Jason (Young Turks)
SPB: How big is your record collection?
Jason: I have about 250 records. I started collecting when I was about 16. I hated high school so I started doing independent study so I could play in a punk band with older guys, and get a full time job so I could buy more gear. That full time job was Off The Record (RIP) in Auburn, CA. It was a killer little record store in a small town where I ended up buying some of my first tapes and CDs. Most memorably I bought my very first cassette there (MC Hammer - 2 Legit 2 Quit - when I was about 5 or 6). It was a dream to work there and I still think of it fondly. Once I started working there, I spent huge chunks of my paycheck in the store. It was easy to get my collection off the ground when I could buy them at cost. While 250 records isn't huge, it's kind of like a big "best of" collection for me. Digital music allows us to carry tiny little devices with thousands of songs (my iPod classic is nearly full), but records are different. When I go to a record store, I tend to look for records I've already heard (unless it's a very trusted artist) and I want to own a copy of to add to my physical collection. A great example is my copy of Fucked Up - David Comes To Life. I love that record, I preordered it on iTunes and I listened to it a million times. So naturally, I went down to my preferred record store (2nd Avenue in Portland, OR) and bought it. I wanted the big art, I wanted the big sleeve, and I wanted the double LP. So while my collection is small, every addition is deliberate and cherished.
