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STACEY AGECOUTAY
@groovegardenrecords
Stacey told me he still has loads of records on his want list that he is wanting to track down, which is incredible considering the size of his collection already but of course, there is so much music out there being made right now and so much great music made in the past that owning everything is an impossible task.
I haven’t been following Stacey on Instagram for that long but I’ve really enjoyed looking back through his photos and discovering new records I might like myself from his collection and I cant wait to see what he adds to the collection in the future.
What was the first record you bought or remember playing?
When I was a kid, I started buying 45’s with my $2 weekly allowance and had built an impressive coil rack of seven - inch singles over time. The first real record that I bought with my own money was “Hotel California” by The Eagles I think. Actually, it may have been Charlie Daniels, but can’t be 100% sure.
How long have you been collecting records?
Being born in 1970 and part of a very musical family, I’ve always had the music collecting bug. I started buying records with my own money in the early ‘80s and fell into the familiar trap of buying records, selling them in favour of cassette tapes and then selling those to buy CD’s only to come back to vinyl in the most recent decade’s resurgence. I have been seriously collecting records again for the better part of the last ten years.
Do you have a favourite genre of music you listen to?
I am very open to virtually all genres with the exception of current Pop and current Country music. When I stand in front of my record shelves and look for something to play, I tend to gravitate toward Jazz and Prog. There are other times when Classic Rock fits the mood perfectly and yet other times when Space Age Pop or Exotica is what I need. I am a strong believer in preserving the past and, as a result, my focus usually goes to the vintage era of music.
Where do you shop for records usually?
I will always stop at a second hand store, charity shop and antique dealer when I see them. Aside from buying collections privately, I have found the highest volume of purchases have been from these sources. For those specific items from the wantlist, Discogs is my go to.
Do you have any favourite record stores in particular?
I have only one shop in my city, The Grooveyard (@thegrooveyardpenticton) and they have been great with ordering specific titles for me. Other shops within a quick road trip have also provided me hours of digging pleasure, but I always look forward to a visit to Neptoon Records (@neptoonrecords) in Vancouver, BC or Silver Platters (@silverplattersrecords) in Seattle, WA. When I go back to visit family in Regina, SK I always pay a visit to X-Ray Records (@xrayrecordsyqr).
Do you participate in Record Store Day?
Absolutely, I think Record Store Day is a great way to bring the collector community together to celebrate our most favourite retail partners and gives the stores the opportunity to get more of their entire inventory into our hands. Every Record Store Day has drawn me in to seek certain titles, but I inevitably buy other vinyl that I would likely have not otherwise thought of buying before that day.
Do you have a certain space or room you listen to your collection in?
I am fortunate to have a dedicated space in my home for all of my records and my stereo and turntable. I spend a majority of my leisure time in this room and find my most serene and calm moments happen in that room when records are spinning.
How do you organise your collection? Do you use Discogs at all?
I organise my collection alphabetically and have it all catalogued on Discogs. I refer to my Discogs collection list when I am out in wild to avoid buying the same records more than once. Honestly, the moment catches me every so often and I have bought records that I already own. What can I tell you? It’s a sickness, I’m afraid.
Finally, what’s your thoughts on Instagram as a way for sharing our record collections?
Instagram has been the most incredible outlet to discover music and to marvel at the sheer magnitude of amazing collectors of the world. There is not a day that goes by without me losing part of my day to endless scrolling through the beautiful feeds of the vinyl collector community. I have used Instagram as a means of forcing myself to thoroughly discover my own collection as I try to not repeat any previous posts, although there have been some records that have been given second and third posts due to the awesomeness of the music.
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