I try to be a Seven - where finances permit.

I'm purely a Stones collector so I don't waste my money on any other bands.

Cheers
Richard - In Another Land

Oh boy. It all depends where I’m at in life’s big journey as in family, health, work, etc. If I get behind in my collection as far as new stuff I always seem to catch up, so far…

I collect everything The stones releases. I have about 2000 lp, cd, dvd, vhs ect. The danish singels from The sixties with pictures sleeves are very collectibels. I have them All.

Nothing from the list.
But close to what 1963luca0 said. The difference - I do collect CDs only, not vinyl records.

And BTW, CDs from different parts of the world might sound very different even if they originated from the same tape transfer. That is another story . As well as OBI and other extras included with Japanese releases. This is yet another story for stamp collectors but not for music lovers .

I used to carry home every newspaper from every show on every tour. Also I used to buy every official release, every bootleg release, every color vinyl. Those were the days when there was one tour shirt, one poster, one scarf, you know, for many many years that was it.

Then there were many different colors of vinyl of releases, there were one shirt per show, even several shirts, several posters, 7", 12", Japanese extended versions, by then my house was full of vinyl, CD's, DVD's, shirts, magazines, newspapers, posters and more.

So I decided to collect the one thing that you can not buy on the secondary market later on. The real live show experience. Once the final bow is there it is too late to go to the show. No regrets. I do not miss all those newspapers, shirts, posters, vinly colors etc. The memories from the shows take no space in my house, just in my mind, great memories you can not buy for money anymore.

Bjornulf

I buy every official release (but not each and every from the vault ones because I don't need fifteen live versions from the same tour, nor every re-release), which in my case entails every official studio album, every official live album or current video album, all the singles/B-sides that are not featured on albums.

I am not interested in compilations unless there's tracks on them that I don't have elsewhere.

One specific album is problematic: the Live Licks album consist of tracks from the 4 Flicks dvd, except a track or two at most, which are different takes of the same songs anyway. I never bothered to get the cd.

And the early 60s output is a mess to figure out, trying to find all the songs but at the same time the least amount of superfluous records. But what fun to try and find everything through the years!

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SomeGuy

And the early 60s output is a mess to figure out, trying to find all the songs but at the same time the least amount of superfluous records. But what fun to try and find everything through the years!

it WAS a terrible mess to figure out all the songs and at the same time buy the least amount of superfluous records back in the early sseventies, without internet, without books, without forums. But now it seems easy ... just ask non IORR,org

Resotele

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bv
I used to carry home every newspaper from every show on every tour. Also I used to buy every official release, every bootleg release, every color vinyl. Those were the days when there was one tour shirt, one poster, one scarf, you know, for many many years that was it.

Then there were many different colors of vinyl of releases, there were one shirt per show, even several shirts, several posters, 7", 12", Japanese extended versions, by then my house was full of vinyl, CD's, DVD's, shirts, magazines, newspapers, posters and more.

So I decided to collect the one thing that you can not buy on the secondary market later on. The real live show experience. Once the final bow is there it is too late to go to the show. No regrets. I do not miss all those newspapers, shirts, posters, vinly colors etc. The memories from the shows take no space in my house, just in my mind, great memories you can not buy for money anymore.

you forgot to mention that you also run the best Stones fan site on the internet!

2 and a half perhaps.

Though I do own multiple versions of many vinyl albums, with potential differences in the sound quality being my motivation...not the collecting thing.

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bv
I used to carry home every newspaper from every show on every tour. Also I used to buy every official release, every bootleg release, every color vinyl. Those were the days when there was one tour shirt, one poster, one scarf, you know, for many many years that was it.

Then there were many different colors of vinyl of releases, there were one shirt per show, even several shirts, several posters, 7", 12", Japanese extended versions, by then my house was full of vinyl, CD's, DVD's, shirts, magazines, newspapers, posters and more.

So I decided to collect the one thing that you can not buy on the secondary market later on. The real live show experience. Once the final bow is there it is too late to go to the show. No regrets. I do not miss all those newspapers, shirts, posters, vinly colors etc. The memories from the shows take no space in my house, just in my mind, great memories you can not buy for money anymore.

