What is your earliest memory of hearing a record?
The earliest memory I have of hearing a song was “Eleanor Rigby” on a portable radio that my dad used to carry around when doing carpentry work. Of course, I didn’t know that it was the Beatles or any information about the song, but the melody, which I thought was spooky then, and still think is creepy, really stuck with me. The truth is, I don’t even like the song for some reason. I specifically remember hearing that song when I was about three or four while sitting in the grass and watching my dad build a barn. It’s weird how some things stick with you.

Probably later that year, or the next year, I found about eight or so records in my mom’s sewing cabinet. I don’t even know why they were there and I’m pretty sure that my mom didn’t buy them, but either found them or someone gave them to her. She had Jesus Christ Superstar, Elton John’s Brown Dirt Cowboy, a Willie Nelson, and a few other records. The first one I remember hearing was Jesus Christ Superstar when I just played them to see what they sounded like.

What was the first record that you bought with your own money?
The first record that I bought with my own money was The Rolling Stones’ It’s Only Rock n Roll. I got it at a famously overpriced shop in West Chester which I shall not mention. I paid about $18 for it, which as waaaaay over priced, especially in 1999. Man, did I get hosed on that deal.

Why do you collect records?
I first got into collecting records during one of their lulls in popularity. So, I bought a bunch of classic records for a dollar each. I started buying them because I realized that I could get one CD or a band’s entire discography for the same price. In one glorious day, I picked up the entire Queen, Billy Joel, Rush, and Led Zeppelin discography at a shop in Paoli, PA which has long since closed. So much amazing music! Bizarrely, I also bought about four George Thorogood records for about $4 each. They… they are not that good.

After that, I started collecting Hip Hop 12-inch singles because a lot of my favorite acts put a lot of really neat, exclusive songs and remixes on the B-side. Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy were masters of he 12-inch b-side. The songs were out there and so bombastic, but they would be jarring in the context of an album, but as B-sides they were perfect as stand alone pieces.

Now, I collect records because some have exclusive tunes on them. I also love the big art and when a record is a real package. I wouldn’t argue that a record is always the best way to listen to music (I still looove CDs), but for some records, a vinyl record suggest a sort of majesty or importance, which really makes one focus on all the elements of a record. I also love reggae 12-inch records with disco mixes where a song is stretched out to seven, eight, or nine minutes. It’s so fun to focus on a single massive song on the turnable and really enjoy all the facets and eccentricities of a song.

Also, I still definitely root through the dollar bin to check out “new” music. First of all, there is an insane amount of amazing soul music in pretty much any dollar bin that you’ll find. Plus, if a record is “notable” I’ll snatch it out of the dollar bin every time just to check it out and see if I dig it. Thanks to that, I’ve become a huge fan of the O’Jays, Nazareth, Bow Wow Wow, Flock of Seagulls, Men at Work, Modern English, Stevie Wonder, and so much more. Hell, sometimes I’ll even find Smiths, Reggae, and import records in the dollar bin.

What is the crown jewel of your collection?
I have a few that I must mention. Probably my most prized record is the Amphetamine Reptile wooden box version of the Melvins’ residency shows. It has coves printed in an antique printing press, hand painting, secret messages written by the Melvins themselves all over the jackets, and amazing art by Mackie Osborne and Tom Hazelmeyer. It really is a thing of beauty.

My second favorite is probably my copy of World/Inferno Friendship Society’s Tattoos Fade 7-inch. All the jackets were hand assembled and the release has this weird, semi-classical, semi-satanic aesthetic. It also has an exclusive B-Side that you can’t get anywhere else.

My other “crown jewel” is probably my original press of Black Flag’s Damaged with the “Anti-parent” sticker on it. In case you didn’t know, those copies were stolen by the band from Unicorn Records’ warehouse (because the label refused to release it) and the band put the “Anti-parent” sticker over the Unicorn label, which resulted in the band getting sued by the label… and eventually getting locked up for contempt! I got that at Streetlight Records, San Jose years ago and it was only eight bucks! I think the pricer didn’t realize that it was a “first-first” press. But, the kicker is, I found it in the rock section under “Q” and not in the punk section under “B.” I’m pretty sure someone stashed it to pick up later… but I got the scoop!

What is your most exciting story wherein you tracked down a record that you wanted?
This was crazy. So, between Ill Communication and Hello Nasty, the Beastie Boys recorded a Johnny Cash/Roger Miller type country album called Country Mike’s Greatest Hits. Thr band recorded it and pressed a limited number of copies and gave the exclusively to friends as a Holiday present.

In 2008 or 2009, on eBay I saw someone selling about thirty copies at a “buy it now” price of $80.00. I was sure it as a bootleg, because it is incredibly rare for anyone to have a single copy of that record, never-the-less thirty of them. I usually don’t buy bootlegs, but I just had to hear Country Mike. Because it as a boot, I did a “make an offer” of $35.00 and crazily enough, the seller accepted.

A little while later, I got it in the mail and opened it up to find printed labels and a colored vinyl! I went online to Beastiemania.com, a great Beastie Boys resource, and found out that it was an original! Insane!

