How does one find a story to tell? Well, sometimes the story finds you.
Having been asked to showcase local culture in my hometown of Huntington Village, I was a writer in need of a story. That desire must have registered on some plane, for as luck would have it, I received a text message (perhaps from Hermes himself?) from my old friend Shawn asking me if I would be interested in attending a vinyl fair on June 3; my story had arrived.
The site of the vinyl fair was Rosie’s Vintage Store, located at 187 Park Avenue. Rosie’s Vintage and Wit & Whim’s Outdoor Markets is something new to Huntington; from May to November, they will host nine events, with each event having a specific focus. From vintage, to vinyl, to handmade arts and crafts, and even assorted oddities, there is something for every curiosity seeker.
During the day leading up to the event, I couldn’t help but wonder why we are in the midst of a vinyl renaissance. In 2022, 41 million vinyl record sales were recorded in the U.S.; that represents a total of 70 % of all physical music sales, and equates to $1.2 billion in revenue according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
Something is happening, but what and why? As Bob Dylan would say, “Because something is happening here / But you don’t know what it is / Do you, Mister Jones?” No, I don’t, but I wanted some answers. As we sauntered over to the fair, Shawn serendipitously encountered a friend of his, 47-year-old Ray Knives, of Mastic Beach, a purveyor of vinyl and vintage clothing and toys under the title “Prize Fighter Select.”
My answers were about to come (what did I do to fall under the good graces of Hermes…could it be Mercury, this time?). Ray’s passion for vinyl took off around the age of 11 when he was exposed to the sounds of punk, hardcore and new wave as a brash, young skateboarder. “I was just as obsessed with the music as I was skateboarding and started buying records instead of comics with my paper route money,” he said.
While paper routes may have faded into oblivion, vinyl remains. For Ray, it’s all about the sound quality. “I do appreciate the sound quality… Digital often sounds fake to me.”
As a kid, I myself remember being entranced by the album artwork on my father’s vinyl pressing of Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. As Ray agreed, “The size of the art and inserts is so much nicer. When I started buying records, I’d read all the text and look at all the pictures.” Being immersed in this subculture satisfies his “treasure hunting high”, and along the way, he has met many kind, interesting people.
“We all get to nerd out on our obsessions together and sometimes can help each other check off a long time want from the list.”
Well, Mr. Jones, I do believe I now know what it is.
Mastic Beach resident Ray Knives hosts his radio show, “A Visual Sound,” at 2 p.m. every Friday on 90.1 FM. He records his episodes live from Stony Brook University.