Now there speaks a guy with some perspective and sense...

....we might have known who that would be

I used to be 5, but nowadays I'm more 4.

When I became a Stones fan, I wanted to collect everything. Magazines, music, clothing, video's, bootleg, solo.. But after a while, I realised that most of this stuff was just gathering dust.

I got rid of all double/tripple copy's, boxes full of articles, VHS tapes and other non-music stuff. I still own all the original cassettes I bought in the late eighties when I was a kid, but I sold all of the CD and Vinyl singles. I never played them, and I don't regret it.

Nowadays I collect by the "Quality over quantity" rule. I bought the Deluxe CD + Bluray Dolby Atmos version of Hackney Diamonds and the Blood Records Zoetrope LP version. THat's it. No blue, green, purple or transparant versions for me anymore. I replaced my old CD's with the best possible version available, SACD, SHM or just remastered ones. Same goes for vinyl. I sold most of the old ones by the Stones in Mono box and the Half Speed mastered ones. What's the use of keeping inferiour copy's?

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Stoneage
What's the point collecting after the age of, say 50? At that age you have probably collected a lot of other stuff too. After a while you realize you may not have space for everything you have gathered and, maybe, no one to pass the collection on to. Then you have to start selling. Then you realize that most of the stuff you have collected is worth peanuts anyway.

Thats basically how I look at it. I'm 60. I'm married but I dont have kids. It dawned on me several years ago that no one will want this stuff and at my age I'm nearer being six feet under than anything else!

My best mate died 6 years ago and I was left with the task of taking care of his music collection. He was estranged from his son so there was no one else to take care of it and he'd given me the job in advance - even though we had similar musical tastes and a large part of his collection matched mine. However, he hoarded magazines, books, tapes and cds like there was no tomorrow and had no interest (despite my advice) on putting it all on hard drives

It was a bloody nightmare. Took me 6 weeks to clear out his house in time before his landlord rented it out again. I must have dumped hundreds of cassette tapes (because theres no use for them anymore and no resale value) and had to store his CDs, books, etc in dozens of boxes. I didnt have the room for them, so some had to go in the garage at my mums house and my inlaws. Took almost a year to index them and distribute some to close friends before I boxed up the rest and sold them off to second hand sites like Ziffit

Raised enough money to get him a headstone but thats a task I sure as hell wouldnt want anyone to have to do with my collection. Downsizing is the way to go in the 21st Century.

3

1 and a half

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Gazza
Thats basically how I look at it. I'm 60. I'm married but I dont have kids. It dawned on me several years ago that no one will want this stuff and at my age I'm nearer being six feet under than anything else!

My best mate died 6 years ago and I was left with the task of taking care of his music collection. He was estranged from his son so there was no one else to take care of it and he'd given me the job in advance - even though we had similar musical tastes and a large part of his collection matched mine. However, he hoarded magazines, books, tapes and cds like there was no tomorrow and had no interest (despite my advice) on putting it all on hard drives

It was a bloody nightmare. Took me 6 weeks to clear out his house in time before his landlord rented it out again. I must have dumped hundreds of cassette tapes (because theres no use for them anymore and no resale value) and had to store his CDs, books, etc in dozens of boxes. I didnt have the room for them, so some had to go in the garage at my mums house and my inlaws. Took almost a year to index them and distribute some to close friends before I boxed up the rest and sold them off to second hand sites like Ziffit

Raised enough money to get him a headstone but thats a task I sure as hell wouldnt want anyone to have to do with my collection. Downsizing is the way to go in the 21st Century.

Been saying this for over 10 years now. I'm also 60. Funny but I can see the butcher covers and the "promo albums" in the trash. Who would of thought. Anyhow, I enjoyed my time with them.

None of Your numbers
It''s all about passion !!!
It start with every classics on vinyl and cd and some hard to get
collectibles.
I agreed with some other comments too, I dont feel the need to get
30 versions of the latest releases, while I could be mad If I'm missing
one single (i.e I Wanna Be Your Man Decca 72024 France) to get a complete
collection.

