Kelly Alvarez - Interview with a record collector.

 "I don't think people that only buy CDs go around telling people "I buy CDs!!" - it's just not very interesting."

This interview is not about a band, a release or a label. This interview is with a female who loves records more than anything, and for me, that was more than enough to get started.

Kelly Alvarez lives in San Diego, Cal. and works in a record shop. Besides being around records on a daily basis, she is also the singer/guitarist in the band Jungle Fever - to ask for more is just greedy! This interview is about collecting records in its purest form.

Kelly's record collection

Kelly let's get right to it. There's a big step from just being into music and to start collecting records. What influenced your progression from regular interest to collecting?

I was forced into collecting because I worked at a record store... I was young, and had nothing to spend my money on BUT records! I don’t really know if I’d be as serious a collector as I am now if I didn’t work at a record store (mainly because I can get them for so cheap). It's also a fun hobby... I don't think people that only buy CDs go around telling people "I buy CDs!!" - it's just not very interesting. But when people find out I not only buy records, but I collect them, they really do find it fascinating for some reason.

Which records are among your favorites and why?

This is a hard question to answer, because when it comes to records, it’s not just about a favorite band or specific album... records are special because, unlike CDs, you have a lot of area to work with. Since the covers are bigger, bands can go all out with their artwork. There could be interesting things stuffed inside the covers: lyric inserts, rare posters, zines, stickers or whatever the original owner stuffed inside and forgot to take out before he/she sold it.

Some of my favorite records are my favorites because of the cover art/photography (i.e. Roxy Music’s “Country Life” or Sparks “Kimono My House”, etc.) and some are my favorites because of something unusual and exciting, like my Crystals LP that was signed by Phil Spector in the 1960’s or my European version of Blondie's "Greatest Hits" but it's spelled all in one word across the top "BLONDIESHITS" - so it looks like "Blondie Shits" haha!!

But "collector" talk aside, some of my favorite albums at the top of my head are probably: X “Under the Big Black Sun”, The Replacements “Tim”, Nick Lowe “Labour of Lust”, Real Kids "self titled", Phyllis Dillon "One Life to Live", Nikki and the Corvettes "self titled", Shocking Blue "At Home", all the "Girls in the Garage" and "Rodney on the ROQ" compilations...

Some of my favorite 45s are probably Howard Werth's "Obsolete" on Dangerhouse Records, such a great song. Mark Perry's "Whole World's Down On Me", Noosha Fox's "S-s-s-single Bed", The Bermudas' "Chu Sen Ling", I could go on and on.... :-)

Why are you collecting records? you can answer with aesthetic perspectives, hi-fi perspectives etc. etc. Do you care for rare pressings and/or several different colors of the same record, or just 1 random copy of each record?

I used to care about rare pressings, colored vinyl, having the record and cover be in “mint condition” and now I don’t really care about that kind of stuff. Records, especially rare records, are few and far between. I’d rather own a rare record that’s scratched to shit, rather than not own it at all. In fact, I think the scratchy sounds add some authenticity and make the song(s) sound more romantic. But don't get me wrong, I can totally see why people get crazy over different colors of vinyl, test pressings and so on. It's really no different than collecting, let's say, guitars. I mean, you really only need ONE guitar when you play and maybe one back-up guitar if a string breaks, right? So why are there people who own TEN guitars? Same goes for records! People buy 5 copies of the same record that they will NEVER listen to only because it's on different color vinyl.

Ms. Kelly Alvarez

What records are on your all time top want-list and why? (state specific pressing if relevant)

There’s a rare oldies record I’ve been looking for forever. It’s a Puerto Rican singer from the 60’s named “Julio Angel” and the album is called “Julio Angel & Tammy: 2 a Go Go” on the Hit Parade label (HPLP004). I don’t really buy records on eBay anymore, so having said that, other bands I’m looking for that I haven’t been able to find on vinyl in stores are The Flatmates, another band called Twa Toots and I really want Beat Happening’s 45 of “I Let Him Get to Me”. I'm ALWAYS looking for 60’s girl groups and obscure girl punk. I'd love to get The Deadbeats "Kill the Hippies" and Black Randy "I Slept in an Arcade" 7-inches because those 2 records would complete my Dangerhouse collection - it's my favorite punk label. I'd also love to have Knugen Faller's 1st EP and almost everything on the Ny Vag label (especially The Vicious s/t 12") - it's really hard to find records like that, at least in San Diego. 

