What to Do With Ashes: Vinyl Records

Choosing cremation opens a wide variety of opportunities to be remembered in a unique way. Some prefer to purchase an urn that reflects their personality, or to specify a place to be scattered in their cremation plan.

Those who prefer a less traditional memorial can choose to have their voice echo through the ages by having their ashes pressed into a vinyl record.

And Vinyly is a United Kingdom-based company that provides planning services for people who choose to immortalize themselves through music, voice, or other sounds. (Please note that the And Vinyly website takes a rather light-hearted approach to the subject of death. Neptune Society strives to ensure all individuals' final wishes are carried out with the utmost dignity and respect.) Loved ones can receive a vinyl record containing the ashes of the deceased and a 24-minute recording of the planner's choosing.

Pet ashes can be used as well, allowing pet owners to remember their beloved companions in a whole new way. The starting price is £3,000 (or $4,350 at the current exchange rate) for the basic service and 30 record copies with the option to buy extra services.

Those planning to use the service can request whatever sounds or music they want to include in their record, but using copyrighted material is discouraged. Voice recordings are a popular choice for those who wish to create a message for their loved ones. Musicians can also provide a recording of an original piece to continue with the music theme.

Some even choose to not include a recording at all and to simply listen to the crackling and popping of the bumps created by the ashes—a "new voice" for the deceased.

And Vinyly also provides prerecorded music and sounds to include on the record for an added fee. The tracks vary from classical to electronica and have a variety of lengths and themes. They can even contact a band to help create an original piece of music specifically designed with the deceased in mind.

For those who want to add a visual element to their record, And Vinyly can provide a portrait artist who can create a portrait of the deceased on canvas using paint mixed with the remaining ashes after creating the records. Copies of the portrait can be printed on the record covers, and the portrait can be made from a photo or after a one hour sitting if preplanning.

Small portions of ashes can be used to appeal to those who wish for a traditional burial. Some part of the deceased would still have to be cremated, however. And Vinyly can also help organize and plan funerals, allowing people to record speeches and messages on their custom record to be played at the funeral.

This article is part of our "What To Do With Cremation Ashes" series in which we intend to highlight the lesser known memorialization options available to families who choose cremation. For more articles in this series, please see our article archive.

The Neptune Society is the nation's oldest and largest provider of affordable cremation services. Whether you have an immediate need or want to plan cremation services in advance, we are always available to assist you and your family.

Call 1-800-NEPTUNE (800-637-8863) today or contact us online to learn more.