On Vinyl

by Lorenz Peter

Living in Toronto has its challenges, especially when duct tape-wielding landlords and ever-encroaching developers are involved. For Lenny, the antidote to the chaos at home is the realization of a dream: opening a used record store with a carefully curated selection. He works hard, sneaking bites of cold noodles between customers, and politely tolerating even the most ridiculous requests.

Unfortunately, Lenny’s store isn’t much more stable than his home life. Rent is sky-high, and sales are sporadic. Some days, he’s run off his feet while other days, smashing unwanted records is the only way to pass the time.

Hope arrives in the form of an old press release tucked away in the sleeve of a record. The discovery launches Lenny into his next quest: to track down the long-lost record collection of Hot Walter, an elusive and aging disco DJ. But will it be enough to save Lenny’s Vinyl Boutique?

On Vinyl is a love letter to vinyl and an exploration of the role nostalgia plays in the decisions we make.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Music

80 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quirky look at one man's obsession with Vinyl records.

Told by a mildly annoying character who seems to fit into all the cliches about record store owners

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been a record collector for 30+ years and I truly loved this book from cover to cover. My favourite music is punk/ hardcore but I could relate to the obsessive nature of the hobby. I’ve sought out new sounds, new ideas and artists that pushed boundaries. All of my apartments over the years have been filled with vinyl and I have many fond memories of digging through the crates at stores. Congratulations Lorenz. You’ve created a nice piece of autobiography styled comics that was a pleasure to read. Also, nice supporting quotes from Seth and Chester Brown on the back cover which are entirely appropriate considering this book is in the spirit of the Toronto Three ( Seth, Brown, and Joe Matt) also from Toronto.

[Kevin Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never been so confused by people's reviews vs their ratings on this platform as I am for this book.

"I truly loved this book from cover to cover" 4-stars

"I liked On Vinyl very much. It helps that I know Lorenz and frequented his record shop regularly " 4-stars

"A light and entertaining graphic novel ... I have found and listened to some of the obscure electronica in this book." 3-stars

"Lovingly-told, often-hilarious & quirkily-surreal" 3-stars

"melancholic and wistful in nature" 3-stars (this one, I will conceed, is exactly what I look for but maybe not what everyone wants)

If you want a poignant story that will make you feel sentimental and might even introduce you to new music, then this is a 5-star book for you.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

On Vinyl is a slight (but amusing) journey through the vinyl LP revival of the early twenty-first century. The story occasionally expands into the realms of dream and drug-influenced states of being, but these are mostly an excuse for Lorenz Peter to add some flavor to his rather basic central story. While it's a fun read, On Vinyl doesn't really dig deep or move beyond the obvious, so it's definitely non-required reading!

[Karen JEC · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one felt a little melancholic and wistful in nature -- a bit like we're supposed to remember to do something throughout the book but it's a little out of reach or we keep putting it off. Nice graphics and plot movement. Enjoyable to read.

Favourite Quotes:

"Garage sales are for the true collectors. Record stores are for the uninitiated."

[mack 🌞🦋🪩 · Rating 4 out of 5]

a little graphic novel to cure my reading block!
i picked this up randomly at a used record store and i really enjoyed it. it was very funny and i loved the art in it. a lot of the moments were really goofy and relatable and i would read again! maybe ill start getting into some more graphic novels....

[Sal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovingly-told, often-hilarious & quirkily-surreal story of a tiny second-hand vinyl store operator (who used to run LP's LPs on Ossington) in Toronto in the late 2000s-early 2010s. More fiction than memoir, and all the better for it.

[David Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked Lorenz Peter’s graphic novel On Vinyl very much. It helps that I know Lorenz and frequented his record shop regularly while it was around. It was on a barren patch of Dundas Street West, without a ton of foot traffic, so I could easily envision Lorenz spending many a lonely Tuesday (or Wednesday or Thursday) afternoon eating his noodles wondering where his next record sale was going to come from. I liked his shop and did my best to support it. I made the mistake of selling him my collection of 1980s alternative classics for what I realized later was probably the wrong price. Despite this auspicious beginning, I eventually became a reliable customer; he always seemed to be able to find obscure electronica from the 1970, which tickled my fancy. While I often did not recognize the names of the bands he proffered, I enjoyed discovering new artists and genres of music, and I grew to trust his taste. But the economics of the record business are clearly not favourable - you need to sell an awful lot of $20 lps each month to pay the rent in this neighbourhood. So while I was sad to see him shut down, it’s pretty clear from the book, that despite his best intentions, he will struggle to move on - record dealing is obviously in his blood (an addiction?). While this may be good for the rest of us, it’s probably not so good for him, his girl friend and their standard of living. I sincerely hope he is able to find a way to pay his bills while maintaining his passion for vinyl and graphic novels.

[Sheltondeverell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light and entertaining graphic novel/ indie comic for me, being about my home city and music gave it a double advantage in my eyes. I love the idea of finding a “holy grail” record, or a treasure trove of vinyl in an abandoned record pressing plant, and I definitely have to sympathize with the nostalgic hero.
I have found and listened to some of the obscure electronica in this book.

[lara phillips · Rating 2 out of 5]

not as amusing as I hoped it would be

[Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A romp through TO's second hand vinyl scene. (spoiler alert... things got dark)