Q&A Remix With...Me

by editor Michele Catalano

The Q&A Remix is a recurring column under the new releases heading. I give people a list of 15 questions and they pick out the ones they want to answer. Thought I’d give it a go myself.

Have you ever bought a record just for the artwork?

 Not the sleeve artwork, but the album artwork. In 1980, I bought True Colors by Split Enz which had designs and colors etched into the record itself. I believe that was a first, or at least the first I had seen anything like that. I had to have it.

What is your most memorable vinyl buying experience?

In August of 1979, I waited in line overnight at Sam Goody to be among the first to buy copies of Led Zeppelin’s new album, In Through the Out Door. The excitement of getting new Zeppelin after waiting over three years was evident in how many people showed up for the midnight release. Took the record home, gave it one listen and flung it across the room in disgust (I have just in the last year come around on that album).

What’s the first area you head for in a record store?

I mainly shop in the same record store (shout out Looney Tunes, West Babylon NY) and the first thing you see when you walk in is the wall of new releases and that’s where I start.

What’s the most treasured album in your collection and why?

Aztec Camera’s High Land, Hard Rain. It’s my original copy from 1983 and it was a gift from someone who guessed correctly that I would love it. It’s my all time favorite album and having that original copy means so much to me.

What one record in your collection would you be most eager to share with new friends?

Panda Bear/Sonic Boom - Reset. An incredible collaboration album that came out in 2022. It’s the perfect music to play when you have quiet company, if you’re just sitting around drinking or playing a board game. It’s light, it’s groovy, it’s a real pleasure to listen to. It sets a really comfortable tone, and I don’t think there’s a person who would say “I don’t like this.”

Are you a completionist when it comes to artists? Which artist do you have the most records from?

No. I want to be, but I don’t have the room or the funds to get everything I want. There are a couple of artists whose discography I want to finish off, like Kevin Devine. I have ten of his records but I’m not done yet. I have all of Manchester Orchestra, and the National, but if you take into account the CDs I have also, then the Beatles and Queens of the Stone Age are the bands I have the most records from.

What is/are your white whale records?

Just last month, Fat Wreck Chords put out the compilation Short Music for Short People on vinyl for the first time. I was too late to get it and it sold out. This is my favorite comp ever and something I would kill to have on vinyl. It’s shipping this week so I’m going to scour ebay next week to see if I can get my hands on it.

What is your greatest “score;” could be on value or just rarity or something you were looking for the longest?

My greatest acquisition is actually a Christmas record, Bert Kaempfert’s Christmas Wonderland. I first heard it at my sister’s house when my brother in law played it for me. I thought it was incredible. Just beautiful Christmas classics that really put me back to my childhood. I fell in love with it. I then found it at a garage sale in Rhode Island when I was back visiting my sister that summer. My brother in law also found a copy and gifted it to me so now I have two and I’m looking for just the right person to give it to.

Do you have a favorite live record?

I’m not that into live music, but I do own Nirvana Unplugged and Springsteen Live 1975-1978 box set and they are both fantastic.

Who/what got you hooked on records?

Older cousins introduced me to the Who, Black Sabbath, and Cheech & Chong records when I was young. I had a Disney turntable I used to play Partridge Family records on and that was over once I got to hear my cousin’s music. Michael didn’t just give me records to listen to, he explained them to me, and listened with me, and taught me how to physically handle the albums and take care of them. He made me revere records.

What are your first memories of listening to records?

My parents had one of those stereos that were in a cabinet with the tv. Mom used to play Broadway musicals, the Beatles, a lot of doo wop. I would be mesmerized watching her flip the records and choose the next one and sing to whatever was on. It was magical to me.

What’s your favorite record to listen to on headphones?

I love listening to music on headphones. It feels more intimate, I feel closer with the music. I don’t have headphones attached to my stereo at the moment, but when I was younger I loved to put on those huge 70s headphones and lie in the dark and listen to the Doors’ Soft Parade. 

Tell us a little about your favorite record store

As I mentioned above, it’s Looney Tunes on Long Island. Not only do I alway find what I want there, but they do listening parties and in-store shows. I saw Kevin Devine, Foxing, and Taking Back Sunday there. The staff is great, the selection is awesome. Worth the time it takes me to drive there.

What’s the last record you listened to?

The Best of David Bowie (today is his birthday)