An animal rights advocate and fellow music geek, Jim Idol lives in New York City where he works as a backline tech. One other thing you should definitely know about Jim is that he's got a ridiculously great music collection. Of all the folks I've profiled in the Record Collector series to date, his is the closest to mine, in terms of the genres he favors. I mean, he's a fellow fan of both Cities and Scandal!
Learn a bit about Jim below and make sure you follow the man on IG!
How long have you been collecting records?
Since I was about 8 and I was able to purchase my own. So well over 35 years. But as a serious collector, since the mid-'80s.
Where/how do you usually find your records these days?
I am totally old school when it comes to buying records. I love the thrill of the hunt. Going to record stores around town and finding great stuff. I do however buy newer LPs online because they are easier to find. But if those artists come to town I will support them by purchasing them from the band. I love to travel as well, so wherever I am, I make sure I find a record store or a place than sells records. I travel light so I can stuff my backpack with purchases.
What is the most you paid for a single record, where/how did you obtain it, and what was it?
Those who know me well,know that my favorite band of all time is Nomeansno. I own everything they ever did. I came across their first single at Double Decker Records a couple of years back and dropped $100, which I thought was an amazing price for the amount of copies they printed up (500 copies). Before that, the most I ever spent on an LP was $50 for Mama by Nomeansno.
Of everything in your current collection, what is your most prized record and why?
My most cherished LP would have to be my copy of the first Mötley Crüe album, Too Fast for Love, on Leathür Records. It is complete with the press kit and it's a different mix than the later presses. It also contains the song "Stick to Your Guns" which was pulled off the LP later on for some strange reason. In the early '90s, I went to an in-store and got all of the members to sign the LP, as well as the press kit. So, thats why it's the most cherished.
Is there anything that frustrates you about the current record collecting scene?
A lot of things frustrate me about the current collecting scene. One in particular is pricing a common record for well over what it's worth. A perfect example was when I was in a record store recently and found a copy of Fleetwood Mac Rumours for $20. There was nothing special about this record except it was being held by me. It wasn't a reissue, or anything. This is a record that sold over 20,000,000 copies, which is considered double diamond certified. There is nothing rare about finding this record in a store. There is no reason this LP should be $20.
Which records are still on your want list that you've had a tough time tracking down through the years?
In the late '80s, 1/2 of my punk singles that I had collected were stolen. Over the years, I was able to track down replacements for them but some I was not. The two that I miss the most are the first Agnostic Front 7" EP, United Blood, and the Urban Waste 7". I do have later presses of both of them, but nothing compares to having the originals.
There isn't too much I am currently looking for. Maybe a nice copy of the first PJ Harvey LP, Dry, or The first two Krokus LPs on Schnoutz Records when they were a psych band. Oh, and Angel Rat by Voivod because they are the greatest band ever.
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Tagged: record collector
