Enoch's Interview Thread

[Enoch]

We get more in depth with @ranbalam and he give a nice shout out, you have to read to found out more. He also reminds me of a regret I have.

You mentioned “At Budokan” made you want to be a drummer, how long after making that decision did you start drumming, did you have a drum kit at home, if so did it drive your family crazy?

It took a couple years before my hopes were realized, but I somehow convinced my parents to buy me a kit by the time I was 14. I didn’t take lessons, I just put on Zeppelin records in the basement and played along with them. Then when my best friend at the time got a guitar we spent almost every day after school jamming. It definitely drove my parents crazy and yet they let me hang in there with it. Or maybe that’s why my mom moved out. (that’s a joke, I think)

In hindsight I wish I would have taken lessons and/or school band; my chops would be even better if I had started with rudiments and fundamentals all those years ago.

How many bands have you been a part of and what is a favorite band story that you feel comfortable sharing?

Oh let’s see…if I limit the list to bands that actually played gigs I will say six. That covers from the early 90s until present date. Only one was a cover band, the rest have been original rock. I was in three at once for a spell and that got to be too much.

Most band stories have a sense of self-deprecation to them. We swallow our pride and play crappy gigs and then (hopefully) have a laugh about it later, because we can’t (or shouldn’t) take ourselves or this business too seriously.

Here’s a story; an original band I played with in the early 2000s had a gig that was to begin immediately after an Eastern Michigan football game. So, we set up on a stage on the track behind an endzone and watched the game. We always threw in a cover song in our sets, and we had just learned Tusk, so during the game we walked around and asked various members of the marching band if they knew that song but struck out. So anyway, the game ended and we were about to play and the PA announcer says something like “Ok folks, thanks for coming, have a good night, please travel safe” and within 5 minutes the place emptied out, and then the stadium lights went off. Ummm, nobody mentioned to anyone that a band was going to play? Who planned this thing?? The band that was to follow us even left. We played anyway, to an EMPTY football stadium, aside from a couple of our girlfriends. The pics are a little surreal and kind funny…if we had known this was the going to happen maybe we should have shot video, it could have been our Live at Pompeii moment.

If my memory serves me correctly, I was in a B&N when they released the Bowie Blackstar album and I picked up and looked at the clear exclusive but didn’t buy it (a dumb move retrospectively). I just bought the reissue boxes, so what is your favorite Bowie album?

I think I have to go with Low as my long-running favorite, but Ziggy and Let’s Dance are high on the list too. As I typed that I realized those are from three very different Bowie eras….but that’s one of the reasons I’m such a fan; he certainly never stayed still.

I was running out space for my records recently but I chose to buy more shelving (may not be enough if I unpack my records from my move in 2017). How did you decide to cut down and was it hard to make that choice/hard to choose which albums to get “rid” of?

I have room for one more 4-Cube vertical Kallax before I’d have to get really creative on storage ideas, and the last one filled so quickly I just know that I have to slow down on purchases. As I looked through my Discogs there was just so much I don’t even think about spinning that I started setting them aside. It’s difficult though, and I really want to make sure and give everything in that pile one more listen. I’m definitely dragging my feet on the purge.

What song/album would describe your personality?

Let’s hit this one with a couple JB classics - I Got You (I Feel Good) and Funky Drummer.

What song/album best describe your beliefs? (Spiritual, Emotional, Existential, Whatever)

I’m not a religious person, and not even very spiritual, but I do try to pass along positivity while staying fairly grounded. So, to choose a song that goes with my current vibe I’ll go with What a Wonderful World. I’ve been in a good place in life these last few years, and even while some things (big and small) inevitably go wrong in life, I really feel happy to be where I am and surrounded by so many great people.

If you met someone who has never heard music ever, what album would you play for them first?

I think I would have to play The Beatles or Simon and Garfunkel for them. I’d love to try and convey in one experience how important both the music and lyrics can be in songwriting and music creation.

With that being said, I’ll go with Revolver and Bridge Over Troubled Water.

On Revolver they’d hear how beautifully true love can be expressed with Here, There and Everywhere. And how sad the loss of love can be, so exquisitely demonstrated with For No One. And how a great melody and string section can stir the soul on Eleanor Rigby.

On the title track on Bridge Over Troubled Water they would hear some of the best American songwriting we’ve ever been witness to…if that doesn’t move a person then maybe music isn’t their thing.

What is one thing you'd like the forum to know, that didn't come up in the interview?

This is the first forum I’ve ever been part of, and I’m so glad to be part of it. You all have provided so much insight into things musical and beyond, and provided hours of entertainment for me. It’s pretty much my favorite place on the internet. And thanks for reading my stories!

What question would you like to ask the next person interviewed?

Is there a particular song that you never tire of hearing?

 

[Enoch]

Interview 16 (conducted live March 28, 2019)

Hi @David A., welcome for joining me today

hi there

Glad we could connect today after some near misses

I know, I was worried about the deadline initially set.

It has been rather a whirlwind

Yeah, I am justing starting a new part-time and have interviews for some full-time position, so I have been a little busy lately too

So to get us started, how did you come to be on the forum?

Let's see... I initially became a VMP subscriber in September of 2014, with hopes of getting that now coveted exclusive version of The War on Drugs' Lost in the Dream. And after a couple of months of solid titles being sent over, I believe I saw either a facebook ad for the forum or got some type of correspondence from VMP about the new forum.

I think I was around by day 2 or 3 of the forum being in operation. It was such a different time.

I joined just after The War on Drugs, so, unfortunately, I had to buy it second hand as I didn't understand the store at that time.

How did you end up becoming a moderator?

Well, back in the early era of the forum, we didn't really have any moderators. Because we barely had any members. Back then, Cam or Severan were our point guys with the company in terms of communications and they were tackling everything on their own. I think after a few months, as more users started making their way over, a few of the more dedicated members were approached to help handle day to day on the forum as Cam and Sev's roles shifted.

That was back when Ben Dashley was still around and moderating, Marcy hadn't been made a mod yet (we should all build a statue in her honor), and Secret Santas were just a glimmer in Veb's eyes

Do you have a favorite mod story you can share?

OOoohoooh, oh boy.

the first reemergence of Halo 2 on the forum.

It's not a story so much as a mind set at the time. Because Halo's behavior was so erratic, and multiple accounts were being created by that user to come back and antagonize. We were basically sleuthing at the time, trying to figure out IP addresses, find some logic to the usernames, trying to not get too paranoid.

And this went on for seemingly weeks.

I do remember him, I am trying to remember if I ended up buying a record from him before I knew of his story

Well, there was the harassment and then the shady sales. Just all around awfulness.

I definitely missed the harassment, but I remember the shady sales.

Changing subjects, when/how did you start collecting vinyl?

Must've been... sometime in 2005?

See, my primary tastes in music in high school revolved around old school jazz and standards. Everything else was secondary. I mean, sure, I was listening to the Arcade Fire and Gorillaz on occasion but my heart belonged to Sinatra's catalogue. Which I'm still fascinated by.

There are a lot of really weird quirks to the catalogue, which were even quirkier in that era. The CD releases that were readily available for stuff from his era at Capitol were, frankly, a mess. Relying on second or third or fourth generation tapes, typically with excessive noise reduction and reverb that was slapped on to those late generation tapes in the '60's. Especially the earlier stuff that was recorded solely on mono.

But if you understand the history of recording techniques and in studio mic placement, you realize that guys like John Paladino were recording stunningly lush and detailed works. But to find it, you had to go into the world of vinyl. So I got a shitty Crosley and went from there.

How did you get into Sinatra?

Well, funny enough, it's Clint Eastwood's fault. He made this film in 2002 called Space Cowboys: old test pilots who had applied to NASA but never got to fly, or didn't pass the muster to get into the program, have to help the agency keep a Russian satellite from crashing into the Earth's atmosphere. Not his best, but it has a charm to it. Fantastic cast, if anything else.

Anyhow, the movie closes with, and spoiler alert, Tommy Lee Jones' character having strapped himself to the top of the satellite, which, it turns out, was a nuclear weapons platform. So, he straps himself onto this stickying pudding monstrosity and it's revealed, that he made it to the moon.

Incredibly corny, but as Eastwood gazes from back on earth, thinking about his buddy who sacrificed his life, we've pan up to the moon, Sinatra's Fly Me To The Moon kicks up. And I'd never heard a song of his. I knew he'd existed because the coverage of his death was extensive to say the least.

But I heard that voice and, goddamn it, it's like a light turned on inside of me.

I knew what music could be.

What a weird way to find out about him. Also, thanks for ruining the movie for me, do you have a favorite Sinatra song/album?

I'm a monster!

Of course I do. Sometimes it rotates.

I'll state my two favorites, though. Because, if you follow that catalogue, you can usually split it between the saloon song albums and the swinging albums. Although, there are exceptions. Nice 'n' Easy, the Jobim albums, Sinatra & Strings. The dude recorded at least seven masterpieces. Back when you could record a full album in five sessions or less and when everything was done live and to tape.

Looking at the "swinging," albums that he really refined at Capitol (though he recorded a swing album in 1950 with George Siravo at Columbia), it's obvious that Songs for Swingin' Lovers is the standout. Every track is a gem. It has arguably the greatest recording of the 20th century on it, "I've Got You Under My Skin." Nelson Riddle, the arranger and conductor for that album and frequent collaborator with Sinatra, would say that music reminded him of sex. And there's a heartbeat rhythm to many of the songs. In the case of the tune in question, it's the musical equivalent to an orgasm. 12 or 13 year old me didn't quite grasp that but I learned quickly.

For the ballads/saloon song albums, I'll have to go with Frank Sinatra sings for Only the Lonely. It just celebrated its 60th anniversary. It's far from an easy album to listen to. I mean, you hear In the Wee Small Hours or Where Are You, two saloon albums he recorded beforehand, and they're works about breakups and loss but still romantic and with a sense of hope that maybe she'll come back, ya know?

Only the Lonely doesn't really hold on to that hope. It's a dive into true despair and loss. Probably reflected by the fact that Sinatra's marriage to Ava Gardner was finally dissolved the year before and because Nelson Riddle's mother died a couple of months before he started the orchestrations. But it's a strangely cohesive work that has a real plot but it consists of songs written by a huge collection of songwriters over the course of 20 years or so. Anyone who's ever loved and lost can connect to the album. Sinatra was always a great balladeer. But that emotional weight really sank in during that era and, I mean, he takes a song like, "What's New?" which is sort of bittersweet to begin with and makes it an existential statement. Sorry, I can wax philosophic about this all day.

Get it, wax philosophic?

 

[Enoch]

Surprised you have so little to say. So what setup do you listen to Sinatra on?

Well, post move to New York, I had to really cut down on my set up. So I'm back to where I was for a couple of years, a basic preamp, with the system connected to my Yamaha Receiver and the soundbar that accompanies it.

It's not completely ideal but it's surprisingly more resonant and warm than I anticipated.

And I use an AT-120.

Technics technology without technics prices.

Shure MX-97x cartridge.

Do you plan on any upgrades in the near future?

In the next year. I've got some credit card debt to knock out now and I want to wait to move into a larger place. But yeah, I'll be upgrading. My budget is under a grand, but I'm sure some folks will be able to give me some advice. I just won't go belt driven.

Do you listen with others, or is it mainly just you?

Typically me, but I'll occasionally invite friends over for a drink and a toke.

Last time we did that, we spun Paul's Boutique.

I hope you invited @Isaac Q. Horton over for that.

Haha. I haven't really hooked up with any New Yorker members of the forums, weirdly enough.

He lives in Nashville according to his profile, but he is always guessing Paul's (as a joke at this point).

oooh, that's right.

Obviously, re: Paul's. Forgot he was a Nashville cat.

Well, he will be so disappointed. Anyway, how do you decide what vinyl to buy?

Like, what albums do I typically buy and why do I buy them?

yeah

Well, I tend to buy albums from artists who I'm big fans of. Although I'd love to blind buy everything, unless there's big word of mouth, I know the artist's work well enough before I throw down real cash on it. Apple Music is where a lot of my music discovery occurs.

Some artists are automatic day 1 purchases for me. That new Jenny Lewis album, for instance. She's my khalesi.

Typically, I gravitate towards older titles, though. I'd say there's a 60/40 split between vintage material and new stuff in my collection.

Always trying to find the best pressings or the middle ground between sound quality and price points. Like, Verve in the 1970's, cut a bunch of reissues of stuff they released in the 1950's and it was all bargain bin stuff but the pressings were excellent and typically, first gen tapes were used.

or if an album has a substantially different mono mix in comparison to the stereo mix.

So it's all a case by case basis

Makes sense, going back a little regarding Khalesi, I understand you work(ed) from HBO

I did.

six years at HBO Latin America.

What did you do for them?

I worked on their iteration of HBO Go, mainly.

Were there any significant differences in the Latin American market compared to the US?

oh, absolutely.

A different platform for GO altogether that was launched in 2016, the market itself is different too. Game of Thrones is still our brad and butter out there but some domestic programming doesn't translate as well. Like, say, Veep.

bread and butter*

also, device penetration (I know there's a joke here somewhere) is different. It takes a couple of years for next gen devices to get fully adopted into the region.

It's fascinating stuff, really.

Are you still in the TV business

yep. At MSG Networks. Shifted from scripted programming to sports.

