On My Shelf w/ Alan Beningfeild of Different Kitchen Records
On My Shelf will be a recurring feature here on SHJ where I ask people about their record collections. I’ll try to post one of these every other week. Up first is Alan Beningfield who runs the distro Different Kitchen Records out of his home in March, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Hi Alan! What record is on your turntable right now?
The last record I played was The Swarm a.k.a Knee Deep In The Dead - Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Dead 7” (new remastered pressing, on No Idea), but that was an hour or so ago. I’m currently sat in the “office” so I just have iTunes which is currently playing the Autonomy tracks from their split with No Sir I Won’t (Dead Broke/Dirt Cult Records).
Out of all the records you own, which one have you played the most?
This would have to be Psychocandy by The Jesus And Mary Chain, I played this almost daily for 4-5 years after it came out, no other record has had such an amazing effect on me. I still play it every couple of days, or listen on my iPod if I’m out!!
Do you remember the first record you bought?
My parents bought me my first records in the mid 70’s, but the first record I actually bought with my own money was Quit This Town by Eddie And The Hot Rods, I do still have it, but not the same copy, my original was lost at a party sometime in the early eighties, so I had to get another! I do still listen to it but mainly from the Life On The Line LP from which it came!
Pick five favorites from your collection.
The Jesus And Mary Chain - Psychocandy LP (Same reasons as already mentioned).
Buzzcocks - Another Music In A Different Kitchen LP. It’s the first “punk” LP I bought in the late 70’s. I always preferred the poppier punk, fantastic songs, and shows a depth of style and not afraid of experimenting away from the 2-3 minute pop song!!
The Beach Boys - Holland LP. I love The Beach Boys, unusual with my regular taste, but I started listening to them when I was around 9-10, and this LP came out around that time (1973) and so it was the first of their LP’s I bought new! A very beautiful LP.
ИO///sé - Self Titled. An LP from 2012, and the simply the best new LP I’ve heard for many, many years. I was very lucky to work with them last year and helped put out a 7”, and saw them a couples of times live on their European tour. They’re the best guys!!
Dinosaur Jr. - You’re Living All Over Me LP, I was a bit slow on hearing Dino Jr., my first experience was Freak Scene from Bug, but I soon tracked down the back catalogue and this LP has probably the most amazing guitar sound of any LP I own!!
What’s your favorite record when it comes to the artwork/layout?
Very hard to pick, but I’ll go with the recent box set reissue of Smile by The Beach Boys, 2 LP’s, 5 CD’s, 2 7”s a hard bound book, posters, and an amazing 3-D cover! (it’s also the most expensive record I’ve bought!)
Which is your favorite format?
I honestly don’t have a favorite, each of them can be perfect depending on the release. I do tend to find some bands are more suited to the 7”, and sometimes LP’s can be a bit long!!
And your favorite label is?
Currently, It’s definitely No Idea, they have an incredible catalogue of releases over the last 20+ years, over 300 releases, and they keep records in print at possibly some of the cheapest prices! And they barely have any I don’t really like!
Do you have a specific band/artist/label you collect?
I collect No Idea records, for the same reasons as mentioned above, but extending from that, Against Me!, Hot Water Music, Off With Their Heads, mainly due to their No Idea connections, and away from that……. Buzzcocks, The Jesus And Mary Chain, The Dickies, Dinosaur Jr. (& J.Mascis side-projects), Lemonheads and most recently Wire!
What’s your opinion on collecting variants?
Personally, certainly for the above bands I do, but that’s personal choice, for the majority of my collection I’m perfectly happy with just one copy of things. I wouldn’t judge another collector by their opinions on it, and I certainly don’t understand the people who moan about the number of variants available of any certain record, it’s not like the label/band make you buy more than one.
If you could press and release any album that hasn’t yet been available on vinyl, what would it be?
Not many bands I listen to have released CD-only stuff over the years, so I really don’t know. No Idea put out a few CD-only releases, Die Hoffnung and Billy Reese Peters spring to mind, but I think I’ll go for the Stressface Oi…You’re Welcome that was a CDS-only on Plan-It-X several years ago!
What’s your best buy?
I found an original SST pressing of Bug by Dinosuar Jr. on purple vinyl, in a second hand shop in London for £6. I was particularly pleased with that one.
Best record of 2014 so far?
I’m going to have to say……….. the Creepoid Self Titled LP, but there’s a new ИO///sé LP, and RVIVR 12” due, so it could possibly change. But I think the best release of 2014 will bee between those three!
