Vinyl Collector of the Day,Titus Haag/Vinyl Junkie

[Guest Admin]

Today's Vinyl "Collector" of the Day is Titus Haag who many of you know from our message board and his mailorder, Vinyl Junkie. Vinyl Junkie carries over 5,000 new and used titles but as he mentions on his site, he is not professional. I highly recommend everyone check out Vinyl Junkie; he has a very diverse collection of records. While Vinyl Junkie hasn't been my recent motivation, I hope to run Vinyl Collective and Suburban Home in a similar manner to how he runs Vinyl Junkie (out of a house, in a less professional manner). While we are happy to make him our collector of the day, he refrains from using that term and doesn't like many of the ideas associated with collecting. While he enjoys many of his records and looks out for records he doesn't have, he almost has a "Don't Get High Off Your Own Supply" mentality, something I often thought about while running Vinyl Collective. He claims that at the right price most of his records are for sale. I highly recommend you read this feature because quite frankly, Titus has a much different perspective than a majority of the people who have posted previous features. I think that it will give you some things to consider and chew on. I think Titus would make a really great panelist if we were ever to put together a vinyl panel or open discussion. Titus took a lot of time to articulate his thoughts on vinyl variants, collecting, his first vinyl purchases, records he would love to own, spending high dollar amounts on records, and more. Thanks Titus for taking the time to answer our questions. It was a very enjoyable read.

You, too, can answer our questions and submit your Vinyl Collector of the Day feature. What are you waiting for? You can find the questions here http://www.vinylcollective.com/2010/06/10/be-our-next-vinyl-collector-of-the-day-new-questions-added/

Click the link to read more about Titus:

http://www.vinylcollective.com/2010/07/08/vinyl-collector-of-the-day-titus-haag-vinyl-junkie/

[Guest Admin]

nice shelves. did you build them?

[circlingvultures]

I feel like I don't need to fill one of these out now because Titus said a lot of what I wanted to. Good job.

[vinyljunkie]

nice shelves. did you build them?

i have some hand built shelves. I have a 5x5 expedit, a 4x4 expedit, 5 - 6' handmade shelves that a friend did. a small 3' tall and 6' long shelf another friend made, and 8 bookshelves that i bought from target/walmart/a furniture store.

target had some great shelves. only 29.99 and pretty decent/sturdy for 7"s. The one piece shelf and everything. but they dont sell them anymore which is a bummer.

[sharkticon]

I certainly agree with Titus on several of his points. Especially that music is not nor should be limited to a single format. Collections of any degree or theme exist when one's necessities are fulfilled and there's no longer an element of struggle in life. We all obviously have expendable income that we throw at things we like and that should be enough. I see a lot of soapbox statements in these "VC Collector Of The Day" pieces. People thinking their way of consuming music is better than mine or yours. That's certainly no way to support a scene or community and I feel is just as detrimental as some may view sitting on message boards and F5ing for the newest Brand New variants.

I disagree that kids who "sit all day on the internet taking pictures of their records and making lists, etc, is so far removed from the 'scene' as you can get". Sure, I take it personally because I'm one of those guys. But my record photos exist for reasons beyond bragging rights about my newest sweet colors and splatters and limited editions. Check out hardformat.org It's a site dedicated to album packaging, artwork, creativity and design. That's one element of physical format music consumption that enthralls me. Not only do I gain some sweet music from all the records I buy, but I gain shelves full of beautiful, sonically and visually aesthetic packages that someone spent hours, days, weeks and months of their life on. That's what I gain out of my collection.

I think I've typed myself in a circle and I certainly hope I don't come across as accusing or bitter towards Titus. His answers were an interesting read and I certainly do agree with some of his statements. I'm just tired of the constant bickering between scenes and message boards and people who think they're better than others because they only have black vinyl or only have the rarest variants or think your music taste blows.

"I think its all about what you personally gain from that purchase" is all that should ever matter.

[AsleepOnRocks]

Which Paul Baribeau 10" are you talking about? Grand Ledge? I didn't realize that was hard to track down. Unless there is something else he put out that I am entirely unaware of.

[xlovecolouredx]

congrats, titus....

[vinyljunkie]

Which Paul Baribeau 10" are you talking about? Grand Ledge? I didn't realize that was hard to track down. Unless there is something else he put out that I am entirely unaware of.

it probably isn't. I just tried to buy it a few times when it was released and waited to get the "we are out of stock" message, and tried another place that had it listed, etc. Did that a few times, and by this point, its not in distros or anything anymore, nor have i came across it in anyones collection. Granted i havent hit up people who have it listed in their collection or anything, so i havent tried TOO hard to track it down. Just something i would love to have cause i know it was pressed, and its one of my favorite albums ever.

