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NICK
@vein_melter
Jazz isn’t just the only genre Nick collects as he also has a passion for Funk and Soul music but he told me Jazz really is the genre he mostly enjoys, particularly his idol Herbie Hancock, where his Instagram tag descends from.
Nick has a brilliant collection of records and is a collector I follow closely on Instagram to get suggestions from for new records to buy. It’s great being able to share his collection and suggestions here for The Record Collectors Club.
Were there records in your family growing up?
My parents are both classical musicians (long since retired) and so my childhood home was constantly filled with music. Their record collection is mainly Classical as you might expect, and that is always where I would consider my musical roots to be. Slightly shockingly I have very few Classical records and that will certainly be the next major step in my record collecting journey.
What does partner think of your record obsession?
My wife is very forgiving and understanding!
Do you have a favourite genre of music you listen to?
Most of my records are Jazz, and it’s a genre that has taken me some time to really get to grips with and explore. However my tastes are a little more varied than Jazz alone, and I have plenty of Soul, Funk, Ska and Rocksteady records. My entry point into the world of Jazz was through Herbie Hancock’s seminal 1973 album “Head Hunters”. My Instagram tag @vein_melter is a direct reference to the final track on that album which is a gorgeous synth-drenched ballad of epic proportions and also a nod to my daytime work administering various mind altering drugs to members of the British public as an Anesthetist in the NHS.
What was the first record you ever bought?
My first record was “Gaucho” by Steely Dan. It’s a record I still regularly play to this day. Becker and Fagen just had this knack for bringing out the very best in the session musicians who played on their records, be it Bernard Purdie, Larry Carlton, Chuck Rainey, Jeff Porcaro, Michael McDonald or any of the hundreds of others. Their music just finds this amazing middle ground between Rock, Jazz, Blues and Funk. Alongside the hilarious and dark character analysis in the lyrics it makes for pretty compelling listening.
What’s your favourite ever record?
My answer to this changes constantly. I love sixties Jazz especially that recorded on the Blue Note, Riverside and Impulse labels. There are some phenomenal records from that era. As I alluded to earlier, I’m also am also partial a Steely Dan record or two, and from them I would put both “The Royal Scam” and “Aja” at the very top of the tree. But I think my singular greatest musical influence is the musical chameleon himself Herbie Hancock. To my ears at least, he’s the complete musician. And of all of his incredible recordings, probably those that I listen to most are those with the “Headhunters” band featuring Bennie Maupin on saxophone, Paul Jackson on bass, Mike Clark on drums and Bill Summers on percussion. Their recordings together are just some of their finest, with all sorts of telepathic funkiness going on. I’m going slightly leftfield and putting their 1974 Headhunters follow-up “Thrust” as my favourite of all time.
How big is your want list?
It’s huge, far longer than it should be!
Do you use Discogs at all to organise the collection?
I don’t use Discogs no. My collection is currently organised alphabetically, however recently, I’ve been experimenting with sorting by record label so I might go in that direction next.
What’s your thoughts on Instagram as a way for sharing our record collections?
The Vinyl Community on Instagram continues to provide endless inspiration for listening. It’s an amazing platform in that respect, and there are so many knowledgeable collectors with great taste who are sharing their collections. Many I would consider to be good friends after years of contact. As I look through my feed now I am greeted by a plethora of amazing records, insightful write ups and sound clips from all over the world. I really enjoy sharing my music and hope that it provides some inspiration to others. At the very least it reminds me of what records I’ve got in my collection!
What do you think will happen to your collection when you pass away?
When I’ve snuffed it my records will undoubtedly go to my two boys. My youngest surprisingly
seems to enjoy the slightly more far-out Jazz records that I play from time to time, as well as
anything with a good drum track. My eldest is more into the stuff with a groove and his current favourite is my seven - inch promo copy of the classic Roy Ayers song “Searching”.
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