For the Record

Across the world, vinyl record sales and collections are at an all-time high. But an unusual vinyl collector in Kochi is redefining what a ‘record store’ means in India’s fast-growing analogue landscape. JD’s Jukebox started when Sujit catalogued all the records in his collection and started posting reviews online. Today, he has around 6,000 personal records. The music aficionado felt he needed only 1,000 records. He wanted the rest to reach people who would actually listen to the music. Sujit runs the space out of his 40-year-old-plus house. “Music for me began in that house.” He is bewitched by nostalgia. “I was born into records. At that time, there was only the radio and records.”

Anand Mahindra, Chairman of Mahindra Group, who visited JD’s Jukebox during a leadership conference, says, “Sujit built this sanctuary to honour his late mother’s love for music. Now, it’s a haven for vinyl lovers and local performers… salute to those who pursue their passion, no matter how off-beat!”

Digging Culture

He has sold a record by Avial, an alternative-rock band from Kerala, close to 23 times! He reveals that The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd has more than 800 available versions on vinyl. Sujit’s collection was built across countries, dug out of collectors’ homes. He recounts a visit to Sri Lanka, where he visited eight houses. “These houses, some don't have rooms. They’re so poor. But they have records.”

People called him a trash collector. When audio cassettes and CDs came out, vinyl records were treated like junk. Sujit would go around collecting them. Some people would ask him to take the entire collection and go.

Mother’s Mixtape

Sujit credits his mother for his eclectic taste in music. She was a Carnatic singer. “When I used to come from school, she would be in the middle of a Carnatic class. Once the Guru left, before going into the kitchen and cooking for me, she’d play this mixtape,” he says. That tape was a study of multiple genres. One song Tamil, one Malayalam, one Pink Floyd, one Elvis Presley, one Classical.

The Art of Listening

Sujit is wary of vinyl record hoarders. “People buy art and store it in warehouses. It’s not even put on display for anyone. You can’t control things which are not in your hands.” Worse, they don’t even play and listen to the records. He once hosted a Taylor Swift listening party at his space. Fifteen people came. Nine had Taylor Swift on vinyl. Fifteen did not have a player. For those who want to start but can’t afford an expensive player, his advice is simple. “Can you afford Rs 5,000 That’s the minimum for an analogue player.”

Many people think ‘JD’s Jukebox’ is named after his favourite tipple. “But J is my mother’s initial. D is my daughter’s. And the S is for my wife and niece. It’s all the women in my life, past and present,” he says.

Over the years, JD’s Jukebox has become a mecca for vinyl record lovers. The space hosts listening sessions, live music and other community events. It was part of the Kochi Biennale. Sujit organised a listening session around synesthesia, the condition where music produces colours and patterns for some people. Sujit could make a fortune if he ever sold his vinyl collection, but that will never happen. “I cannot put a price on a record that I had to walk 3-4 hours to find. There’s no price for blood, sweat and tears.” Sharing the joy of music is priceless!