Why being acceptable in the 1980s doesn’t make your vinyl collectable

IT reads like a roll call of Scottish rock royalty, but a new list of the country’s most collectable records shows some bands are more in demand than others.

A firm specialising in rare vinyl has compiled a list of Scottish bands worth collecting – and a chart of acts to avoid.

But while the most collectable list features favourites such as Belle & Sebastian, Biffy Clyro and Deacon Blue, the list of least collectable acts also includes popular bands, such as Primal Scream, Teenage Fanclub and even The Proclaimers.

While some may not argue with the appearance of 1970s Tartan-clad teeny-boppers Bay City Rollers on the “do not collect” list, the inclusion of indie favourites such as Aztec Camera and Lloyd Cole and The Commotions is likely to raise eyebrows.

According to 991.com, a dealer in rare vinyl and rock memorabilia which compiled the list, particularly valuable records include rare offerings from The Sensational Alex Harvey Band and Edwin Collins’ Orange Juice.

A copy of Belle & Sebastian’s 1996 debut, Tigermilk, of which only 1,000 copies were initially pressed, is worth more than £80.

Kevin Buckle, of Avalanche Records in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket, is a proud owner of one of the records, having run one of the stores to which Belle & Sebastian frontman Stuart Murdoch, pictured left, personally hand delivered the record.

He said: “These lists sound a bit like the best and worst dressed awards at the NME Awards, where you get the same people on both lists.

“For us, the most collectable bands are the likes of Orange Juice, Josef K or Aztec Camera. We can get phone calls from Australia or the US about their records.

“The most collectable Josef K record, for example, will still sell for £50-100, which is really rare nowadays.”

He said the trade in rare vinyl was one area of the record industry which is holding up well against the challenge of the internet and downloads.

He added: “Because of the era that a lot of these records come from, the people who are interested were brought up on that stuff, so still like to buy that kind of thing.”

Rob Croydon, owner of 991.com, said people were turning to rare vinyl as an investment opportunity. He said: “Unlike stocks and shares, which have had a pretty unsettled time recently, the collectable vinyl market is stable.

“We compiled the Scottish lists as a bit of fun because, for some reason, we had quite a lot of interest in a couple of Scottish bands recently, so we decided to do some more research.

“There has been a long and proud tradition of independent pop and rock from Scotland. Early Orange Juice singles on the Postcard label are very desirable.

“This tradition has been continued with the likes of bands like Belle & Sebastian and more recently Glasvegas.

“It’s hard to say why one critically-acclaimed band such as Belle & Sebastian becomes collectable, while another do not.”