We are proud to announce October’s Collector of the Month, Chris Michon, or benchwarmer as you might know him on our message board. It was recently suggested that we ask Chris to become a moderator of our message board when Ben took on more responsibilities as editor of Punknews.org. We asked Chris and he gladly accepted. We figured that now as our moderator, it would be a good time to introduce him to all of you.

Besides recently accepting a moderator roll at Vinyl Collective, Chris has been a great supporter of what we do. We recently exchanged a few messages about LaGrecia, one of our newest bands on Suburban Home, as Chris is a big fan of Kid Dynamite/None More Black which you will soon read in his answers for this interview. (I might add that LaGrecia blew away my already high expectations when they played our anniversary shows this past month).
Chris, congratulations on being our latest Vinyl Collector of the Month.

VC: Your name and the city you live in.
CM: Christopher Michon, and I live in Ipswich, Massachusetts!

VC: How many records do you own?
CM: I own around 560 records in all shapes and sizes.

VC: Why do you collect vinyl?
CM: Ever since I was a kid, listening my Mom’s records, I’ve loved the vinyl format. There’s something so intimate and personal to it. The sensation of getting a new record is so very unique. The artwork is huge, the liner notes have more detail and the record itself can come in so many different colors and patterns. I’m like a kid on Christmas every time I get a package or head to the vinyl racks of a store. Vinyl makes music tangible. And when I’m holding that new record in my hands I feel like I’m a part of it. It’s a completely unmatched experience.

VC: What is your most prized record in your collection?
CM: That’s tough to say, and could probably change on any given day. One of my favorite records in my collection would have to be Lucero’s “That Much Further West.” It has a really awesome silk screened cover and it’s hand numbered (162/500). Like I said before about how vinyl is so personal, looking at this record and seeing that someone took the time to screen all the covers and hand number them as well, really hammers that home.

VC: What release would you like to see come out on vinyl that hasn’t yet been released?
CM: None More Black’s “This is Satire.” There have been plans for this to come out since the CD was released, but it just never seems to happen. It’s a great record and I’ve heard that the packaging is going to be killer.

VC: What is the most you have spent for a record?
CM: Like previous “collectors of the month,” I’ve been pretty lucky to get what I’ve wanted when it came out. One thing that I slept on was None More Black’s S/T 7″. I just never picked it up when it was released, it was one of those “oh I’ll get it next time” things. Then I could never seem to win a copy on ebay, so I finally bit the bullet and bid high on it and won it for $40.

VC: What out of print record would you kill to own?
CM: I’ve been slowly completing my Kid Dynamite collection and, besides test pressings, the one that I’ve had the hardest time getting a hold of is their S/T release on translucent red. Also, there seem to be a few different variations of that None More Black 7″ that I’d love to get my hands on, but I’m content just having one copy of that for now.

VC: Your last 5 record that you purchased?
CM: Arrogant Sons of Bitches - Three Cheers for Disappointment (on pink)
No Trigger - Canyoneer (on clear)
Planes Mistaken for Stars - Mercy
Fu Manchu - We Must Obey (on clear)
Descendents - I Don’t Want to Grow Up