I am excited to announce 2009’s first Vinyl Collective Collectors of the Month and yes, I said Collectors. Throughout the craziness of our 12 days of Christmas and just holiday madness, I didn’t get around to finding a December collector of the month. In my attempt to remedy this, I decided that January would feature 2 collectors. As it all worked out, my monthly reminder came around the time that there was a post for Vinyl Vlog’s 4th episode. I finally got around to watching the episode and was absolutely blown away. I dug the laid back vibe of the show, the fact that it wasn’t super long, and I loved that in the span of 10 minutes, they did reviews, did an interview, and had some fun cartoons with vinyl. The show is great and I really urge everyone that visits Vinyl Collective to check out their Video Blog. Any day now, they will have episode 5 up, but don’t wait for that. Stop by their Vimeo page and check out episodes 1 through 4. You will be glad you did. And expect in the coming year interviews with Dropkick Murphys, Mike Park, Smoke or Fire, and others. One other thing, we are in talks with the Vinyl Vlog folks about trying to do some kind of monthly sale where they select a record and we do a contest/sale behind it. Stay tuned.

Joshua and Kenneth were kind enough to take the above photo and take some time to discuss why they collect vinyl, their most cherished records, and what records they would love to see pressed on vinyl. Please take a second to read the interview and make sure you keep up with their videos.

Thanks Josh and Ken for taking the time to do this interview, thanks for your enthusiasm in the vinyl format, and keep up the great work.

VC: Your name and the city you live in.
JP: My name is Joshua Pratt and I live in Cambridge, MA.
KV: My name is Kenneth Valentine and I live in Allston, MA.

VC: How many records do you own?
JP: Uh…somewhere near 500? Who knows to be honest, I own a bunch of classic rock lps that just lay around my room.
KV: Oh god…I am horrible with keeping up my list. I’m going to go with somewhere around the 350 mark or so. Maybe a bit more.

VC: Why do you collect vinyl?
JP: Well I was editing my myspace account and noticed I had no interests…so I figured I’d throw in a collection of some sort…Next thing I knew I was a vinyl collector……(yes people I’m joking).
KV: Well everyone has a hobby or two right? Before I started collecting I didn’t buy music whatsoever. CD’s were useless to me and I downloaded a lot of music. When I discovered records I found that I could finally support an artist or band and really enjoy what I was getting in return.

VC: What was the first record you remember purchasing with your own money?
JP: Oh this is an easy one, when I was a young kid a friend sold me Showcase Showdown ‘Merry Christmas I Fucked your Snowman’ Orange 7inch. The seven inch was so cool, not only because I had never seen a record other then black but it had a secret. After one of songs there were jingle bells. Well they pressed the record to have some sort of layer that wouldn’t let the needle arm move so it just keep playing this bell track forever after the song finished. The first time listening to it I thought I thought I broke my Grandmothers record player.
KV: Also an easy one for me. It was the Bomb The Music Industry/Rick Johnson Presidents Day split 7″. At the time I didn’t even own a record player to be honest. Matt Flood from Asbestos put out the record as a benefit and I was a big BTMI fan so I decided to pick it up. About 6 months later I was making $80 orders on a regular basis from No Idea.

VC: What is your most prized record in your collection?
JP: Another easy one here, a really close friend of mine..like I mean a brother to me, recently moved out of Boston. Well for about six months or more I had been bugging him about selling me his Chuck Ragan singles series. Of course he wouldn’t sell them because he is such a big fan of Chuck. Well, right before he left he finally did. I would never resell or trade that set now. They will always remind me of that kid and some amazing memories we share.
KV: Wow, I really had to think about this one. A month ago I would have said my Paint It Black- “New Lexicon” test press. But, I’m actually going to go with Rumbleseat- “Rumbleseat Is Dead.” Its not a special pressing or anything. But when I got my own first turn table, I sat in front of my 30 or so records I had for about 10 minutes before I even decided which one to listen to first. And that was what I chose. To this day those songs will still give me goosebumps remembering the feeling of first dropping a needle.

VC: What release would you like to see come out on vinyl that hasn’t yet been released?
JP: Strung Out – Elements of sonic defiance. Come on, the record is flawless and amazing. It would be great for a 45 RPM 12inch. Fat would instantly sell 500 copies but for some reason they have yet to release it. Some day I’ll find Fat Mike give him a giant titty twister and make him promise to release it.
KV: I’m gonna kinda cheat here. I think its a travesty that none of the new I Am The Avalanche songs have been released yet. They have a good two albums worth of songs done, and what I’ve heard of them is just absolutely amazing. Drive-Thru either needs to do something with them, or just let them look for another label. I know way too many people who want to hear those songs.

VC: What is the most you have spent for a record?
JP: 25 Bucks? 30 bucks? I do not believe in spending a bunch of money on limited color variants or rare records. I can only see myself buying something if it was for charity, then I’d consider spending a bunch of money(if I had it).
KV: Oof, $200. I get a little carried away sometimes. That was for the previously mentioned New Lexicon Test. It was personalized with my name /20. But you know what, now that I think about it. I may have once paid more for a Against Me!- Reinventing Axl Rose test press with a cloth silk screened cover…I honestly cant remember though.

VC: What out of print record would you kill to own?
JP: Kill? Well, I don’t think I’d kill for any record. Killing is some serious shit man. If I had to list a record I would really like to own…well my queen studio album collection is currently at 13 out of 15. I’d really like to pick up the last two records but they fetch a pretty good penny on ebay. So yea probably, Made in Heaven – Queen.
KV: Easily The Lawrence Arms- “The Greatest Story Ever Told” on burgundy. This album means a great deal to me and helped me though a very rough time in my life. In fact, the song “The Ramblin’ Boys of Pleasure” is the inspiration for the next tattoo that I will be getting.

VC: Your last 5 records that you purchased?
JP:
1.Witches 7inch
2.Get Up Kids – 4 Minute Mile Repress
3.Queen – Thank god it’s Christmas single
4&5.Get Bent/JCJB Split 7inch(I bought two copies so I could give one to Ken as a Christmas Present!)

KV:
1.WHISKEY & CO/NINJA GUN “Under the Influence Vol 2″
2.MUSTARD PLUG / BOMB THE MUSIC INDUSTRY! Under the Influence Vol 3 7″
3.TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET/ THE ERGS! “Under the Influence Vol 4″ 7″
4.THE SUICIDE MACHINES “War Profiteering is Killing Us All/ A Match And Some Gasoline” dbl LP
5.Ceremony “Violence Violence” LP