High Fidelity

The Record Collector in Bordentown takes visitors on a return trip to the era of vinyl.

By: Susan Van Dongen
   On a Saturday afternoon, flipping through the stacks of LPs at The Record Collector in Bordentown, I can hear the snap, crackle and pop of good old fashioned vinyl as one of the store’s employees puts a record on the turntable — "My Favorite Things" by John Coltrane. It’s appropriate, since records have always been some of my own favorite things.
   Behind the counter are the more bizarre items in the store, like an album of the defunct group Attila, whose cover features a ridiculous-looking young Billy Joel, dressed as a marauder. Mr. Spock’s Music From Outer Space is for sale. So is an album by The Bubble Puppy and a picture disc of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
   I wander over to the comedy section and get stuck there. Before live stand-up got so popular, you heard humor either on late night TV or by listening to vinyl. The Record Collector’s mix of comedy albums will bring back memories for a certain age group. Bill Cosby made some classics like Wonderfulness, Why Is There Air? and Bill Cosby is a Very Funny Fellow: Right! This is the one with the famous skit where God is instructing a reluctant Noah on how to make an ark and all Noah can say is "riiiiight." A number of Cosby LPs in very good condition are for sale here.
   There’s also Class Clown by George Carlin, a collection of hits by Spike Jones, the Smothers Brothers and, on the "bluer" side of things, an array of albums by BlowFly, with covers that can’t be described in a family newspaper.
   An employee, dressed in a custom retro bowling shirt with the store’s logo, is sorting through some of the tens of thousands of 45s. (Owner John Chrambanis says he probably has 1 million 45s if you count the ones still in storage.) I see a bit of everything, from a picture sleeve of Madonna’s "Papa Don’t Preach" to an old radio station copy of Mungo Jerry doing "In the Summertime." An R&B 45 has an interesting B-side of "I’m So Proud," a beautiful song by the late Curtis Mayfield. In a bit of synchronicity, I wander away from the 45s, through the stacks of LPs and come face to face with a Curtis Mayfield album.
   I walk to the front of the store where The Record Collector has a number of 78s in boxed sets and there’s one with T.S. Eliot reading from Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. I see that one of the cat’s names is Mungojerrie. More synchronicity.
   There’s so much to see and think about that I bounce through different parts of the store like a silver ball in a pinball machine. The stacks and stacks of LPs make a record lover feel like she’s died and gone to audiophile heaven. While Coltrane segues into Frank Zappa (Joe’s Garage), I hear the owner explain the significance of the Beatles’ collectible "butcher cover" album. I’m touching and feeling memories via vinyl.
   That was Mr. Chrambanis’ intention when he opened the store on Farnsworth Avenue a few months ago. He wanted to re-create the atmosphere and community of a record and music store from the days before everybody just bought their music at some huge big box electronics store.
   "I’m trying to build a community for folks my age, but I’m also creating it for the first time for younger people," says the 50-something record maven. "It’s a lot more fun to flip through CDs and LPs than to try and find something online.
   "It’s funny how this business has changed and how much fun record stores used to be," he continues. "As a kid, I can remember waiting in line to get the Beatles’ ‘White Album.’ Not too long ago kids waited in line for ‘Fear of a Black Planet’ or the latest by Metallica. Now kids are waiting in line for (PlayStations) — that’s their excitement. People’s buying habits are different and it’s not as much fun."
   Mr. Chrambanis wonders if people used to be more enthusiastic about music because once, not so long ago, public schools really promoted the arts. Not so much anymore.
   "When I was young, music was extremely important," he says. "There were always a few different bands and choirs and, for theater, if you put on a musical, you had a live orchestra. But if you’re not brought up to think music is important, you’re just not as interested. Maybe that’s why kids are not as involved in music and they’re more involved in video games."
   A former drummer, Mr. Chrambanis describes his mania for music on The Record Collector’s Web site, www.the-record-collector.com:
   "I bought my first record at (age) 11 — it was Alan Sherman’s ‘My Son The Nut’ and I still have it," he writes. "Over the last 35 years, my obsession with vinyl has grown. My love for my first car, first beer and first wife has come and gone, but my love for records is forever. I have accumulated a few records in all those years. At last count I have over 50,000 LPs, and about (1) million 45s, tapes and CDs — give or take a few. Yes, I am possessed."
   What was once a bowling alley at 358 Farnsworth has been painstakingly renovated. Its pink and turquoise exterior is an homage to the original art deco design from the 1930s. The store in Bordentown is an updated version of Mr. Chrambanis’ previous location in Morrisville, Pa., with the same level of service, vast array of music as well as a busy online department. The Record Collector sells, buys and trades in jazz, soul, R&B, classic rock, comedy, blues, folk, gospel, oldies, personalities and novelties.
   "Most anything that spins on a turntable, tape or CD player," according to the Web site.
   More than this, though, it’s a hip destination in a town that seems to have more and more happening all the time. Recently, Mr. Chrambanis launched a series of "fabulous Fridays" at The Record Collector where, each week, the store celebrates the birthdays of rock and pop greats.
   "We have cookies and cake, sometimes live music," he says. "If a person is interested in the artist, we’ll have a full bio to hand out. We’ll also have the full line of that artist’s recordings at a discount. Our hope is that people will come in and just hang out to chat about the artist. Frank Zappa’s birthday (Dec. 22) is during Christmas week — we’re going to tie our holiday party in with that."
   To close the year on Dec. 29, The Record Collector will throw a party that also marks the birthdays of Davy Jones and Mike Nesmith (Dec. 30). Only Mr. Chrambanis and other "record nerds" would know that half of the Monkees share the same birthdate.
   In the store, he’s surrounded himself with kindred spirits. They’ll get the work done but will be arguing over who is better, Frank Zappa or Gong.
   "It’s so much like the movie ‘High Fidelity,’" Mr. Chrambanis says. "I had a guy exactly like the Jack Black character in the movie. I loved the line about ‘these guys showed up one day to work and after a couple of days I fired them but they kept coming back.’" That happened to me. I had one girl who I fired three times but she kept coming back. I finally gave up and let her work."
The Record Collector will celebrate the season with a combination holiday and
‘Happy Birthday Frank Zappa’ party, 358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown, Dec. 22,
noon-8 p.m. Monkees birthdays and New Year’s party, Dec. 29, noon-8 p.m. Store
hours: Mon.-Fri. noon-6 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For information, call (609)
324-0880. On the Web: www.the-record-collector.com