Q&A Remix With Jay Gerland

Have you ever bought a record just for the artwork?

I think only if I’m at a thrift store and see something unusual. If it’s not the typical Humperdinck or Herb Alpert but has an interesting cover, I’d grab it. I’ve done this too many times and really need to unload this stuff.

What is your most memorable vinyl buying experience?

This could be The Smiths Meat Is Murder” My mom was always buying records and we would go on Wednesdays because they gave you double stamps (their reward program) and I remember her taking me to buy that album. One of the few that vanished from my collection over the years.

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

New used arrivals for sure.

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

There’s a copy of the White Album on white vinyl that I always considered a big deal. There’s a whole story behind it. I don’t know how it ended up at our house or who bought it, but I’ve had it for 40 years.

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

I think I would go with The Long Winters’ Putting The Days To Bed. It’s definitely an album I’ve listened to more than any other and means a great deal to me personally. Acquiring all of the original vinyl pressings for the Long Winters took me a long time.

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

For the most part, yes. I have several complete or near-complete collections for artists I really care about.

What is/are your white whale records?

My vinyl buying has slowed dramatically over the years as I’ve collected most of my white whales. Life Without Buildings’ Any Other City is still a big one. Until they finally repressed Warren Zevon’s The Wind, that was another.

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

I think finding the Janes Addiction debut album in a box of records at a gas station in the middle of nowhere is one. Finding a very early pressing of Take Five for $2 was satisfying as well.

Do you have a favorite live record?

I actually love live albums so this is a tough one. There are so many, especially Classic Rock albums from the 70s but the one I definitely listen to most is Sunny Day Real Estate’s “Live” album. So good.

Who/what got you hooked on records?

It was basically the format I started with and I never stopped buying them. Even when I didn’t have a record player for years, I kept going to record shows. You could get a lot of stuff for little money in the 80s and 90s.

What are your first memories of listening to records?

My Mom’s Beatles collection as a little kid. My brother and I spent hours and hours playing them all. We had the whole catalog to consume. Also, buying a 45 at the local department store was a treat for us when we were little.

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

Pink Floyd Animals - the only way to go.

What genre is most represented in your collection?

Hard to say but it’s mostly 3 genres: New Wave, Classic Rock, and Indie.

Tell us a little about your favorite record store

In the 80s and 90s, there was a small, family-owned chain of record stores named Cavages. It was in all the malls, back when malls were the place to be. Across from the arcade, next to the food court. I happened to eventually marry the cute girl behind the counter and we’ve been together ever since.

What’s the weirdest record you own?

Might be an album by a local band in the late 80s called The Moment. I eventually stumbled upon a copy at a record show, I never knew it existed, but the cover is a plain white sleeve with “custom” artwork of crayon scribbles by the band. The Moment featured Jimmy Chambers, who was not only my cousin’s neighbor, but also went on to be the drummer in Mercury Rev for several years.

Jay Gerland is from Buffalo, NY and has been collecting vinyl since he was a kid in the 70s. Growing up on his parent’s Beatles record collection through to his New Wave, Punk, and Jam Band phases, Jay has collected over 1,000 records that take up way too much room in his house. Jay lives with his wife and 2 dogs with a son away at college and dreams of one day getting the band back together.

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