But I'm product managing their app now.

Is it a lot different changing from scripted to sports, or is it pretty similar besides the change position

I mean, a lot of my skill translated well. It's a slightly different line of work. I don't do traditional 10-6 anymore and I'm working when the teams are playing.

monitoring streams, ad insertion, a ton of stuff that I've learned about in the past year.

But I also know enough about the brands and teams so that the transition itself was smooth.

What teams are in your market and are you a fan of any of them?

Knicks, Islanders, Rangers, Devils and Sabres up north. Along with the Red Bulls, Westchester Knicks for the G-league.

I'm a Miami Heat fan for life so it's funny that my livelihood is tied with the Knicks franchise. But I want that team to get better because I want the rivalry to return.

And in terms of hockey... we don't really play hockey in Miami although the Panthers have had moments of relevancy in the past but not enough for me to rep them. Although I've learned to really enjoy the sport, I haven't adopted a local team here. Yet.

Maybe I'll give a rose to the Isles but I suppose that'd be bandwagoning, considering their proximity to sealing up a playoff spot

Yeah it is hard to start supporting a new team/deciding if you should when moving. But returning to vinyl, besides Sinatra and Jenny Lewis are there other bands you automatically buy and do you buy multiples variants if available or just stick to one?

I try to find the best variant. Like, that new The National album. I'm totally getting the 3LP version.

They've weirdly roared into my life in the past year or so, (THANK YOU VMP, btw). Wilco, Sondheim musicals, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, most any Leonard Bernstein recordings of key composers I love like Ravel or Beethoven

Springsteen, obviously.

I love Dylan and I buy every bootleg edition possible but since the vinyl editions are truncated, I settle for CD.

Waylon Jennings, Tegan & Sara, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday

 

[Enoch]

Now we get into what other people have described as the harder questions to answer. What is your favorite record in your collection?

Ok, so although these might not be my all time favorite albums, they're prized possessions.

just so happens that they could deserve to be in the convo for all time greats

1. Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim - a mono edition, NM, that I picked up when I was 18 and which I've lovingly cared form.
2. Mountain Goats - All Hail West Texas: I saw the Mountain Goats in 2016 at a venue in Fort Lauderdale and Darnielle did a post-show signing outside.

The whole band signed the album and I talked to Darnielle for twenty minutes because the signing had ended but we were trapped do to a torrential downpour. My old college advisor is on friendly terms with him. The downpour continued for two hours. I found a garbage bag to protect the album when I had no choice but to make a run for the car.

I've also got a signed copy of Sharon van Etten's latest album (which, btw, is album of the year levels of goodness).

And I have some Carlos Gardel albums back in Miami that my grandfather used to listen to. He'd get drunk on the anniversary of Gadel's untimely death and just blare out Volver or Mi Buenos Aires Querido

Since you basically answered the question I normally ask next (meaningful album), we will move on. If someone came up to you and said I will buy you any album you want, what album would you request?

any album?

yup, any album

I'm really in the market for a mono copy of Let It Bleed

or an OG Beggar's Banquet

I refuse to throw down $300 for that Stones mono boxset.

Is there a particular mono version of Let It Bleed you want, or any in general?

original pressing

NM

pricey but I prefer original pressings to new stuff. There are obviously exceptions sometimes things are just prohibitively expensive.

Yeah, I usually want original pressings (if it is better than most reissues) or the newest high-quality pressings - Blue Notes are a good example - I either hunt down OG-ish ones or try to get the 45 rpm remasters

Bingo.

I know a place in the city where old school Blue Notes creep in with surprising regularity and surprising price points. I've got a 1966 pressing of Herbie's Modern Voyage, though.

Surprisingly great.

And I got it in Miami, a record store that I guess didn't do the research on the pressing. My good fortune.

My most interesting BN I found is a Mono pressing on one side and stereo on the other.

huhhh

yeah, I was super confused when I was trying to look it up on Discogs in the store. Because I looked at one side and was like cool I want this. Then I browsed some more and found a few albums I wanted so I was reevaluating what to get and seemed to have a different album than I remembered looking up, a couple of flips back and forth and I was oh that's weird so I definitely bought it.

Brilliant.

What song or album do you think fits your personality to a T/represents you well?

Talking Head's This Must Be The Place backed with LCD Soundsystem's Home.

They've sort of defined the last year or so of my life. This Must Be the Place really is one of the few truly perfect love songs.

Soulful and quirky and sincere.

And LCD Soundsystem's Home compliments it. More about nostalgia.

Uncertainty, trying to craft a niche.

If different, is there an album or song that falls in line with your beliefs (however you want to define beliefs)?

An album? Hmmm...

Springsteen's The River, maybe?

It's a rollicking, unwieldy album that switches moods from party rock to despairing tales about drug abuse and car wrecks. It's a slice of life.

If you ran into a person that somehow never heard any music in their entire life, what would be the first thing you played for them?

The Beatles - The Beatles

Again, another insane and unwieldy album, but it contains some of their strongest songwriting and sure, some trash, but it's got everything: beautiful acoustic ballads, late night ramblings from John, a rally cry to responsible participation in the social process, arguably the first metal song to gain real traction.

Oh, and that insane audio collage, Revolution #9 which is so goddamned pretentious but I love it. And hate it. But I feel like an alien creature just needs to hear Back in the USSR flowing into Dear Prudence and they'll get music.

Hard to disagree with your assessment of The Beatles even though I wouldn't select it. @ranbalam asks: Is there a particular song that you never tire of hearing?

Sky Ferreria's I Blame Myself.

what draws you to that song?

That weird distorted crunch on the drums that propel the song forward with an almost anthemic feel. But also, it's a song that feels so urgent, so angry, so honest.

"I'm just a face without a choice

A choice you'd never like to guess what I think above the shoulders

10 years old without a voice

I feel like nothing's really changed

Now I'm just a little older"

I mean, I'm not a woman in America. I'm not constantly being second guessed or asked to smile more. I'm not being objectified. If anything, I'm doing the objectification (I try not to, obviously). But, I don't know, that line has always stuck to me. I didn't have an idyllic childhood and felt powerless for a long time.

So the song works on a level that I can't fully comprehend but empathize with but at its core, I don't know, I get feeling that sensation of being an adult and yet not feeling like one. That's shifted in the past couple of years. I'm in a better place now than I've ever been in. But, ya know, there's always that nagging fear. impostor syndrome, right?

I would say the quoted lyrics are pretty relatable, but yeah I would say probably even more to females and minorities, but I definitely have imposter syndrome.

How strange it is to be anything at all

Funny you should say that, I have been reading 'Why Buddhism Is True' and I just read the chapter on the not-self

I mean, identity, right?

What the hell is it? All these stories we tell ourselves about our existence, casting ourselves as the protagonists.

In the whole scheme of a universe that may or may not be indifferent?

Well if either of us ever solves that mystery we are guaranteed fame.
What is one thing you'd like the forum to know, that didn't come up in the interview?

I really like Frank Sinatra.

phew, I was afraid the forum would never get that

Actually, um, nothing music related.

Just a plea for love and/or mercy to everybody. Even if they might not "deserve" it.

I think (hope) we can all agree with that.

Finally, what question would you like to ask the next person interviewed?

What album would you share with your parents in the hopes that they really understand your personal tastes and desires?

Not the best phrased question but I'm sure you can finesse it. For instance, my Grandma despises Dylan, but if she could really grasp a song like A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall and not focus on his voice or distaste for folk, I'm sure it would resonate with her.

In a rare instance, I will answer this question (along with asking the next person). This would be really hard for me as I am sure my dad, at least, listens to all the same things I do and more. So I would probably have to find either an old blues 78 or maybe a Sufjan Stevens album. (I do listen to some Christian music and he never would but I am not sure any of that would get through to him). Whatever I found to play my dad would work for my mom too.

Illinoise has aged so well.

I still can't help but weep during Casimir Pulaski day

I agree, I bought the most recent reissue

David, unless you have anything else you want to share/add, I want to thank you for joining me today.

Thanks!

 

[Enoch]

Interview 17

@AnthonyI is our next interviewee. This is a pretty straightforward interview. He is concise yet thoughtful.

How did you find this VMP forum? (Were you already a VMP member? Did you find the forum first and join VMP? Do you even subscribe to VMP?)

I found the forum on a google search for more information on vinyl records before becoming a member. At that point I hadn’t spun a record in over 30 years and was getting back into the hobby I began when I was 13. One of the things I wanted to do more of this time around was go outside my comfort zone with music purchases while re-building my collection with albums I had enjoyed in the past. From a lot of lurking on the forums early on I decided to join VMP based on the comments and critique forum members were posting about given ROTM titles, but I’m not a member currently. Club membership aside, the forum and its members have been a great “add-on” to the hobby I loved back in the day and enjoy again now, the community here is by far one of the best at nurturing the hobby and its enthusiasts and I’ve always appreciated that.

When did you first start collecting vinyl? (Do you remember what the first one(s) was?)

I had always played music when I was younger, as young as 7 or 8, spinning my moms 45’s on a small portable record player, I remember Wipe Out by The Surfaris being one of my favorites. As for when I would say I actually started collecting vinyl, 1977, I bought my first 45 at the Ben Franklin dime store in my town….Queen, We are the Champions with We will Rock You on the B-Side.

What is your current listening setup? What equipment do you have? Do you listen alone, only with others, or some combo?

My set up currently consists of a MoFi UltraDeck, Grado 2 Gold with an 8MZ stylus, Insight pre, NAD C-375BEE Integrated amp feeding a set of Polk Audio LSiM 703 book shelf speakers. I mostly listen alone, my wife likes music, but is not the type to sit and actually “listen” to music. My kids appreciate the music I listen to, one of my proudest accomplishments as a father, but they are of the streaming era and so far that doesn’t look like it’s going to change any day soon. I do enjoy the occasional friend and or family visit that gets nostalgic and ends up with us sitting down for a for a few spins.

What is your current goal in buying/receiving/collecting vinyl? (Do you focus on collectibles? Do you only buy what you like? Do you buy what you think you might like?)

As for vinyl, I’ve made a conscious decision of a “quality over quantity” mentality. For anything that was originally pressed before the 1990’s I’m looking for the best pressing available, even if that means it’s a new remaster. I still tend to buy what interests me, I usually hear something I like, then listen to another track or two before making a purchase, I still like hearing the bulk of an album for the first time when it hits my turntable…so far that’s worked out pretty well. I don’t get caught up in limited pressing or variants too much, if I happen to get one great, if not, black vinyl suits me fine.

Are there any bands/artists you automatically buy on vinyl regardless? (Do you buy multiples copies - all the different variants?)

There used to be those automatic buys, but not anymore. First off, the hobby has gotten way more expensive than it used to be and you can easily drown in a collection of mediocre music if your not careful. I do have multiple copies of a few albums, but that happened more casually rather than an intention to have them. I’m more open to just finding good music now a days regardless of who’s playing or singing it.

What is your favorite record in your collection?

That’s tough, can anyone really have ONE favorite? I have a few for various reasons, Boston-ST because it was the first full length LP I bought, and I played it non-stop and oddly enough I just recently re-added it to my collection. David Bowie – The Rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars for opening up an entire new world of not only musical taste for me, but my mentality to a lot of real world ideals. And lastly, and probably the most personal, The Beatles – Meet the Beatles, my mom was a huge Beatles fan and the one I credit my love of music to. I listened to so many Beatles 45’s growing up they’re just part of my fabric at this point. Meet the Beatles was released in 1964, the same year I was born and is the source of a constant memory to this day of me and my mom singing and dancing to it when I was a little guy. So a big shout out to mom……..THANKS MOM!

What record means the most to you? (if different from the above)

It would be hard to unseat Meet the Beatles

If you were allowed to freely receive any record you currently don’t have, what would it be?

That’s tough as well, most of the music I really like, past and present is pretty easily obtainable, so it would have to be more of a white whale I think. So based on that I would have to say the MoFi Pressing of Journey’s Escape album. I’m a huge Journey fan (Steve Perry era) and Escape was the band at its pinnacle, it’s one of my favorite albums from their discography to this day and the MoFi pressing is not only scarce, but out of the realm of what I would spend on a record. Maybe someday someone will decide to re-release and remaster their catalog

@David A. asks: What album would you share with your parents in the hopes that they really understand your personal tastes and desires?

These are great questions……. Peter Gabriel – So

 

[Enoch]

In this second half with @AnthonyI, we focus a little more on some areas of common interest.

Funny you mentioned Wipe Out, we had a 45 jukebox when I was growing up and this was one of my favorites along with Tequila and You’re Not My Stepping Stone. Do you still buy 45s now or do stick with albums?

I’ll pick up the occasional 45, usually an RSD release. I’ve been stepping around the 45 rabbit hole as much as I can, maybe once I fill in the LP’s on the want list, we’ll open it up for more 45’s.

What album did you join VMP for? I know you have voiced criticism toward VMP, what was the breaking point for you to leave VMP and do you think you will subscribe again?

