Rob pictured second from right1.) Why do you think people become obsessive about records?
For me much of record collecting is about the hunt. This has become increasingly easier in the past 15 years with the internet making everything available to us. Prior to that I would be so excited to wake upon a Saturday morning and scour the bins at St Marks Sounds, VenusRecords, and all of the other NY record stores for any of the records onmy list. Records also have a great format to accompany the sleeve art. Once CDsbecame the new format for music it lost its magic. Noone really likes things that are small!
2.) Would you say that you were obsessive about records in the past?
I was most obsessive about records from 1985 to 1995 when I was listeningto mostly punk. The limited pressings and colored vinyl really did it forme. After moving back to NY from Portland I had to give up the obsession due to space issues so I pared down to the essentials.
3.) How many records do you currently own?
Unfortunately when I moved back I sold about 1,500 records so I am down toabout 500 between 12"s and 7"s.
4.) What is your most played record ever?
Because of the rarity of much of my collection I tried to keep it inpristine condition so I would copy them to tape and listen to them from there. I still listen to Slayer "Reign in Blood" at least once a week so that is pretty much my most played record of all times.
5.) What do you think your record 'collection' says about you?
I think a record collection is like an personal diary of your life. There are the dark secrets that lurk with those "soft" albums that you don't want anyone to know about and then there are your passing crushes like those times you actually listened to gangster rap but your collection as awhole gives people the story of your life in musical form.
6.) Favorite sleeve?
Anything Iron Maiden. Up the Irons!!
7.) If the creator of the cosmos could see you record collection what do youthink he would say?
Can I borrow that Cough/Cool 7" right quick!
8.) Which record that you don't have would you most like to magically appearunder your pillow?
The last two records that I never got where Deep Wound 7" (Pre-Dinosaur Jr) and the Last Rites
7" (Boston hardcore pre-Slapshot). Either of thosewould be acceptable.
9.) As a musician and former mover and shaker within the 80s New York HardCore scene, music must have influenced you considerably growing up, what were your pre-hard core listening habbits?
In the 70's I was listening to KISS, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Bruce,Eagles and into the 80's it turned to AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Ozzy which ledme to heavier bands like Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax. I think the punkinfluence from thrash metal led me into black metal, punk, and eventually hardcore.
10.) Can you pinpoint an event in your life that has gone some way to shapingyour listening habits?
In the late 70's I remember riding my bike through the back of my grade school playground and the older neighborhood kids were in the back oftheir pickup drinking beer and smoking cigarettes. They were cranking Led Zeppelin "Black Dog" and I heard it and it was like a voice from God! Iwas changed after hearing Led Zeppelin in a positive way! Denim jackets with patches and cold beer...C'mon.
11.) Do/Did records make you happy?
They made me neurotic when I was collecting but now that I have toned it down I am happy to go through my albums and remember where I was when Igot each one and what I felt on my first listen. I am sad that I sold 3/4 of my collection but I still have the memories.
12.) Record shopping wise what's given you the biggest buzz?
Crossing off the Antidote "Thou Shalt Not Kill" 7" after finding it at anobscure record store in North Jersey. That record is a classic that spawned bands like Youth of Today and Gorilla Biscuits.
13.) Have you ever dreamt about record shops or record shopping? if so please expand.
My record collecting dreams always dealt with Misfits records. Danzig really new how to hype up rare pressings and limited covers. He has a discography in Thrasher magazine that made me drool trying to find all ofthem. I was so sad when I was back on the train going home to New Jersey with no good finds and knowing that certain records were hanging on thewall at whatever record store.
14.) What is your favorite record store ever?
Venus Records when it was on 61 West 8th Street. I remember it was when Mike Page worked there and he was such a rad dude even though he busted on all of the hardcore kids. Every band traveling through would stop overthere and they always had the rare pressings and colored vinyl behind the counter and would only offer it to you if they liked you. It was a magical time for New York Hardcore and I am happy that I was around to witness the greatness.
15.) Having spent a lot of time in and around the record shops of St Marks Place in NYC do you have any amusing record shopping based stories you mightcare to recount?
Spotting Bernard Goetz in Venus Records when it was on St Marks and myfriend wanting to offer him a Public Enemy record. If you dont know who heis look here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernhard_Goetz
16.) How much has that area changed?
I think that Manhattan as a whole has changed since Giuliani really stepped up the police force and made the city a safer place. St Marks used to bethe squatters, punk, alternative hangout but in the past few years it has become restaurant row for mostly Asian restaurants. The food is good but the street is no longer what it was. I think Trash and Vaudeville is the last remaining punk holdout on the block.
17.) How will you dispose of your collection when you die?
Hopefully I can donate it to a museum. Will there be a punk museum by that time?
18.) Do you still have that original 7'' of the Misfits 'Cough Cool'?
I still have all of my Misfits records. They were a band that changed mylife in a good way and I spent so many years looking for that record that I could not part with it.
18.b) Where do you keep it and what time are you at work until most nights?
Its safe in a concrete bunker 3 miles below the earth guarded by vicious fairies armed with lasers.
20.) Name three records that you believe have shaped the universe around you.
Led Zeppelin IV, Slayer "Reign in Blood", and Youth of Today "Can't close my eyes" all for different reasons but they all represented hearing something so new at the time that it still gets played at least once amonth if not more.
21.) Name one album that you believe represents the pinnacle of human musicalachievement
Duuude..any Yngwie Malmsteen record...
22.) Worst album ever made?
In my opinion J esse C amp and the 8th S treet K idz was the worst corporatemarketing wanna be fake punk record ever made. Probably why St Marks fellapart as a punk hangout. Just kidding.