Then, years later, I read an interview with Mike D in Rolling Stone. Off hand, Mike D stated that he sold a set of rare Beastie Boys records on eBay to raise money to donate to the Obama campaign. Did… did I haggle with Mike of the Beastie Boys over records?!

There's the old adage "You never regret records that you buy, but you always regret the one's you *don't* buy." What record got away from you?
Soooooo many. I think the thing that I regret passing up on the most was at Amoeba San Francisco. On the wall, they had a copy of the Dwarves Lick It 7-inch for $25. I passed because $25 is a lot for a single, especially if you already have the songs themselves on CD. But now, it’s the very last Dwarves release that I need to complete my collection and it is super hard to find. ARRRRGGHHH!!!!

But, is there any record that you *do* regret buying?
Oh, man! The things that I regret buying most are the ones where I get duped but could have avoided getting duped easily. At an unnamed, certain dairy-product named café in Philadelphia, they sell records. On the wall, they had the Melvins Stag record priced very cheaply compared to its market rate, but it was priced significantly more than a bootleg version. I was so excited I bought it then and there. Turns out, it was a recently pressed bootleg that was just released to independent record stores, which honestly, kind of pissed me off. The café purposefully over-priced a boot to make it look like an original press, just so some sucker like me could come along and throw money at them. It just goes to show, if a deal for a record is too good to be true… it might not be. Honestly, I have gotten a LOT of insane deals at record conventions and in the record store dollar bin. Still, that fake Melvins record haunts me! It haunts me! Every time I look at it, I remember how I got suckered like an amateur. But, I won't sell it or give it away. I must keep it forever to remind myself of the foolish error I once made. It must always serve as a token of shame…

How precious are your records- That is, do you play them regularly, or do you keep them safe and locked away?
I know that the “right” answer is that you should play all your records, and I’d like to say that I do, but the truth is, I don’t. I probably play about 95% of my records, but I do have some that I consider “artifacts” and just enjoy having them and looking at them. Call me insane, but I am slightly bothered by the fact that a record “wears down” with each play. Plus, why should I play my rare copy of Damaged when I have a non-rare version that is sonically identical? Still, records are meant for playing and enjoying. So, I recommend playing and enjoying all but your irreplaceable records… and maybe the irreplaceable ones too if that’s the only place that you can hear those sweet, sweet tunes.

Is medium itself (vinyl, CD, mp3) important to you?
Well, first of all, I hate digital music! (Though, I am a hypocrite as I use my iPod while exercising and mowing the lawn all the time). Still, with digital music, when I buy it, I don’t feel as though I’ve “gotten” anything, and I tend to forget about digital purchases much quicker than physical records and CDs that I can flip through.

But, other than that, physical format isn’t that important to me. For some releases, like heavy metal, Hip Hop, or Hardcore punk, I prefer CD because it is good driving music. For stuff like doom metal or reggae, I probably like vinyl better. That being said, I loooove 12-inch vinyl singles. First of all, they sound so much louder and crisper than other records. Plus, they often have exclusive or weird versions of tracks. Also, it’s kind of cool that the artist (or record company) feels that a single song is so important that it needs an entire side of a LP all to itself.

What's your white whale record?
I have like five or six white whale records, but without question, my most wanted, top desired, most-quested-after album is the Dave Brockie band live CD, DBX Live at Ground Zero. If you have a copy, CONTACT ME.

Oh man, I want that CD so much! It slipped through my fingers once. NEVER. AGAIN.

Do you have a favorite record shop?
In the bay area, without question, my favorite is Streetlight Records, San Jose. For me, their best asset is the insane amount of rare CDs, such imports, low run pressings, and out of print stuff. They’re very reasonably priced, too. They also get in a great selection of used vinyl. Some of the coolest vinyl scores I got there were the first press of Black Flag’s Damaged with the sticker, The pink vinyl 12-inch single of the Rolling Stones’ “Miss You,” The Coup’s Steal this album, Choking Victim’s first 7-inch, the UK 12-inch version of the Beastie Boys Pollywog Stew, and from the dollar bin… The Smiths “Some Girls” 12-inch single and the first press of the first Velvet Underground record!

On the east coast, Jupiter Records rules, no doubt. Steve, who runs the place, must have a sixth sense for finding incredibly rare vinyl finds. He recently brought in a TON of awesome promo records. I got Judas Priest’s Hell bent for leather and Black Uhuru’s Anthem, both unplayed, both with press kits, both with cool glossy press photos! I also picked up pretty much all of the Pink Fairies punk singles, including The Rings record, Mick Farren’s All Screwed Up, and Larry Wallis’ “Police Car.” Oh, yeah, I also got the Dee Dee Ramone Hip Hop record there! Oh man!

Any other comments?
The dollar bin is your best friend- Build your city’s best soul collection for $25 bucks. Or, do you see a “famous” record that you don’t know much about. Buy it, it might be the best thing ever. If not, it’s only a buck. But the best part of the dollar bin? The super weird, unknown, strange records that no one knows anything about so they just get marked a dollar. I cannot tell you the amount of times I have bought a bizarre dollar record only to find out that it is an amazing, strange, unique record. Now, truthfully, nine out of ten times they are duds, but that one time- OH MAN. That is what record collecting is all about.