Record Collector Interview: Alfred L.
Posted on February 28 2023
After a nearly two-year hiatus, record collector interviews are back! This particular interview was my first choice to resume the series because because custom ordering is reopening very soon, and Oakland, CA collector Alfred has been a custom order client for a few years. His vinyl storage system, the Vitsoe 606 is particularly beautiful, and his method of organizing with custom gold dividers is really clean and simple- I love it!
Alfred is a self professed "lifelong record collector who likes to dabble in other analog pursuits like film photography." You can find it at @purpledot on Instagram.
Alfred's advice for collectors? "Invest in a good wet cleaning system and always get rid of the paper inner sleeves. Keeping your collection clean is so important to it sounding its best."
Which Koeppel Design products do you use?
I use customized gold engraved 12” record dividers. I started with the base set of 11 and made changes and later added extra dividers where I needed them.
[Kate's note: Alfred's order was a great one, showing the flexibility of our divider system. He opted to use 11 A-Z panels, then flip the tabs to the top, and upgraded to gold lettering. Later he added additional matching alphabetically panels to fine tune his system once he'd had more time to live with it and make some additional subdivisions.]
Size of your collection:
It usually hovers around 800. I try to purge a couple times a year.
How do you organize your collection?
Alphabetical by first name. All V/A and soundtracks go to the end.
Tell us a little about your vinyl listening routine.
Since I’m in a Bay Area one bedroom apartment, my collection lives right in my living room. I usually unwind at night by throwing on records.I like to tell myself I actively listen without distraction but in reality I’m probably playing with my cat, Mochi or looking at my phone.
Favorite genre in your collection:
It’s mostly loud, distorted guitar music from the last 30 years. I grew up in a robust local punk scene which is the root of where my collection and music taste starts.
Current top 3 albums:
Young Prisms - Drifter
Soft Blue Shimmer - Love Lives in the Body
Drab Majesty - The Demonstration
What album do you think every new vinyl collector should own?
Loveless by My Bloody Valentine
Best party album:
Celebration Rock by Japandroids for a house party type party.
Album you're in search of:
Deafcult by Deafcult. It was only released in small runs in Australia.
How long have you been collecting records?
I’d say most of my adult life at this point. It started picking up things at punk shows I was going to as a teen. Regrettably I took a break in my early-mid 20’s since MP3’s and digital formats were all the rage. I slowly started rebuilding a record collection again in my late 20s.
Where do you hunt for vinyl?
1-2-3-4 Go, Econojam, and Stranded in Oakland. Amoeba and Rasputin in Berkeley.
