but I’d like to keep them going. I do buy things online if, for example I want to get an exclusive variant of a record that I know my shop won’t be able to get. And if there are online sales, and the price is too good then I have to buy it!
Do you participate in Record Store Day?
Yes I do. For the Record Store Day drops in 2020, my local shop took part in the first two but not the third due to the pandemic. In past years they usually have bands playing in store on the day and it’s always a really fun day to take part in with your friends.
So let’s talk about Instagram, how do you feel about sharing your record collection on this platform?
None of my friends actively collect vinyl and I was looking to connect a bit more with people who share that same passion and to not constantly bore my friends with my record talk. I also have a personal account and I started out by following a few vinyl accounts, then one day I thought why not start one myself. The Instagram community is great and I’ve interacted with so many great collectors. I get great recommendations for new music and see other collectors posting classic albums that I don’t yet own which I will buy. Instagram is a great source of inspiration for all record collectors.
What is your favourite ever record?
I don’t have an all time favourite record, maybe because of my music taste being so eclectic. There’s plenty of albums I think are amazing, but there’s not one that sticks out above the others. There is an album that has a lot of meaning to me though and that’s Bad Religion’s “The Process of Belief”. It had a big influence on me growing up and developing my identity. It was the first Bad Religion album that I listened to. I think I was 14 or 15 when it came out. Their band name had me intrigued. It felt offensive, but made me curious to what they had to tell as well. Reading the lyrics to their songs and what they were about gave me new perspectives to look at things, and especially question things. It was the first time I listened to music that was so outspoken about politics. I didn’t change over night by that album, but it had sent me in a direction, and definitely contributed to who I am as a person and the way I look at the world this day.
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