Home Grown: The collector who has owned over 20,000 records during his life

Because every record collection has a story.

Home Grown is our series profiling you lot and your excellent record collections. Taking our cue from the brilliant submissions to the #VFRecordCollections thread on Instagram, we want to share a little of your hard-earned love for vinyl with the world.

Each week, we’ll be profiling a different collector from around the world and finding out what makes them tick. Want in? Send us a pic and a few words about your collection to [email protected]

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Name: Jay Borsos

Location: Kent, England

# of records (approx.): 3,000 LPs, 300 12″s, 500 7″s and counting

How long have you been collecting for? 40+ years.

My musical journey began with a second hand valve radiogram bought for me at the tender age of 12. When my Dad and I set it up in my bedroom, we found a 7″ single of Zager & Evans’ ‘In The Year 2522’ inside it. So that was my first record, and I loved it and played it to death! My dad was once a good old school ’70s pop DJ, and we always had music playing in the house. My collection started with his cast offs, his personal tastes were ska/reggae/bossa nova & jazz. I immediately latched on to the bossa & reggae but hated the jazz back then. Over the years I must have had around 20,000 records go in & out of my life. Unfortunately some have to go but hey, it keeps me interested in new music .. I also have to keep a sensible amount of floor space.

What part of your set-up are you most proud of?

I’ve gone through many changes of hi-fi equipment over the years, but I’m most proud of my Tannoy’s Bradley SL65 speakers – a rarely seen model. These will never go! In combination with valves, the Tannoys just wrap around you and purr sweetly in your ears. My Technics 1210 has been self modified. I’m really pleased with its sound and appearance. I love these decks. I have a standard one and this one.

What record(s) are you most proud of?

My collection music covers many genres. I got over my fear of jazz years many years ago, and around 1,000 LPs I have are jazz-based music. One of my favourite artists is Archie Shepp. I also love film, including (mostly) the music that goes with them. I currently have 600+ soundtracks – many of which are originals – from the ’50s to today. Groovy/orchestral/jazzy/psyche/weird/weirder…

What does your record collection mean to you?

My cellar full of secrets represents the places I’ve been, the movies I’ve seen, the people I’ve been with, the places I am going to, the movies I will see, and the people I will meet along the way. It’s been emotional.