Classic Plastic by Cooper St. James
Cooper host Random Acts of Radio first Sunday 7PM on WLUW. Chicago’s longest running and only all audio documentary program.
So I’m standing there minding my own gosh darn business…when I remember a game we used to play. You know (I forget the name) but it goes like this…Somebody starts a tale and the next in line adds their spin…and so on and so on. Can you dig that? Here’s what I am thinking…lets play this game...NOW! But since this is an article about record collecting and junk …lets make that the focus. Let me tell ya this.. some good entries will be published right here in Classic Plastic…..and I promise, if we get enough and the story goes well…I will create an audio version to play on my program “Random Acts of Radio”. So sharpen your pens, Pals! Send your story continuations to me at: randomactsofradio@yahoo.com
OK…I’ll start with this….
She collected records. Her name was Dina…some friends called her the Queen of the Rodeo! She was whip smart and lovely. She would escape to her roof when the weather beckoned. “To dance in the moon light on your own roof, playing DJ to the world” she would say. She liked the classics. What she called “Music, when music was music”. That would be: Cole Porter, Bing Crosby, Betsy Smith and Jelly Roll Morton. She admired this about herself.
He collected records. He would introduce himself to strangers by any other name than his own. Some knew him as Cooper. He bought his underwear at Sears. He loved the classics, or what he called “My top 5”. Zappa, Stones, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Clapton. “Not in that order” he would say under his breath. He hadn’t worked in months.
His collection was covered in plastic, placed inches away from the walnut cased BCI 90-K turntable he stole in a card game. She lovingly looked upon her auto crank 1930’s Victrola as an heirloom or even as a piece of furniture. Her albums where more plastic, almost like glass, than vinyl it seemed. It pained her to purchase replacement needles by the box, but was happy she found a source. His friend once vomited on his BCI 90-K. Years later the friend admitted his error. She still wrote and mailed thank you notes. She made Sloe Gin Fizzes by the glass…and never finished one…he drank booze…by the quart. They both loved their record collections.
That year, on the last cold Saturday of the winter, their eyes finally met at Al’s Discount Records. Dina had to walk pass him twice before Cooper noticed her presence. His first words to her were….
So my babies with that said…lets see what you can do. As I say… we will print good entries, and award a winner on the B-side of this little experiment. Perhaps in the future we can put them all together and create an audio version of our little story…to play on “Random Acts of Radio w/ Cooper St. James” the first Sunday night of every month on WLUW 88.7FM 7pm central time…so don’t forget to send your continuation to: randomactsofradio@yahoo.com and read Classic Plastic to find out what happens to these two collectors lost in the big c
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Classic Plastic Aug 2010
Classic Plastic by Cooper St. James
Cooper host Random Acts of Radio… first Sunday 7PM on WLUW. Chicago’s longest running and only all audio documentary program.
I was gonna wait until you were a bit older to tell you this…but since I have you here I guess now’s the best time..I have been keeping a secret from you! No, I wasn’t born in a cross fire hurricane…although I bet you wish I was indeed. The secret is that when it comes to collecting albums and keeping that whole living, breathing and begging collection in shape…(the kinda shape that would make your fair weather friends green with envy)…I have developed a secret acronym to remember….this is for you Poindexter, an acronym! It goes like this…..
Just remember… R. O .C. K.
R…. stands for Record Management. You got this great collection, but you are gonna need to take care of it…..for as you know it will take care of you later down the road. Get your kool self a room or area of your compound that has zero direct light and is somewhat climate controlled. Albums are fragile, made out of semi-organic materials and they are not getting any younger! Keep your records away from direct light, heaters, vents and radiators. Simply put… heat will warp those vinyl disks quickly and direct sun will definitely fade them there covers. You surely don’t want to reach for your Big Brother and the Holding Company’s Cheap Thrills and find that cuz somebody (YOU) left it by a radiator and/or direct sunlight for the last few years ...now its more warped and faded than your Uncle Hal (you know Hal...the one that dodged the draft…not the Hal on your mother’s side...he’s cool)
O....Organize…..the most classic rule of thumb is this…Alphabetize groups by first names and artist by last names. So you know… this is the standard around the world. If we all can remember this the next time I am at your crib and need to impress your mom’s bridge club with my knowledge of Burt Bacharach…I can find it. However, if you are my friend Dave (who has over 2500 albums) then don’t put them in any order….! Sadly, this leaves your guest searching high and low for say …Norman Greenbaum’s Spirit in the Sky…..with all that dead air…who’s got time for that?
