Q&A Remix With John Yslas

Q&A Remix is a frequent column on IHTOV in which people from all walks of life answer a set of questions about their vinyl collection. Today we welcome John Yslas

1.) Have you ever bought a record just for the artwork? Absolutely, Wild Nothing’s Nocturne. The vinyl edition comes with multiple lithograph options for the album cover, making it feel like a customizable art piece.

2.) What is your most memorable vinyl buying/receiving experience? Walking into Amoeba Hollywood for the first time in 2006 was an overwhelming yet euphoric experience. I stumbled upon a bootleg fan compilation of The Beach Boys’ SMiLE and Patrick Wolf’s Lycanthropy, two records I never expected to find. It was a perfect introduction to the magic that is Amoeba.

3.) What’s the most treasured album in your collection and why? Two years ago, my cousin passed away unexpectedly. We shared a deep bond over music, as well as being the only queer members of our family. After his passing, his sister set aside a few albums from his collection for me. When I opened the box, I was stunned to find Roxy Music’s Avalon, one of my all-time favorites and a record I had always wanted on vinyl. Now, it holds even greater significance, serving as a tangible connection to him.

4.) What one record in your collection would you be most eager to share with new friends? Without a doubt, Prefab Sprout’s Steve McQueen. This band is criminally underrated, and the album is a sophisti-pop masterpiece that deserves far more appreciation.

5.) Do you have a definitive album of choice for each season?

• Spring: Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It In People
• Summer: Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours
• Autumn: Siouxsie and the Banshees – Juju
• Winter: Fionn Regan – The End of History

6.) What is/are your white whale records—ones you’ve been searching for but haven’t been able to find? Lately, it’s been My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless. Every time I think to search for it online, the price is astronomical, and I’ve yet to come across it in a record store.

7.) Who or what got you hooked on records? In 2002, I received a record player for my 15th birthday, and the first band that came to mind was Oingo Boingo. I became obsessed and needed to own everything of theirs on vinyl. Luckily, living in Los Angeles at the time, their records were fairly easy to find at swap meets—back when vinyl was unwanted and ridiculously cheap.

8.) What’s your favorite record to listen to on headphones? Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois. It’s epic, intricate, and absolutely perfect.

9.) Tell us a little about your favorite record store. Khaos Records in Covina, California, holds a special place in my heart. It was the first record store I ever stepped into, and I was floored. The shop was owned by the guy behind LA’s Smiths & Morrissey convention, and it was essentially a shrine to The Smiths, The Cure, Depeche Mode, and other punk/alternative legends. As a high schooler obsessed with these bands, it was nothing short of heaven.

10.) What’s the weirdest record you own? Tino’s Breaks Volume 6 – Hallowe’en Dub. I found it at Amoeba San Francisco and had to have it based purely on the cover and tracklist, which includes gems like Vampire Circus Dub and Wolfman is Everywhere Dub. It’s bizarre and fantastic.

11.) Have you ever bought a record based on hearing it playing in a record store? Yes! I was at Rhino Records in Claremont, California, when I walked into this gorgeous ambient drone filling the store. It turned out to be Midnight Souls Still Remain, the final track on M83’s Saturdays=Youth. I bought it on the spot.

12.) How has your record collection and appreciation for vinyl evolved over the years? This is a tough one. I spent 20 years collecting records, but about seven years ago, my husband and I hit a rough patch and had to sell my collection to pay rent. As someone on the autism spectrum, these records weren’t just music—they were a core part of my identity. Letting them go was devastating. But things are better now, and I’ve slowly started collecting again, though not as obsessively as before. Some of the most meaningful connections in my life have come from camping out for Record Store Day, and that experience will always remind me of how music can bring people together.

13.) Name the top three records in your collection that best describe you or your vibe. At the moment:

• Taylor Swift – folklore
• Beach House – Bloom
• New Order – Substance

14.) What’s the last record you played? The Cranberries – Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?

Jon Yslas, known musically as Forbidden Disco, has always been drawn to the energy of indie rock and disco house. But as any true artist knows, evolution is inevitable. His upcoming project, Midway Echoes, trades club-ready grooves for something more cinematic and immersive, pulling from film scores, ambient textures, and the eerie warmth of theme park soundscapes. It’s music that feels like stepping into a forgotten dream, where the echoes of childhood joy and distant melodies blur together. With Midway Echoes, Yslas crafts an exploration of memory, loss, and the spaces in between.

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