Tell us a little bit about yourself: Hello record fans! I’m Joe Foster from West Des Moines, Iowa. I’m 41 years old and the vice president of a wine and spirits company.  My wife Kara and I have twins, Mason and Audrey, who will be turning 5 in November.  I have a stepdaughter, Ella, who will be 16 in November, she is my modern music buddy as my wife only likes two types of music: country and western.  I started off in the adult beverage industry portraying Captain Morgan, so I guess you can say rum is in my blood.  My family and I love all things Disney and the Haunted Mansion is easily my favorite ride.  I collect patches, for a patch work shirt, from all of the fun and interesting places that I visit.  I love taking vinyl records to concerts and conventions and getting them autographed by the people involved with them.

Favorite album: This is of course an extremely difficult question for any record collector, but for me it’s probably a tie between Sturgill Simpson’s A Sailor’s Guide to Earth and Shooter Jennings’ masterpiece concept album Black Ribbons.  Both of those albums tell stories from beginning to end and show true artistic expression.

First album: The Hardee’s restaurant Gremlins 45 rpm records with story books!  What great memories of my dad always getting those for me.  The first record I ever bought for myself was Bryan Adams’ Reckless.  I had that on vinyl before I even had my own record player.  Hit after hit from front to back.  If “Summer of ‘69” doesn’t make you feel something, you may want to check your pulse.”

Favorite Enjoy The Ride or Enjoy The Toons release: The Dark Crystal Deluxe Edition is easily my favorite Enjoy The Toons release, so far.  That film is a slice of so many of our childhoods and reason so many of us like fantasy, sci-fi and horror films.

Favorite album artwork: Ghoulish Gary Pullin’s artwork for the C.H.U.D. release from Waxwork Records is just perfect as it captures the movie exactly as I remember it.  His House 1 /House 2 Waxwork double LP is a close second. I’m a huge fan of his work in general and absolutely love seeing so many albums recently with his art.

Favorite Halloween themed album in your collection? I actually just got it! Songs of the Thinned Veil.  My friend, composer Justin Burning, just released it on vinyl where it promptly sold out. I hope he will do a repressing so more people can discover this.  Another friend Matt Dougherty does some guest vocals on this album so it’s been on repeat at my house.  The art for this record was done by the incomparable Sam Heimer (frequent collaborator with Cadabra Records).  This whole project was just a home run in my opinion. Plus watching people make passion projects come to life is just so cool!

Favorite Halloween themed record artwork? The Bates Motel deluxe package is essential for Halloween. The gate fold pop-up art and shower drain swirl vinyl are top notch in creativity.

Favorite Halloween themed wax variant? Joe Hill put out a spoken word horror story on vinyl called Dark Carousel.  When I show people why I think colored vinyl is a form of art I show them that specific wax variant.  From Cadabra Records spoken arts on vinyl, makes it impossible to choose just one from their gorgeous pressings.

Most unique Halloween album in your collection? Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth original soundtrack by Mark Fox.  I have an autographed “blood” filled copy.  Mark is an amazing guy and needs to do some more soundtracks soon!

What Halloween albums do you wish you had in your collection?
I’d like to eventually go back and get all of the variants of the Halloween albums from Mondo and all of the Friday the 13th variants from Waxwork Records.  I have a pretty complete Nightmare on Elm Street collection already.  I also have the soundtrack to Scream Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street by Alexander Taylor on order.  I’m hoping it arrives in time for Halloween!

What are your favorite local record shops, in case any readers are traveling through your town? My friends and I camp out every Record Store Day at Wax Xtatic Record Audio Stereo Shop/Odds and Ends in Marshalltown, Iowa.  John and Warren there are just the best.  John always has something playing at volume 10 that makes you feel at home when you walk in the door!  John’s forgotten more about music than I will ever know.  I’m actually really lucky to have a great record shop scene here in Iowa close to the West Des Moines area where I live.  Vinyl Cup, Marv’s Music, Rogue Planet and Zzz Records are all fun and ran by great people that put their customers first.

What are your favorite venues in your town to catch a show? Wooly’s in downtown Des Moines because if you get there early enough you can get as close to the stage as you want as its general admission!  For acoustics Hoyt Sherman in Des Moines is an extremely acoustic old theater.  I saw Bryan Adams play his Bare Bones acoustic show there and I have never heard anything sound better.  Ever.

