Yardsale!

March 6, 2005 8:13 PM

The most expensive record in the world! Another music post for today's MusicFilter. The true story of a yard sale, a couple of quarters, and one happy lad's good fortune. Velvet Underground included.
posted by underer (15 comments total)

[this is awesome]
posted by teferi at 8:24 PM on March 6, 2005

For the benefit of my dad's sanity, a man who will collect Winston Churchill records for resale value, I will not mention this article to him.
posted by AlexReynolds at 8:30 PM on March 6, 2005

reading this makes me smile. I love the garage sale to jr. high dance comparison...
posted by Sellersburg/Speed at 8:33 PM on March 6, 2005

Is this acetate the same one pictured here (3rd one down)? Anybody that's ended a day of garage sale-ing with a sore back and dirty fingers from looking through stacks of neglected records dreams of a find like this.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 8:38 PM on March 6, 2005

It would be nice if this could get transfered, remastered, and given a wide release.
posted by Quartermass at 8:53 PM on March 6, 2005

Sure seems like the same one, Slack-a-gogo. Wonder how a pic of the acetate label survived. Great story; I like that it's not just a beauty of a thrift score but also has historical interest.

Yard sale archeology.
posted by mediareport at 10:10 PM on March 6, 2005

This short article mentions negotiations with Universal for the record's release.

I buy any acetate I find at thrift stores. Sometimes it's interesting stuff -- a family taking turns singing children's songs, or a homemade comedy record with lame jokes about burlesque performers. Most of the time it's a total wash, like a recording of a symphony with someone coughing throughout. Last year, though, I found a record with music and an interview with Moondog, recorded in his hotel room.
posted by hydrophonic at 10:13 PM on March 6, 2005

As a huge Velvet Underground fan, and a record collector, I would just like to say thanks for posting this.
posted by HSWilson at 11:26 PM on March 6, 2005

I get a kick out of the notes on Slack-a-go-go's link.
The version of Heroin has different lyrics starting with "I know just where I'm going" instead of "I don't know just where I'm going"
I guess the "You gotta' be fucking kidding" letter kindled some self-doubt.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 4:40 AM on March 7, 2005

Damn, that definately beats my brother's find of a Mu-Tron III phaser for $10 (he then talked them down to $5).
posted by password at 5:58 AM on March 7, 2005

heh, pretty damn cool. I wonder how it got out to the west coast.
posted by edgeways at 9:38 AM on March 7, 2005

great story, but is it really the most valuable record? if you're ever in holly springs, ms, try to find graceland, too. it's an old antebellum mansion filled with one completely obsessed man's elvis collection, including "the most valuable record in the world," a four track record with four interview questions with the king, supposedly valued at $250,000. i can't find anything on the web, though.
posted by Igor XA at 1:13 PM on March 7, 2005

i should add, paul mcleod, the owner, has told me repeatedly that he's had million dollar offers for it from at least three presidents. but he's known to be liberal with the truth.
posted by Igor XA at 1:14 PM on March 7, 2005

It hasn't sold yet, as far as I can tell, so nobody's sure what it's worth. Here's the most expensive record, to date.
Slack-a-gogo, good work. That has to be the same.
posted by underer at 1:42 PM on March 7, 2005

It would be nice if this could get transfered, remastered, and given a wide release. -- Quartermass

Oh dear lord, please let that be true!
posted by dejah420 at 8:18 PM on March 7, 2005