The love for vinyl has always been there and many stories are attached to it. There are whispers in some quarters that vinyl is back, and they are getting louder.

Not in the same numbers that it was in the pre-cd days of the 70’s and 80’s, but the records are up on display shelves of record shops.

There is hundreds of reasons why we like a certain song. Vinyl Junkies is looking for the stories behind them.

Colin Smoult was owner of Jump, from 1991 until 1998 it was a second hand record shop in South Shields. Then he relocated and slowly phased out all second hand records, cassettes and DVD’s to concentrate on selling alternative lifestyle products. Colin is also involved in freelance sound and lighting production for bands around the UK.

Introduction’s over, here are Colin’s 7 songs that shaped his world.

1. All The Young Dudes – Mott The Hoople. My first ever vinyl purchase! Bought the new 7″ single during the summer of 1972 at the tender age of just 8 years old – I had cool taste even back then. I think it cost around 45p.

I got it from Savilles Music Store in Keppel Street, South Shields. A fantastic place that had its musical instrument department upstairs, and the records sold downstairs, complete with listening booths.

That song just jumped out to me on the radio, and I knew that I had to have a copy to listen to whenever I wanted to.

2. Time – David Bowie. From my first ever album, Aladdin Sane, it was a present for my 10th birthday. Was really getting into Bowie, and both my brother and sister often played the Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust albums.

Finally joined the world of getting albums and not just singles. Time for me was such a dramatic tune with lots of musical light and shade going on.

Although bought for me, I was there at the time, and remember it coming from Pete Edmonds Record Shop in Frederick Street. On a Saturday afternoon in 1973, and it was very busy in there too. Oh how the times have changed.

3. Emerald – Thin Lizzy. Taken from the band’s 1978 double live album Live And Dangerous. Took a punt on this one as I’d heard a few of the previous singles by the band, and hoped that this album might be decent.

Only turned out to be regarded as one of the greatest live rock albums ever! Loads of great songs on it, but Emerald always stood out for me as such fabulous moment.

Only the second song in and the band were totally kicking ass. Purchased the record from Callers at the Nook, my regular haunt as I only lived just around the corner. So many hours spent in that shop. A staple part of my youth.

4. Carry On Wayward Son – Kansas. An incredible song, introduced to me by my older brother, but I then went out and bought the live version from the band’s Two For The Show album.

Back then these double live album made for great samplers of what the bands were like, usually containing their most popular tracks up until then.

Bought this one from Pete Edmonds Record Shop, which was now situated in the downstairs of the former Savilles shop, continuing on the legacy of the premises.

5. Motorhead – Motorhead. At the time the band were rising in popularity with their Overkill album. Their original record label were cashing-in with the band’s rising fame, and re-issued the self-titled anthem on 7″ single.

Such a good song, raw and unyielding. Picked up this one from Second Time Around Record Shop (S.T.A.R.S.) on Boldon Lane. A fab place that later on I would frequent on a fortnightly basis, as it was next door to the Unemployment Office, and was dead handy to pop into after I signed on.

I always tried to keep a bit money back for my next visit, hoping the album I had spotted two weeks earlier was still there. And often it was and would be yet another one for the expanding collection.

6. Imagine – John Lennon. I was may more of a Beatles fan than Lennon’s solo stuff, but I do love this song, and whenever I hear it I always remember Images record shop at the bottom of Fowler Street.

The reason being is this is where I was when I first heard about the shooting and death of John Lennon. I overhead the shop assistant and a customer talking about it.

Rushed home, put on the radio, only to find out that it was all so horribly true. The cold December of 1980 got a lot colder that day, and for a lot of music fans, a little bit of them also died that day too.

7. Jump – Van Halen. Two reasons for this choice. Bought the album it came from 1984, the day it came out, and as a Van Halen fan I also feel in love with this album.

Purchased it at Volume Records, as at that time I was working in Newcastle just behind the Handyside Arcade, and I would peruse the record shops every lunch break.

Second reason is that my friend named his second-hand shop after this tune, when he first opened it up back in 1984. I took it over in 1991, kept the name, and finally made my love of music and records become my job.

Times changed, the shop moved location, and the business evolved into something else. But I’ve never lost my passion for music, as that will forever be a driving part of my character.

Recommended: WILL BINKS July 7th 2017 – MARTIN POPOFF July 12th 2017 – JOHN HESTON August 3rd 2017 – NEIL ARMSTRONG August 11th 2017 – NEIL NEWTON September 12th 2017 – TONY HIGGINS October 11th 2017 – VINCE HIGH December 11th 2017.

Intro by Gary Alikivi July 2017.