Q&A With Scott O'Kelley

Have you ever bought a record just for the artwork? 

Tons. Especially when I was an avid thrift store/estate sale shopper. Some because they were interesting or creative and some because they were just weird or dumb. Jackie Gleason’s Lonesome Echo with the Salvador Dali cover comes to mind. And there’s a Music to Strip By record that came with a g-string–how could I pass that up?

What is your most memorable vinyl buying/receiving experience?

Sun Ra came through KC every year back in the ‘80s and would play at some hole in the wall for a couple of weeks. Some of us would go almost every night and the band sold their records off the bandstand after their gigs. They were very DIY: Rough pasted-on labels and all the covers were different scribbles and collages. I think they were around 10 bucks–which was a lot for a poor record store employee back then, but I bought as many as I could.

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

Probably the first Drive-By Truckers 45 from around 1998. I was working at a weekly paper in Durham, NC, and we got packets from bands passing through all the time. But there was one from this band I’d never heard of: A tape of a soon-to-be-released album, a nice note complimenting me on a recent article, and best of all a 45. I’ve been a huge fan ever since.

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

Not one record, but I always love turning people on to Drive-By Truckers and there’s something for everyone: country twang, hard rockers, poetic singer-songwriter stuff, political scorchers. I also love trying out jazz for people who say they hate jazz.

Do you have a definitive album of choice for spring, summer, autumn and winter?

Not really, but I love Le Sacre du Printemps and play it every spring equinox. I also love spinning Christmas records during the holidays, but I don’t have any seasonal favorites otherwise.

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

Two ‘90s Throwing Muses records I used to have, but gave up to an ex: University and Limbo.

Who/what got you hooked on records?

My dad was a huge record collector and had a great stereo–he nurtured that love of music in me, taught me how to take care of records and how to listen. 

Tell us a little about your favorite record store

I have a couple. I live in a fairly small town, but we’re lucky to have a record store: In the Groove is like if Floyd’s Barbershop was a record store; comfortable, friendly, and fun to browse. About a half hour away is Hitt Street Records, a classic college-town record store with a great vibe, friendly staff, and a great selection.

What’s the weirdest record you own? 

I’ve been collecting weird records for decades, so it’s hard to narrow down, but RCA put out two locked-groove game records in the ‘50s: Sandy Becker’s Bingo and Mel Allen’s Baseball Game. Neither had the game pieces when I found them, but you’d roll dice or spin a spinner–I’m not sure which–to determine which side and track to drop the needle on. Each track has four or five concentric grooves, so you never know what you’ll get: N-17 or B-40? Or “There’s a long fly ball to center field and it’s gone!” or “There’s a fastball for a called third strike!”

Tell us a little about your favorite record store

I have a couple. I live in a fairly small town, but we’re lucky to have a record store: In the Groove is like if Floyd’s Barbershop was a record store; comfortable, friendly, and fun to browse. About a half hour away is Hitt Street Records, a classic college-town record store with a great vibe, friendly staff, and a great selection.

What’s the weirdest record you own? 

I’ve been collecting weird records for decades, so it’s hard to narrow down, but RCA put out two locked-groove game records in the ‘50s: Sandy Becker’s Bingo and Mel Allen’s Baseball Game. Neither had the game pieces when I found them, but you’d roll dice or spin a spinner–I’m not sure which–to determine which side and track to drop the needle on. Each track has four or five concentric grooves, so you never know what you’ll get: N-17 or B-40? Or “There’s a long fly ball to center field and it’s gone!” or “There’s a fastball for a called third strike!”

Have you ever bought a record based on hearing it playing in a record store?

I was in a record shop in high school and heard this lush, gorgeous swing coupled with otherworldly skronking. I walked out with The Blues and the Abstract Truth and have been an Eric Dolphy fan ever since.

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

I’ve been listening to records for over 50 years and never went with CDs, so I’ve always been buying vinyl. The biggest change is how I browse. I still prefer thumbing records in a shop, but the internet has brought some positive changes. I have online “friends” I’ve never met who share recommendations and I love just mindlessly browsing Bandcamp for bands I’ve never heard of. And it’s fun to peruse the preorders from online retailers. I know a lot of collectors look down on collections that weren’t “caught in the wild,” but I can’t stand that gatekeepery nonsense: Get what you like however you can and enjoy it.

Name the top three records you own that could describe you or your vibe

After the Gold Rush, Neil Young; Out to Lunch, Eric Dolphy; Marquee Moon, Television.

What’s the last record you played? Since it’s the season, I’m spinning a lot of Christmas records–I think the last one was Jimmy Smith’s Christmas Cookin.’

Scott’s been collecting records since he was a tyke, grew up in a record collecting family, and worked in a music archive and two record stores. Despite that, he has a day job as a mental health administrator and teaches forensic psychology. Still, he’d rather be working in a record store

If you would like to do a Q&A, reach out to me