Ep511: Nick Aguilar - Record Collector

The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds

Nick Aguilar of Frankie and the Witch Fingers and Slaughterhouse is a vinyl maniac! Today we discuss his collection, his obsession, the rarities and a life of music & record collecting.

Topics Include:

• Nick Aguilar plays drums in multiple bands including Frankie and the Witch Fingers
• Currently focusing mainly on Frankie due to busy touring schedule ahead
• Extensive tour dates planned through end of year across US and Europe
• Considers himself a music fan first, musician second since childhood
• Dad played tapes during Nick's colic as baby, introducing classic rock
• Father went to San Pedro High School with future Minutemen members
• Dad chose commercial fishing over music after graduation in 1976
• San Pedro's shipping port culture shaped the local music scene
• Nick has surpassed his dad's music knowledge over the years
• Started collecting at age 11 when neighbor gave away record collection
• First records included Rolling Stones "Some Girls" and Led Zeppelin "Physical Graffiti"
• Still regrets not taking Buzzcocks "Singles Going Steady" from that collection
• Casual collecting through school, seriously ramped up after high school graduation
• Pandemic period 2020-2022 massively accelerated his collecting and cataloging habits
• Taught himself DJing during lockdown to play records for people
• Discovered new genres like soul, funk, kraut rock through deep diving
• Got lucky buying expensive records cheap before current inflated market
• Focuses on 45s and 12-inches that work well for DJing
• Extreme organization needed to juggle multiple bands, touring, collecting, DJing
• Record store strategy: always hit new arrivals section first
• Holy grail wants include The Litter and James Knight records
• Uses both Discogs hunting and in-person digging at stores
• Thrift store finds getting much rarer as market knowledge spreads
• Appreciates reissue labels like Numero Group for discovering rare music
• Limited record shopping time while touring due to tight schedules
• Favorite shops include Breakaway in Austin and Academy in NYC
• Most expensive purchase: Helen Smith soul record for $2,900 on credit
• Most sentimental record: The Frighteners, reminds him of deceased friend
• Keeps multiple copies of key records for DJing versus home listening
• Band creates multiple vinyl variants through their Greenway Records label

See Frankie and the Witch Fingers and order their vinyl here.

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