I signed up with Kevin Morby – City Music, a very underappreciated album in my opinion and I really enjoy it. Without turning this into a rant, my reasons for dropping are pretty straight forward, I don’t feel VMP is addressing quality control issues in a timely fashion. I really want to be a subscriber, I’ve had no issues with the choices VMP makes for ROTM and the exclusives they offer, I think that’s their strongest attribute. But if the quality and service are lacking and nothing seems to be done about it, as disappointing as it is, I can’t support the company. I hope in time they get things taken care of, but I feel too much of the subscriber base is willing to “let it slide” for any change to really happen. FOMO is a powerful thing.

Prior to rethinking your vinyl buying habits, what bands did you automatically buy? Any albums from those bands you regret having?

Hmm, this would go back some time, before this current go around. That being said, probably David Bowie was an automatic, Journey until Steve Perry left, and The Cure, outside of that I don’t think I’ve had many other bands or singers that made the completionist in me start panicking.

You mentioned Meet the Beatles as an album you shared with your mom, is there an album you share with anyone else (family or friends)?

Not really, and that’s the downside of the hobby for me. I grew up loading up an album case and heading over to a friend’s house just to sit and enjoy the music with other music enthusiasts. I wish I could get a few people together around here semi-regularly for some crate digging, spinning and hobby talk…maybe it’s time to put out another call to local members to meet up in some capacity

What song/album would describe your personality?

Life in One Day – Howard Jones. Society has hit the accelerator it seems in the last decade or so, I see and know so many people just pushing forward blindly, because they feel they have to without really enjoying the journey………we all have a final chapter, why in such a rush to get there? To quote Ferris Buehler “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

What song/album best describe your beliefs? (Spiritual, Emotional, Existential, Whatever)?

Let it Be – The Beatles. Form your own conclusion.

If you met someone who has never heard music ever, what album would you play for them first?

I think this would be a tie between R.E.M – Automatic for the People because it conveys a wide scope of emotion with lyrics and music in a beautiful way and The Beatles – Sgt Pepper because it’s brilliant.

What is one thing you'd like the forum to know, that didn't come up in the interview?

I had to think about this for a while, how to answer, jokingly, serious, philosophical, it was kind of tough. So, I’m going with a simple statement, Karma exists, what comes around, goes around. Be kind and generous whenever you can, doesn’t have to be a big gesture, or physical for that matter, sometimes just listening to someone is a great gesture…little things go a long way.

What question would you like to ask the next person interviewed?

What’s your defining song? The song that your friends hear, no matter where they might be, and automatically think of you?

 

[Enoch]

Interview 18 (conducted live April 10, 2019)

I don’t think there is any need to do much of introduction for the next interviewee. She has been a major presence on the forum though has pulled back some lately. Also at points, I was wondering who was the interviewer and who was the interviewee.

this you @Teeeee?

It's me!

great, thanks for joining me today

Hello Enoch!!!! Feel free to call me Trish. And now you know where teeee came from.

I knew you were Trish didn't want to assume you would be okay with your real name

Of course! So, do we do this here or did you want to make this a video chat? I have my answers all ready!

Keep it here, so here is the first question

How did you find this VMP forum? (Were you already a VMP member? Did you find the forum first and join VMP? Do you even subscribe to VMP?)

I joined VMP with Perfume Genius. I knew nothing about Perfume Genius. I got the album, listened and was like WTF is this? But listened a few more times and realized it was amazing. And the realization that it was a grower really blew me away with VMP's curation. So, I wanted to know what was up next. I did a google search of something like "VMP next album of the month" and found a thread in the forum. I was just a casual observer of the forum for a bit - the internet can be such a gross place, I wanted to be sure this was not one of them before I jumped in. After a few weeks of hanging in the shadows, I decided to wade in.

And the rest is history.

So how did you hear about VMP specifically, also I really like that Perfume Genius album

It might be my favorite VMP album. Definitely a top 3.

I was into monthly clubs and was just looking online at various kinds. I happened upon VMP. I looked at their archive, thought it looked up my alley and signed up. I think I did 3 months at first.

I signed up for VMP as I saw an advertisement somewhere and as wanting to join a club that exposed me to new music, sounds like we had similar thoughts

Exactly.

Do you have the VMP Perfume Genius?

Yes, I signed up with RL Burnside, the one before, and liked it well enough, then Perfume Genius kind of told me I find the right place

Oh wow! I didn't realize you had been a member so long. You came to the forum a bit after those albums. When did you join the forum?

I think I actually joined the forum at that time, but never came on, not 100% sure how I ended contributing, probably an email about it. One of my first experiences was a guess thread and I didn't know about checking the first post for the clues so I guessed something already eliminated

oops - i am quite sure you were told to CHECK THE FIRST POST. lol

think the message was a little harsher but I stuck it out anyway

It can be harsh on there at times. I'm glad you stuck it out! Your contributions are always thoughtful and logical.

Thanks

When did you first start collecting vinyl? (Do you remember what the first one(s) was?)

My dad had a turntable in his stereo set up when I was growing up. So vinyl was always around when I was little. I also had a Fisher Price record player for awhile and then graduated up to my mom's portable tt. In elementary school, I remember playing my parents' copy of the 45 of Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Bruce Springsteen over and over and over again. The first album that was mine was the Beach Boys Endless Summer. That might have been in 5th or 6th grade. And my friend and I sat with that gatefold for hours, listening to those songs and looking at the pictures of those dreamy California boys. Lol. I also remember one of the first albums that I bought on my own was Bruce Springsteen's The River. Wow, that is a heavy album for a youngster. When I went to college, my dad gave me a bunch of his albums and his tt set up! That's what really got me going. I had that set up for a really long time, until an unfortunate roof collapse incident when I lived in New Orleans that took out a portion of my collection and the stereo and tt.

I really started collecting in earnest while in NOLA and then when I moved back to DC. So, that would be in my mid 20s

I did you stick with collecting or did you drop it for a while and come back?

I don't think I ever dropped it. I just would slow waaaayyyyy down in purchases for several years

Probably just a few a year. But then when I discovered VMP, my spending/collecting went nuts for a bit.

Actually, it was before VMP. I would go to record stores and come home with 30 used albums at a time.

Any albums from the 00's that you bought that have skyrocketed in price just because vinyl wasn't in?

Probably. But I actually haven't looked.

I have the usual suspects: Interpol, the Strokes, TV on the Radio, Modest Mouse, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

I do not have Bloc Party. The forum was obsessed with Bloc Party for a bit. Are they still? Did those get repressed recently?

I haven't heard anything about new pressings, I also feel that the parts of the forum I frequent that the talk has died down, Fiona is the continuing ones I hear about now

OH! I do know I have a 1st press Frightened Rabbit The Midnight Organ Fight that was always priced way higher than a lot of my other stuff. So that counts. 2007.

Ah yes. I appreciate the Fiona love and commitment. And I hope they do eventually get repressed.

They are working on it!

Well played, Enoch!

I do what I can

What is your current listening setup? What equipment do you have? Do you listen alone, only with others, or some combo?

I have a room that is devoted to music. I have my kallax shelves and tt set up on one side of the room. And then I have my keyboards, guitar (shout out to @MattW for making me the amazing guitar), etc on the other side of the room. I have 2 couches in there. I go down there and chill on the couch while listening and reading. I'm never by myself in my home. Sarge and Bob. are always no more than a foot from me when I'm home. So they are always on the couch next to me. And that room is where Rooster feels the safest when there is a thunderstorm. So it is the haven for us all in my home. If I have friends over, we eventually make our way down to that room and will hang out in there for hours. My tt is a Music Hall. I have a Vinnie pre amp.

Klipsch speakers. Some banana clips. My old Onkyo stereo. A speedbox.

I'm not at all a gear head. I appreciate those that are and several of them have helped me. I'm just kind of ambivalent about the gear.

 

[Enoch]

I know you have hosted a Spins, do you still have forumers over

I have not since that last big Spins.

I don't actually know why. I have no reason.

I have seen @mcherry and @blujay several times.

You have now mentioned two prominent forumers that don't come on often or at all anymore, Blujay and Matt

I know. It's sad.

Wait - aren't you in Denver? Do you go to the Spins?

The Springs, I went to one where a lot of staff were present
I hate driving up to Denver

That is so fun! I'm jealous you got to meet them.

And yeah, driving can be so incredibly stressful. I don't blame you for not doing it when it isn't mandatory.

I was hoping to meet Matt F as I do owe him a drink for sending for free, still need to connect with him/tour HQ
sending Hue

You should absolutely go tour HQ and meet with him.

You are a valuable customer to them.

yeah, I do keep sporadic with him via email

Are you still collecting all the exclusives?

yup, still crazy

That is commitment!!!

Which is your favorite? Which one do you hate but still have so that you have them all?

Hmm, a favorite is probably Eddie Gale, I didn't think I liked Jazz and I was like who this is incredible,

I have that one! It is really good.

UGK – Underground Kingz is probably my least favorite, it is rap and super long, though many other rap albums could be down there with it

the super long is why I choose it

Not a rap fan? I don't have that one.

I do have a few of the rap ones. I like rap. But I'm not sure it is a genre I enjoy on vinyl.

I do not like it at all, there has been maybe two or three I found tolerable, I am not a fan of the lyrics for the most part, the beats, on the other hand, have been nice at times

The lyrics are troubling. I do find it harder and harder to continue to listen to a majority of rap

Lyrics are often the last thing I "hear" in a song. So I can listen to a rap song several times before I realize what is being said. And then sometimes I can't go back to that song.

I hear you on that, but usually, one or two words stick out on my first listen and it is never ones I enjoy

What is your current goal in buying/receiving/collecting vinyl? (Do you focus on collectibles? Do you only buy what you like? Do you buy what you think you might like?)

I feel like I go through waves in my collecting and each wave lasts several years. Right now, I'm on a purging kind of wave. And I need to check myself when I'm in this wave because I've done this before. I'll purge things I don't think I want and then when I'm back in my MUST COLLECT ALL THE THINGS wave, I deeply regret getting rid of the things I purged. I need to find a happy medium. But, when I'm in my MUST COLLECT wave, I'm a completionist. If I like an artist, I must have all of their albums. I must have ALL OF NUMERO GROUP'S releases (which is ridiculous). But really, my goal is to have a really diverse collection of music that I like. I don't generally buy things just because they are a collectible. I don't care about getting the rare variant (there are exceptions, we'll get to that). I don't care about having the rare first pressing of the most obscure artist in the world. I don't care that I have number 1 out of only 150 pressed. If it is something I will never listen to, I don't care if it is more rare than a pregnant man, I don't need it in my collection. When I'm in a record store, I am in the used section. And during each visit to a record store, I will always buy an album that I choose solely because I like the cover (as long as it is less than $10). I may know nothing about the artist, but the cover is just so appealing to me in some way, that it becomes a part of my collection. I've discovered some really fun albums that way. I've also discovered some really bizarre albums that way.

two questions, what is the album you most regret purging and what was the best find via buying it for the cover

Most regret purging: probably the FJM VMP AOTM. Not because I like him (I think my distaste for him is well known) but because it keeps increasing in value and I majorly undersold myself.

Best find via buying it for the cover - well, that is the answer to another question you have coming up!

well, let's get to it

Are there any bands/artists you automatically buy on vinyl regardless? (Do you buy multiples copies - all the different variants?)

For artists, yes, if Sleater Kinney puts out an album, I will buy it, regardless. Although, I rarely buy SK in a store because I have already pre ordered it through tears and shrieks of delight the second I heard about it online. So unless a store has an SK release or pressing I've never heard of (how would that even be possible though?), I already own it or it is on its way to me via pre order. But I don't buy multiple copies or have to have all the variants. I actually am not hugely into variants. I don't care if it is on white with rainbow swirls (although that sounds right up my alley) and also on gold and also just black and also .... you get the picture. It matters not to me which variant I get and I only need one. When I go to a record store, there are 3 genres I will always buy if I find them on vinyl (and the price is within reason): Greek folk, French pop stars (think of the ye-ye movement, Edith Piaf, Gainsbourg, Francoise Hardy, Charles Trenet, etc) and all girl groups of the 50s, 60s and 70s. I start in the International/World area of the store. I also check the Soundtracks and Classical section. Then I'll check out the Soul and Hip Hop section. I won't leave a store without exploring those sections. Maybe, just maybe if I have time and money left in my budget for the day, I'll go to the Rock/Classic Rock section of the store. I think my collection is well rounded in the classic rock area as is - I have all of my mom and dad's vinyl. And they were hippies - so I have all of the Janis, Jimi, Doors, Allman Brothers, Zepplin, Clapton in every single band he ever played with and solo, Marshall Tucker, the Band, CSNY, Jefferson Airplane, etc etc that I could need. So that I often skip that area of the store. And I almost never ever look at 45s or 10"s - that is a format that I do not really enjoy.

Greek folk is interesting, what got you into it

I studied abroad in the Greek islands for a summer.

So, one time while in a record store, I saw a beautiful Greek album. It was done by the Greek Tourist Board. It is a gatefold that has several pages of photos of Greece. And the music is greek folk. Thus was born my love of this very obscure genre

I'm waiting for the Greek Folk daily challenge on the forum so I can finally win something.

Have you heard of Third Man Records' Why The Mountains Are Black: Primeval Greek Village Music 1907-1960

NO!!! And I will go look into that right after we wrap up!!!

It is an interesting mix, I haven't listened to it in a while but I think you will enjoy

thank you for the recommendation! I will definitely check it out.

