Introduction

I've been collecting records since 1981. My first purchase was Caress of Steel by Rush. I wanted Moving Pictures, but didn't want to spend the money. Caress was in the K Mart cut-out bin. Stingy, I know. My second LP was Diary of a Madman by Ozzy Osbourne, which was promptly returned when my mother saw the shocking cover imagery. In my teens, the paychecks from busing tables at Chi-Chi's all went to Rock and Punk LPs. This substituted spending money on dates or out with friends.

Around the late 80's and early 90's, I became bored with commercial rock and sought weird and unusual records. This was based around my love for big-band and a strange nostalgia for a time that for me only existed in: B-Movies, television reruns, newsreels, books, and cartoons. This record buying mania went on throughout the 90's. During which time, I discovered there were others like me. This was best represented by the RE-Search Books: Incredibly Strange Music 1 & 2, and later from WFMU's mail-order catalog, Cool and Strange Music Magazine, and the short lived Lounge Music fad.

A few years back, I sold most off most of my stuff to support my college years. Presently, I have about two or three hundred LPs. I now only buy under certain guidelines. This is to avoid having way too many to even get around to enjoying. Here's a brief rundown on what I look for...

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The vinyl and cover have to be in decent shape. Playable, little to no mildew or water damage. I go for the whole package. An album that I enjoy listening to, as well as looking at.

RCA's Stereo Action, Capitol Records, Warner Bros., Mercury and Liberty, all put out fine LPs from the Kennedy, Cold War Era. I enjoy the beautiful models, the bright and pastel colors, the semi-abstract designs and of course the fonts!

Musically, the odder the music the better. The Three Suns are my favorite group from that time, but countless others share a special place in my geeky heart. Albums with the following songs will always have me stopping to take note.

Caravan
Temptation
Taboo
Misirlou
Music to Watch Girls By
Out of This World
Bijou
Sway
The Carioca
Dark Eyes
The Girl from Ipanema
One Note Samba
Baia
So Nice (Samba De Verao)
Jungle Drums
Tico Tico


Enough already, here's some cover art from the collection.