Photo: Eddy Brière
When I was younger, I had no definite plan to start collecting, but more an idea to get all the music Jean-Michel Jarre had released. It started small and by chance I first got Concerts in China in 1985. In 1986 I bought Zoolook, which had been released two years earlier. Oxygene and Rendez-Vous quickly followed. It was record stores and physical releases that mattered, digital releases we did not know about at the time. Through the magazine Record Collector, I quickly found out that there were many singles available. These were interesting because of the format and I have always been fascinated by the small record covers of the singles.
Collecting records by Jean-Michel Jarre can fit most budgets. You can find nice used records for a reasonable price, but other rarer releases cost more. Unfortunately, there are always some who buy rare editions to resell at a good profit, which can make it harder for enthusiasts to collect. The later editions of Radiophonie vol. 9 and vol. 10 are good examples of this.
I always liked to watch the collection grow. Much of the joy is also seeing the value rise and comparing prices. It also gives a pleasure to share the interest with others and see what other fans have in their collection. Fortunately, there are examples where collectors help each other out and obtain rare releases to resell at retail price. I have experienced this several times. See my tips on where to find your Jean-Michel Jarre records below. Happy collecting!
LATEST ADDITION TO MY COLLECTION
SOURCES TO FIND
JARRE RECORDS
Where do you find your records and what should you look for? What is expensive and what is affordable? A lot depends on how rare the edition is and in what condition it is in. To find out how to grade your records you can read Discogs' guide to grading.
Here is an overview of where I frequently find and buy my records.
Discogs
Post your own collection, your want list, see other people's collections and a large selection for sale. Often overpriced but you may be lucky. It's a large database, and the best; you can register for free.
Here is a link to my Discogs profile
eBay
Familiar to most people. A profile allows you to watch items and be reminded of the time left of an auction. Both new and used items, auction and fixed prices. Create an alert and eBay will email you if something specific you are looking for becomes available
Record fairs
Attending record fairs is a fun experience. You will always find people with the same interest, collecting records. Record fairs are held all around the world. You must look for local events where you live, but here is a short list of selected sites:
- https://sites.google.com/site/recordfairsuk
- http://www.irishrecordfairs.com/
- https://www.allgoodcleanrecords.com/record-fairs/
- http://www.platemesser.info/
- https://www.recordplanet.nl/en/platenbeurzen.html
Facebook groups
Use Facebook to find fan pages and fan groups. The community is growing but there is still room for more fans and collectors. Users often share their collection with other members.
COLLECTABLES
These items are sought after by collectors and are hard to find. They are available (except Music for Supermarkets) but they are often highly priced.
Music for Supermarkets
The rarest of rare records.
Only one copy exist of this LP.
La Cage / Erosmachine
Jarre's first single. Produced in 1969 but released in 1971. Only 117 copies suppose to exist.
Interior Music
Promo for Bang & Olufsen. Limited to 1000 copies.
Oxygene 7-13 vinyl LP
Original 1997 edition is a rare collectors item. Some say it is limited to 300 copies.
WANTED
Here are some of the items I am still looking for. Please contact me if you want to sell or trade.
