Home Grown: The Greek collector whose records help him survive

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 photo and a few words about your collection to [email protected]

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Name: Vasileiou Ioannis

Location: Athens, Greece

Instagram: @athensaudiophileapartment

# of records (approx.): 500 records (close to 1000 if we include CDs and tapes)

How long have you been collecting for?

I’ve been collecting for almost 30 years. The first LP I ever bought was Appetite for Destruction during the summer of 1991 at the age of 9.

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

I am really proud of my Aeolos Plus Tube Integrated Amplifier build by Tsakiridis Devices (a Greek “family” company) together with the speakers, Chario Constelation Delphinus, that accompany it. This purchase was made directly from Tsakiridis Devices. Before I bougt it, I asked one of the two Tsakiridis brothers that ran the company if this combination will give me the desired volume in the room. His answer was: “Dear Sir, forget about the volume, you are into clarity now.” He was 100% right. From the very first moment that these two pieces became part of my setup, I felt like I re-discovered not just my favourite albums, but also sound in general.

What record(s) are you most proud of?

The album I am most proud of is Charalambides’ Market Square. I have never stopped listening to it since the first time I heard it almost 20 years ago. Some will say that it is a very depressing album, and they are probably right, but no other album has ever touched me as much as this. There is only one word to describe it: original.

I also love In Ancient Times from Vietnam Veterans and Cannibal Movie’s debut Avorio. When I bought Avorio it didn’t leave the turntable for a few months. I even contacted the two members of the band directly and together we arranged a mini-tour in Greece.

What does your record collection mean to you?

It means that I am alive. Record collecting is the best part of my life. Before the Greek crisis, I had about 1,000 records in my collection. Apart from the joy it offers me, my collection has helped me to have an income during very difficult periods. If my passion was expensive/fast cars, I would have just lost my passion, because I would have to sell it, but selling just a part from my collection offered me the chance to be able to resist to horrible bosses that were not paying what they should or even worse, unemployment.

In Greece, this is something that isn’t specific just to me. In Athens I have met a lot of people who, during these difficult times, thanks to their collections managed to offer an income to their families. Discogs proves my point too. You will be surprised how many sellers from Greece are offering a part of their collection, so this is not just a hobby for me, it is a way of life. Buy, sell and trade, while loving what you are doing. (I do not get sad when I sell an album I love, I am happy because other people will enjoy it just like me.)

Now, so I don’t have to sell the rest of my collection (because the Greek crisis is not over yet), instead of selling it, I am sharing it. I rent my flat through AirBnB, which has my hi-fi setup and a very big part of my collection. It makes me really happy that all the guests who have stayed have enjoyed not just the flat, but a part of my self.