Let Us Now Praise Phonoluxe

I love used record stores. My favorite job ever was working at the Great Escape in Nashville where my duties included running the store’s rare record auctions. Accordingly, I have been honored to represent Phonluxe Records since the company’s founding in 1987. The store is run by Mike Smyth, an Englishman who knows more about American music than anyone I know and Jeff Knutson, ably assisted by a dedicated group of music aficionados, who are friendly and lack the whole High Fidelity vibe.

Mike is one of those people who truly understand the consumer side of the record business. When the CD revolution began in earnest in the early 90’s, Mike began buying the vinyl records everyone was so happy to get rid of. Now, having carefully preserved these treasures, he’s happily selling them back to these same people. I imagine that he’s now buying up used CD’s patiently waiting for the day that America’s youth tire of MP3’s.

Earlier this year, the store switched from a traditional 7 days a week schedule to being open only Friday through Sunday. The results appear to be really positive; it somehow emphasizes the special, rewarding experience of shopping at Phonoluxe. I love the fact that I can go in there with a record in mind and leave with something else that I didn’t know I needed until I found it.

Here’s to another 25 rockin’ years.

Let Us Now Praise Randy Piper

I am an inveterate collector of records and other things. So, I am always fascinated by stories of other collectors and their misadventures. I was horrified to learn the story of Randy Piper, whose rare collection of Jack Daniels whiskey and memorabilia was confiscated a year or so ago by Tennessee Alcohol Commission Agents who claimed that Piper was selling liquor without a license because he bought sold and traded Jack Daniels memorabilia with other collectors. This absurd abuse and waste of state power was apparently settled out of court by Piper agreeing to forfeit some of his collection to the state and paying a fine. An article in the January 21 issue of the Tennessean also mentioned that Piper had incurred attorney’s fees of $40,000.00

I can’t really think of an analogy for record collectors; other than in England where it is apparently illegal to buy and sell transcriptions discs form the BBC. I know that years ago there used to be a rumor that records companies could have someone arrested for possessing promo copies of an album (this always begged the question- where do you think promo copies come from?).

At the end of the day, this seems like too narrow a topic to suggest changing state law to protect collectors like Piper and other fans of 100 year old whiskey bottles; on the other hand, we are talking about Jack Daniels.