We tease Dave that he keeps Greenbaum in the O’s… for Outta sight, man!
C...is for Clean…and let’s keep it that way. Get in the habit of using your brush before each play. There are many types of brushes on the market…doest matter which one you use…just use one! While we are at it… try to handle these things by the outer edges only….Please!! Also, and so you know… distilled water and a damp rag can help with more stubborn issues…..the alcohol based cleaners work well too…but may disappear if Uncle Hal is visiting.
K… is for Kicking out the jams!! After you get these records stored, organized and cleaned…put the show on the road, baby! Fire up that turkey, Turkey!! You got’em for a reason and now you shall turn it to 11! (How many months did you think would go by… before I pulled that one out? If your keeping score that’s two Spinal Tap references this summer alone). For me there just aint nothing worse than a krazy kat that has a dandy great collections and doesn’t regularly listen to it. Dig deep…stay thirsty…Share it, clean it, take care of it and turn it up loud, man!! ….Cha Cha and Cha ..
(P.S. Next month we should talk about handling neighbors that like to complain)
Cooper host Random Acts of Radio… first Sunday 7PM on WLUW. Chicago’s longest running and only all audio documentary program.
I was gonna wait until you were a bit older to tell you this…but since I have you here I guess now’s the best time..I have been keeping a secret from you! No, I wasn’t born in a cross fire hurricane…although I bet you wish I was indeed. The secret is that when it comes to collecting albums and keeping that whole living, breathing and begging collection in shape…(the kinda shape that would make your fair weather friends green with envy)…I have developed a secret acronym to remember….this is for you Poindexter, an acronym! It goes like this…..
Just remember… R. O .C. K.
R…. stands for Record Management. You got this great collection, but you are gonna need to take care of it…..for as you know it will take care of you later down the road. Get your kool self a room or area of your compound that has zero direct light and is somewhat climate controlled. Albums are fragile, made out of semi-organic materials and they are not getting any younger! Keep your records away from direct light, heaters, vents and radiators. Simply put… heat will warp those vinyl disks quickly and direct sun will definitely fade them there covers. You surely don’t want to reach for your Big Brother and the Holding Company’s Cheap Thrills and find that cuz somebody (YOU) left it by a radiator and/or direct sunlight for the last few years ...now its more warped and faded than your Uncle Hal (you know Hal...the one that dodged the draft…not the Hal on your mother’s side...he’s cool)
O....Organize…..the most classic rule of thumb is this…Alphabetize groups by first names and artist by last names. So you know… this is the standard around the world. If we all can remember this the next time I am at your crib and need to impress your mom’s bridge club with my knowledge of Burt Bacharach…I can find it. However, if you are my friend Dave (who has over 2500 albums) then don’t put them in any order….! Sadly, this leaves your guest searching high and low for say …Norman Greenbaum’s Spirit in the Sky…..with all that dead air…who’s got time for that?
We tease Dave that he keeps Greenbaum in the O’s… for Outta sight, man!
C...is for Clean…and let’s keep it that way. Get in the habit of using your brush before each play. There are many types of brushes on the market…doest matter which one you use…just use one! While we are at it… try to handle these things by the outer edges only….Please!! Also, and so you know… distilled water and a damp rag can help with more stubborn issues…..the alcohol based cleaners work well too…but may disappear if Uncle Hal is visiting.
