Collectors

[Grazza215]

I was curious, are you, or do you think there are many serious collectors of Sarah's music.

I know a lot of people adore her music - but I wondered about people's collections.

I've been building a steady collection now and am down to the really tricky few items to find (a fair few promo cds etc)

I finally managed to get a mint condition Touch Canadian CD recently which i was really pleased about.

Do you guys love the collecting side?

G.

[Karine]

I collect pictures, and songs, but I don't have a big "physical" collection. No rare albums, magazines, etc.

[Quincy]

I was curious, are you, or do you think there are many serious collectors of Sarah's music.

I know a lot of people adore her music - but I wondered about people's collections.

I've been building a steady collection now and am down to the really tricky few items to find (a fair few promo cds etc)

I finally managed to get a mint condition Touch Canadian CD recently which i was really pleased about.

Do you guys love the collecting side?

G.

Hi Grazza,

Would you say you're a collector, or, a completeist?
In other words, are you collecting Sarah's music for the pleasure of listening to her music, in differing forms, or, a completeist where you collect items because it's there to collect??

Strange question I know, but many many years ago I did a short Psychology course and this was my end of year assignment? I'm just interested in seeing how you view this topic.
If you feel offended with this question, then please accept my apologies, it's not intended to offend. I'm just curious.

Quincy

[Grazza215]

Hi Quincy,

I'm not offended at all - its a fascinating question. I would say that I used to be a "completest" and that I wanted to have everything - and have sold other artist collections since because it became less important to me.

But for Sarah, I would say I am a now a collector - in the sense that for me its about the music itself, and not the variations she releases.

I have loved discovering her music at her 4th album and finding out about all her early work, and the different mixes and edits and then live versions.

I love hearing a different drum line here, or a synth line there, or the guitar played differently on songs. For me, I can here the same song, done similar but not exact and get a whole new layer of the song opening up to me.

So maybe in one way - I am a completest for the music - but not the physical items themselves,

(Back in the day I would have wanted to collect every 7" of Vox I could find if it had a slightly different sleeve)

I'm really glad you asked me

Would you say I am a completest or a collector ?

Graham

[Miguel]

Hi Graham!

I've been collecting Sarah McL items for about 13 years now. Mostly CDs and DVDs of course. I do have some review clippings, posters, cover magazines, tourbooks and similar memorabilia. I wouldn't say I'm a "completist" as I don't collect items that just have one song of hers in it (unless it's a live cut from a radio station or random studio session), but I do collect promos and singles for the extra material that you can't find on main albums or just for the artwork! Ever since Laws of Illusion, there has been a decline of these kinds of releases because of the shift to digital music

There's a link in my signature with scans of my collection if you want to have a look (they're in the subalbums, I've organized by "eras"/albums)

[Islandflyer]

Hi Graham!

I've been collecting Sarah McL items for about 13 years now. Mostly CDs and DVDs of course. I do have some review clippings, posters, cover magazines, tourbooks and similar memorabilia. I wouldn't say I'm a "completist" as I don't collect items that just have one song of hers in it (unless it's a live cut from a radio station or random studio session), but I do collect promos and singles for the extra material that you can't find on main albums or just for the artwork! Ever since Laws of Illusion, there has been a decline of these kinds of releases because of the shift to digital music

There's a link in my signature with scans of my collection if you want to have a look (they're in the subalbums, I've organized by "eras"/albums)

Guys,

I'm not sure what sort of collector I am, either, but I guess just a nerd.

I like to find the rare bootleg CDs, like Pressed Up Against the Glass and Hi in the Middle and oddball stuff like concert booklets and the occasional magazine article from Rolling Stone, as well as the usual albums. I didn't get into the singles, having started on this so late, but I like to get the various uploads such as Ellen has scads of (you're the best, Ellen! )



I have a vinyl copy of the Touch album that I bought specifically for the artwork, which is another area of collecting. I'm interested in getting a copy of the "black" Touch album, with only 8 songs and the black and white cover picture. Is that the one you have, Graham? Does it have the artwork, also?