 

[Enoch]

Are there any SK albums/songs/EPs that aren't on vinyl that you are dying for them to press?

I want their covers of Fortunate Son and Rock Lobster on vinyl

They do some really great covers. Corin's voice is so unique, anything they cover just sounds wild.

Did they record them in studio or only play them in concert

I think only in concert

So, yes, another SK live album it is!

are you a fan of live albums in general?

I don't mind them. I think music sounds better experienced live. But that doesn't always translate to a live album.

For me, if I've seen the band live, then a live album by that band will stick with me far more than a live album by a band I haven't seen live.

The only live albums I tend to like is if the audience noise is missing or not really present

I agree.

Or just present during the song breaks. I want to hear a crowd going crazy after a song is done.

I can live with that

Can you imagine a live album of the beatles during the height of beatlemania? The audience noise would have overpowered every bit of the music

They just released one, I haven't listened to it so I don't know how it is mixed

I'm going to look into that too!

Live At The Hollywood Bowl - there is an accompanying Documentary

I will check that out.

Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years
What is your favorite record in your collection?

It is a French album. I snagged it without knowing what it sounded like. It is called Les Chansons De Mireille et Jean Hohain. The text printed on the cover is in French so I have very little idea what it says. The cover art is this beautiful water color scene so this was one of the albums I bought for the cover. And it is just a really cute and beautiful album. It wasn't more than $10, but I think it just highlights my record store shopping philosophy - there are some gems to discover if you open yourself up to the unknown. That on top of it being a great album is why I love it. Other favorites: Beyoncé's Lemonade from @crazydiamond. The Sleater Kinney career spanning box set because it is how they surprised the world with the announcement of No Cities to Love. And because the boxset is really well done - Corin is the heart and soul of that band and it shows in the picture book she curated. All of the albums I got from Matt during our year of sending each other albums we thought the other should experience. All of the albums @colonel angus curated that I bought. Really, if it is something someone gifted to me, it means a ton.

Les Chansons... sounds neat, I don't feel I have been as lucky of picking up random albums based on their covers, maybe I am not looking for the unique covers?

Unique is a good word

I also like covers that would be art worthy - framed they would look awesome

Or a conversation piece.

The cover of Jean Knight's Mr. Big Stuff comes to mind as a conversation piece.

I have toyed with the idea of having a dedicated display for albums, but I don't ever have anyone over so I am not sure what purpose it would serve

Brides of Funkenstein Funk or Walk is an album I grabbed for the cover. And then ended up loving the album

I have a frame that I can swap albums out of very easily. And I do it mostly for me.

If you would enjoy looking at it, then do it!

not sure that is my thing

And that's ok too. It is such a personal hobby. With so many variables.

You could collect thousands of albums and never ever have a rap album in your collection. A

There is just so much out there. Each person gets something different out of collecting vinyl.

yep

What record means the most to you? (if different from the above)

Dang, I thought this might be the same question as above but it is a bit more nuanced than that, isn't it. Means the most would have to be the Marshall Tucker Band's Searchin For A Rainbow. In terms of money, it is worth probably a couple of bucks, at the most. But in terms of memories, it's priceless. It makes me think of my dad. I can put that record on and immediately hear, see and smell everything about me sitting in the family room with my parents and little brother listening to that album. The copy I have is my dad's. And it contains one of my favorite songs ever: Can't You See. I just love it, flute and all.

Is that one he played a lot

Yes. And Little Feat Down on the Farm

I just realized that those both are such country rock albums. And he isn't really a country fan.

interesting, what is/was his genre of choice

What genre is Clapton

That would be it

He's actually very open to music.

I was just telling the VMP Moms the other day that my dad posted a Priests song on FB. And the caption was something like "why isn't this our favorite band?" I mean, who else can say their 67 year old dad is a Priests fan. And he discovered Priests on his own. I didn't introduce them to him

I know my dad listen to way more music than I do including current bands, he usually sends a Xmas/end of the year letter naming all the concerts he went to, the list is impressive

I love that!

You get your music love from your dad?

mostly, we had 45 jukebox and I knew the buttons for You're Not my stepping Stone and Tequila which was impressive as I wasn't tall enough to see them

he has a large vinyl collection as well

I have always wanted a jukebox

That's pretty awesome that you had one growing up.

it broke when we moved for the final time as a family, then he bought a CD jukebox, but recently he told me he sold that one to get a 45 jukebox again, I haven't seen it yet

I'm jealous.

I am too

If you were allowed to freely receive any record you currently don’t have, what would it be?

Is there a Sleater Kinney album out there I don't know of? Lol. I would love Electrelane - Axes. The price has come down A TON on it. And I'm sure I could just find a copy on discogs. But I really want myself or a friend to happen upon it in the wild and then for that friend to give it to me. I'd also love to find Idle Moments by Grant Green in the wild. Not the recent repress. Other than that, if someone took the time to pick out a record and gift it to me, I would l love it. It means that person took the time to think about me, think about my tastes and how they align with theirs, choose an album accordingly and want me to share in the experience of the album with them. So, yeah, anything because it would be special to that person, right?

Yeah, I have been collecting Blue Notes, so either I buy a nice repress (VMP Anthology and the like) or I pick up original-ish ones out in the wild (except 78's I occasionally will buy a lot of them off eBay)

Blue Note is a wonderful and expensive niche to get into

You got the anthology before it sold out

?

yep, based on my order number I was probably the 63rd person to get my order in

Congrats! That is going to be a very cool thing

I hope so

What song/album would describe your personality?

My cousin recently told me Hard Headed Woman by Cat Stevens reminds him of me. I can't say that he's wrong. Lol. Although the lyrics don't really describe me. The title does to a tee (see what I did there?) But not the lyrics. About Today by The National has always really spoken to me. I feel like that is, unfortunately, how I've approached a lot of my past relationships - unable to communicate properly even though I know if I don't, I'll lose the person. Sheesh, that's sad!

we do need to occasionally explore the sad parts of your life, as long as we aren't dwelling on them (something I am working on)

our life, not just yours

Yes, I agree. I think the song actually helped me realize how I was behaving in relationships. And the realization is then an opportunity for self improvement.

It is very appropriate and healthy to explore the sad parts of life, but not to dwell. Learn, grow and continue moving forward.

Not at all diminishing the very real experiences people have with depression.

a helpful message to us all but we have to be in place to hear it too

Very true

Not everyone is in the place to hear it.

 

[Enoch]

What song/album best describe your beliefs? (Spiritual, Emotional, Existential, Whatever)

War by Edwin Starr. (Shout out to AOC). Hopefully it is clear why that would best describe my beliefs. I hadn't really thought about this question before so I chose the absolute first thing that popped into my head.

yeah, I don't think it is a standard thing to think about, but as a spiritual/religious person myself I thought it would be an interesting question

I'm curious what your answer is.

After I decided on War, I pondered the question more. I haven't arrived at another answer yet. The question has a lot of layers that I really like thinking about. It's a fascinating question.

I am too, maybe you will find out sometime in the future [hear the future as echoing]

Patience is a virtue that I struggle with. But I'll do my best.

I keep trying to help my wife with patience, she is not a fan of my methods

I smiled thinking of you.... patiently telling your wife to be patient.

Mind you, I have no idea what either of you look like, so you kind of became the Bunkers in my head.

From All in the Family.

I won't destroy your imaginative thought

thank you!

I should note the patience thing is more of a joke between us even though she doesn't like cliffhangers and such

Cliffhangers irk me!

But that doesn't stop me from being reeled in by them.

I like anticipation, gets my imagination working on all the possibilities, I hate it when things are spoiled that I am interested in

So those guess threads must be a pain for you!

Do you stay out of them?

no, I am not that worried about what they will be, I am actually team announce them three out
like classics started off

that's a good idea too.

i see the appeal to both ways.

and from a business standpoint, VMP should probably stick to 1 month at a time. we've seen their schedule get messed up for a variety of reasons beyond their control

yeah, that is an issue for them at times

If you met someone who has never heard music ever, what album would you play for them first?

Goodness. That is a huge weight to put on my shoulders. Music is so important and reveals so much about a person, a culture, a time period, a country, etc. So choosing just one is tough. Can I just make this person one of my famous Teeee mixes??? Ok, fine, I'll choose! I would choose Aretha Franklin's I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (with the addition of my favorite song by her: Oh Me Oh My). She is my favorite vocalist of all time. She is a master of her craft. Listen to the phrasing and the breathing in her performances. She's unreal. That album is over 50 years old and still feels so relevant to me. And holy shit, how can that album be over 50 years old???? My 2nd pick would be INXS - Kick. Because it is perfect. Period. Don't @ me with your incorrect opinions about Kick.

That last sentence is for the forum in general.

If you were allowed to make a mix tape what else would you include on it

*cracks knuckles*

Dig Me Out by SK
Gimme Shelter by the Stones
Erik Satie's Gymnopedies
You Are My Sunshine by maybe just a random kid?
Jupiter by Holst

I like the inclusion of Gimme Shelter and for You Are My Sunshine maybe the version on the O' Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack?

Yes! That is the kind of version I'm thinking of

Born Slippy by Underworld
I Will Always Love You by Whitney

I would try to find a good representation of all genres.

Amazing Grace would have to be in there

I think the genre area is where people have struggled (speaking for others without any real knowledge) on what to pick

And I would fail at representing the rest of the world. So, in this pretend scenario, I'm assuming persons from every other country are also making mixes.

Genres are so fuzzy.

And half the time when I aver that a certain song is from a certain genre, I'm guessing.

I don't try too hard with them unless it is super obvious

@AnthonyI asks: What’s your defining song? The song that your friends hear, no matter where they might be, and automatically think of you?

This is a great question, @AnthonyI. I actually recently went through this exercise. I was making myself a playlist on Spotify that is all of my "favorite" songs ever. And songs that make me think of people in my life. So, I decided to turn it around. I posted on FB asking my friends and family to tell me what songs they hear that remind them of me and why. That playlist is over 300 songs (and grows daily) and it is a trip to listen to! It moves me to tears (the good tears - the tears that let you know you are alive) or laughter whenever I listen to it. My brother in law told me he can't hear Robyn's Dancing On My Own without thinking of me. As a result, his xmas gift from me this past year was tickets to go see her when she came through DC in March. Holy shit we had so much fun. My mom told me Beyonce reminds her of me. I saw my aunt yesterday and she told me that she read an article that announced Carly Slay's upcoming tour dates. She saw that the DC tour date fell at the beginning of my family's annual beach trip and knew then and there that I would be joining the family at the beach AFTER I went to the CRJ show. My sister and I will always text each other "Ella ella ella" when we hear Umbrella by Rihanna. And the other person texts "Eh eh eh" back. No matter where or what time it is. So many people tell me Sleater Kinney reminds them of me and I couldn't be prouder. How Did You Get Here by Deborah Cox will always make my BFF and I think of the other.

I recently went on a college friends reunion weekend. For the big party we were having, the BFF and I made a playlist of songs from a certain period of time we all spent together.. It made for a great night! Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder reminds my aunt of me - it came out or she heard it on the radio when I was born. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga and Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper reminds me and my band mates of each other. We did a cover mash up of those two songs. I would urge everyone to ask the people in their lives this very question. Music is so important to us, it is a really great conversation starter that will bring back memories you might have otherwise forgotten. But if you made me choose just one song as my defining song. Just one, you're forcing me to....because really, just one? I feel like I'm a bit too complex for just one song (aren't we all though)? I'm going to choose Run The World by Bey. At this moment in my life, I'm all about women coming to the forefront and doing whatever I can to empower the women around me to be the best versions of themselves they can be. So that song is my anthem right now.

Since you proposed challenge (and I don't think there is any other follow up question to that great response) what song do I remind you of?

Good one. Let me think.

Every time there is an exclusive announcement, I think of you.

Dang. You stumped me. not a song is coming to mind. I'm going to get back to you though.

I would say for you I would pick a song that is clever yet sassy, can't say I can think of one off the top of my head beside FJM but you aren't a fan so...

He is clever and sassy.

We would probably get along famously if he and I ever met.

What is one thing you'd like the forum to know, that didn't come up in the interview?

Songs I will ALWAYS play on the jukebox: Photograph by Def Leppard; Crazy on You by Heart; Never Been to Spain by Three Dog Night. True story: I was in a bar and I had played the aforementioned songs. A friend was at the bar too. But we didn't know the other was there. He heard Photograph start and immediately went searching through the bar until he found me. And then told me, "I knew you were here! Photograph is your song!" If nothing else, I'm consistent.

I'm a list kind of person, so my question is What 3 songs are your favorite jukebox songs?

That's a cool story

I see you are jumping the gun

Thanks! Nowadays, I would have no idea what the inside of a bar looks like.

Oh no, that isn't my question for the next person. That was the question for the one thing i'd like the forum to know about me that wasn't asked.

ahh

I have a question for the next person. But I'm trying this patience thing.

well no need to wait any longer

 

[Enoch]

What question would you like to ask the next person interviewed?

A rock opera is being written about your life. Give us a brief synopsis (include a song title or two) that is so appealing that it would get people clammering to buy tickets to this show! And who stars as you? ALTERNATIVE QUESTION (because I'm old, I get more than one question, right?): What is your go to karaoke song?

no cheating

I no, I didn't answer my own question. I have no rock opera title, songs or star in mind.

but really it is okay

I know. I'm a rule bender. And the bending sometimes becomes breaking.

ehh, some rules need to be broken (but not mine )

Trish anything else you would like to add about anything

I won't be offended if you choose one of those questions and only post one.

