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PAOLO DI LIBERTO
@messivinyl
Paolo splits his time running a bar in his home town called “The Thin White Duke” (named after David Bowie) and spinning records as a DJ in numerous places across the UK and also in Berlin when he is out there. He has spun records on some big stages including warming up for Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, PP Arnold and with British musical legends Mani (Stone Roses & Primal Scream) and Bonehead (Oasis)! His musical talents know no boundaries as he also writes and produces his own music in what free time he has left over!
Spending time in his company, even if it was via video call, was a fantastic way to pass some lockdown time and he came across as a extremely knowledgable music fan. Its an honour to be able to feature him for The Record Collectors Club!
How did you get into vinyl and collecting records?
So i started collecting when i was in school and it started with buying CD’s when i was around 10 years old and by the time i was about 16 i had a pretty big CD collection. I then switched to vinyl after i saw my older brother DJ in one of our families bars in town and i thought it was one of the coolest things in the world watching him spin records. So what i started to do was hold back my lunch money from each day at school and then buy a record that weekend from Pink Panther Records that used to be open in Carlisle. That would have been around 2001-2002 when i started to collect vinyl so nearly 20 years i’ve been a record collector now. And looking back at it now, it was pretty much the right time to be collecting the music i wanted on vinyl as the prices now for those original records are crazy! I picked up all the original Oasis records for decent prices although i looked through recently and cant find my copy of “Definitely Maybe” so somehow lost that one along the way!
And how many records do you have in your collection to date?
Yeah at last count it was just over 1400 records
As a Dj, do you buy two copies of the same record? One for spinning at home and one for using when working?
I wish i did that! My record collection is battle hardened thats for sure! It’s seen a lot of action over the years! You see some collections on Instagram and they are in immaculate condition and mine certainly isn’t one of those.
Your bar is named after David Bowie. I'm assuming he is a big hero of yours?
Yeah it’s named “The Thin White Duke” after Bowie as I'm a huge fan. The first album i bought from him on vinyl was ”Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars” and i when i was first buying up vinyl, i was getting albums by Bowie for £3-4 which were first UK presses! I bought these from the same market seller who i don't think knew what he had! I also bought the bulk of my 80s’ collection from there so cheap! I had a really lucky streak back when i was first collecting.
I think one thing that has helped myself broaden my musical tastes has been seeing what collectors on Instagram post. Would you say this has helped you?
Yeah i agree completely. It’s such a good platform to discover new music and see what other collectors are out digging for and buying up. Jazz in particular is quite a popular genre currently and theres seems to be quite a good “New Jazz” scene in the UK starting up which is also crossing over with the Electronic stuff which is brilliant!
Does your girlfriend have similar music tastes and is she a record collector?
She’s into music and we do share similar tastes but we also like different stuff also. She has started to collect records yeah. Before she started collecting, and one of the first times i went to visit her out in Berlin, i took her to Hardwax Records (@hardwax) and explained to her that she shouldn't be offended if i went off and left her to dig for records. And as soon as we got in she went off digging by herself and ended up spending twice as much as i did!
I ask this question to a lot of collectors but why vinyl? What is it about this format?
I still buy other formats but i just love vinyl and i suppose it stems from watching my brother DJ then me becoming a DJ. I love having physical music and being able to hold it and look at the artwork. I can sit on the end of my couch and just look at my shelves and it makes me happy. I know some collectors talk about the sound of vinyl and the quality of it but my records are battle worn and have crackles, pops and clicks and that doesn't bother me. Those little things give a record its soul in my opinion.
What was the first record you bought?
The first record i bought was “Voodoo People” by The Prodigy. I didn't even have a turntable at the time either but i was obsessed with a film called “Hackers” and that was on the soundtrack. Then i bought “Raising Hell” by Run DMC. In the early days i was trying to mix Techno records and Hip Hop stuff and it sounded horrific! I couldn't understand how my brother could do it so well and i wasn’t getting it! But it was early days!
Do you have any favourite record shops that like to buy from?
I’ve lived in quite a few different cities across the UK and i do like to keep buying records from shops local when i get back to those cities. I lived in Leeds so still buy from Crash Records (@crashrecords) and Jumbo Records (@jumborecords) and sometimes visit Newcastle and get to pop into RPM Music (@rpm_newcastle). Mainly i shop in Manchester as I’m there a lot when i use the airport to fly over to Berlin so visit Piccadilly Records (@piccadillyrecords) and Eastern Bloc (@easternbloc_). If I’m in a city i usually know where the good record shops are and i will build in time for a visit to them! I do buy from online aswell on Discogs mainly.
What would you class as your best bargain find as a collector?
Well i’d been looking for a copy of “Trueloves Gutter” by Richard Hawley for a long time and knew the originals went for a lot of money. I’d searched on Discogs for a while and found a copy from a shop in London for around £300 and was in the process of trying to negotiate a discount with them and Richard Hawley then announced he was reissuing his back catalogue so i picked up both “Trueloves Gutter” and the fantastic “Coles Corner” for £45! It was just pot luck that i didn’t buy the original and part with all that cash!
Do you have any records in particular you are trying to hunt down? Are there discographies of artists you are wanting to finish?
Well there are always more records to buy but i will replace that copy of “Definitely Maybe” that’s gone missing and also pick up “The Masterplan” by Oasis also as i don't have that. Im not totally bothered about having complete discographies by artists. I usually just pick up their best works and leave it at that. I’m missing a couple of records by Blondie and some by Japan that i want to find. I’d quite like to add all the LCD Soundsystem stuff to the collection and then maybe some other stuff from that record label.
How about the most money you spent on a record?
It was £200 on an LCD Soundsystem boxset of one of their albums. I’m usually quite sensible!
Finally, have you had an idea of what to do with your collection when you pass on?
I actually have a copy of “Hunky Dory” by David Bowie framed on my piano in my house and on the back has my final demands on it and my record collection will go to my partner but one of the stipulations is that a friend of mine can bring a bag to fill up with records that she wants from my collection and enjoy them. I also have had the idea of having my ashes pressed into records and want the five songs i want played at my funeral pressed onto vinyl and then given to my family members. I really like the idea of having one left in a record shop so some stranger buys it and it goes into someones collection that i don't know and who didn't know me!
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