HMN

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drewmaster
Calling all collectors on this site: Which species are you?

(1) I'm very casual. If I hear a Stones song I like, I might buy the CD.

(2) I collect every officially-released song of theirs (a "song" being defined as "it is part of Rene's Track Talk series"). I have one version of Miss You, for example, in my collection (on CD and/or MP3).

(3) I don't care about what is vs is not officially-released. I collect every song of theirs. Same as #2 but I also have oodles of bootlegged tracks that never saw official release.

(4) I collect every officially-released VERSION of every song of theirs (live tracks excluded). So I have every officially-released non-live version of Miss You, including all the officially-released remixes.

(5) I collect every officially-released VERSION of every song of theirs (live tracks included). So I have every officially-released live and non-live version of Miss You, including all the officially-released remixes.

(6) I collect every officially-released VERSION AND ISSUE of every song of theirs. So I have the Japanese and German CD-single issues of Mixed Emotions), even though it's the exact same track on both issues.

(7) Same as #6 but I also collect every officially-released piece-of-crap merchandise.

(8) I collect everything I can possibly get my hands on that has something to do with the Stones.

(P.S. For those of you who care, I pulled the example about the Japanese and German CD-single issues of Mixed Emotions out of my ass. I don't know it there were Japanese and German CD-single issues of Mixed Emotions nor do I care).

Drew

I am somewhere between 3 and 5. I collect every officially US released album. I collect anything live officially released in United States. I collect every compilation. I also have a lot of bootleg CDs. I collect as much memorabilia as I can afford without breaking the bank. I collect only on the Rolling Stones and their solo projects. I am still trying to complete my Rolling Stones Book Monthly collection. I need a Volume 3 in excellent condition if anyone can help me with this. I have been a Rolling Stones fan for 26 years. I have seen them 22 times.

Given those options, I would say I am closest to #8, BUT with one caveat - I have a limited income, so I get everything Stones-related that I can afford

If anyone is interested, I have an instagram page showing my collection

www.instagram.com/rollingstonescollector

There is a definite side to me that would dearly like to be one of those avid collectors, who hoovers-up, and consumes literally everything ‘Rolling Stones’ Reading here on Tell Me about fellow contributors and their vinyl collections, box-sets, 8 copies of Hackney Diamonds on pre-order, and so forth. Thing is: I don’t have the room, I don’t have the money, and, well, there is another part of me that feels it’s somewhat pointless. You can’t take it with you when you go, can you? I used to buy CD’s – and even had a small-ish vinyl collection – but I only use i-Tunes these days. One day, I’ll probably only stream my music. I’m sure I am alone here with these views.

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Big Al
There is a definite side to me that would dearly like to be one of those avid collectors, who hoovers-up, and consumes literally everything ‘Rolling Stones’ Reading here on Tell Me about fellow contributors and their vinyl collections, box-sets, 8 copies of Hackney Diamonds on pre-order, and so forth. Thing is: I don’t have the room, I don’t have the money, and, well, there is another part of me that feels it’s somewhat pointless. You can’t take it with you when you go, can you? I used to buy CD’s – and even had a small-ish vinyl collection – but I only use i-Tunes these days. One day, I’ll probably only stream my music. I’m sure I am alone here with these views.

You are not alone; I'm in the same boat. And yes, you can't take it with you!

Drew

Although I've made an effort to purchase whatever necessary in order to own all of their officially released tracks, I'm not a "collector" in that I felt no desire to own all of the color variants of the Some Girls cover, nor did I buy the album again when the revised cover art was issued.

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Honestman
None of Your numbers
It''s all about passion !!!
It start with every classics on vinyl and cd and some hard to get
collectibles.
I agreed with some other comments too, I dont feel the need to get
30 versions of the latest releases, while I could be mad If I'm missing
one single (i.e I Wanna Be Your Man Decca 72024 France) to get a complete
collection.