Of course, I have no chance of collecting hugs from Sarah like you did, Miguel! Now that's a collection!

I recently bought Mirrorball, "The Complete Concert", as if I didn't already have enough of those recordings. It has better sound than the DVD, it seems, and the interesting tidbits of "Sarahspeak" throughout the show, as well.

There is plenty out there, still, with eBay and other sites.

[Quincy]

Hi Graham!

... I do collect promos and singles for the extra material that you can't find on main albums or just for the artwork!
There's a link in my signature with scans of my collection if you want to have a look (they're in the subalbums, I've organized by "eras"/albums)

Funny you mention collecting album covers. My friend, who sadly died a few months ago in Vancouver, collected album covers. He apparently had "several thousand" which he had collected over the last 40+ years. Alas, they have all been dumped, which is a shame. That was one man's life work!! However, When we were apprentices in Leeds, we both spent time in the toolroom of our engineering company. Along one wall was the rear of the stores and all you could see was this 50-60 ft long by 20 ft steel wall. We thought it would be "nice" to cover it with singles and LP album covers. Everybody contributed: in the end and we finished up with several hundred sleeves on that wall, completely filling it. The first album cover on that wall was The Beatles, White album. I'm sure I've got a photo somewhere, so I'm going to dig it out.
Secondly. Nice collection Miguel. I guess you have amassed quiet a collection over the years.
Thanks for that showing.
Q

[Grazza215]

Hi Miguel,

Wow - awesome collection you have there - a fair few oddities that I have yet to get.

The good thing with Sarah being out of fashion at the moment - its quite cheap to collect those older things that I haven got yet.

Are you hunting for anything specific these days?

Graham

[Miguel]

Hi Graham,

yes, some of those oddities you spotted you can probably get for quite cheap now! Like the U.S. 4 track promo of Into the Fire. It's just a CD with no artwork. I got that one for over $50. Now you can probably get for under $20

The last rarity I remember acquiring over the past year was a compilation CD featuring a live performance of "O Little Town of Bethlehem", when Sarah performed for the pope in 1994.

Right now, I'm looking for a 2-track promo CD released by Nettwerk when Afterglow Live came out. It has Push and Hold On from that release. Really want it just for the cover and its rarity. https://www.discogs.com/Sarah-McLachlan ... se/5861701 . Also looking for the Austrian edition of 1988 Touch (black and white original cover).

it took years and heavy competition from other collectors, so it wasn't easy to acquire all that I own now! I'm so proud of my collection that I keep most of my treasured/important ones on my desk. Looking back, some CDs were worth their price because I've seen them once and never again!

I do have some regrets with my collection. I actually had 2 sealed Longbox (who remembers those??!!) versions of Touch and Solace. Pretty much lost their value, if they had any, until I opened them (curiosity got the best of me). Of course, I did keep the boxes.

Quincy, if I were still in grade school and had a show&tell to present, my Sarah collection would be it. I would gladly present every single item

[Grazza215]

Hey,

Its amazing all these oddities that you keep finding over time. I managed to get the Afterglow Live Push promo CD although you have plenty I don't.

I was lucky enough to find a 2 track remix CD of the Boilerhouse Mix of Sweet Surrender with an unreleased mix on. Never seen it anywhere before. I also got the touch original - paid a fair whack for it too - but it was the want that I HAD to get.

Discogs has provided me with a lot of the gaps - but I wish I could take out all the mixes of silence - as my life would be a lot easier lol.

Its the live tracks that seem to be more elusive when they appear on compilations.

Longboxes- I remember them, had some by other artists - none by Sarah (they get damaged really quickly don't they!)

I haven't really started on vinyl (yet) as I'm not sure I can cope with that as well! I just love my cd's!!

for me, the item I want now is the Into The fire Acoustic version on The Difference Radio Show CD, cant find it listed anywhere but here at Solaced.