Who is next? Or is that undecided?

undecided, I don't pick the next person until I have the question to ask, but they aren't picked based on the question

This was really fun! Thank you fo doing it. This must take a bunch of time. I appreciate you doing this. I had fun answering these questions. Some of them got me going deep, so thank you for the thoughtful questions!!

Ok. If it causes you any stress at all, I can pick the question.

The rock opera one.

no, I will post exactly what you said, there aren't hard and fast rules here, this is for "fun"

I will add these don't take too much time except when I do a live one which is fine because I really enjoy doing the live interviews

Cool. Thank you again!

you're welcome

 

[Enoch]

Interview 19:

We will all be excited with this next interviewee (we have to be since he has an exclamation mark in his name), but also when you think of generosity and the VMP forum I bet one name comes to mind for most @Jake!

How did you find this VMP forum? (Were you already a VMP member? Did you find the forum first and join VMP? Do you even subscribe to VMP?)

I joined the forum a month after subscribing to VMP! My first record with VMP was Father John Misty in February of 2015, so I joined the forum in March 2015. There were a lot less people here back then, and a lot of people who I don't see around as much anymore which is kind of sad (or not so sad, who remembers Halo2?). But we've gained a lot of absolutely wonderful people since then as well! I've been coming on here pretty regularly since then, with a break every now and then if something big is happening and distracting me in my life. Those breaks used to line up with school/finals/recitals, but now they're more related to my work life and moving and stuff like that.

When did you first start collecting vinyl? (Do you remember what the first one(s) was?)

I started collecting vinyl in 2012! I was a sophomore in college. Technically though, the first record I ever bought was a 2010 repress of the AFI EP 7", which I pre-ordered in 2010. I didn't have a record player back then though, I was just really into collecting AFI stuff. But the record that started my true collection that I have now was Red of Tooth And Claw by Murder By Death! I'm looking at my Discogs, and it looks like I also bought Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon by MBD and The House That Jack Built by my future wife Jesca Hoop around the same time. I know I didn't enter them into Discogs in order though, and I know Tooth and Claw was the first. I used to track my CD collection via Discogs in 2011, but then when I started collecting vinyl I just wanted to use it for that. So my entry dates for the first few aren't exactly accurate.

What is your current listening setup? What equipment do you have? Do you listen alone, only with others, or some combo?

My current setup is a Technics SL-QD33, Audio Technica AT90 needle, Yamaha NS 5290 speakers, and an Onkyo TX-SR603X receiver. This is also the same setup I've used since 2012 (minus the speakers which I got from a friend in 2013 I think) because it sounds really good and also I don't like buying expensive things. I'm also pretty clueless when it comes to knowing what the best equipment is, no matter how much research I do. I listen alone lately, but in college I listened with my roommates a lot.

What is your current goal in buying/receiving/collecting vinyl? (Do you focus on collectibles? Do you only buy what you like? Do you buy what you think you might like?)

When I worked at 2nd & Charles, I bought things left and right because I received a pretty decent discount. I'd buy classics that I'd never heard before, albums by artists I was familiar with but didn't know that particular record, albums that I just liked the album art of, albums that featured a musician I liked (this was mostly with jazz), classical albums that had a favorite composition on it (hearing different performances of the same piece is always fun!), and the list goes on and on. I would buy collectible and rare albums from our store very rarely, and usually only if I actually wanted it. I used to think about getting rare ones just because of the discount, but I'd rather watch a customer's face light up when they see it and get to purchase it. That was always much more rewarding than owning it myself.

Since leaving 2nC though, I've been on quite the vinyl diet. I moved to North Carolina from Georgia, and I visited a few locals when I first got here. But I've been looking for a job the entire time as well, so I've had to put myself on a leash so to speak. So since those first few visits to locals, I've basically only been buying pre-orders of new albums I want and my VMP boxes which sadly can't ever have anything extra from the store or I'll be broke!

Are there any bands/artists you automatically buy on vinyl regardless? (Do you buy multiples copies - all the different variants?)

There are a lot of these. Some artists are nostalgic for me and I'll always support them, like Lydia, AFI, Murder by Death, Arcade Fire, Silversun Pickups, Against Me!, Circa Survive, etc. Then there's artists that I just absolutely love everything they put out (most of those nostalgic ones fall into this category as well though, who am I kidding), such as Tom Waits, Jesca Hoop, Laura Stevenson, Kishi Bashi, Ben Howard, Coheed, Penguin Cafe, and just way too many others. A lot of artists who I always buy new albums from are releasing new stuff soon but I haven't been able to afford all the pre-orders, and it's heartbreaking. Then there's also a third category of artists that I absolutely love like Janis Joplin or Miles Davis who I always see random live performances or old compilations with recordings I've never heard, and I always buy those when I see them. If I had the money, the only artists I truly want everything from (rare stuff, singles, etc) would be Tom Waits and AFI. Tom Waits because he's my all time favorite artist, and AFI because they're the group that really got me into music in the first place.

What is your favorite record in your collection?

Either my original 1959 pressing of Mingus Ah Um, or my copy of Broadcasting From Home by Penguin Cafe Orchestra which was signed by Simon Jeffes on the back to some guy who's radio show he appeared on. Simon is a hero of mine who died before I ever knew who he was, and to have something he signed and is directly connected to him is just so cool for me.

What record means the most to you? (if different from the above)

If we're just talking about music, then it is of course Illuminate by Lydia. I've talked about why this record is so important to before a couple of times on the forum, but the TL;DR of it is the world lost someone very important to me, and who was the kindest, purest, and most selfless person I ever knew, and this record reminds me of them. However, the only available pressings of that record are poopy. But the actual physical record that is most important to me is probably my copy of Bitches Brew, and that's just because my Grandpa gave it to me. Or similarly, it could be my copy of Rush's Moving Pictures, which my parents gave to me from their own collection.

If you were allowed to freely receive any record you currently don’t have, what would it be?

Second Stage Turbine Blade by Coheed & Cambria. It's one of the only remaining super nostalgic albums for me that exists that I don't have. But it's of course stupidly expensive now.

@Teeeee asks: A rock opera is being written about your life. Give us a brief synopsis (include a song title or two) that is so appealing that it would get people clammering to buy tickets to this show! And who stars as you? ALTERNATIVE QUESTION (because I'm old, I get more than one question, right?): What is your go to karaoke song?

Because it's @Teeeee asking, I'll answer both of these.

1) My rock opera would be about a dude who really loves making music, but he's worried about finding an audience because he can't sing for shit and makes instrumental music that he doesn't even know how to describe to people. It's sort of this genre, sort of that genre, but really it's not close to either of those? Also he has a problem getting distracted from his music because life gets in the way and he's really bad at focusing on multiple things at the same time. One of the songs would be a comical view of how easily money can both ruin and fix a problem, called "F*ck Money!". The person starring as me would be Tim Minchin, because with the exception of him being Australian, I relate to him on a lot of levels and he makes me laugh a whole lot.

2) My go to karaoke song is super basic, but it's "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by The Proclaimers. But it has to be with my best friend because we 'nail it' every time.

 

[Enoch]

Pifffff, if you thought that was all. We run into a myriad of topics for this second part with @Jake!

Any albums you picked up from 2nC you blind bought and are like why did I buy that, this is terrible?

Oh man, tons! That's sort of the nature of doing such a thing, I suppose. I'm going to see if I can remember the worst ones though.

The first one that comes to mind is Gain by a group called Illtet (https://www.discogs.com/Illtet-Gain/release/8080343). We got it in new, and the album art is super boring so I didn't really think anything of it at first. But I looked it up because I thought the group's name was amusing, and thought it might be some sort of jazz/hip hop combo, and I was right! So that alone made me intrigued enough to buy it and try it out. It was pretty cheap, even though it was new. Less than $10 before my discount, I believe. I don't think I made it through the whole thing though. I just couldn't do it. It was super boring if I remember correctly, and it was just a huge bummer as the premise sounded very intriguing.

Another one was I'm Almost Happy Here, But I Never Feel At Home by Hotel Books (https://www.discogs.com/Hotel-Books-Im-Almost-Happy-Here-But-I-Never-Feel-At-Home/release/10407723). I saw it was spoken word put to music and that was enough for me to try it out. From what I recall, and it's been a while since I listened to it, I actually liked the music. But the words were really bad, in my opinion. It felt like something I would have written in my angsty middle school years. That being said, I did end up listening to the whole thing because I thought it sounded good. I just ignored the words.

Some others were Tarantula! by Limes (https://www.discogs.com/Limes-Tarantula/release/3875440) and Aware by Front Porch Step (https://www.discogs.com/Front-Porch-Step-Aware/release/5704866), both of which I thought would be up my alley but I just didn't connect with them at all.

There are definitely others, but those were the major offenders I believe.

I know a lot is going on in your life right now (I can relate to the unemployment part), what is keeping you together right now?

Yeah it's been a rough year, honestly. I spent 3-4 months last summer without working because my job thought I might have done something I didn't actually do, and it took forever for solid evidence to show up that I actually didn't do anything. That's vague, but the real story is incredibly long. Eventually I was hired back on, but at that point I was ready for a change and ready to leave the company who had screwed me over many times before this, and so I made plans to move to North Carolina with my brother in January. I've been here since then, and it's taken WAY longer than I had anticipated to get even one job offer. I finally did though, it's not the job I wanted (shift manager for a local retail store), but I'm taking it knowing that I'll still be looking and applying for better things.

Anyway, to answer your question; family, music, and video games. I moved in with my brother and sister-in-law, and they just had a baby, my first niece. So it's been really nice having them here and being able to be around for my niece's first year of life. She's super adorable and funny and she already likes music, so I approve of her being in the family. I've also been able to get a lot of work done on an instrumental album I've been trying to create for quite a while. I briefly mentioned this in the first part I think. I'm really excited about it, and it's definitely my favorite thing I've come up with in a very long time. The first track is completely done at almost 6 minutes, and I'm well into the second. It's taking a while because I'm using a lot of layers and a lot of instruments. But it's gonna be worth it! I also need to find someone who is good at Mastering, because I don't know what I'm doing in that area. But my buddy is helping me with that. I've been going through phases of a couple weeks at a time focusing solely on the music, but then I would remember that oh yeah, I need a job! So I'd go back to a week of filling out applications. I can get very distracted by things. And when I'm not doing either of those two things, I play video games! Usually with my brother (we've been playing Wizard of Legend), but sometimes by myself. Recently I 100% completed Hollow Knight, Octopath Traveler, and I just finished Xenoblade Chronicles 2. All of them were amazing.

How did you come upon Tom Waits? Do you follow his endeavors outside of music?

I was introduced to Tom by one of my long time friends. He had just discovered him too, so we kind of went through a huge Tom phase together. I don't think I've ever left that phase though. Everything he does is amazing to me. I definitely follow him outside of music. I have a few different books about him or that are full of interviews with him, and there are some I still need to pick up. I've seen most of the movies he's been in, although I'm willing to bet there are more that I haven't seen than I realize. He's just a mesmerizing person to me, and he's a fantastic storyteller which I'm a sucker for! Even when he's on talk shows, he's just rambling about random shit, but it's the best thing ever.

You mentioned getting records from your Grandpa, have you received a lot of records from family? Do they share your passion for collecting?

Nobody in my family collects vinyl regularly. I sort of got my younger brother into it, but he doesn't collect vinyl as much as he collects things for specific groups, particularly Coheed & Cambria. Other than that Rush album, any records I receive from family are birthday or Christmas gifts, and usually come from a list I give them. Every now and then they'll throw something random in there, which is always great!

What has surprised you the most about the PIF thread/creation?

The entire success of that thread is just mind boggling. I created it with low expectations, honestly, but only because the thread's success solely relies on the people participating. There could so easily be infinite issues with the way it works, but because of the community we have here, it's been great. I don't have to moderate as much as I thought I'd have to, or as much as I did at the beginning. I do keep an eye on it to make sure nothing fishy is going on, and people generally reach out to me if they see something, but for the most part people stay true to their "ratios" and play fair. If you read a few pages of it, you'll notice people holding off claims because they know a particular person wants it, or even going back on a claim because somebody else expressed that they were bummed they missed out and they let them take it instead. I'm a big believer in staying positive (that's been hard for the past while, but I'm doing my best), and that thread always reminds me of why I do so.

What song/album would describe your personality?

This was a really difficult question, but I'm going to go with Soviet Kitsch by Regina Spektor. It's a big ol' mixture of emotion, imagination, and a sort of playful subtle humor that comes out of the emotion and imagination.

What song/album best describe your beliefs? (Spiritual, Emotional, Existential, Whatever)

This question, however, was very easy! Without a doubt, it's Love's Crushing Diamond by Mutual Benefit. I listen to this album a lot whem I'm mentally, emotionally, or spiritually exhausted. It's a reminder that you have to let yourself take a deep breath sometimes and allow yourself to slow down and get back on track with the fixed pace of life. There's a lot I could say about this album, but I'm just going to leave my favorite lyric here and hope that people go listen to it if they haven't heard it yet!