Yes, complete set or series is always a passion. I also become mad if one disc is missing. But this is more like 'post stamps' approach. Nothing to do with music .

It's a well timed thread. The Stones themselves, and all of us here on IORR move on in age. And at one point or another, you start reflecting on things. I have never seen Jagger so aware of their history. Charlie has moved on. And as a fan, I have noticed that the most valued parts of my Stones world are a few of the ancient books like the grey Dalton, or the green '75 tour book, the 78 boots. The back cover of the Ya-Yas album.
And that is because of deep memories around them. It's like BV said: what really stays with you, are the times you yourself were touched. And that is something you can take with you.
I have given almost all of my boots away. Boxes full; dumped on the counter of used record shops. The only one4s I kept are the ones that my friend Robert made for me.

* 1963...2005 Everything I found...( officialy or not )

* 2005...2023 Only the necessary... ("Hackneys diamonds" one CD)

I dont think I fall into any of the categories tbh.

I generally buy one official physical cd (and maybe one official vinyl) of every official release. This is for studio and live albums.

So no 5 vinyls/CDs of Hackney Diamonds for me. Prob one CD and one vinyl.

I have several copies of Sticky, Exile, Goats, Girls, Tattoo as they have been re-released several times, some with extra CDs or box-sets.

I also have several live bootlegs from multiple tours starting in the 70s. The days you discovered something at a record fair or market, and took them home to listen to, were incredible feelings. Digital has kinda killed that feeling.

If you'd asked me same question when I was say 19, and I had the money, I'd have bought everything possible.....

For the past 45 years, I've been an 8. It's been fun, but I can't leave this mess of stuff to my children to deal with when I'm gone.

Going forward, I am going to transition to a 3 by parting with my rambling collection, and focusing on only one thing. That will be newspaper reviews of Rolling Stones concerts from around the world, which is the biggest part of my collection. My family already knows exactly what to do with that when the time comes.

At a time when most people are getting rid of bulky items like papers, and digitizing only the things that they really care about, I'm foolishly going in the opposite direction! What's wrong with me?

If anyone wants to sell/swap their newspaper reviews, please let me know. I've got lots of bootlegs (vinyl & CD), posters, promo items, etc. to swap.

I guess I'm a hodgepodge of a few of your numbers. When I first started collecting, I wanted everything they'd ever officially released on CD only. I added some merchandise along the way - ice cube tray, pint glasses, assorted books, pocket watch (things I liked). Then when EOMS was re-released and they did the exclusive RSD 45" single, I wanted to have that for my collection. These re-releases saw me buying the Super Deluxe versions, plus the expanded 2CD edition for everyday listening purposes. With SF, that morphed to all versions. And then they wised up and started splitting the Super Deluxes into LP and non-LP versions, so that we had to spend more to get the complete set.

My main form of collecting is still the CD, but I do now also want to have an original copy of every studio album released, and I guess that would include the US/UK versions of those 3 albums that differ. Not sure I'd bother with every single 45", though I do realize I may not ever have all remixes of MY otherwise - are they not on the Singles Collection boxset? I've never listened to those sets TBH. I have become a collector of vinyl releases - mostly the newer ones, and primarily color. I am all about the color. LOL I will have to go back and grab black vinyl copies of TY and GHS re-releases, as in my mind those are each new, different releases from the originals, because they are now 2LP's. I just haven't got around to spending the money on them.

And I still collect assorted other things as well. The lenticular posters are awesome, and I have the 60th and am awaiting HD's arrival. I have the 50th anniversary boxset LP's of LIB, BB, and TSMR. Have the Stu book and the Gered Mankowitz book set from some years back, along with some books by members on this very board. Would like to get a complete bobblehead set - there are a few different ones, and I do have action figure like dolls of Mick and Keef from many moons ago as well. My T-shirt collection is also vast - over 30 - and I've picked out some that are for shows I never attended that I bought over the years to wear with some regularity, as I'd rather those get worn down than my actual tour shirts and/or my favorite T's. Have most of their video output - if it was released on DVD anyway.

