Think of the first time you tried to collect something. Think of how proud you were when you earned new things to contribute to that collection. Think of how proud you were to see the collection grow. Think of how heartwarming it was to have such a constantly improving hobby to attend to, whether it was for the short or the long term. Ryan Haun, a long-time collector of vinyl records, was lucky enough to begin experiencing that same sense of satisfaction at an incredibly young age.
Haun’s older brother, Eric, was essentially the match that ignited his fiery passion for music. Eric has always had his own collection of records, and regularly brought Haun to record shops and thrift stores to pick up some more when he was young.
One day, Haun and his brother found a remarkable deal: a crate, overflowing with records, at no more than a dollar per piece. There was one specific album, Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.", that caught Haun’s attention. It was in seemingly perfect condition, and Haun already knew and loved that album from listening to it with Eric. That was the day that Haun began his hobby -- for just one dollar.
Ever since that day at the thrift store, Haun has had both an intimate relationship with music and a passionate strive to expand his collection. Now, he has over 200 vinyls, and several speakers hooked up to his modern record player from which he can chose to listen from.
When asked about his preference when it came to deciding a means of listening to music, Haun said that he does prefer his records over all else. Despite this, he finds convenience in listening to music digitally for traveling purposes, such as while walking around campus or going for a run.
“Because I have really nice speakers in my room, it definitely sounds better to crank up the volume of my record player,” he said in opposition to using an iPod or another MP3-supporting device more consistently.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, The Strokes, and The Ramones are Haun’s top five favorite artists currently. He said this prompt is always the hardest for him, as that list is always changing; he almost always has a new answer. There is at least one record for each of these artists’ albums in Haun’s collection, amongst plenty of others, including Neil Young, The Killers, Jack White, and Vampire Weekend.
Haun’s choice of music genres when listening to his records pertain to a wide range, and are mainly dependent on how he feels: “There is a different band for every mood I am in. Whether I’m happy, sad, angry, tired, or trying to get pumped up, I always have something to listen to.” He particularly enjoys rock music the most, ranging from punk rock to indie rock; but he adds some folk and alternative into the mix occasionally.
It isn’t just the music on the records that attracts Haun to the vinyls he’s collected, and to those which he has yet to collect. He mentioned that within each record, there is often a hard copy of notes about the artist and when that particular album was recorded. There are usually lyric sheets, too, so that one can focus on not just the melody of the music, but the words that go with it.
“Finding a gem of an album is the best feeling,” Haun said. “There are so many interesting characters in the world of music, and I love learning and discovering new facts or stories about them.”
Haun thinks of his time listening to his vinyls as a rejuvenating escape from reality. He draws great inspiration from his music, and having a hard copy of some of his favorite albums creates a satisfaction he truly can’t describe.
Listening to records is how he, someone who is often an outcast, is able to feel more unified with the large majority of people around him. “Everybody likes music,” he said, “but who doesn’t love a dance party filled with people who can’t dance?”