“It was such a long winter when the ice had thawed. There wasn't much that survived it. It takes more than a strong swimmer to stay above water with a body divided. And that current took you away, and it made you pay and pay. When I saw you, I didn't know your name. When I see you, they'll give us different names.”

If you met someone who has never heard music ever, what album would you play for them first?

*pushes up glasses* Classical music, of course! I always sort of feel like a douche when I bring up classical music, but the truth is that it's meant a lot to me over the years. Not only that, but all of our music today has evolved from the classics! In particular, I'd show this person Schubert's Symphony No. 5. It's 30 minutes of pure bliss.

What is one thing you'd like the forum to know, that didn't come up in the interview?

Honeycrisp apples are the only apples worth your money [I have to interject here, while I like honey crisps (probably my second favorite apple), Envies are where it’s at]

What question would you like to ask the next person interviewed?

I haven't caught up on all of the interviews, so hopefully a question like this hasn't been asked yet.

If you could have any three artists/groups tour together, who would they be? All three acts can be either living or dead. One if the opening, one is supporting, one is headlining.

 

[Enoch]

Interview 20

Our resident techie is up next. I have found him to be one of the most generous members on the forum of knowledge and therefore honored to have @HiFi Guy take part.

How did you find this VMP forum? (Were you already a VMP member? Did you find the forum first and join VMP? Do you even subscribe to VMP?)

I'm a subscriber and have been for 3 years or so. I found the forum not long after.

I'm old enough to have been a member of both Columbia House and RCA/BMG record clubs. They were a pretty good deal. You got 12 albums for a penny, plus shipping and handling. It turned out to be about a buck an album. Then you were obligated to buy 8 albums at list price within 2 years, so the average cost per album was less than buying at a store. Then the real deals hit when the obligation was satisfied- buy 1 get 2 free and clearance sales. I was looking or something like Columbia House and VMP came up in my search. There's been ups and downs, but I'm still here. The forum is a big reason why. Totally awesome people and an insane amount of musical knowledge.

When did you first start collecting vinyl? (Do you remember what the first one(s) was?)

I've been collecting music seriously since the early ‘80s- high school, although I had records and cassettes around before then.

I've always loved music. The first three albums I had were The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Live Cream and Blind Faith. I was in first or second grade. What was Santa thinking? Children really shouldn't listen to Arthur Brown. I've got replacement copies of all three and it's been strongly requested that I never play Arthur Brown ever again. I played it once when my wife was asleep. She had nightmares and woke up in tears. Arthur Brown is intense.

What is your current listening setup? What equipment do you have? Do you listen alone, only with others, or some combo?

I have a system in the living room that pulls double duty for music and TV/movies. The audio is handled by a MoFi Ultradeck fitted with a Grado Gold2 cartridge on the vinyl side. That feeds a Sutherland Engineering Insight phono stage. The amplifier is vacuum tube: a PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium HP integrated driving a pair of Magnepan 1.7i speakers. The Maggies sound unbelievable but they are five and a half feet tall, so a bit overpowering visually. I have a pair of Zu Audio Soul Mk II on order. They are much more subtle. I'll see how I like them. One of the bedrooms is my record room. I've got a VPI 16.5 record cleaning machine set up there. I wouldn't be without it.

Funny story- when we bought this house last year, we had about 2 months worth of renovations that were done before we moved in. When I told the electrician I wanted a dedicated electric line solely for the system with its own circuit breaker, he looked at me like the cheese had slid off my cracker. He then looked at my wife like “he's putting me on, right”? Her comment- “don't ask, just do it”. He really didn't know what to think about the PS Audio wall outlets. I'm not sure he'd ever seen such a thing. (Laughs)

I listen mostly alone. I can play Arthur Brown that way! (Laughs) My wife prefers television and movies.

What is your current goal in buying/receiving/collecting vinyl? (Do you focus on collectibles? Do you only buy what you like? Do you buy what you think you might like?)

This depends on one’s definition of collectible. I don't care at all about colors, speckles, swirls or whatever. I just want the best sounding record I can get. So yeah, I'll pick up MoFi, Music on Vinyl and Analogue Productions pressings, but only albums I know I love. They are too expensive to take a chance on a maybe.

Capitol had a world music series in the early ‘60s, and I do love “German Beer Drinking Music” and “More German Beer Drinking Music”. I love them both so much that I have multiple copies- US and British pressings in both mono and stereo. It's my guilty pleasure.

I do buy a fair amount of “new to me” music from forum members’ recommendations. After a while of being a forum member, I got a good feeling of what everyone is into, so when certain people say I need something, I listen. I also keep a close eye on the Amazon Deals thread. I buy a fair amount from that thread.

Goals? I have 100+ albums in my Discogs want list. I'd like to get that down some.

Are there any bands/artists you automatically buy on vinyl regardless? (Do you buy multiples copies - all the different variants?)

Jethro Tull is a favorite band, so I'll buy anything that's released. The Steven Wilson remixes are really fine.

Given the chance to choose standard black or colors, I'll take black, especially if it costs less.

I haven't bought a CD in at least five years. Everything I buy is on vinyl.

What is your favorite record in your collection?

That's not me. I don't have a favorite. What I listen to all depends on mood or what grabs me at any particular time. Tonight it's been Getz/Byrd- “Jazz Samba”, Jimi Hendrix “Are You Experienced”, James Booker “Lost Paramount Tapes” and Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel “Willie and the Wheel”- really excellent Texas swing. I'm all over the place musically. Tomorrow could be Blues, Ska, Dixieland and Classical, back to back. Or not.

Favorite VMP releases I can do:

Getz/Byrd- Jazz Samba
Wells Fargo- Watch Out
James Booker- The Lost Paramount Tapes

I wouldn't have even heard of these albums (at least the Wells Fargo and James Booker) without VMP.

What record means the most to you? (if different from the above)

I've got a Coasters compilation album that I love. My eldest brother passed away about ten years ago. He loved that album, so I searched out a copy. I think of him every time I play it.

If you were allowed to freely receive any record you currently don’t have, what would it be?

Anything off of my Discogs want list. Of the list, probably The Presidents of the United States 1995 debut. I'll likely never get it- it's just too expensive. VMP really needs to reissue it. They could charge triple normal prices and it would still be a bargain.

@Jake! asks: If you could have any three artists/groups tour together, who would they be? All three acts can be either living or dead. One if the opening, one is supporting, one is headlining.

Kinks opening
Yes supporting
Jethro Tull headlining- 1975-1978 lineup

I was fortunate enough to see Tom Petty open, Bob Dylan supporting, Grateful Dead headlining. Front row center RFK Stadium, Washington DC. What a show!

 

[Enoch]

Some of @HiFi Guy 's answers and facts surprised me so beyond some obvious questions to ask I followed up on those.

You are known around the forum as a gear-head, how did you get into knowing about several different systems and knowing what to recommend?
I worked in the stereo business for a decade. Lots of what I learned was from listening to the brands we carried and how different combinations sounded together. I saw sales guys put systems together that were pretty bad, but paid big commissions. Most people think “golden ears” are needed to tell the difference in components or systems. It's not true at all. I enjoyed helping my clients- educating them. Knowledge is power. I was paid well. Take care of your clients and the money will take care of itself. You can sleep well at night because you've helped improve the quality of someone else's life.

The first place I worked took trade ins, so I learned a lot about vintage gear. One day, a guy came in with a Mark Levinson phono stage. I was still pretty green and didn't know it was special. Special it was and quite expensive. He wanted to trade it towards another piece. I really didn't want it- I thought it would take forever to resell, so I offered the client very little for it- a few hundred dollars maybe. He took the deal. “Great. Now we are stuck with it” I'm thinking. Later that day, the owner called to check in and see how it was going. Dude drove a ‘67 ‘Vette. “Yeah, it's fine, oh, sorry but I took a Mark Levinson JC something or another phono stage in on trade”. Fifteen minutes later, he comes flying up in the ‘Vette. He snatched the phono stage from the test bench and took it home with him. If I had only known, it would have gone home with me! Live and learn. (Laughs)

I also wrote reviews professionally for a number of years, so I got lots of hands on experience at home with a wide variety of gear- a few pieces are very memorable even now. Mostly not though.

Now, the vast majority of gear I recommend on the forum is from personal experience, either gear I've personally heard in my own home, or gear that family and friends own. I only recommend pieces I'd buy myself.

Since you don’t care about color pressings what keeps you a member of VMP since outside of Classics most releases are on colored vinyl?

Classics is the only thing I'm subscribed to currently. That's what keeps me here. Essentials for me wasn't essential at all (with few exceptions) and I really don't like Rap and Hip Hop.

Even within Essentials, there were non colored releases that were excellent- Ben Webster “Soulville” is a great example. And others that could have been great without color- I've already mentioned Wells Fargo. Color is cool but it's gimmicky. Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, colored vinyl was special because it was different- there wasn't nearly as much of it. Now? It's as common as muck. (I hope you caught the obvious Ian Dury reference). For me, it's all about the music. The funny thing is black records are actually colored- vinyl is naturally clear. Record companies wanted black when the LP was released in 1948. They felt that they'd have an easier time getting consumers to switch over from 78s to LPs if the color was consistent.

Also, as I've said, I really love the forum. VMP pays for the forum as a benefit to members. I wouldn't feel right about using the forum if I were no longer a member. If I'm out and about and need to use a restroom, I always buy something from the business no matter how small. It's the same thing to me.

What is it about Jethro Tull that draws you in, is it the style of music, the lyrics, something else?

It's both. But one has to realize that Jethro Tull (and leader Ian Anderson) have been at it for over 50 years. Their first album was heavily blues and jazz influenced. Then they turned to more rock oriented, and onto progressive rock (Tull, Yes and King Crimson wrote the book on Prog Rock IMO). By the late ‘70s, they had much more of a British Folk vibe, and then like everyone else, experimented with synthesizer driven songs. By the mid ‘90s, there were a lot of Middle Eastern and Far Eastern (Indian) influences. So you get 5 or 6 different sounds with the same band name.

It's not unlike The Beatles. Only four years separated the recording of “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “I Am The Walrus”. It's kind of mind boggling if you think about it- the level of growth and change in such a short period of time.

Even though it has been ten years, I am sorry to hear about your brother. Are there any other albums that remind you of people you care about in a similar way The Coasters remind you of him?

Thanks. Sure- music is like an aural snapshot. It'll remind you of people, places and life events. It's very powerful. Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash remind me of my Dad. He hated rock and roll with a passion. Muzak reminds me of Mom. She liked 101 Strings and Ray Conniff. Truly horrid stuff. My other brother turned me on to Jethro Tull. He might be a bigger fan than I am. My sister turned me onto Queen back when they were new. Deep Purple as well. I'm the youngest of four with a big gap to the other three, so I heard lots of great music growing up from what they were listening to. I was probably the only kid in elementary school listening to Frank Zappa.

I've known my best friend for nearly 30 years. He loves Kiss so much he could be a four star General in the Kiss Army. Kiss will always remind me of him.

I was looking at your Discogs, I was surprised you have under 1000 records listed, do you try to keep a tight collection? I have only been collecting a few years and I have over 1500 LPs not counting boxsets.

I've got another 50 or so that have no Discogs entries and another 50 or so that need to be cleaned and catalogued. I've also got 1600 or so CDs that aren't in Discogs at all. I've got lossless rips of all of those on hard drive just to save space. The physical discs are in storage.

I do give away albums that don't get platter time. I don't want my shelves filled with albums I don't enjoy. Most of those have gone via the Pay it Forward thread. I've still got a fair number of duplicates I need to get listed.

I went about 15 years where I bought and played very little vinyl- mostly I bought used titles that weren't available on CD. Now, I'd like all of my CD titles on vinyl. So my collection is bigger than it appears. If I had unlimited funds, I'd have a huge collection. It'll grow much faster when the system is finished. I'm closer than I've ever been. Seriously. (Laughs)

The gear factors in as well. I'd rather have a somewhat smaller collection and a really good system to play music than the other way around. I don't understand people that have huge collections but play them on a very low end system. They aren't hearing what they are paying for when they buy music. Not even close. You can get to 90% or better for pretty reasonable money. Chasing perfection- that last few percent- is where it can get very expensive very quickly.

The one that blows my mind (I've had this happen multiple times) is to see someone experience a nice system for the first time. They really enjoy it. They ask how much it costs (anywhere from $3-15k depending on the system) and they react negatively when given the answer. I've seen these same people wear Rolexes- so it's not like they don't have the means. Me? I have a nice system- and a 15 year old Seiko. Priorities I guess.

What song/album would describe your personality?

I've struggled with this question for days, and am failing to come up with anything- sorry. I'm pretty laid back and easy going though- at least away from work. At work, I have high expectations of both myself as well as those who work for me. Those who are onboard are well rewarded. Those who aren't soon find themselves working in another division of the company. I have no patience for laziness or stupidity.

What song/album best describe your beliefs? (Spiritual, Emotional, Existential, Whatever)

There's a lot of stuff on George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” that resonates. His last words were “Love one another”. That hits hard if you think about it. Be a good person. Don't be a jerk. A good way to live that sadly evades many.

If you met someone who has never heard music ever, what album would you play for them first?

I'm glad you said first, because I'd hope for a marathon listening session. Probably Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite”- the whole piece- both LPs. Simply beautiful, and a good recording/pressing sounds fantastic.

