Q&A Remix With Kevin Alexander

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 Kevin Alexander.

Have you ever bought a record just for the artwork?

Short answer: Yes. Longer answer: I will buy any variant of any New Order release I come across. “Oh, the leaf on this version of True Faith is just a little more yellow than all the others I already own? Sign me up!”

What is your most memorable vinyl buying experience?

Most record collectors have a holy grail: the one record they hope to find above all others. For years, mine was Pere Ubu’s 1989 album, Cloudland.

I’d first found the record not too long after it came out. In the late 80s, CDs were still a novelty, but someone at our city library decided to go “all in” on them (thank you, whoever you are). It was delightfully eclectic as a place trying to be something for everyone. You truly never knew what you might find and rarely came out with exactly what you’d gone in looking for.

They’d put a lot of effort into procuring them but not nearly as much into keeping them organized, settling instead for a brittle system of roughly sorting by genre and hoping for the best. It was all a wonderful mess purpose-built for happy accidents.

One of those collisions was my onramp to the band.

It was always easy to check this CD out. As much as I’d like to frame myself as some sort of tastemaker or just ahead of my time, the reality was that word traveled slowly from Cleveland. And the people who may have known them from work like “30 Seconds Over Tokyo” or their Dub Housing record were probably not hanging out in suburban Portland libraries.

This record has proven hard to find in subsequent years for a bunch of reasons. If I’m honest, had I known how many years I’d ultimately spend looking for this record, I might’ve just kept it, said I lost it and paid the fine. Nevertheless…

I wasn’t looking for Cloudland when I walked into my local record shop a couple of years ago—in fact, I rarely know what I’m looking for when I go in. And even when I do, I usually either toss that list, come up with something totally different, or both.

But the universe has a funny way of gifting you things when you least expect them. In much the same accidental way I came across their CD all those many years ago, I came across a vinyl copy, misfiled under the wrong letter.

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

The used section. In the store I frequent here, that’s downstairs. New arrivals are on the street level because, of course, they are. It feels a bit like having to go through the gift shop to get to the ride, but all of the gold is downstairs. That’s also where many of the new (used) arrivals are, and if you’re not sure what you’re looking for, that’s where you’re bound to find it.

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

Probably Jawbreaker’s Unfun. They’re one of those rare bands for which I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard any of their records and/or when and where I bought them. I grabbed this after seeing them interviewed in Flipside magazine. I took two buses across the metro area to get there and then another two back. I was excited to get home, and the return ride felt like a three-day trek. I put it on the turntable and…promptly had my mind rearranged. I feel like I’ve been chasing that high ever since.

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

It’s probably either gonna be Tim or Don’t Tell a Soul by The Replacements. These are fantastic records but also fun (for lack of a better term). I have a hard enough time making new friends; the last thing I want to do is put on a record that’s tough to access or some sort of dirge. I might also show them some of the first pressings I have. After that, I’d just ask what they’re into and see if I have something that meets the moment. 

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

At the risk of undercutting everything I said about New Order in the first question, no. There are certain artists I will actively look for, but I don’t think things are bad if I’m missing a release or two. I mean, I’m not gonna buy a record I don’t like so that I can say I have ‘em all or anything. 

Speaking of which; as many records of theirs as I have, the title of Most Records Kevin Owns belongs to none other than George Benson. Most I inherited, but a few I picked up on my own. A taste for his music is something congenital, I guess.

What is/are your white whale records, something you have your eye on but haven’t been able to find?

I’m still on the hunt for original pressings of New Order’s Technique and The Cure’s Disintegration. I suppose with enough cash, anything’s possible, but thus far, both of these have managed to elude me.

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

Besides Cloudland, I spent a long time looking for Cheatah’s self-titled debut. Even forgoing my normal rule of trying to find it in the wild, I went to Discogs and even the band’s label. No dice. Last fall, I went to a record sale here in town. I was on my way out the door when something told me to check out one last vendor. I got about three records in when I found it.

Do you have a favorite live record?

The granddaddy of ‘em all for me: Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense. It’s one of those records that only takes about 30 seconds to tell you nothing will ever be the same again. All these years later, I still find something new just about every time I listen to it.

Who/what got you hooked on records?

My dad. He was never pretentious, but he took the care of his records seriously. Even as a young kid, I had to make sure I cleaned them just the right way before putting them on the turntable, made sure they were upright when I put them back, etc. He was incredibly passionate about music, and he passed this affliction on to me.

What are your first memories of listening to records?

We had the same stereo I think most people had in the late/early ’80s: turntable, tape deck, combo receiver, and amp. My parents would plug me in (i.e., put my headphones on), and then I’d pick a record for them to put on. Eventually, they’d just leave me there to pick/play my own stuff. I’d be there for hours. It was a fantastic babysitter!

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

Anytime I get new headphones, AirPods, etc. I use New Order’s “Weirdo” to test drive them. The way the sound ricochets between both sides is a good way to see that everything’s working the way it should. After that, it’s usually Sterolab’s Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements. I also inherited a bunch of jazz records, and I will occasionally put one of those on if I’m looking to check out for a while. I’m not a trained musician, so I can’t explain why they sound so good coming through a good pair of headphones, but they sure do.

Tell us a little about your favorite record store.

Growing up in Portland, I could often usually be found at 2nd Avenue Records. At one point, I should’ve just had my mail delivered there. I was down there any time I had a little extra cash. I live in Madison today, and my go-to shop is a place called Strictly Discs. It’s just far enough away from me that each visit is an event. It’s also near the UW campus on a street filled with cool, eclectic shops. As noted, the new records are on the street level, but the magic is at the bottom of some really steep stairs; all new arrivals and used vinyl are in the basement. They also sell mystery bags, where you get five records for 2.99. You never know what you’re gonna get, and that’s half the fun. I never leave without at least one.

That’s all well and good, but the store’s real superpower is the employees. I’ve watched them keep 4 or 5 plates in the air at once without batting an eye, heard stories about the records I’m getting and how they relate to them, and more. And while they are most definitely the stereotypical record store people, they are anything but judgemental. No matter what you walk up to the register with, they’re just stoked that you’re excited to go home and play it. That alone keeps me coming back.

What’s the weirdest record you own?

One of my mom’s cousins spent years playing in a band. They would play all over the place in Washington & Alaska. The stories she’d come home with were always entertaining. But I had no idea they’d recorded an album (mostly covers) until I was going through a box I’d brought back from my mom’s house. It was wild to find. I’d always seen her as the proverbial cool aunt– this just sealed it. 

How has your record collection and appreciation for vinyl evolved over the years, and what has influenced your tastes?

I started by picking up punk & hardcore records and imports of new wave bands. This was when I was around 13-14. Then CDs came along, and there were years that these records weren’t played at all. As I grew older, I started collecting again, this time appreciating the intention playing a record takes. It’s tactile. It asks you to sit down and actively listen. There’s a friction there that makes it a much richer experience compared to just hitting play on Spotify.

My tastes were initially influenced by my parents—a default option, as they literally chose what I’d listen to, and even when they didn’t, I was limited to what was in their collection. In school, I was lucky to be surrounded by people with cool older siblings who would bring things home from college or wherever, and we’d be exposed to sounds I’d have never heard otherwise. I still feel like I’m always on the hunt for something new/novel, and as my tastes evolve, so too does my collection.  

What’s the last record you played?

Fleetwood Mac’s Mirage

Kevin can be found: 

On Repeat Records newsletter: https://thekevinalexander.substack.com/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kevinalexander.bsky.social

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