For Ear Sake

Vinyl Lovers is a monthly post that premiers the love individuals have for vinyl records. Each month, one special individual will be chosen to share their love with For Ear Sake by giving a glimpse of their collection, certain records they adore, and stories surrounding their love for the forgotten medium. Vinyl Lovers is not only for vinyl collectors with large collections, but for all individuals that own and love records. It's not about the amount of records you own, but the love you have for what you own. Hopefully this monthly post will inspire people on the verge of starting a record collection, and motivate those that collect to keep digging!

Everyone meet Chris. He's a 26 year old vinyl lover from Iowa. I caught up with him through Instagram (iPhone app), and in the midst of the pictures he shared with everyone, I saw that he enjoyed vinyl records. There's a few fans of the LP format that use the app, but Chris was one of the ones willing to be featured for Vinyl Lovers, and we're more than happy to feature him.

How long have you been collecting records? When did you realize you had an interest for vinyl records, and what motivated you to start collecting them?

I’ve been collecting records for 14 years now. I learned about Punk and Rap music first through skate and BMX biking videos. My older brother and his friends were big influences being in our skate and biking circles as they passed around CDs, records, and mixes to one another. As I got older I became aware of the DJ community in Iowa, which at the time was mostly a House and Hardcore Techno scene. However, there were a few Hip Hop DJs around. Through countless dubs of their mixtapes, that opened my ears to collecting records, sample hunting, and new genres of music. Plus, the Midwest Rap scene was really taking off in the late 90's and early 00's.

What are your favorite genres to collect?

Currently, I collect Cuban records of all types. There are multiple eras that I am learning about dating back to the 40's all the way up to recent times. It’s pretty amazing how styles changed due to American or various South American influences; even under the ongoing embargo via the U.S. So, Cuban music has been my main venture for the past three years, and my collection is constantly growing. If I’m not in the mood for anything Cuban I spend time with Angolan, Brazilian, Private Issue New Age, and field recordings from all over the world. I don’t limit myself to just those genres, however. I find current artists like Flying Lotus, Deerhunter, Dimlite, and Dungen pretty amazing among countless others.

The Grupo Los Yoyi, self-titled. The Grupo Los Yoyi LP is considered a "grail" to collectors of Cuban music. As you can see, the cover of my copy is a bit gutted, but the record plays great! It contains a deep Jazz-Funk favorite of mine, "El Fino." Listen (here).

What was the first LP you purchased with your own money?

There were two records that I bought at the same time with my own money, those being DJ Shadow’s “Preemptive Strike” and a Ghetto House 12” from DJ Funk, “Ghetto Booty House Anthems.” I lost my copy of “Preemptive Strike,” sadly. I’m pretty sure it’s the only record I’ve ever lost. I still listen to the DJ Funk 12” here and there. If you were ever into House music of any kind, it’s a classic. Those two purchases were made strictly because of surrounding influences that opened up my ears to numerous sounds. I am extremely grateful for that.

How many records does your collection consist of?

If I had to guess, the most it’s ever been is around 2,500. Currently, the collection is closer to 1,500. I’ve been living in the top of a 100+ year old house for about 8 months now, and I’ve got maybe 500 of my LPs with me sitting on the floor, lying against the wall. It feels good to have fewer lying around than more. After a few years into record collecting, I knew I didn’t want to have an enormous collection, so I tend to thin it out when I get the time and motivation. I am definitely willing to let the collection get large, however. If I ever let my collection hit the 5,000 LP point, I’ll know it’s time to let a good amount go.

Ojas, "Seven Levels of Man." I've heard this one is considered by many collectors to be a precursor to New Age music. Ojas' "Seven Levels of Man" consists of experimental electronic noise and acoustic instrumentation right on the verge of New Age music. It's a great album, don't let the New Age reference point fool you. I'm a fan of any sort of early electronic music, and having just discovered the PINA (Private Issue New Age) genre, I'm hooked on this stuff now.

How often do you shop for records? Also, where are your favorite places to dig? (shops, flea markets, garage sales, etc)

The answer is daily. I don’t necessarily make a purchase everyday or week, but I’m always looking online or at locals shops. It’s beneficial to keep your eyes peeled and to read up on as much information as you can. It only makes you more knowledgeable and aware of what’s out there. My favorite places to dig are either garage sales or at the local Half Price Books. Iowa isn’t the greatest place for records, actually, it’s considered by many to be horrible. As you can imagine, I make a lot of my purchases online through contacts I’ve made over the years, or eBay, Music Stack, Super Fly, Discogs, etc. My favorite record shop is Good Records in NYC. I’ve met a lot of great and interesting people through collecting records.