I've often thought it would be cool if composers and musicians that had gone long before recorded music became possible could experience it. Could you imagine playing Tchaikovsky his own music from an LP? He'd totally freak out- “What kind of black magic is this”? It'd be priceless! (Laughs)

What is one thing you'd like the forum to know, that didn't come up in the interview?

I had never heard Big Star “#1 Record” or Funkadelic “Maggot Brain” until I noticed a bunch of people in the forum were spinning them, so I bought them blind. Both are brilliant.

What question would you like to ask the next person interviewed?

What question were you not asked that you wish you had been?

 

[Enoch]

Interview 21:

Today we get to hear from @Bennnnn . He and I have a lot of overlap in musical tastes but I also know is quite careful in selecting what he buys or at least try to be.

How did you find this VMP forum? (Were you already a VMP member? Did you find the forum first and join VMP? Do you even subscribe to VMP?)

I originally found the forum pretty shortly after I had joined VMP. I don’t even remember how I specifically found it, but once I did I signed up and just started posting. This was all the way back in 2015. I had seen ads for VMP since I think November 2014 and debated signing up. This went on until Feb. when they announced Father John Misty as the AOTM. I was already planning on getting the record, so I thought ‘hey why not sign up with this service I’ve been curious about?’ And that was that. I also wound up picking up both the Youth Lagoon record and the Ben Webster one from the store (which was a google spreadsheet!) probably a month later. So I’ve been here for quite a while.

In those days, the forum was a growing community that hadn’t yet been built into what it is now. I was already somewhat familiar with forums, having been a member of The National’s forum and an Animal Collective one. I always seemed to get a lot of just being able to talk about music with people. It’s an outlet for me. Of course I have friends who are into music, but there’s not always a crossover and there’s not always an opportunity to just talk about music endlessly. I am somewhat obsessive in that way, having been actively consuming music since I was kid. This forum though is better than the ones I had been a member of because it’s all-encompassing in terms of what people are talking about. I don’t feel restricted, not that I necessarily did on the other ones, it’s just…I don’t know there’s more to talk about here. Setting aside the flareups and whatnot, this is still a great community of people who are united over the simple fact that they love music.

When did you first start collecting vinyl? (Do you remember what the first one(s) was?)

So since I was in high school I bought physical copies of albums like all the time. These were cds though, but I always felt like it was inevitable that I’d dig into vinyl eventually. I first bought vinyl records before I had a turntable, mostly to start a collection of my favorite artists before getting a setup. I was planning ahead. This was around 2009 or 2010. I remember the first three records I ever bought: 1) The Who - Who’s Next - very beat up used copy at a record stand in the mall (owned by the same people who went on to open up a physical record store in that very same mall). 2) The National - Boxer - I was deep into my love of the band at this point and just felt utterly compelled to buy all of their albums on vinyl (and CD obviously). This was my first one cause it was my favorite, and their most recent. 3) St. Vincent - Marry Me - she was another one of my favorite artists at the time (still is). I believe Actor had just come out and I started really obsessing over her music. Marry Me is still one of my favorites from her despite not sounding like anything she’s made since then. I picked it up in Atlanta at Criminal Records cause I just felt like I had to have it.

Now around 2010-11 is when I got my first turntable. My vinyl spending picked up, but once again it was still more of what I was doing before - picking up some favorite albums by my favorite bands. It honestly wasn’t until I joined VMP that really truly collecting vinyl took off for me. I wanted to utilize it to grow my record collection and experience new artists and genres. It has worked out immensely (and expensively). I don’t think I’ve ever spent so much on a hobby before, but I wouldn’t change anything. I have slowed down my collecting lately in favor of being just a bit smarter and choosier about where my money goes, but I still often buy vinyl. Like it’s still a regular thing obviously.

What is your current listening setup? What equipment do you have? Do you listen alone, only with others, or some combo?

So I don’t have a fancy setup or anything like many vinyl listeners. I wound up trading out my first turntable for U-Turn Orbit a few years ago. It’s beautiful and green and has a preamp installed. I love it. Speakers are, well, geez I don’t even know the specifics, but they’re Sony. They were my first speakers from my first setup. But honestly, and maybe this is sacrilegious, I generally listen with headphones (some solid Bose ones though I have been wanting to upgrade recently). This is primarily because I do listen alone and don’t want to disturb my girlfriend or my neighbors too much (I often listen at night), though when I have a good afternoon or weekend alone I try and play through the speakers. I do, however, find music has often been a solitary activity for me. I turned to music so so so much growing up, sitting alone in my room, so that’s sort of transitioned into my adulthood. It is nice when I get to play for other people though, which is rarer. Mostly this is when my gf and I are playing a board game or something like that, so I throw on a few records. We also always listen to Christmas records now every Christmas morning and night.

What is your current goal in buying/receiving/collecting vinyl? (Do you focus on collectibles? Do you only buy what you like? Do you buy what you think you might like?)

I am in the camp of being a listener-first, collector second. The collecting is a nice upside to simply buying albums I want to listen to. Since I am just active as a music listener already, always reading music news and whatnot (and also writing about music news for about 2 years now), I wind up buying lots of new releases. Usually they are from bands I already like. But I often take chances on new artists I feel I might like - usually it’s because of the label they are on or related artists - or I just listen to the lead single and say ‘yep I want that’ and pre-order. But I have also dug into a lot of older acts almost exclusively through vinyl because I’ve felt like I wanted to get into them. Like I will save getting into an established act for vinyl, picking up their catalog in bits and pieces to experience on vinyl first. Most recently Kate Bush falls under this (though I have to admit I bought some CDs prior to vinyl…) Because of those big reissue box sets everyone was excited about, I felt now was the time to actively get into her music. It was an amazing experience.

Are there any bands/artists you automatically buy on vinyl regardless? (Do you buy multiples copies - all the different variants?)

Absolutely. Everyone has their favorite bands, right? So for all of my favorites (and the number grows every year honestly), I usually pre-order new albums right away. My biggest must-have purchase for any and everything is The National. They are my all-time favorite, so every single time they put something out I try and get every variant of it. I used to think this was a silly idea, but then I decided that my main goal now was to own every variant of everything they’ve ever released. I’m close-ish to that goal. To name some more artists I’d always buy something from there’s: Neko Case, Sharon Van Etten, Animal Collective (and all the solo projects), Sufjan Stevens, Joanna Newsom, The Mountain Goats, Kendrick Lamar, St. Vincent, Julien Baker (yes she only has 2 albums but there’s also Boygenius and the 7”s she’s put out)…I mean, I could go on…

What is your favorite record in your collection?

This is a very tough question. But boiling it down to: experience listening to it, quality of the pressing, and quality of the package I’m leaning hard into Fiona Apple’s Tidal from VMP. I think they really knocked it out of the park with this selection. It may not be my favorite album from Fiona, but I still just absolutely love it. The sound is impeccable, and the clean look of the whole thing is really nice. It’s not necessarily a showy sort of package, but it’s still designed really well. I love holding it in my hands, flipping through the booklet, and just diving into the sounds. A solid runner-up here would be Panda Bear’s Person Pitch (also the VMP version). It’s one of my favorite albums ever, and I think once again that VMP just absolutely nailed it. It’s almost like experiencing the album new every time I put it on.

 

[Enoch]

What record means the most to you? (if different from the above)

The thing here is that I could go through basically every single record I own and tell you what each means to me. They all hold different types of meaning. I’ll throw in three, all for different reasons (and different from the two mentioned in the above question). 1) The National - Boxer - because it’s my favorite album by my favorite band and one of the first records I ever bought. It holds a sentimentality to it that is almost unmatched in my collection. 2) Sharon Van Etten - Epic - another just solidly great album that I adore. I got it for Christmas from my girlfriend a couple of years ago so it has that same sort of special kind of meaning to me. and 3) Frank Ocean - Blonde - I mean, this means so much because I am often surprised I own it. Sure, it was readily available for a brief period for anyone who wanted it. But the fact that it hasn’t been repressed or re-released since then sort of makes it mean more, like I feel lucky owning it. It’s not a stellar pressing, but my copy is pretty good actually. And just from an album standpoint too, it holds a lot of meaning to me. I always get something out of listening to it. Every time I spin it I find new things to love.

If you were allowed to freely receive any record you currently don’t have, what would it be?

Right when I read this my immediate though was Aimee Mann’s Bachelor No. 2, so I will stick with that. I have become a huge fan of her music over the past couple of years and this here is my favorite album of hers. It’s not easy to get anymore unless you’re willing to shell out over $100 (and I’m not). There’s a MoFi pressing out there, so I’d want that one specifically. I’m sure it’s glorious. But hey, I’ll also take this as an opportunity once again to state that someone needs to reissue all of Aimee Mann’s albums already! Come on. The demand is there. They could do it like they did the Kate Bush catalog, by spreading out her albums across a few box sets. I’d be supremely happy if that happened. I’m sure we’ll get there eventually, the only question is when.

@HiFi Guy asks: What question were you not asked that you wish you had been?

Hmm…I had to think about this one for a while. No limits on the question? So many possibilities… Sticking to a music-related question, though, I’d say: What’s the most you’ve spent on a single album/what’s the least you’ve spent on a single album and were they both worth it?

 

[Enoch]

If you pay any attention at all to the forum you will know @Bennnnn is treats The National like pokemon, he has to catch them all [I think that reference is correct] so I had to ask him about that.

How did you get into The National? What is it about them that draws you in? How do feel the three VMP pressing, great, okay, not worth it?

Buckle up for boredom…

I had heard of the band simply by reading music magazines. That didn’t necessarily make me want to check them out, but I was certainly aware that they existed. That Boxer album art I remember seeing a lot when it came out. Around this same time I had a met a friend online (who happened to live in the same city). We connected because of music taste, and talked often. She at some point or another talked about The National, specifically Boxer, and I decided to finally download it to give it a shot. It didn’t work for me. I liked a few songs here and there, but I just didn’t feel connected to it. Eventually (to make a long story short), we wind up on a road trip of sorts. Basically I was to be her ride to a college about two hours away. She had been picking things off of my iPod, and well, eventually landed onto Boxer. It was the last album we were listening to when we arrived at the campus, so it was the first that wound up playing when I made the trip back home. I let it play. On that drive, it just started to sort of fall into place piece by piece. Once I got home, I wanted to make a concerted effort to get into them.

The thing about The National is, and this has been repeated by me and many fans for a long time, that they sorta need time to really grow on you. It doesn’t quite all click or make sense when you listen to them the first few times. But inevitably, there’s this big ‘ah-ha’ moment where it just hits you in the face. I gotta tell you, it was one of the single greatest moments of music finally clicking for me that I have ever experienced. I can’t explain why or how it happened, it just did. And I am forever thankful for my friend and for my own effort to give them a good shot because they’ve gone on to mean the world to me, more than any band I think ever has.

I’ll try to explain why The National draw me in. It’s difficult to explain sort of, and may not be something everyone will agree with, but… I see their music differently than what you expect an indie rock band to be/sound like. The classical background of the Dessners is largely to thank for this because there is more of an arrangement going on instrumentally, with textures of sounds all sort of coalescing into a unified whole. Yes, you can easily argue that this is how music is supposed to be, dummy. Yes, that is true. But The National just do it differently. There’s not necessarily a lead instrument you follow (though often it might be drums - which is another thing that draws me in - Bryan’s drumming being a large focus for much of their material just hooks me). And then you have Matt’s voice, which for many just won’t work. People will wrongly accuse him of sounding like he doesn’t care, or that it’s too monotone, or whatever. I’ve heard it all. But none of that is true to me. There’s a deep, emotional feeling I latch onto with his beautifully written lyrics and the way that he sings them. Essentially, I feel The National’s music, and especially Matt’s singing/lyrics, speak to my mindset. I have dealt with a sometimes overwhelming amount of actual anxiety throughout much of my life. I never knew the word for it till I was older, but I always felt it. It’s a part of me. Not a good part necessarily, but a part nonetheless. The National feel to me to be from that very same headspace. What Matt often sings about is something that I find personal meaning in. There’s sadness for sure, but more often than not, I read his lyrics as someone just trying to overcome their own brain. That itself just absolutely connects with me. The music that surrounds this works to build up this same idea, but for fear go going way too much into detail (though I probably already have), I will stop now.

As for VMP’s pressings, I do own them all of course and treasure them all. I was a bit disappointed with their Boxer package to be honest. It just lacked a certain oomph I wanted, especially for a 10th anniversary. And the vinyl color is just boring. But it is a remastered pressing, not a new one for there was a yellow copy that is the same master, but it is different than the original copy I own. It’s much punchier sounding, and overall a very quality sounding pressing. Sad Songs and Cherry Tree both also sound amazing, better than the other copies I own of those records. And I think just from an aesthetic place, I love the look of those two versions so much. They’re the best looking colored copies of any other albums I own by The National.

And with that, I think I’ve lost many readers with my obscene length of a response.

Is there a particular used album that you picked up and can’t believe you were able to get?