You mentioned that you work in a record shop, please elaborate on how that has had an influence on your collection.

I get really good deals on new and used records, and that’s why I continue to work there on the weekends, while I have a “normal” job during the week. Working there has made me appreciate vinyl a lot more. 10 years ago people would pull up in front of the store with a truck load of records, now they just trickle in from time to time. Nowadays, it's people selling their grandparent's records. I've come to the conclusion that grandparents have really shitty taste in music! The internet has destroyed used record stores. People want "top dollar" for their used records (and I don't blame them) - but these are the same people that talk shit because we don't have a rare punk 45 section in our store. Ask yourself this: Do YOU want to sell YOUR rare punk 45s to a record store? Well, neither does anyone else!

You're in a band called Jungle Fever, tell about that.

I sing and play guitar... it’s a female-fronted 3-piece pop punk band with my friends Cara (bass/vocals) and Mikey (an amazing drummer). I’m really influenced by other girl punk/pop bands from the 80’s and 90’s, like the 5.6.7.8’s, Shonen Knife, Go Sailor, the Go-Go’s, Nikki and the Corvettes, etc. and I just try to emulate that sound. Our debut 45 comes out around October on Windian Records and we’re beyond excited about someone putting out a record of ours.

Jungle Fever on myspace

Debut 7" out soon on Windian Records (facebook page)

**Side note: your blog is mostly about hardcore bands, so I have to mention that I'm aware that there's already a band called Jungle Fever from Australia!! Oh well!! 

A selection from Kelly's record collection

How would you feel about paying... let's say paying $500 for a record, or $1000?

The most I've spent on a record is $60 for my YES LA picture disc compilation LP and $40 on my original Bags "Survive" 45 - both on Dangerhouse Records. It's just not in my budget to spend $500 or $1,000 on a record. $1,000 is 5 months worth of my car payment. Right now I have to keep my priorities in check (unfortunately). If you're spending $500 - $1,000 on one single record, I want to know what you do for a living!!!

Pick 1 band/record from the 80s era

Can I choose 70's and 80's? God... this is hard!! I guess I'd have to say The Ramones because they are the band that has influenced me the most. Also X's "Wild Gift" and "Under the Big Black Sun" LPs.

Pick 1 band/record from the 90s era

I mostly listened to oldies when I was a teenager, but I really love the first 2 Weezer albums. I haven't really followed their career since those 2 albums.

Pick 1 band/record from the 2000s era

Hmmm this is when it gets harder for me, since I don't really listen to THAT many modern day bands. I really love The Spits and Nobunny. I keep trying to write a song that sounds like The Spits, but no matter how fast or tough or loud a song I'm able to write, because I'm a girl, it just sounds like a cute little baby is singing along :-(   I also really love The Muslims (now known as The Soft Pack). They're from San Diego/LA.

Pick 1 current band

Since I'm fascinated with really catchy, bubblegum "one hit wonder" type songs from the 70's, I guess I'd have to say Nobunny. His songs are really fun and his live shows are INSANITY.

What reunion show, if it were to happen, would you kill to attend (and not a random person, someone you cared about has to die)

I don't want anyone to die!! I'd love to get in a DeLorean and go back in time to see The Ramones, the original line up, in New York, in the 70's.

Your all time biggest want again?

JULIO ANGEL AND TAMMY: 2 A GO GO LP!!!!! It's too rare and I will never find it (insert crying noises here)


That's it. Be sure to pick the Jungle Fever 7"! Thanks to Kelly for spending time on this.


Next interview will probably be awhile due to communication problems.


Yours truely,


Rune.