Q&A Remix With Tim Gavin

The Q&A Remix is a frequent column on IHTOV in which people from all walks of life answer a set of pre-written questions about their vinyl collection. Today we welcome Tim Gavin.

Have you ever bought a record just for the artwork?

I’ve streamed, and purchased many albums purely for the artwork. My first time doing this was picking up a copy of Pelagial by German Post-Metal band The Ocean, but that was on CD. Shiho Yabuki’s The Body is a Message of the Universe was probably the first vinyl record I’ve bought just by the artwork. I was poking through my usual place, 2nd Thoughts up in Prince George, BC, Canada. The artwork was different from the original album art, instead opting for a photo of Shiho Yabuki herself, but what had me so interested was that the art made this ambient record seem a little more DIY than I’d expect an ambient record from 1987 to be. It made me want to hear first hand how this record sounded. Sure enough, anytime I need to relax, this has become a go-to listen for me.

What is your most memorable vinyl buying experience?

The best times to go record shopping are when you’re going with your friends. Last September, a couple of my buddies and I drove down to Vancouver for a show, and the next day we went out record shopping. We found a store we’d never been to previously (Shoutout to Audio Pile) and had the time of our lives shopping for records we’d never even seen pressed to vinyl before, and having to make some tough choices on what to buy then, and what to leave behind. We each walked out with something we’d wanted for a long time. The best part was finding a copy of Death Grips Government Plates for my one friend since he’s been hunting for that one for years.

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

Lately it’s been the electronic section, mostly because I’m on the hunt for a copy of Pendulum’s first album Hold Your Colour. Up here in Canada that one’s very difficult to find and in the meantime I usually find something interesting to listen to instead.

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

Nurture by Porter Robinson. I found this album during a rather rough time in my life. Spring of 2021, I’d left my home province for a new job after a few months of unemployment and waiting out the first wave of COVID. After four months in one town, I’d been promoted and had to start my whole life over two times in a year. When I first listened to Nurture, I was still getting back on my feet, no furniture in my apartment because I left it all back home, sleeping on an air mattress, and still trying to establish myself in a very isolating time. The first nice weekend of that year rolls around, I go for a hike and see this album show up in my new music feed. The combination of nice weather, beautiful surroundings, and Nurture’s bright sound and gorgeous songwriting got me feeling better than I had in over a year. Later I met my now wife, and the first music we bonded over was me sharing Nurture with her on a hike to that same spot. It became the soundtrack to our relationship. I could go on even longer about how important this album is to me, but I’ll wrap it up here.

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

Probably my copy of Donuts, by J-Dilla. Short enough that you could listen to it in one sitting. And it’s an album that I think anyone could appreciate whether it’s as background noise during a party, or you and some friends are actively listening.

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

It depends on the artist, but the band I’m the MOST completionist about is Nine Inch Nails. My favorite band of all time, that’s gotten me through good and bad times, and I have almost their entire discography. Albeit most of it’s on CD. But since they re-released their main albums on vinyl, I’ve slowly collected them. My proudest finds are the full complete version of The Fragile, and its instrumental companion piece Deviations 1.

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

The Orb’s Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld. I saw a copy one time and one of my biggest regrets is not buying it when I had the chance. I’ve been searching for it ever since and the next time I see it, I’ll probably buy it no matter the price.

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

I’ve gotten into Noise music in the last few months and recently I found Merzbow’s Venereology on vinyl for 40 bucks. Naturally I had to pick it up, and shortly after I ordered Pulse Demon as well.

Do you have a favorite live record?

Surprisingly, I have zero live albums on vinyl…I’ll have to change that next time I go record shopping.

Who/what got you hooked on records?

Probably getting access to a turntable to be honest. I’ve collected music in one shape or form since I was about 8 years old, at first getting the occasional CD for birthdays and Christmas, then spending any extra dollars I had on music either on CD, or on iTunes at the time. I didn’t get into vinyl until I left home, and got some real adult money. But my family loves music and different family members exposed me to different kinds of music. So I try to have a wide variety of sounds in my collection. Some CDs and vinyl I have are partly as a snapshot of a good memory in my life.

What are your first memories of listening to records?

After getting my first record player, I bought a bunch of records partly at random. But also because I wanted my first records to really count. I grabbed White Women by Chromeo, The Rocky Horror Picture Show OST, Ministry’s 12-Inch singles collection, and a Fall Out Boy 7” and spent a weekend listening to these records and loving the music they had on them even more than on my ipod.

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

Random Access Memories by Daft Punk. The beauty of this record is that it works well when you’re blasting it on your speakers, but when you put headphones on, it feels like you’re peeling back the layers on each sound a little bit more. Each song feels less like a party anthem and more like you’re listening to a sonic diary of sorts.

Tell us a little about your favorite record store

2nd Thoughts in Prince George, BC. To most outsiders it would seem like an ordinary record store. But as soon as you start crate digging, you’ll find one of the most well-curated collections of records in any small town. Larry; the owner of said establishment. Is great at both having the popular in-demand albums, and slowly drawing in the serious collectors with more obscure picks, and stuff you’d be genuinely shocked to find this far up north. Plus he’s got a gift for getting real specific with people’s music tastes as well.

What’s the weirdest record you own?

Probably either of my aforementioned Merzbow records. Though they seem to be the albums every noise fan starts with, and one of the few people curious about noise start with. They are still very bizarre and very fun to listen to in the right mood.

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

My collection started mostly as random finds and collectors items, grabbing albums that I think are best listened to as a vinyl record, albums that I think are the absolute cream of the crop, and albums that I want to listen to as full albums and give the music the attention it deserves. And in a contrarian way, I like having more obscure stuff in my collection. I say contrarian because I’m a music director for a country music radio station, a format that is very mainstream right now, but in the spirit of work/life balance, I like having some escapism too. That’s not to say I don’t have ANY country music on vinyl. But I’m extremely picky about country music I do have.

What’s the last record you played?

Laughing Stock by Talk Talk

Tim has worked in Radio around Western Canada for over 10 years, most recently as an Announcer and Music Director in Prince George, BC, Canada, where he lives with his wife and their 2 cats and dog.

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