Sure, geeky counterculture types once dominated events like the Denver Record Collectors Spring Expo 2011, happening Sunday in Northglenn.
But longtimers in local album-lovers circles report a recent shift in their ranks: fewer specialists and old fogies, and many more young people who, in this era of digital downloading, simply cannot resist the novelty of their favorite music on vinyl.
As for hard-core record collectors, visitors to Sunday’s expo need not look further than the dealers themselves, one of whom will be Apples in Stereo bass player Eric Allen. Here the musician, 40, who also plays with the Perry Weissman 3, the Babysitters and Replicast, and has long supplemented his income by selling records, talks about his personal collection and offers tips for navigating a record fair.
Q: How would you characterize your record collection?
A: Sprawling. Some collectors are real specific, like they only look for original first-pressing Blue Notes and anything outside of that is not in their scope. But I’m interested in a lot of different kinds of music and stuff I haven’t heard. I have a hard time letting go of something if I fear I’ll never see it again. … In my personal collection, there are about 5,000 LPs, a little over 2,000 45s, and maybe 1,000 78s.
Q: Do you collect anything else?
A: Old hymn books. My dad was a Baptist minister, so I spent a good deal of my life sitting in church flipping through hymn books. (I especially love hymm books with) shape notes. They come from a Pentecostal sect where they don’t believe in using instruments, so they might have a musical staff with a triangle or circle and everyone knows how to follow along with it. I’ve watched documentaries on it, and there’s still plenty of churches that do this. … Everything that I collect in some way comes back to music. I’ll even collect old catalogs from record companies, any kind of musical ephemera.
Q: First album you ever bought?
A: It was probably third grade, and I saw this Kiss record at Kmart and was completely fascinated by it. It was the makeup. I thought, ‘Who are these freaky creatures?’ “
I also have vivid memories of going to that same Kmart and getting the Rolling Stones’ “Start Me Up” 45. I still have that one. It actually has my initials on it because at the elementary school I went to (in northern Virginia), every week we could bring in our 45s to do jumping jacks and stuff like that in gym class, and my teacher would write your initials on them.
Q: How about the last album you bought?
A: Lennie Tristano’s first release on Atlantic Records, from 1955. He was a blind pianist in the ’40s and ’50s. He’s got a really unique style and had a lot of students who went on to be famous. At the time Charlie Parker was doing the bebop thing, (Tristano) was also doing his own thing. It’s just a fantastic record.
Q: Is there a dream album that you’re hunting for?
A: Bill Jennings/Leo Parker Quintet, “Billy in the Lion’s Den,” on King Records.
I’ve heard some of this. Bill Jennings is a jazz guitarist and Leo Parker is a baritone sax player. It’s mostly them as a duet. Between the spacious guitar playing and the baritone sax that plays so good you could almost do anything on it. … I’ve heard a couple of cuts off of it but I’ve never actually seen a copy. It sells for about $700 in good condition.
Q: Is there an album you just can’t live without?
A: “Ray Price’s Greatest Hits,” on Columbia Records. I just love Ray Price. He’s one of my favorite old country singers. “Crazy Arms” is one of my favorite songs of all time and it’s the first song on the album.
Q: What tip(s) can you offer for navigating a record collectors event?
A: You’ve got all these records in your head and as soon as you walk in and see a million records, your mind goes blank. It’s completely overwhelming. So if there are dream items that you’re really looking for, write them down.
You can also go around and ask dealers if they have that album and they can tell you right off. They’ll even make an announcement for you over the intercom.
Elana Ashanti Jefferson: 303-954-1957 or ejefferson@denverpost.com
Denver Record Collectors Spring Expo 2011
When: 10-4 Sunday
Where: Ramada Plaza Hotel, 10 E. 120th Ave. (at Interstate 25), Northglenn.
Admission: $2.
More: Read an interview with event co-founder Kurt Ohlen For event information
