Jack R. Jordan is a reporter for The Moultrie Observer. You can reach him at jack.jordan@gaflnews.com.

I don’t know if y’all know this about me but I have a fairly impressive collection of vinyl records. At my last count I had over 350 albums that I have collected through yard sales, family member’s attics, old record stores and some I have just acquired when the vinyl resurgence occurred in the 2010s.

If you don’t know about the vinyl resurgence, it’s where a bunch of people from my generation discovered how authentic vinyl records are and the different sound they produce from the electronic waves we usually get our music from. Along with that, record companies found out that they could make some serious money off the new popularity in vinyl. Now, it’s not uncommon to see records of upwards to $50 in some special cases. Most still go for a whopping $20-$25. But they are usually well printed and thick which generally means they will last a bit longer than some of my older records. 

But that’s just my commentary on the state of vinyl records and the difficulty I encounter when I want to expand my collection. 

The real reason for today’s column is to go over my top five albums in my collection. I picked these for different reasons. Each holds a special place in my heart whether it’s for the circumstances in which I acquired it, the music itself or my love of the artist and their work.

1. Kiss – Alive!

Oh boy. One of the greatest acts to ever hit the stage. Kiss first released this live album in 1975. I have a 1983 reprint which only has one record instead of the original two. This was my first ever vinyl record. I remember I had a friend in middle school we called “Getty” (mostly because he looked like Rush frontman Geddy Lee). His dad was trying to get rid of some records but I had very little money. After rifling through his records, I paid Getty’s dad $5 and my collection began. The album itself also happens to include my favorite Kiss songs, “Cold Gin,” “Hotter Than Hell” and of course “Rock and Roll All Nite.”

2. Rush – Exit… Stage Left

Did you really think I would have a best friend named Getty and not put a Rush album on this list? Another live album, I love this album for a few different reasons. Firstly, this record hold’s all of my favorite Rush songs including “Red Barchetta,” “Xanadu,” The Spirit of Radio,” “The Trees” and “Freewill.” So along with a killer setlist to listen to, I have a very special edition of the album. Not to brag too much but I have reprinted signed colordisc. This was a gift given to me by my late uncle who was also a huge Rush fan and got me into them. He had it signed by Rush drummer Neal Peart and guitarist Alex Lifeson. My dream is to eventually get the record signed by Geddy Lee. Until then, the album sits in a double sleeve right at the beginning of my collection. 

3. Eternal Tapestry – Dawn in 2 Dimensions

The first on the list that isn’t a live album, this mind-bending alternative psycho rock record was an accidental purchase that quickly became one of my favorites. I say it was an accident because I had gone into a random record shop in Atlanta when I was in high school. I couldn’t find anything I particularly liked until I found “Dawn in 2 Dimensions.” A transparent orange colordisc with a trippy cover instantly caught my eye as an anti-establishment teenager. The music itself is just mesmerizing to listen to and I can’t believe such an impulsive decision was one of the best I ever made.

4. Fleetwood Mac –    Tango in the Night

Fleetwood Mac is one of those bands you just can’t ignore even years later. My record isn’t too special. I have a 2017 remastered deluxe edition of the album. I bought the album one day only ever hearing “Big Love,” the album’s biggest single. I don’t know why I love this album so much. Maybe it’s because it’s the group’s final album to include their most iconic lineup of Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie, John McVie and Stevie Nicks or maybe it’s because the album isn’t as well known. Whatever this is, I love this album. I own it digitally, on CD, a cassette and obviously on vinyl. I would even go so far as to say it’s Fleetwood Mac’s best album (yes, even better than “Rumors”). 

5. The Band – The Band (The Brown Album)

The only Woodstock alumni to be featured on my list, “The Band” also known as the Brown Album is one of the oldest records in my collection. Originally purchased by grandad for my dad, the album is still playable and is one of my most prized possessions. Originally purchased a year after the album’s release, it was given to me by my grandad when I was going through the attic at my dad’s childhood home. 

“Your dad begged me to buy that for him,” my grandad said when I found it. 

After being cleaned and brushed, the record wasn’t exactly sounding like new but sounded almost as good. I haven’t listened to the album since I first found it. I try to keep it in its plastic cover away from dust and particles. It may not be the best album in my collection but it’s one of the most special.

Jack R. Jordan is a reporter with The Moultrie Observer.