Baton Rouge vinyl collectors share their finds

Ryan Rials

On his days off, Baton Rouge General X-ray technician Ryan Rials, 30, makes the rounds at the Capital City’s two main independent record stores, flipping through the racks for gems to add to his collection of between 1,500 and 2,000 albums and 500 45s. It’s something he’s been at since 1999. Rials says he buys records as often as possible, and he jokes that the downside of a growing collection is when you have to move.

You’re a regular at the Atomic Pop Shop and Capital City Records. Where else do you pick up albums?

I used to go to a lot of yard sales. Sometimes I’ll hit flea markets here and out of town and certain stores when I’m traveling. And I’ll go to swaps.

How do swaps work?

You put the records that you can part with in a tote bag and trade with other collectors and vendors. There’s a regular one in New Orleans called Record Raid.

What do you like to collect?

New and used, all kinds of stuff. I really like side projects. Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes has this cool new side project called Thunderbitch. I think it had about 500 copies in the first pressing.

Any recent finds you were especially excited about?

Yeah, I found Chet Atkins’ Picks on the Beatles and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones debut album Devil’s Night Out.

Ron Webb

A personal inventory of 10,000 albums collected over 30 years places Ron Webb, 69, in a special category of record pickers. He buys two of everything—one to keep and another to trade or sell. The former patent draftsman developed a passion for collecting after he was laid off from his chemical industry job and started working for a moving company. Clients would throw out vinyl records by the dozens.

So, what would you do with all those curbside records?

I started picking them up and making a pile for myself in the warehouse at work. My boss told me I was crazy. He’d say, “Those things are dinosaurs. CDs have taken over.” I just kept picking them up. Now it’s my 401(k).

How does a person store 10,000 records?

They’re in two rooms of my house. I have my equipment in one of them.

What kind of equipment?

I have a thousand-dollar Denon turntable, a Pioneer amplifier and 18-inch speakers. I’m going to upgrade down the road, but for now, it works.

Where do you find records today, now that you’re no longer in the moving business?

I go to garage sales and hand out my business cards. People call me a good bit with old turntables and records.

Anything in particular you’d like to find now?

Local bands. There’s this Baton Rouge ’80s punk band called the Shit Dogs. One of their 45s is worth about $600.