Smell the records
Sometimes it’s just nicer to wander into a shop and have a look-see, so you can smell the records, hold them and touch them. (Isobel Campbell)
Some time ago, Douglas sent me a link to a Guardian article celebrating independent record stores. His eye was caught by this reference to the smell of records.
It’s the first reference to the smell of records that I’ve spotted in the wild and it surprised me. It fits quite neatly though into a pattern established by a commonplace lament about the loss of bookstores and print books.
I rarely notice the smell of books in everyday use or even when going into a used bookstore. A book with a smell is a problematic book and one I’m reluctant to take home. If it’s a used book, it’s either mildewed, damp, or been owned by a smoker. If it’s a new book, it’s off-gassing chemicals from the ink, glue, or paper.
I suspect the smell of records is actually the smell of degrading cardboard.
