Record Collector Of The Month: November 2019
Hi, It's me Brock Wilbur. Let's knock some of these things out.
I'm 35 and I've recently moved to Kansas City after a decade in Los Angeles. I wrote in TV and movies while also touring as a stand-up comedian and occasionally playing support roles in various rock bands. Originally from Salina, Kansas I lived for a decade in LA and around that area, but in this last year I moved to Kansas City. KC is quickly become the next Austin, and my wife and I are both journalists. We could keep our jobs covering the hell-fire that is America while also having the space to not murder each other in the same house.
Here's my vinyl line-in: in 2010 I was at a friend's party and I did that thing that you know you hate to see; when someone decides to change the music at a party that is not their own party. Instead of just changing an iPod to the next song, I attempted to switch records. I didn't understand how record speeds work. Anyway, it meant an Interpol record started playing way slower than that Interpol record should have played.
Instead of apologizing or attempting to get my party behavior under control to never again co-opt someone's party playlist, I instead went to Amoeba in Los Angeles and bought a few copies of my favorite albums. I didn't have a turntable yet, but I knew I needed to have my favorites on wax. Again, this is the sort of idiot behavior that gave me some fresh-ass wax releases an neither an ability to play them, nor a social situation where we playing them would've made it less awkward for anyone. I sincerely just miss every social prompt and years later love to point and say "Hey look at this this I love!" amid a void of everything.
I'm not an addict. But. I did come to understand early-on that vinyl appreciation and vinyl membership is this very odd and very specific society.
Favorite Enjoy The Ride or Enjoy The Toons release: Well, I just got my Scrooged release sent my way, so that's good. I think I stumbled into the label circa the pressing of The Fall of Troy and was like "well, let's see where this goes!" All killer albums aside, I think what I least expected (and was most thrilled) to see was the pressing of the Men In Black score. It's one of those things from exactly my 6th grade year, which made it exactly one of my first ten(?) compact discs ever purchased? In retrospect, a solid half of those were Elfman or Elfman adjacent, so of course this belonged there.
Favorite holiday themed album in your collection: I've worn out three copies of Charlie Brown. In the middle of summer I ordered three for this year because I need at least one for gift giving and maybe two for all the hours of holiday party I need to cover.
Favorite holiday themed wax variant: Anything around the Charlie Brown and/or Grinch soundtrack is usually pretty great. The uh... Enjoy the Ride Scrooged! release has some of the best holiday variants I've ever seen. Names and colors are just great all around. I promise I'm not sucking up.
Most unique holiday album in your collection: Low's 1999 Christmas album remains one of those things that's wonderful but I have no idea why it exists or who it was for. Maybe just me?
What are some of your favorite things about the holiday season?: It's a pretty great time for music in general. The midwest is a great place to get snowed in for days on end and with nowhere to go it's a delightfully forced opportunity to plow through some of my music backlog.
Since we are coming up on Thanksgiving, what are you thankful for?: We're all still here somehow. Really didn't see us making it through 2019. Not trying to jinx it but...
What are your favorite venues in your town to catch a show?: Kansas City has some incredible mid-small venues like recordBar, the Uptown Theater, and Riot Room. Records With Merritt just down the street from my house is my favorite little record spot in town and the incredibly intimate shows there are some of my favorite.
Favorite record shop you've stumbled upon while visiting another location?: My wife is from SF and each time we go back, we stumble into a new shop with some crazy amount of history and I have to be reminded that my records are not gonna fit in my carry-on bag for the trip back :<
What have you been listening to more frequently lately?: The Watchmen soundtrack is excellent but also makes me Pretty Stressed Out so that's... a lot. I've been spinning most of the career from Clutchy Hopkins and Shawn Lee. Their collab album "Fascinating Fingers" actually hasn't left my turntable in almost a week? So that's my jam right now.
Have you discovered any new artists lately?: There's this person called Lizzo. I know most of you haven't heard of her, but I think she's going places.
Any specific albums you wish you had on vinyl?: My last batch was the whole Cake catalogue and I wanted it for so long that I finally gave in and got the box set. I see that as being my last big purchase for a while.
What album would you like to be pressed on vinyl?: Frank Ocean's "channel ORANGE" on orange vinyl is one of those things that they keep promising is coming but... I'll believe it when I have it. Bootleg versions are out there for like $100 but that's... not a route I'm gonna go down.
Comments
0 Comments