Home Grown: A simple, minimal collection in Norway

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 social@thevinylfactory.com.

Name: Lars Thomsen

Location: Oslo, Norway

Size of collection (approx.): 220

How long have you been collecting for?

Since the summer of 2014. We were cleaning out my mother in law´s shed and found my wife late fathers record collection. It was something about that music nostalgia.

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

My first and only record player, a Denon DP-297, was exactly what I needed to get started. I didn´t know anything about the vinyl business at the time. I know I will get a upgrade in the near future, but it has a special ring to it and means a lot to me. In a world full of things I like to keep it simple.

What record(s) are you most proud of?

My Keaton Henson collection is dear to me. If there is one artist I try to pick up everything from it’s him. If not Keaton I have to go with two separate records.

The first one is my copy of I Am Kloot – Sky At Night. One of my all time favorite albums. And the second is my record of Vancouver Sleep Clinic – Winter. Crazy story told short, I couldn´t get a copy so I sent a personal message to them on Facebook which they responded to by sending me a copy for free. So a big shout out to Vancouver Sleep Clinic for that.

What does your record collection mean to you?

My record collection is my personal and eclectic taste in music. I decided when I started to keep it simple, but exlusive. Music is subjective and I think it is an incredible achievement to make a great album in a whole.

There is something about taking the time. The time to put on a record and listen to it, really listen. In the world we live in now our attention span lasts a very short amount of time. But with records you make time. There is something luxurious about it.