K… is for Kicking out the jams!! After you get these records stored, organized and cleaned…put the show on the road, baby! Fire up that turkey, Turkey!! You got’em for a reason and now you shall turn it to 11! (How many months did you think would go by… before I pulled that one out? If your keeping score that’s two Spinal Tap references this summer alone). For me there just aint nothing worse than a krazy kat that has a dandy great collections and doesn’t regularly listen to it. Dig deep…stay thirsty…Share it, clean it, take care of it and turn it up loud, man!! ….Cha Cha and Cha ..
(P.S. Next month we should talk about handling neighbors that like to complain)
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Classic Plastic June 2010
Classic Plastic by Cooper St. James
Cooper host Random Acts of Radio first Sunday 7PM on WLUW. Chicago’s longest running and only all audio documentary program.
So you don’t have forever to build your groovy 1000 plus album collection? You wanna impress the ladies with your rock library sometime soon? Well Sailor let me tell you a simple, practical and common cure for your ill. I have been down this road before and here’s a quick fix. You may get stuck with more than one Frampton Comes Alive or Rolling Stone’s Some Girls …but that’s the nature of this beast….oh a Burden. Can you imagine going from zero to hero in a few simple moves? Better yet.. a collection of 1000 albums can be built in a few weeks…
I’m talking… buying albums…. by the pound!!
Not only can you get red delicious apples by the pound but have you ever thought about albums….? Let me break this down for ya Johnny Apple Seed. Albums, as a whole, weigh a ton….they also take up much space. Sure there is a value to these, but a lot of time people are forced to part with their precious vinyl because it’s a hassle to move….and they just don’t listen to their dusty grooves like they once did. This is where you come into play… and yes.. Ebay or Craigslist is a big part of this dynamic….buy the collections! At any given time there are dozens for sale. Most sellers accurately list the category and condition of their records. The really only difficult part of buying an entire collection is taking delivery…..so plan on gassing up your mothers Oldsmobile and picking up these numbers yourself because they sure aren’t light (insert heavy metal joke here)…..you’ll lose your shirt if you have to pay for shipping. (ala Fed Ex, UPS blah blah blah) I recently paid 150 bucks for just under 200 classic rock albums… total weight was around 85 lbs…..(par for the course…cost and weight)
That’s about $1.75 per pound… of Grade A all beef 100 % rock and roll
Now, since your buying collections you’re bound to have repeats or duplicates from time to time. This can be a good thing, Slick. Here’s why… because with each duplicate you can cannibalize good parts to replace the bad parts. Say your original Frampton Comes Alive has a disk in good shape but the cover has teeth marks and cigar burns? Swap out what’s good with another duplicate. Right on! Hey I just thought of this too….its a collection and your collecting…why not trade your duplicates with the hippie across the hall in 4B? Better yet gather them all up and sell them off just the same.
A few trips to the neighboring town and a couple deals gone well…a few afternoons on ebay, craigslist and you may be ready to open your very own AM radio station circa 1973! Just remember to get valid collection descriptions from the seller, locate a buddy that can help load up and you are well on your way…. pound for pound to a great collection … little effort and for pennies on the dollar….Shine on you crazy diamond!
Cooper host Random Acts of Radio first Sunday 7PM on WLUW. Chicago’s longest running and only all audio documentary program.
So you don’t have forever to build your groovy 1000 plus album collection? You wanna impress the ladies with your rock library sometime soon? Well Sailor let me tell you a simple, practical and common cure for your ill. I have been down this road before and here’s a quick fix. You may get stuck with more than one Frampton Comes Alive or Rolling Stone’s Some Girls …but that’s the nature of this beast….oh a Burden. Can you imagine going from zero to hero in a few simple moves? Better yet.. a collection of 1000 albums can be built in a few weeks…
I’m talking… buying albums…. by the pound!!
