Graham Sharpe, a Harrow resident and lifelong vinyl enthusiast, has recently published his latest book, On The Record(s), exploring the world of vinyl record collecting.
Graham, who grew up in Wealdstone and attended Harrow County school, has a deep-rooted connection to the area. He began his career as a journalist at Weekly Post Newspapers and later worked with William Hill, where he eventually became Media Relations Director.
“I am pretty much born (Edgware) and bred (Wealdstone) in Harrow,” Graham shared. “I left school in 1968 and began working as a rookie reporter at Weekly Post Newspapers, based in Ickenham. We had about ten editions locally—Harrow, Ruislip, Wembley, Ealing, etc. Married Sheila in 1974 (still together despite her regular complaints that either I or the vinyl (preferably both) should leave to free up space in the house!), and we set up home in Headstone, before moving to Harrow Weald, then Hatch End, where we live now.”
Graham’s passion for vinyl started in the 1960s, influenced by local shops such as Jamming With Edward in Harrow Town Centre, Sellanby in South Harrow, and Carnes in Wealdstone. He recalls, “I still have records with both of their stickers on.” His early love for vinyl even translated into his work as he created betting markets on whether specific records would top the charts while at William Hill, particularly focusing on the Christmas Number One each year.
Vinyl has remained a constant in Graham’s life. “Vinyl was always my preferred format as it is now, albeit CDs—which in their heyday threatened to doom vinyl to oblivion—are now so cheap, particularly in charity shops, that I have also acquired a considerable number of them,” he explained.
For him, the resurgence of vinyl is no surprise. “The tactile, visual, and aural superiority of vinyl over CD eventually saw a large percentage of serious collectors return to vinyl, even if they also bought CDs.”
While Harrow no longer has a dedicated record shop, Graham notes that local vinyl enthusiasts don’t have to travel far to find hidden gems. “Residents do not have far to travel to find ‘Second Scene’ in Bushey, ‘Sounds of the Suburbs’ in Ruislip Manor, ‘Vinyl Cafe’ in Watford, and even ‘Estamira’ jewellers in Northwood, which also offers an extensive selection of vinyl gems for sale!”
In On The Record(s), Graham delves into what drives collectors like himself. “I felt that very few books had ever been written about what motivates and drives vinyl collectors, and my publisher, Oldcastle, suggested that if I wrote one, they would not be averse to publishing it—so, my first on the subject was Vinyl Countdown in 2019, which did very well and has resulted in the current follow-up, On The Record(s).”
Graham’s collection spans thousands of LPs and hundreds of singles, including some rare records that have become highly sought after over time. “Over the years, I have acquired records which have since become valuable—usually because of their initial obscurity, which meant they sold very few copies but have since become cult collectors’ items. For example, you may not have ever heard of groups such as Arcadium, Ghost, or Bakerloo—but it would now cost you the best part of £1,000, or more, to own original copies of these sixties’ rarities.”
Among his prized possessions is the first record he ever bought in 1962, Duane Eddy’s ‘(Dance With The) Guitar Man.’ “Although my copy…is now worth about £2—as the first record in my collection, I regard it as priceless and wouldn’t dream of parting with it,” Graham emphasized. He also holds a special attachment to ‘Hang On Sloopy’ by The McCoys. “Perhaps the other most emotionally important record in my collection of a couple of thousand LPs and several hundred singles is ‘Hang On Sloopy,’ a top ten hit by The McCoys in 1965, as a result of which I ended up running the American group’s (short-lived) British fan club—which had, I think, 56 members at its peak!”
Looking ahead, Graham has more writing projects on his mind. “I hope very much to write another vinyl-based book in the not-too-distant future, but before that, I have a ‘betting autobiography’ about my working life at William Hill to start writing.”
On The Record(s) is available from most bookshops and online retailers like Amazon and eBay. Graham’s book offers a unique glimpse into the life of a vinyl collector and the stories behind the records that have defined his lifelong passion.
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
Harrow Online reaches hundreds of thousands of readers each month and has a social media audience of more than 200,000 followers.
For news tips, press releases or enquiries, contact Chris at info@harrowonline.org.
