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‘After eight hours, my feet and fingers throb’: my epic treasure hunt for vinyl gold

This Saturday, Record Store Day will see an avalanche of pricey rarities and flashy reissues. Instead, our writer scours the secondhand bins of indie stores and charity shops – and bags a dozen crackers

So, to a soundtrack of screeching seagulls, I have come to Brighton, to continue searching for my vinyl holy grail and partake in a warm-up, my own bargain basement alternative to RSD, which falls this Saturday, bringing a dizzying avalanche of picture discs, rarities and Blur zoetrope reissues – albeit at a price. “You still get collectors with money to spend, but the younger ones ask for Abba, Fleetwood Mac and Simon & Garfunkel.” It’s a similar story at Vinyl Exchange, says Farnell: “You might see a 17-year-old buying Rumours alongside Charlie XCX, Taylor Swift, the Smiths – and RUSH!” “Look for Shrine, Clear Hill and Arctic.” Bob Smith, Uptight’s owner, lets me down gently, saying: “Northern Soul flies out for big prices.” If I’m looking for value, he advises, “Go for greatest hits and classics.” He pulls out some Sam and Dave, the Brothers Johnson, Atlantic Starr and Gladys Knight.

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