A DAY IN THEIR LIFE

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MOST EXPENSIVE AUSTRALIAN ITEMS SOLD ON DISCOGS GOING RATE FOR RARE AUSTRALIAN ITEMS 

Weekend Gold Coast Bulletin

20 Mar 2021 

Australians stuck at home because of COVID-19 lockdowns spent $8.6 million last year buying rare records from one website alone as the rise of physical music continues. 

US website Discogs is used by sellers and collectors to gauge the market value of vinyl, CD and cassettes, as well becoming an increasingly popular global marketplace. 

Short for discographies, last year over 34,000 Australian buyers made just under 200,000 orders worth $8.6 million in sales from Discogs, up from $5 million in 2019. However, many still prefer the hands-on approach with record stores across Australia reporting a boom in sales, with even teenagers now discovering the joy of vinyl and older music lovers renewing their vinyl habit. Dave Lang, from Melbourne’s Round And Round Records, said AC/DC remain the most collectable Australian artist. 

Local pressings of Bon Scott-era AC/DC albums, with a blue kangaroo logo, are highly sought-after by collectors. “Albums like TNT and Powerage in really good condition will get you around $250,” Lang said. 

Lang said certain Australian progressive rock, funk, jazz and punk records on vinyl can sell for up to $3000. Round And Round had a vinyl test pressing of the late Rowland S Howard’s 1999 album Teenage Snuff Film priced at $900. “We had it on the wall in the store but it didn’t sell,” Lang said. “Who do you get to buy a $900 record? I know (US musician) Henry Rollins collects test pressings and loves Rowland S Howard. 

I got his email, he said if we paid for the shipping he’d give us $900. And he did. That’s the thing with expensive records, you have to find that one person who is going to pay big money for them.” Record stores regularly buy unwanted vinyl, with some not realising the value of what they might have gathering dust. Paul Kelly’s discontinued Talk and Manila albums in good condition will fetch over $100, while Pat Monaghan of Melbourne’s Rocksteady Records says there’s always demand for vinyl by alternative acts the Go-betweens, The Triffids, the Laughing Clowns, the Dirty Three and Nick Cave’s first band The Birthday Party. 

 “Those underground bands have become quite sought after,” Monaghan said. “But I’m more about making interesting records available and affordable for a wide range of people. Personally I don’t think these days you can have a record sitting on your shelves for $650 just waiting for someone to walk in and buy it.” The ongoing vinyl revival has also seen teenagers embrace the format. “There are lots of people from 14 and 15 up who come into the store every Saturday,” Monaghan said. “They’re buying their favourite contemporary artists like Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Courtney Barnett and also buying Radiohead’s back catalogue. “There are people picking their favourite albums from their Spotify playlists and then they want to own it on vinyl. Lots of people buying lots of different things lots of the time.”

1. AC/DC: Can I Sit Next To You Girl 7” promo (1974) $4520 

2. Babeez: Dowanna Love 7” (1977) $4270 

3. Thunderdome: Down Under Tour Vol 1 CD (1995) $4017 

4. City Ram Waddy: Walking The Dog 7” (1979) $3110 

5. Fun Things: Fun Things 7” (1980) $2963 

6. Barry Gibb and the Bee Gees, The Bee Gees Sing And Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs: Mono album (1965) $2812 

7. Extradition: Hush album (1971) $2511 

8. Just Urbain: Just Urbain 7” (1979) $2330 

9. The Easybeats: Steady On mono unofficial album (1978) $2330 

10. John Butler Trio: Sunrise Over Sea brown vinyl (2004) $2310 

AC/DC: If You Want Blood You’ve Got It, splatter vinyl (1978) $2580 

The Saints: I’m Stranded 7”, $2020 

Taman Shud: Goolutionites And The Real People vinyl (1970) $2000 

Richard Clapton: Prussian Blue (1992) on vinyl or CD, $2000 

Kylie Minogue: Live And Other Sides (1998) $1500 

Radio Birdman: Burn My Eye 7” $1000 

Cold Chisel: Shipping Steel recalled 7” (1979) $1250 

Olivia Newton-John: 40th Anniversary Collection 10CD and DVD set (2010) $1200 

AC/DC: Boom Box 16CD box set (1995) $1200 

Kylie Minogue: It’s No Secret, withdrawn Aus 7 or 12” (1989) $800