Q&A Remix With Drew Beringer

Today’s Q&A Remix is with music writer Drew Beringer

Have you ever bought a record just for the artwork?

Not explicitly but if there’s an album that I just kind of like but the artwork (or variant) is fire I’ll pick it up.

What is your most memorable vinyl buying experience?

Going to Inner Sleeve Records in Wausau WI in the winter of 2015 - we found a sealed copy of the Sleater-Kinney box set in color.

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

The aforementioned Sleater-Kinney box set - my then-girlfriend now-wife bought it for me when we miraculously found it at Inner Sleeve. The why is being saved for a future essay ;-)

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

New releases then the new used section if I don’t already have a plan of what I want to accomplish on that visit.

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

I love showing off my copy of Deafheaven’s Sunbather. Not only is it an excellent record, the package is phenomenal with the die-cut center and I have the first pressing splatter out of 300 which is gorgeous and fits the vibe of the album perfectly. 

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

Yes I am - the artists I have the most records of are Alkaline Trio, Bright Eyes, Converge, The Cure, The National, Paramore, Sleater-Kinney, Touché Amoré, and The Wonder Years. 

What is/are your white whale records?

Deftones*’ White Pony* on promo 2xLP red variant is the biggest white whale for me that I will probably never realistically own. The last white whale record I did acquire was The National’s Trouble Will Find Me box set. The one I am currently on the hunt for is the self-titled Cure album from 2004.

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

I have a lot of these I feel - the greatest one is still the Sleater-Kinney box set and the most recent one is finding the Ten Bands One Cause variant of Modest Mouse’s This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About.

Who/what got you hooked on records?

This is a great question. I had always been curious about the hobby but it wasn’t until one Christmas my former partner bought me a Sony LP-120 and records from The Postal Service and Bon Iver as gifts and that’s what started it.

What genre is most represented in your collection?

It’s probably a healthy mix of indie, emo, and heavy music.

Tell us a little about your favorite record store

I’ve lived in Indianapolis for over a decade now and my favorite store is Luna Music. The aura there is perfect, the used section is always fire, and the staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. It’s a great part of the city too so the vibes are immaculate.

What’s the weirdest record you own?

I dunno about weirdest but it’s probably the last two Bluey records on picture disc. I abhor picture discs but these are records to play with my 3 year old son and he loves dancing to them and seeing the pictures spinning on the turntable and that’s all that matters to me.

Drew Beringer is a part-time writer for chorus.fm (formerly the editor of AbsolutePunk.net) and occasionally posts a newsletter called Enjoy or Don’t in between raising his 3-year-old son and finding time to spin the way-too-many records he owns. You can find him on bluesky under his