For a lot of record collectors music is at the heart of life and also relationships.
So it was for many shoppers at the long-running Bendigo Record Fair on Sunday.
Josh Cordtz and his partner recently revived their passion when they travelled to California for Power Trip, a festival where they saw Iron Maiden, Judith Priest, Metallica and Tool, among others.
"It was that rebirth of love and music again," Cordtz said.
"We just came back and went, 'This is what we live for!'."
The metal fan paid $250 on Sunday for a disc he won't listen to.
The limited edition Japanese release of Guns 'N Roses' 1987 Appetite of Destruction has non-standard songs and a mistake on the sleeve.
"You don't even have to open it," he said.
"You just look at it and use Spotify to listen."
Last year Cordtz spent $800 at the Bendigo fair.
Venus Ennor had brought partner Jake Fell along to the All Seasons Hotel as "a kind of surprise".
Spotify 'blend test'
The couple had done a Spotify "blend test" and found they were 85 per cent compatible so it looked like they would enjoy browsing albums together.
"I also came to see the people," Ennor said.
"There's always a really nice vibe here."
Friends Chelsea Tobin and Tara Cooper hadn't let divergent tastes spoil their mutual love of the vinyl.
While Tobin was seeking Smashing Pumpkins, Cooper was pursuing Taylor Swift and Melanie Martinez.
"She got me into it," Cooper says. "Then I got my whole family involved."
As she browsed, she had been sending album cover pics to her father, she said.
"Dad, growing up, loved music so he's got back into it.
"He really likes Pink Floyd."
Music is a family affair
For Tim, Ed and Hadley Murphy, who just got a record player, music was also a family matter.
Ed was after Hilltop Hoods, Hadley wanted pop and Tim was looking for some classics.
Fleetwood Mac fans Karen Wommarans and Chris Pittaway found an early Japanese press of Rumours and a copy of Mirage, with their favourite of the band's songs, Gypsy, on it.
While numbers were "a bit down" at the November 19 event, given other events taking place, Black Saturday sales approaching and the glorious weather on Sunday, that wasn't too surprising, organiser Peter Pascoe said.
Those who did come were spending, he said.
A constant stream of people had come throughout the day to browse 26 tables of discs staffed by 15 traders from around the state - and Sydney - featuring everything from rock and country to electronica.
