One of the best things about running Locked Groove Records is hearing about everyone's collection's and what draws them to vinyl records.
For this Featured Collector, we are doing a bit of time travel and globe-trotting. Tim grew up right here in Sherwood Park, but he’s currently spinning his wax in Maui, Hawaii.
From a classic 80s "fish tank console" setup in the Park to hunting for vinyl in Hawaiian pawn shops, Tim has built a killer collection (nearly 1,000 strong). He’s also got some stories that will make any autograph hunter jealous—including a run-in with a Fleetwood Mac legend at his workplace.
Check out Tim’s story below.
Name:
Tim
Location:
Maui, Hawaii
What's your story? How did you get into records?
I grew up in Sherwood Park, Alberta. My parents had a handful of records over the years and I remember seeing them in various locations around the house. We had a giant fish tank in our family room; there were speakers in the shelf on the side of it, and below was a pull-out drawer with a radio/amp and a turntable.
We had a few children's records—sing-along songs, as well as storybook ones. I remember a picture disc called Music Machine, as well as a Star Wars one that went along with a book. I also remember Mom and Dad playing a variety of records—everything from Elvis to CCR to the Footloose soundtrack.
As I started working and earning my own money, every paycheck I ended up at HMV or A&B Sound to pick up a new tape or two, eventually moving to CDs. I had two large wall cabinets filled with a few hundred CDs (always kept in alphabetical order).
I moved to Maui in 2001. Several years later, I was in a pawn shop looking at guitar effects pedals when an older turntable with stickers on the dust cover caught my eye. I decided it was coming home with me. I stopped by Request Music in Maui, dug through a couple of boxes of used vinyl, and pulled out a few.
When I got home and connected the turntable to my stereo, I found I could hardly hear anything. My stereo did not have a phono input, and I had no idea I needed a preamp. A true beginner!
Several years passed, and those few records became too many for the storage bin I had. A handful still need to be cataloged into my Discogs collection, but I'm just a little shy of a thousand records now.
What do you love about playing and/or collecting records?
It's always a fun conversation when someone new comes to the house and sees a wall of cubes filled with "old records" and a turntable.
There is also something romantic about putting a record on, sitting down, and listening to an album from start to finish. Sometimes I'll just sit and enjoy the album, or if it's one I haven't really spent a lot of time with, I'll have the record cover in my hands, looking at the photos and reading the liner notes and credits.
Unlike the ease of streaming music, you have to pay attention. You have to get up and flip it over—and possibly to sides C and D depending on the album. It feels more connected to the music and the artists than when you don't have to do any work to listen to it.
What kind of turntable do you use?
I have a Music Hall MMF-5 turntable, which goes through an ONKYO TX-NR6050 amp into a Klipsch speaker system.
What's your favorite record in your collection?
I feel like my top records rotate based on moods or what seems to be going on around me. Currently, with the recent passing of Ozzy, there has definitely been a heavier rotation of Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne solo albums.
Living in the USA, I don't hear much Canadian music on the radio. So, often some "growing up classics" like The Tragically Hip, Big Sugar, Matthew Good, and The Tea Party will find themselves on the turntable.
LCD Soundsystem - The Long Goodbye is also a repeat offender, as well as a bootleg version of Alice In Chains - Unplugged.
What are some records you are looking for that you would love to add to your collection?
When I first started, I caught myself buying almost anything, new or used, even if I only liked a song or two. These days I am a little more selective. I want an album that I'll listen to in its entirety.
I would love to have:
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Wilco - Kicking Television: Live In Chicago (It's an incredible album)
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The Sadies - Stories Often Told
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Utah Saints - Utah Saints (Mostly for nostalgic reasons)
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The Bicycle Thief - You Come And Go Like A Pop Song
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The Mars Volta - Scab Dates
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Matthew Good - Arrows of Desire, Vancouver, and Lights of Endangered Species
LIGHTS has an A6 extended album out, and a friend of mine from an old band has a new project called Arts Major—I'm looking forward to having both of those albums once we hopefully see these US/Canada tariffs go away!
Anything else that you want to share?
I have a selection of my parents' records that are important to me—another way to remember them. I have several of my Mom's Elvis albums where she wrote her name on the jacket and the center label with a sharpie. I also have my Dad's copy of CCR - Cosmo's Factory. I remember clearly seeing that album cover in our house for years, and it always makes me think of home.
A few other gems in the collection:
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Cheech & Chong - Big Bambú (Gifted by a friend, still has the giant rolling paper in it!)
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Fleetwood Mac - Rumours: Mick Fleetwood often came into the restaurant I worked at in Maui. I have a copy he signed for me.
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Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik: I have a version where the tattoo artist Hanky Panky (Henk Schiffmacher), who did the cover art, added some additional tribal artwork with a sharpie to the album cover.
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The Doors - Waiting For The Sun: In February 2013, I saw Ray Manzarek play at the historic Iao Theater. I brought a sharpie and the album hoping for a quick scribble, which I did get. Sadly, Ray passed about 3 months later.
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Strand of Oaks: I’ve met Tim Showalter a few times. The last time was in Vancouver; as we walked into the venue, he recognized me, said "Hi Tim," and gave me a big hug. He signed original pressings of Pope Killdragonand HEAL with a personal message.
Big thanks to Tim for sharing his story. It’s cool to know that even in paradise, people are still spinning Canadian rock classics.
Do you have a collection you want to show off? Whether you have 50 records or 5,000, we want to see what you’re spinning. Click the link below to get featured on the Locked Groove blog.