Off the Clock
Vinyl
I've been passionate about music since I was a kid. My music collection started with cassette tapes, before switching to CDs, and then vinyl in high school partly because records were cheaper…which meant I could buy more music! Later in life, when I had more disposable income and was able to invest in a better turntable setup, I unlocked the true aha experience that a quality cartridge paired with a complementary pre-amp can deliver. It turned me into a vinyl-obsessive, though I still do my fair share of digital listening as well.
My collection spans more than a dozen genres but has a heavy focus on indie rock, electronic, ambient and classical with shout-outs to classic 70s country, retro-instrumental, and rock and pop from the last 60 years. I'm a tinkerer and fiddler when it comes to turntable configuration and love exploring ways to maximize or unlock new frequencies. My most treasured turntable is a Magnavox furniture console from the 1960s my grandmother gave me years back. It's not the finest sounding turntable I own, but it's hard to beat its mid-century aesthetic or the memories it brings.
~70 Stores · 33 Cities · 21 States
Part of what keeps collecting interesting is the adventure of brick and mortar record stores. Each shop has its own personality. My work has taken me across the country for years, which has meant a lot of time in cities and record stores I might otherwise never have explored. I've visited nearly 70 stores across 33 cities and 21 states, and I'm still adding to the map.
A few worth calling out that I make a point to visit whenever I'm in town: Waterloo in Austin, Grimey's in Nashville, Twist and Shout in Denver, Strictly Discs in Madison, Wall of Sound in Seattle, and Randy's Records in Salt Lake City. If you want to learn about a truly unique individual whose own passion for music had an outsized impact on his community, look up Randy Stinson (founder of Randy's Records).
Off the Clock
Travel
Travel is a passion I share with my wife and son. We're drawn to destinations that are less about the scene and more about the find: secluded hikes, uncrowded ski runs, oddball local restaurants, and the occasional record store detour.
On a typical trip you'll find us up before dawn to beat the crowds at the trailhead, taking an afternoon break at a regional brewery, and if there's a botanic garden nearby, we'll make sure to block a couple of hours to wander before the day's over. The mountains are a standing annual commitment. Everything else we figure out along the way.
