Siloam Springs is a community with a long history and many unique collectives available for residents and visitors alike. Recently, however, many residents have expressed an interest in collecting vinyls from local antique shops, coffee shops and online.
Andrew Lehr, resident director of Walker Hall and the duplexes, began collecting both modern and vintage vinyl since before he moved to Siloam Springs.
“My dad actually collected vinyl back when he was in college, and back then it was the primary way to listen to music,” said Lehr. “He ended up giving me a lot of his old records and starting off my own collection. It’s a neat thing for me to have my dad’s collection and add to my own collection too.”
Lehr has been expanding his collection since then with records collected from Pour Jon’s Coffee & Vinyl in downtown Siloam Springs and also online at websites such as Insound.
Lehr said that listening to vinyls rather than digital versions of music not only enhances his listening experience, but also causes him to take music more seriously.
“It’s the aesthetic of it. The sound is better, the quality is better, and the general listening experience is just enhanced when you’re listening to it on a physical record,” said Lehr. “I love the sounds. I love the pops and the sound of the record when it starts up.”
Freshman Connor Reed, a fellow collector of vinyls and records, believes that his vinyl collection connects him to a rich musical history so often disregarded by people today.
“I just want students to know that records aren’t just some old trashy thing to listen to music with, but they’re a piece of history they basically defined the past couple of generations before cassettes,” said Reed.
Reed is particularly interested in older music, which contributed to his decision to begin collecting vinyls. Some of the places Reed frequents to find new additions to his collection are local antique shops, Pour Jon’s and Vintage Stock in Fayetteville, Ark.
“Remember [records] fondly and appreciate them and the cool history that comes with them,” said Reed. “Don’t forget about the records.”