The big one that comes to mind here is Torres, the self-titled debut. I had become a fan of hers because of VMP specifically, and didn’t even realize she had another album. Anyway, it was long out of print and basically impossible to find. I tried looking online for a while before just giving up. Then, lo and behold, one random afternoon at a local shop, I come across it for $10! I grabbed it immediately. They had no idea how much it was worth, which worked out well in my favor. Now, though, it’s being repressed so everyone has a chance to get one. I’m sticking with my original. It’s a big find. I also found a very solidly good copy of Prince’s Purple Rain years and years ago very, very cheap. I don’t know how easy it was to get at the time (he was still alive), but I picked it up on a total whim because I knew it was one of those BIG albums that I should probably own and I felt I couldn’t pass it up at such a cheap price.

 

[Enoch]

Does your girlfriend share your tastes in music even if you mostly listen alone? If she doesn’t, what is her go to music?

She does on a number of things, but really it boils down to her not being that much interested in music. It’s not a passion, basically. When we first started dating, there was a point where we showed each other artists we loved, and I still treasure those albums to this day. But as we’ve gone on, it’s become more of a this is my big obsession, not hers really. I know she wouldn’t mind me playing music out loud (as long as it wasn’t while I was awake and she was trying to sleep), but I do find it easier for me to get into things with some headphones on. I still will show her albums every now and then, and usually she’s into them. I know she wouldn’t care for some hip hop I like, or something like Deafheaven. But mostly, we’re generally on the same page, I just often stick to being an insular listener more often than not. When we do listen together, it’s a great experience, but we’re usually doing other things, not solely focusing on music which is something I like doing by myself.

Are you part of the Fiona Me, Please group, if so, if you could only have one of her three albums that aren’t Tidal which one would you choose? [If you aren’t what is one from an artist of your choice that has multiple albums not on/hard to get on vinyl]

I am definitely in that camp of Fiona Me, Please. I remember when Tidal was announced, they had said they had plans to do I believe When The Pawn and maybe The Idler Wheel, but that’s still ongoing. Every month I cling to the hope that it’ll happen, but so far…no luck. If I was forced to choose just one of hers, I’d go with When The Pawn. I’ve grown to love that album a lot (I have all of her albums on CD at the moment). Though, The Idler Wheel has been a white whale of mine for a while. I passed up buying a vinyl copy when the album came out and I’ve been kicking myself ever since. When The Pawn is my answer though.

What song/album would describe your personality?

Oof, I have no idea how to answer this honestly. It’s hard to see outside yourself. I believe I know my personality, but who knows how accurate that is? How do I come across on the forum as opposed to real life? I’m sure there are differences. Cycling through songs now, I’ve landed on two, probably not very good, answers. One would be Demons by The National, which I know…sounds pretty heavy and sad. But to me, it’s a song that’s about digging into yourself and trying to own your faults, in a way. “I am secretly in love with everyone that I grew up with” is a nod to feeling like all the parts of yourself are made up of people from your past - your experience with them inform who you are. There’s also a bit of humor in this song (yes it is definitely there), which comes in the form of some serious self-deprecation. That’s me. I’d also say Comfy in Nautica, whose lyrics you could easily roll your eyes at I suppose, but to me it’s all about just trying to be yourself, whatever that means. With these two songs combined, I think you get somewhat of a picture of my personality. Basically, I know my faults, I know I can dive into bouts of self-criticism, but I am working on trying to overcome that and be happy with myself. Vague? Yes.

What song/album best describe your beliefs? (Spiritual, Emotional, Existential, Whatever)

What’s a song that describes being an agnostic? I have been trying to find the most appropriate song to answer this question and the only thing I can sorta come up with is “Nonbeliever” by Lucy Dacus. It’s a beautiful song that covers a range of ideas and themes, but based on that title and a few lines scattered throughout, you realize it’s about her leaving the faith. As per her own words (in interviews), she’s someone who grew up in a very faith-based household. But she’s gone on to leave Christianity behind. Now, I didn’t really grow up with a super religious upbringing. But I did attend Catholic school from Kindergarten through Senior year of high school, so I can’t deny that it’s been a pretty big part of my life. At some point during that schooling, though, I started to think more about who I am and what I believe. And I basically determined I’m agnostic. Don’t want to be full-force atheist cause, I don’t know, ya never know, I guess? Also some atheists bug me.

I tend to live my life this way: I don’t really think about religion or faith except in a more historical sort of way. It’s not for me. I’ve experienced a lot of it, and it doesn’t really do anything for me. But if it does for anyone else, that’s great. I’m not going to rain on anyone’s parade. Whatever works for you.

I guess I am a Nonbeliever though.

If you met someone who has never heard music ever, what album would you play for them first?

I’ve thought about this one a lot since receiving the question (and seeing it in other interviews). I could go with a classic, older record, a safer pick. Or I could be more obscure. Instead, I’ll just go with my gut instinct and say Illinois by Sufjan Stevens. To me, this album covers so so so much musically, I feel it’s a brilliant introduction to wide-reaching art form of music. It’s got incredibly arranged music, multiple instruments, ballads, upbeat rockers, catchy songs, experimental-ish (sorta) songs, and above all that it’s a real showcase for the voice and songwriting. I’ve held onto this album as a favorite, a go-to, for years and years. And I still never tire of its genius. It’s a testament to how truly talented Sufjan is, as he covered the arranging of every song plus handled nearly all of the instruments. In that sense, it also covers an important aspect in music: using the studio as an instrument. He’s pieced together all of these sounds and instruments and it sounds so flawlessly seamless. It would give a fresh lesson to anyone who’s never heard music before because to me it does everything music should do.

What is one thing you'd like the forum to know, that didn't come up in the interview?

I love love love these interviews, and I think through the range of questions you can get to know people even better based on how they respond. There’s not anything I felt like I left out, and yet, I feel like I only scratched the surface of myself (and even my music listening habits). There’s so much more I could talk about. Mostly though, I do feel like I wrote more about other things in my life that sort of inform my personality or what I like to do. For example, this year I have taken up baking as a hobby (and I’m very proud of it). That’s something I want to talk about because it’s on my mind a lot these days, even though I haven’t baked as much as I want to. It’s just another shade to me. I’d also just say that in terms of some other things I'd liked to have talked about are: coffee, other beverages, burritos, tacos, books, routines, and the sometimes crushing weight of living in the modern age. Also coffee.

What question would you like to ask the next person interviewed?

What album, that you own and do actually like, gives you the feeling of existential dread?

 

[Enoch]

Interview 22

@GritNGlitter conducted live on April 26, 2019

VMP Interview

Hey you

Hello, thanks for joining tonight
ready to get started

Okay, now I am.

great

How are you doing? Thanks for getting on kind of late

Little tired but that is true all the time, glad we could find a time that worked

so let's jump right inHow did you find this VMP forum? (Were you already a VMP member? Did you find the forum first and join VMP? Do you even subscribe to VMP?)

I joined VMP and the forum on the same day--June 15, 2015. I saw the forum link as I signed up, and jumped over, because I am a long-time message board nerd. I was a member for over 2 years, but I've mostly not been a member for the last year--I did join up for Classics in January, but I just can't justify the expense this year.

any releases you missed out on during your hiatus

that you wanted/would have liked to have

Like that I regret ah, um...

Mavis Staples
Eddie Floyd
Feist

There are lots of records I would enjoy owning, but I'm comfortable with the fact that I can't have everything

that makes one of us

Hahaha

I've been meaning to talk to you about that

I have been meaning to talk to myself about it too

It's easy to get caught up, that's for sure

I definitely had a little of the FOMO thing early on, but I just can't let that be a thing.

with that said do plan to try and get any of the ones you missed out on?

No, not really. If someone PIFs one, maybe? Okay, maybe the Mavis.

yeah, I wonder for things I joined later to if I should go for back catalog or be content with what I will be getting

I did swap something... Moby I think? For Moses Sumney, because I was on a break when that one was a pick

Makes sense Sumney is definitely a good pick up

When did you first start collecting vinyl? (Do you remember what the first one(s) was?)

I'm old enough to have grown up with vinyl, so I had a bunch of kid records and free rein over my parents' collection. But I've been working and paying my way since I was about 11, so I didn't buy music as a teenager--I basically relied on taping songs off the radio or having my friends make tapes of whatever they had for me. So by the time I had money for music, vinyl was mostly overlooked. The first record I bought for myself was a used copy of James Taylor's Sweet Baby James in college. I don't really consider myself a collector, but I started buying records more consistently around 2010, when I realized how much I missed the event and experience of playing a record--especially at Christmas.

Sorry to hear you had to figure stuff out at such a young age. Do you mind sharing a bit about that?

I wasn't alone or anything, money was just really tight. I cleaned the offices of our family business--which was basically in a truck yard--starting in middle school. Once you've cleaned a men's restroom in a truck yard you really can handle most work, haha. As I got older I'd do more clerical work for the family and babysitting. I bought most of my own clothes and stuff from about 11 years old on. I lucked out though--change of fortune by the end of high school, so my folks were able to pay for college (I went to a state school to keep it affordable though, haha).

Nice you got to learn the importance of how to live and work even if it was under tough circumstances

I don't want to oversell it though--it wasn't that tough. I was loved. I was fed. It was the 90s so thrift store clothes were in.

either way, I grew up in an upper middle-class family so I didn't even work until I graduated college outside of small jobs at my church

Ah, yeah. There is definitely a value to paying your own way and having to do without too many extras. I did a lot of church work too, though none of that paid.

Oh, I didn't get paid much as I was an intern

Yeah, not a lot of money in churching

unless you get into that sweet prosperity Gospel

yep

Going back a bit, are there any albums you picked up in the early 10's that surprised you in the value increase

No, not at all, haha

I don't have a high value collection

and I really picked up the pace closer to 2015--it's why I was open to a record club at the time

I say this as if I buy lots of records

I still only have maybe 300? It's a lot for me, but not by some of the standards around here

yeah, I picked up a few random vinyl in the '00s as cool things to have, but I really picked up when I joined VMP

I remember in 2012 I was trying to decide if I should open the vinyl I bought

Hahaha, that is so foreign to me.

I am just so not a collector type

I was strictly buying to collect in the '00s, I have always liked collecting things

I couldn't even collect stuff as a kid. I tried to, because it seemed like an interesting thing people did. My brother collected baseball cards and bottle caps. Closest I ever came was stickers.

It's not that I'm beatifically unmaterialistic, I just don't have a collecting mindset

At times I wish I didn't have that, I have the mentality that I should keep things as I never know when I will need it again (though I am not a hoarder)

That scarcity mindset is tough--do you know where it comes from in you? You mentioned that your childhood was relatively affluent

I really don't, my dad collects vinyl but outside of that I can't think of where it would come from

It's good to not be wasteful, but there's also a line where it can hinder more than help.

I was fortunate to have two great-grandmothers in my life until my 20s. They suffered real privation through wars and the great depression and all that. Our families are somewhat influenced by that. I definitely have a "what if I need this" impulse. But I believe really strongly that the only rent our stuff pays is in its usefulness to us. For me, it must be beautiful, actively useful, or sentimental to stay in my life. Unless it's like, arts and crafts supplies, hahaha

That one I can't quite iron out yet. Because I'm not ALWAYS in a creative mindset, and I probably WILL make a thing with that.

Still, as long as it fits in its assigned space/box/whatever it doesn't feel like a terrible hypocrisy.

how about your family now, anyone like to keep stuff or do they follow your model

I think we're pretty similar. One brother is military and his wife is super duper organized. Plus they've moved across the country a few times, which tends to thin out the STUFF. My parents sold their house a few years ago and likewise let a lot go. My other brother's house is pretty small, so they are more vigilant than the rest of us about letting stuff accumulate. I can't really speak about my extended family--I don't see any evidence of hoarding tendencies though.

while we are on the subject it seems a good time to ask the next question

What is your current goal in buying/receiving/collecting vinyl? (Do you focus on collectibles? Do you only buy what you like? Do you buy what you think you might like?)

I consider my vinyl part of my overall library, more than a stand alone collection, if that distinction makes any sense? In this era of digital licensing, I think it's important to maintain a physical library of media one actually owns. So I first started with an eye towards building a well-rounded vinyl library similar to our approach to books, but I've shifted my focus to just the kind of music I want to listen to when I'm hanging out in the living room. So there are whole genres that are virtually unrepresented on vinyl. I do have CDs though. I definitely only buy what I like and want to listen to. I don't care about exclusivity or fancy colorways or whatever for the most part--I truly adore black vinyl. Not to say I never ever like or buy the deluxe package of an album, but it isn't typical. I can't afford to use vinyl for music discovery--financially or space-wise.

space and affordability are definitely a challenge in collecting vinyl

For real

if you could expand your library to be more inclusive where would you start

Honestly, I probably wouldn't. But if money and space were no object, and considering stuff my kid might be into down the road, I would add more hip hop. I have like 2 records from VMP and that's it.

do you listen to a lot of hip-hop in general or would it be an exploratory genre

Exploratory. It's not a genre I've connected with much. I'll listen to albums on Spotify if everyone is raving about them, but I think of it as more car music than anything I'd relax with in the living room. Though I'm sure there are albums that would change my mind if I found them.

the RHH genre is the one that really challenges my commitment to collecting all the VMP releases as I haven't really found much I have connected with

it wasn't a huge concern until the RHH track became a thing

It's an important genre, I really should give it more effort and attention.

And Enoch, it is not a failure to stop collecting every VMP release.

lalalalalalalala I can't hear you

Your heart hears me

or something like that