Not really a collector of boots of any band. I did dabble some in this space when it came to Nirvana, but I've since sold off all of those boots, save for one (Feb. '94 Italy show). I would like to have boots of the actual Stones shows I've attended. I've only been able to locate 2 or 3 of the 13 shows, but have yet to order any of them, as they are a bit pricey, and I have saved those funds thus far for official releases. That being said, I do have the This Bird Has Flown Foxboro boot of the performance they did for Robert Kraft - their first without Charlie). And I will eventually obtain a copy of the boot of their last show in FL from 2019 - Charlie's last. Outside of that, I have no desire for boots, and is probably why I still haven't picked up the FFSO set, though at some point, I probably will add that as well.

At one point not that very long ago, Sticky was the album for which I had the most copies - vinyl and CD combined. That has now quite easily been eclipsed by HD, whose vinyl versions alone surpass my total of SF. That's a fact that seems almost bizarre to me, as I rank SF as THE quintessential Stones album. Mind you, I still think VL is far superior, but if I were introducing someone to The Stones who'd never heard anything of theirs, I would hand them SF, as it encapsulates everything that is the very essence of the band soundwise, stylewise, swagger wise. And if I had to pick just one song out of their entire catalog to introduce someone to, it would be JJF hands down.

Got a little off track here, but I hope this sheds some light on the madness with which I go about collecting music and assorted other items from this magnificent band that we all follow, and who continue - to this very day - to bring us unending heaps of joy and happiness!! We are less than 16 hours away from the release day now!!!!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-19 23:04 by VoodooLounge13.

So I finally got my record bookcase, and am slowly starting to unpack all of my Stones vinyl and limited other releases (mostly from that other band, who used to be my favorite until I saw the Stones live). Question for collectors - do you keep your collection in release order of just the Stones, or do any of you incorporate the solo stuff as well, such that when you or anyone looks at the vinyl, one can see the entire album/12" history of the band and its members? I was going to do it Stones, followed alphabetically by solo, same as I keep my CDs, but the thought of trying to put it an umbrella order, if you will, across them all, was a curious notion that hit me. That would make for one daunting task for sure - cross referencing what came out when across all their discographies. Just with the Stones it's going to be a long project, and I don't even have any originals, other than B&B and Big Hits.

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VoodooLounge13
So I finally got my record bookcase, and am slowly starting to unpack all of my Stones vinyl and limited other releases (mostly from that other band, who used to be my favorite until I saw the Stones live). Question for collectors - do you keep your collection in release order of just the Stones, or do any of you incorporate the solo stuff as well, such that when you or anyone looks at the vinyl, one can see the entire album/12" history of the band and its members? I was going to do it Stones, followed alphabetically by solo, same as I keep my CDs, but the thought of trying to put it an umbrella order, if you will, across them all, was a curious notion that hit me. That would make for one daunting task for sure - cross referencing what came out when across all their discographies. Just with the Stones it's going to be a long project, and I don't even have any originals, other than B&B and Big Hits.

Question for you...have you catalogued your collection on discogs.com? This is virtually a must, if just for insurance purposes. I'll admit with a big collection it's sometimes hard to recall which esoteric versions of albums I've picked up over the years.

That and it will give you a market estimate value of your collection updated every day. In the longer run you may even decide to lighten your collection so it's helpful from that point.

But on to your question. I separate the solo stones releases into their own groups, and then by date order, earliest to latest, left to right.

For the stones themselves I have a section that is all original releases that are opened, again early to now. I then do the same thing for lps that I have in a "still sealed" condition. Box sets are another matter, and again in their own section.

For all other music, I have LPs in alphabetical order by band, and then within the band section by release date. Same with CDs.

That works for me!

PS, 45s, because of their fragility I keep in well-packed boxes. I even separate the 45 from the cover to keep from scuffing the vinyl and label, and from damaging the picture sleeve where they exist.

Everything gets the exterior PVC sleeve treatment, and all albums I've swapped with a poly-lined paper sleeve.

I'm fastidious!