[vinyljunkie]

I disagree that kids who "sit all day on the internet taking pictures of their records and making lists, etc, is so far removed from the 'scene' as you can get". Sure, I take it personally because I'm one of those guys. But my record photos exist for reasons beyond bragging rights about my newest sweet colors and splatters and limited editions. Check out hardformat.org It's a site dedicated to album packaging, artwork, creativity and design. That's one element of physical format music consumption that enthralls me. Not only do I gain some sweet music from all the records I buy, but I gain shelves full of beautiful, sonically and visually aesthetic packages that someone spent hours, days, weeks and months of their life on. That's what I gain out of my collection.

i think its great you are deriving something from your record collection. And saying that many (not all) messageboard kids are removed from the scene is not necessarily a jab at record collecting. Its that i dont think they always go hand in hand. they certainly CAN, but just because you do one, doesnt mean the other comes along with it. Its definitely possible to be part of the punk scene and collect records, but it doesnt mean that collecting records automatically makes you a part of it. if that makes any sense.

For example, i have multiple art pieces in my house. nicely framed, i enjoy them immensely. But i wouldnt consider myself a part of the art scene. i know nothing about whats going on locally, i dont know any local artists. rarely go to art gallerys, openings etc.

I cant tell you how many kids ive met through messageboards who post about collecting a certain bands records, and when that band comes through town, they arent at the show. or people who post prolificly online, but no one locally knows them cause they dont get out off the computer much. kids who collect records and talk about bands, but have never heard of or have been to local venues, or record stores, etc. local kids who make blog posts claiming the local scene but dont even know what local bands exist.

its not a knock against record collecting specifically so much as a knock against people who think that just because they consume something it automatically makes them a part of something bigger and more important.

[silentgods]

i still need to go and check this dudes stock out in person.

[devinr]

well put Titus. Solid Read.

[Guest]

Huh, I've never checked this dude's site out before, but that is a fucking solid set up and theres a ton of stuff I'd love to get a hold of for real cheap. Next time I've got a chunk of cash to blow, I will definitely consider putting in an order there.

[vinyljunkie]

i still need to go and check this dudes stock out in person.

anytime dude. just hit me up and ill give you my phone number and you can text/call and come hang out. look through records. get a burrito or something.

[ohnotherobot]

Huh, I've never checked this dude's site out before, but that is a fucking solid set up and theres a ton of stuff I'd love to get a hold of for real cheap. Next time I've got a chunk of cash to blow, I will definitely consider putting in an order there.

I've ordered from him before and it was always great.

[ajxd]

Titus! Respond to my emailsssssssssss

[croy]

Just got a stack of Homostupids records in the mail from Titus, fast shipping, very professional. The LP was even SHRINKWRAPPED. although i'm a little upset about the condom.

[ohnotherobot]

Great read. And I completely agree that there definitely needs to be more of a community beyond internet collecting hoo-hah.

The attitude of "everything in my collection is for sale" is definitely an interesting one - maybe that's what happens when you get old.

I kid.

[vinyljunkie]

The attitude of "everything in my collection is for sale" is definitely an interesting one - maybe that's what happens when you get old.

ha. maybe its getting old. I just see most records many times over with all the buying and selling i do. For instance, one of my favorite 7"s is the Rinse 7". that band was amazing. I listen to that record a lot when its in my possession. however, according to my website ive had at least 8 copies of that in the last 2 years. So if someone wants to pay me a decent amount for it, ill gladly sell it because i have more than enough records to keep me occupied for the 2 or 3 months it takes to get it in again and be able to listen to it and enjoy it.

i only have a few bins of records that really arent for sale, more sentimental, or really obscure local-ish stuff that i may never see again, let alone find one for sale.

[thisisahiijack]

dude is backed, as always.

[servo]

i put my balls on this guy once

[pastepunk]

So I gotta ask, where did the money come from start amassing a collection that large? 30-40k is amazingly impressive, so I'm just curious. My CD collection is over 10K, so I can appreciate the scale involved. Great read overall.

[vinyljunkie]

i put my balls on this guy once

who has that polaroid do you know?

i wish i remembered that.

ah the young party days.

[vinyljunkie]

So I gotta ask, where did the money come from start amassing a collection that large? 30-40k is amazingly impressive, so I'm just curious. My CD collection is over 10K, so I can appreciate the scale involved. Great read overall.

I have been doing this for over 10 years at this point, as far as the distro goes. i bought my first record about 15 years ago. so its been a slow road in a way.

That and the fact that ive always put almost 100% of the money made back into it. Until the last year or two i never took money out. now that i spend more than 40 hours a week on it, ive started taking a little here and there. But everytime id sell some "rarity" for 100 bucks, id turn around and spend that 100 bucks on some band that came through on tour and pick up 5 or 10 copies of each of their releases, etc.

ive never cared about color or rarity personally, so if i buy a record, and 5 years down the road it goes out of print, and i got the limited show release version and it goes for a lot of money, i would gladly sell it and get the black/normal version and 10 other records too.

i imagine that a lot of people on here, and other messageboards would/could have some serious sized collections too if they didnt spend 20-50 dollars on every record they buy thats just a variant of a record they already own.

so for everyone who drops 100 bucks on a deja entendu record on ebay, i would use that to buy 10-20 records. not saying my way is better, just explaining how i end up with so many more records than other people even though im probably poorer than most.

[thisisahiijack]

i concur with that. i used the majority of the money i made from selling my sigur ros collection ($600+) to kickstart my collection to where it is now.

[pastepunk]

Pretty smart. Thanks.