Hi Alan! What record is on your turntable right now?
The last record I played was The Swarm a.k.a Knee Deep In The Dead - Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Dead 7” (new remastered pressing, on No Idea), but that was an hour or so ago. I’m currently sat in the “office” so I just have iTunes which is currently playing the Autonomy tracks from their split with No Sir I Won’t (Dead Broke/Dirt Cult Records).
Out of all the records you own, which one have you played the most?
This would have to be Psychocandy by The Jesus And Mary Chain, I played this almost daily for 4-5 years after it came out, no other record has had such an amazing effect on me. I still play it every couple of days, or listen on my iPod if I’m out!!
Do you remember the first record you bought?
My parents bought me my first records in the mid 70’s, but the first record I actually bought with my own money was Quit This Town by Eddie And The Hot Rods, I do still have it, but not the same copy, my original was lost at a party sometime in the early eighties, so I had to get another! I do still listen to it but mainly from the Life On The Line LP from which it came!
Pick five favorites from your collection.
The Jesus And Mary Chain - Psychocandy LP (Same reasons as already mentioned).
Buzzcocks - Another Music In A Different Kitchen LP. It’s the first “punk” LP I bought in the late 70’s. I always preferred the poppier punk, fantastic songs, and shows a depth of style and not afraid of experimenting away from the 2-3 minute pop song!!
The Beach Boys - Holland LP. I love The Beach Boys, unusual with my regular taste, but I started listening to them when I was around 9-10, and this LP came out around that time (1973) and so it was the first of their LP’s I bought new! A very beautiful LP.
ИO///sé - Self Titled. An LP from 2012, and the simply the best new LP I’ve heard for many, many years. I was very lucky to work with them last year and helped put out a 7”, and saw them a couples of times live on their European tour. They’re the best guys!!
Dinosaur Jr. - You’re Living All Over Me LP, I was a bit slow on hearing Dino Jr., my first experience was Freak Scene from Bug, but I soon tracked down the back catalogue and this LP has probably the most amazing guitar sound of any LP I own!!
What’s your favorite record when it comes to the artwork/layout?
Very hard to pick, but I’ll go with the recent box set reissue of Smile by The Beach Boys, 2 LP’s, 5 CD’s, 2 7”s a hard bound book, posters, and an amazing 3-D cover! (it’s also the most expensive record I’ve bought!)
Which is your favorite format?
I honestly don’t have a favorite, each of them can be perfect depending on the release. I do tend to find some bands are more suited to the 7”, and sometimes LP’s can be a bit long!!
And your favorite label is?
Currently, It’s definitely No Idea, they have an incredible catalogue of releases over the last 20+ years, over 300 releases, and they keep records in print at possibly some of the cheapest prices! And they barely have any I don’t really like!
Do you have a specific band/artist/label you collect?
I collect No Idea records, for the same reasons as mentioned above, but extending from that, Against Me!, Hot Water Music, Off With Their Heads, mainly due to their No Idea connections, and away from that……. Buzzcocks, The Jesus And Mary Chain, The Dickies, Dinosaur Jr. (& J.Mascis side-projects), Lemonheads and most recently Wire!
What’s your opinion on collecting variants?
Personally, certainly for the above bands I do, but that’s personal choice, for the majority of my collection I’m perfectly happy with just one copy of things. I wouldn’t judge another collector by their opinions on it, and I certainly don’t understand the people who moan about the number of variants available of any certain record, it’s not like the label/band make you buy more than one.
If you could press and release any album that hasn’t yet been available on vinyl, what would it be?
Not many bands I listen to have released CD-only stuff over the years, so I really don’t know. No Idea put out a few CD-only releases, Die Hoffnung and Billy Reese Peters spring to mind, but I think I’ll go for the Stressface Oi…You’re Welcome that was a CDS-only on Plan-It-X several years ago!
What’s your best buy?
I found an original SST pressing of Bug by Dinosuar Jr. on purple vinyl, in a second hand shop in London for £6. I was particularly pleased with that one.
Best record of 2014 so far?
I’m going to have to say……….. the Creepoid Self Titled LP, but there’s a new ИO///sé LP, and RVIVR 12” due, so it could possibly change. But I think the best release of 2014 will bee between those three!
Links & Further Information:
http://differentkitchen.bigcartel.com/
http://differentkitchen.bigcartel.com/
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