Who Knew? UK Crematorium to Turn Ashes into Vinyl Records: A Grief-Stricken Innovation
Memorial Vinyls for Your Loved Ones: Turning Ashes into Music
The Unprecedented Idea of Turning Ashes into Vinyl Records
Dealing with the loss of a loved one is undoubtedly a challenging and emotional experience. While there are various ways to honor their memories, the Wessex Vale Crematorium in Southampton has come up with a truly unique offering. They now provide an option to turn the cremated ashes of the departed into vinyl records, which can be played as a tangible, audible reminder of their presence.
Incinerated Remains into Musical Keepsakes
At Wessex Vale Crematorium, families can choose to have the ashes of their loved ones pressed into a seven or 12-inch vinyl record. This innovative concept allows the bereaved to experience the joy of playing their cherished one’s favorite tunes and hearing the comforting sound of their voice whenever they wish.
Audio Recordings and Memorial Vinyls
This remarkable service also extends to incorporating audio recordings from the deceased directly onto the vinyl. This means that not only can the record hold the cremated remains but also a special message, conversations, or snippets of beloved songs. Though an innovative and comforting concept, it comes at a price, costing £1,490 for a single record.
Wessex Vale Crematorium’s manager, Lisa Johnson, shares that the tangible outcome is an actual playable vinyl record, containing approximately 18 minutes of audio on each side, along with a small quantity of the ashes. She adds, “Many people choose to include recordings of special occasions or conversations with their loved ones.”
The Unique Pressing Process
This creative procedure is made possible through a collaboration with Yorkshire-based record label, Vinyly. With their specialized process, they can add a small amount of a loved one’s ashes into real vinyl records, creating a unique and personal audio-visual memento.
Jason Leach, the owner of Vinyly, explains, “We have developed a unique additional process that enables us to press a small amount of a loved one’s ashes into real vinyl records, creating an audio-visual memento. The first step is the collation of the content – this can be collaborative and is often a cathartic experience, with friends and family contributing photographs and words, voicemails, answerphone messages, and recordings of special times.”