Not only can you get red delicious apples by the pound but have you ever thought about albums….? Let me break this down for ya Johnny Apple Seed. Albums, as a whole, weigh a ton….they also take up much space. Sure there is a value to these, but a lot of time people are forced to part with their precious vinyl because it’s a hassle to move….and they just don’t listen to their dusty grooves like they once did. This is where you come into play… and yes.. Ebay or Craigslist is a big part of this dynamic….buy the collections! At any given time there are dozens for sale. Most sellers accurately list the category and condition of their records. The really only difficult part of buying an entire collection is taking delivery…..so plan on gassing up your mothers Oldsmobile and picking up these numbers yourself because they sure aren’t light (insert heavy metal joke here)…..you’ll lose your shirt if you have to pay for shipping. (ala Fed Ex, UPS blah blah blah) I recently paid 150 bucks for just under 200 classic rock albums… total weight was around 85 lbs…..(par for the course…cost and weight)
That’s about $1.75 per pound… of Grade A all beef 100 % rock and roll
Now, since your buying collections you’re bound to have repeats or duplicates from time to time. This can be a good thing, Slick. Here’s why… because with each duplicate you can cannibalize good parts to replace the bad parts. Say your original Frampton Comes Alive has a disk in good shape but the cover has teeth marks and cigar burns? Swap out what’s good with another duplicate. Right on! Hey I just thought of this too….its a collection and your collecting…why not trade your duplicates with the hippie across the hall in 4B? Better yet gather them all up and sell them off just the same.
A few trips to the neighboring town and a couple deals gone well…a few afternoons on ebay, craigslist and you may be ready to open your very own AM radio station circa 1973! Just remember to get valid collection descriptions from the seller, locate a buddy that can help load up and you are well on your way…. pound for pound to a great collection … little effort and for pennies on the dollar….Shine on you crazy diamond!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Classic Plastic by Cooper St. James
COLUMN: CLASSIC PLASTIC
AUTHOR: COOPER ST. JAMES host of WLUW’s Random Acts of Radio
DATE: MAY 2010
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking…so dig deep, the season has begun for some good old fashion album collecting! Having just spun another successful National Record Store Day (April 17thth) and with retail monitoring services announcing a 30% increase in vinyl albums sales over the last 5 years…its obvious that these round 12 inched plastic things are here to stay….or rather rolling and rocking their way on back, baby!
My 7 year old nephew calls them…giant CDs
For you collectors, I suggest a few tips in getting your best bang for your buck making every penny spent a sound investment. Collect to please yourself and nobody else...stay thirsty my friend. What we will do over the next few months in this new column dedicated to sweet vinyl is chat about albums…very simply the hobby, the culture, the music, the art and all things side A to side B. So let us call this monthly column CLASSIC PLASTIC from here on in!
In the future I will recount the hours spent knee deep in vinyl and what can be done to distinguish the good from the bad and the ugly. (Very little is bad by the way) I don’t wanna come across as “sensitive pony tail guy” but with the average used record price of 4 dollars ….how can you go wrong? Just start and start with your ears, eyes and heart…building a collection starts with one single album….indeed that journey of a thousand miles starts with a single foot step…oh damn.
Future sides of this column will discuss collecting by the artist (ala family tree), collecting by labels, collecting certain periods or genres and most definitely we will discuss collecting by what I really dig….artwork. Let me tip my hand right here and now, my biggest pet peeve, and a mistake that I surely have made….
Don’t judge an album by its cover!!
….remember this maxim dear Johnny collector…for as you know not 1 but 2 of last century’s greatest albums have been plain covered…NO ART…zero graphics to judge. Can you name them? That’s right… Spinal Tap’s Black Album (that’s the one about the glove)….and I think the Beatles did an album that was white or something like that. It also goes with out saying that album art will be a huge currency for debate in future columns…we can get down for years just on that alone.
So Classic Plastic is a column to discuss just that… the world of album collecting, listening to our precious albums, the culture, tips, music all abound and mostly just random stuff about ALL THINGS FLAT AND PLASTIC! Yes, those things that transform vibrated sound waves from plastic to memories, that were packaged in their Sundays best, many of which were over produced, and some your mother tossed out when you moved away to college...can now be found at your neighborhood record store for 4 bucks….and you love them, don’t you? Cha cha cha.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