Favorite record shop you've stumbled upon while visiting another location Amoeba in San Francisco is an absolute go to when I’m in California for business. I was recently in New Zealand also for business and had the chance to get shown around the record scene by my buddy Johnny Andrews that lives there.  One of the shops he took me to, Real Groovy, was a lot of fun and had just a great selection of all genres.  If anyone is ever in Savannah, Georgia go seek out Graveface Records & Curiosities.  Unique shop that owner, Ryan, also runs a great record label called Terrorvision. They put out all sorts of cult soundtracks! 

*added note from ETR: There is currently a Graveface Museum in the works!

What have you been listening to more frequently lately? I’ve been listening to a lot of Eric Church.  His songwriting is so intelligent and speaks to your soul.  I’ve also been listening to a lot of movie soundtracks from my childhood.  Big Trouble in Little China,  House 1 and House 2, Monster Squad, and Gremlins.  I’m a member of a great Facebook group called  MondoWax and I get inspiration on what to listen to next by reading and watching what other members are listening to.

Have you discovered any new artists lately? Amigo the Devil.  WOW.  The first time I listened to his song “Cocaine and Abel” I remember thinking what the hell just hit me.  What a talent.  I need to see him LIVE.  Rod Melancon is another emerging artist that more people need to check out as his music is raw passion and he tells stories like he has lived three full lifetimes.

What are some of your favorite albums you have in your collection? Aliens score as I absolutely love that film and James Horner. Interstellar score as Hans Zimmer created art that perfectly intertwined with that film and almost became another character on its own. The Nice Guys limited deluxe pressing. Young Guns 2 Garret’s Place Wax Mage variant which only 10 were made. Cadabra’s The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe read by Anthony D.P. Mann. Black Ribbons Ultimate Edition autographed by Shooter Jennings. The packaging is die cut and just layers upon layers of amazing dystopian art. Forbidden Planet signed by the composers. Gypsy signed by Natalie Wood, Karl Malden and Rosalind Russell.

Any specific albums you wish you had on vinyl?
My Holy Grail list:
Event Horizon soundtrack.
Aliens Xenomorph green blood filled variant.
Friday the 13th blood filled variant.
Everything is Fine by Amigo the Devil.  The green and black rare marbled variant.
Just Push Play by Aerosmith.  I know the artist that painted the album cover!
The Type O Negative Dead Again box set.

What album would you like to be pressed on vinyl?
I NEED Enjoy the Toons to press G.I. Joe to vinyl immediately!  We need a two album set with the television score and the cartoon movie music, especially that opening credits theme song!  Enjoy the Toons also needs to press The Real Ghostbusters to vinyl as well. Bram Stoker’s Dracula is in desperate need of a repress with all of the bells and whistles added to the packaging.  The Scream 3 soundtrack is just a bonkers awesome sampling of early 2000s hard rock and needs a vinyl pressing.  Night of the Creeps also needs the vinyl treatment.  Zakk Wylde’s original Book of Shadows needs to happen soon.  Finally I think a lot of us would love to see Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow get pressed.

Scenario time! Let’s say you decided to sell most of your possessions + live in a tiny house for the remainder of your years. You can only take 7 records. What are they (Here's the catch - for each person you live with, you have to make one of those choices their favorite album - the more people you live with, the less choices are yours. Yes, this includes tiny humans. If you want to include your furry humans, feel free)?
Daughter Audrey:  Frozen movie soundtrack
Son Mason:  The Greatest Showman movie soundtrack
Wife Kara: Jimmy Buffett's A1A
Step-Daughter Ella:  Panic! at the Disco’s Death of a Bachelor
So that leaves three for me:
My Stan Lee autographed copy of the Guardians of the Galaxy DELUXE vinyl soundtrack and score.  My stepdaughter and I met him right before he passed away and that was such an amazing memory that we will always cherish.
My Bruce Campbell autographed copy of Waxwork Records’ Evil Dead 2 score.  I met Bruce while he was on a book tour and I remember him signing it with a paint pen.  His handler was trying to rush me through the line and Bruce stopped him and made sure they were careful not to smudge the signature.  I remember thinking how cool of Bruce to actually care about that and to take the time to make sure my memento wasn’t ruined!
Finally my Wes Studi autographed copy of The Last of the Mohicans soundtrack.  That music is hauntingly beautiful.  A filmmaker friend of mine Robert Dopf flew Wes in for a fundraising event for a movie he’s trying to get made that will actually feature Wes in it.  Such a great night meeting Wes and a reminder that if you want your dreams to happen you have to go actually fight and make them happen!