For me much of record collecting is about the hunt. This has become increasingly easier in the past 15 years with the internet making everything available to us. Prior to that I would be so excited to wake upon a Saturday morning and scour the bins at St Marks Sounds, VenusRecords, and all of the other NY record stores for any of the records onmy list. Records also have a great format to accompany the sleeve art. Once CDsbecame the new format for music it lost its magic. Noone really likes things that are small!
2.) Would you say that you were obsessive about records in the past?
I was most obsessive about records from 1985 to 1995 when I was listeningto mostly punk. The limited pressings and colored vinyl really did it forme. After moving back to NY from Portland I had to give up the obsession due to space issues so I pared down to the essentials.
3.) How many records do you currently own?
Unfortunately when I moved back I sold about 1,500 records so I am down toabout 500 between 12"s and 7"s.
4.) What is your most played record ever?
Because of the rarity of much of my collection I tried to keep it inpristine condition so I would copy them to tape and listen to them from there. I still listen to Slayer "Reign in Blood" at least once a week so that is pretty much my most played record of all times.
5.) What do you think your record 'collection' says about you?
I think a record collection is like an personal diary of your life. There are the dark secrets that lurk with those "soft" albums that you don't want anyone to know about and then there are your passing crushes like those times you actually listened to gangster rap but your collection as awhole gives people the story of your life in musical form.
6.) Favorite sleeve?
Anything Iron Maiden. Up the Irons!!
7.) If the creator of the cosmos could see you record collection what do youthink he would say?
Can I borrow that Cough/Cool 7" right quick!
8.) Which record that you don't have would you most like to magically appearunder your pillow?
The last two records that I never got where Deep Wound 7" (Pre-Dinosaur Jr) and the Last Rites
7" (Boston hardcore pre-Slapshot). Either of thosewould be acceptable.
9.) As a musician and former mover and shaker within the 80s New York HardCore scene, music must have influenced you considerably growing up, what were your pre-hard core listening habbits?
In the 70's I was listening to KISS, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Bruce,Eagles and into the 80's it turned to AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Ozzy which ledme to heavier bands like Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax. I think the punkinfluence from thrash metal led me into black metal, punk, and eventually hardcore.
10.) Can you pinpoint an event in your life that has gone some way to shapingyour listening habits?
In the late 70's I remember riding my bike through the back of my grade school playground and the older neighborhood kids were in the back oftheir pickup drinking beer and smoking cigarettes. They were cranking Led Zeppelin "Black Dog" and I heard it and it was like a voice from God! Iwas changed after hearing Led Zeppelin in a positive way! Denim jackets with patches and cold beer...C'mon.
11.) Do/Did records make you happy?
They made me neurotic when I was collecting but now that I have toned it down I am happy to go through my albums and remember where I was when Igot each one and what I felt on my first listen. I am sad that I sold 3/4 of my collection but I still have the memories.
12.) Record shopping wise what's given you the biggest buzz?
Crossing off the Antidote "Thou Shalt Not Kill" 7" after finding it at anobscure record store in North Jersey. That record is a classic that spawned bands like Youth of Today and Gorilla Biscuits.
13.) Have you ever dreamt about record shops or record shopping? if so please expand.
My record collecting dreams always dealt with Misfits records. Danzig really new how to hype up rare pressings and limited covers. He has a discography in Thrasher magazine that made me drool trying to find all ofthem. I was so sad when I was back on the train going home to New Jersey with no good finds and knowing that certain records were hanging on thewall at whatever record store.
14.) What is your favorite record store ever?
Venus Records when it was on 61 West 8th Street. I remember it was when Mike Page worked there and he was such a rad dude even though he busted on all of the hardcore kids. Every band traveling through would stop overthere and they always had the rare pressings and colored vinyl behind the counter and would only offer it to you if they liked you. It was a magical time for New York Hardcore and I am happy that I was around to witness the greatness.
15.) Having spent a lot of time in and around the record shops of St Marks Place in NYC do you have any amusing record shopping based stories you mightcare to recount?
Spotting Bernard Goetz in Venus Records when it was on St Marks and myfriend wanting to offer him a Public Enemy record. If you dont know who heis look here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernhard_Goetz
16.) How much has that area changed?
I think that Manhattan as a whole has changed since Giuliani really stepped up the police force and made the city a safer place. St Marks used to bethe squatters, punk, alternative hangout but in the past few years it has become restaurant row for mostly Asian restaurants. The food is good but the street is no longer what it was. I think Trash and Vaudeville is the last remaining punk holdout on the block.
17.) How will you dispose of your collection when you die?
Hopefully I can donate it to a museum. Will there be a punk museum by that time?
18.) Do you still have that original 7'' of the Misfits 'Cough Cool'?
I still have all of my Misfits records. They were a band that changed mylife in a good way and I spent so many years looking for that record that I could not part with it.
18.b) Where do you keep it and what time are you at work until most nights?
Its safe in a concrete bunker 3 miles below the earth guarded by vicious fairies armed with lasers.
20.) Name three records that you believe have shaped the universe around you.
Led Zeppelin IV, Slayer "Reign in Blood", and Youth of Today "Can't close my eyes" all for different reasons but they all represented hearing something so new at the time that it still gets played at least once amonth if not more.
21.) Name one album that you believe represents the pinnacle of human musicalachievement
Duuude..any Yngwie Malmsteen record...
22.) Worst album ever made?
In my opinion J esse C amp and the 8th S treet K idz was the worst corporatemarketing wanna be fake punk record ever made. Probably why St Marks fellapart as a punk hangout. Just kidding.
23.) Do you think that collecting records ever had a negative effect on your social life?
Totally the opposite because it involved my friends, traveling to recordstores, going to shows and being a part of a social scene based aroundskateboarding, punk music, DIY fanzines and art.
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