Grupo Irakere, self-titled. Grupo Irakere's self-titled release on the fantastic Areito label is great all the way through. It contains the popular fuzzed out "Bacalao Con Pan" track, along with plenty more to jam to. It gets consistant play on my turntable. This is the first Cuban record I purchased, and I reckon it may be my favorite. Listen (here).

Where's the weirdest place you've come across records? Did you manage to score anything good?

I haven’t necessarily stumbled upon records in weird places per se, but various shops and house calls have all been interesting. For example, there is a store a few hours from here that is part record, antique, vintage costume, and skate shop. It’s very strange heading upstairs to this massive room of records, walking beside an enormous amount of vintage costumes that I assume are for Halloween or plays. At that particular spot, I scored a few overpriced notables upon my first visit. House calls can be a strange, awkward, and unique experience, or just a painful process to go through. After the owner has been telling war stories or subjecting you to a grueling story about a deceased pet, it’s always rewarding to score a nice LP or 20. I’ve found come up on some nice local private issue Jazz LPs a few times. Iowa's got a few record related secrets up it's sleeve.

Grupo de Experimentacion Sonora del ICAIC, self-titled. The Grupo de Experimentacion Sonora del ICAIC were a collective of Cuban musicians and composers for the Film Institute in Havana. Many of their releases contain Experimental Jazz and Folk music, along with the Nueva Trova (New Song) style they are most known for. This particular release is pretty amazing; in many ways its like a psychedelic-noise-jazz-samba-rock album if you can imagine that. This track is from their third release (not pictured). Listen (here).

How far have you traveled in search of records?

I’ve never gone on a trip specifically for record digging, though I’d like to. The furthest I’ve traveled is to both coasts of the U.S. I’ve traveled all over Iowa in search of records, and of course have found very little. Known collectors have come through Iowa a few times over the years, so props to those collectors for doing their homework and figuring out the record situation here. Whether I find a great LP in this state or someone else does, it’s good to know that someone is finding something around here.

Have you ever come across steals you take pride in? If so, what records did you manage to get for a steal price, and what were the prices?

Again, this is Iowa we are talking about, but I’ve scored a NM copy of Stanley Cowell’s “Musa” on Strata East for $.50. I like that album--nice, relaxing solo piano Jazz on the spiritual tip. The best may have been finding close to 25 various NM James Brown 45s in the backroom of an art gallery turned record shop in a small town 20 miles from here, all for $.25 each. The next day I went back for further inspection, and the owner realized what happened and raised the prices to the going rate. I wish that place was still around; it was open for only a summer. Aside from that, I've had some cool online steals. An example would be the awesome self-titled Latin Funk album from Coke on Sound Triangle selling for $11 on eBay. I’m still not sure how no one noticed, however, these things seem to happen often.

Daniel Viglietti & Grupo de Experimentacion Sonora del ICAIC, self-titled. Here we have Uruguayan folkster Daniel Viglietti collaborating with the Grupo de Experimentacion Sonora del ICAIC. Side A is entirely covers of popular Brazilian songs including Edu Lobo's awesome "Upa Negrito" and Chico Buarque's "Construccion." Side B is popular Cuban songs covering Noel Nicola's upbeat "Comienzo El Dia." There are a few different versions of this release, I've had the U.S. pressing on Monitor forever until recently I scored the Cuban pressing on Areito by way of some amazing luck. Great album cover.

Do you believe records will become extinct? If so, what do you think can be done to prevent the extinction?

I don’t believe records will become extinct any time soon. There will always be collectors, whether they are the specific hardcore completists or like-to-buy-everything type, records will be around. I think preservation is important for nearly everything—knowledge-wise or collectible. While I’m by no means perfect at handling records or taking care of them, I think it's important to take care and respect these objects, because they are an idea or work of art that someone created for others to consume or cause influence. They are a look into the past. I find it extremely interesting to own Cuban LPs, personally—some of the sleeves are printed on flimsy paper, while others on a sturdier cardboard stock. This was entirely due to the available supplies at the specific time the album was pressed in Cuba. Like any object that’s collectible or of historical significance, it can tell you a story about a time and place, and lead you in so many directions record-related or not.

What advice do you have for individuals just starting a record collection?

My biggest advice is to buy anything that looks interesting. If you don’t like it, get rid of it. Learning about records and music can be slow, or it can be fast. Use all the tools you have at hand—the internet, message boards, Popsike, etc. Read books on specific genres of music that interest you. Keep an open mind and take suggestions and recommendations from everyone you meet who's into music; it will benefit you in the end. Don't be afraid to take a chance on a record.

Do you have any other musical hobbies outside of collecting records?

I enjoy graphic design, photography, and bikes and hikes.

I personally want to thank Chris for being a part of Vinyl Lovers, and helping set the tone for what's to come in the following months. He's not only a vinyl collector, but an artists as well. Be sure to check out his work (here)!