Telefon Tel Aviv - Immolate Yourself - album review

Telefon Tel Aviv is the bizarre name for US based Joshua Eustis and Charles Cooper, and Immolate Yourself is their third album following previous releases, Fahrenheit Fair Enough (2001) and Map Of Effortless (2004).

Immolate Yourself is an interesting electronic album that moves between atomspheric and electro pop.

The opening track, The Birds, is like a contemporary Beloved electro pop song whereas other tracks such as Helen Of Troy and the title track, Immolate Yourself are reminiscent of Depeche Mode in a time between their synth pop glory and darker more meaningful days.

All these references are tinted with a fresh, contemporary take rather than a simple copycat retro eighties sound.

Other tracks move further away from the standard electro pop category.  Made A Tree On The Wold and Stay Away From Being Maybe build slowly with atmospheric tension.  The latter reminding me of the intro to U2’s anthemic Where The Streets Have No Name.

Though Telefon Tel Aviv keep the lid on the lighters and the intro ends with the outro, leaving me with a deep thought-provoking mood more akin to the deepness of a Joy Division track than any shallow stadium rock.

Immolate Yourself grows on me. Telefon Tel Aviv are making some interesting dark moody electro pop in a similar vain to Depeche Mode.

Telefon Tel Aviv - Immolate Yourself is due for release on 23rd January 2009 on the BPitch Control label.

Monday, December 1
DJ Hot To Death @ Larimer Lounge
Five Finger Death Punch @ Fillmore Auditorium

Tuesday, December 2
The Crystal Method @ Fox Theatre
Little Joy @ Larimer Lounge
Staind @ Fillmore Auditorium

Wednesday, December 3
Mac Lethal @ Marquis Theater
The Photo Atlas @ Fox Theatre
The Silver Cord @ Larimer Lounge

Thursday, December 4
The Archive @ Walnut Room
Audrye Sessions @ Marquis Theater
Joshua Novak @ Hi-Dive
The Lewis & Floorwax Christmas Ball @ Ogden Theater
The Omega Moos @ Fox Theatre
Railbenders @ Bluebird Theater
Thunder Malloy @ Larimer Lounge

Friday, December 5
Dir En Grey @ Gothic Theatre
Goodbye Champion @ Larimer Lounge
The Join @ Fox Theatre
My American Heart @ Marquis Theater
Oakhurst @ Walnut Room
Pat McGee Band @ Bluebird Theater
Smashing Pumpkins @ Ogden Theater
Taun Taun @ Hi-Dive
Warren Hill @ Soiled Dove

Saturday, December 6
Aiden @ Marquis Theater
Amanda Palmer @ Bluebird Theater
Christines @ Hi-Dive
Everything Absent Or Distorted @ Gothic Theatre (CD Release party)
Fall Out Boy @ Ogden Theater
Head For The Hills @ Fox Theatre
Sebastien Tellier @ Larimer Lounge
The Swayback @ Soiled Dove

Sunday, December 7
Dario Rosa @ Larimer Lounge
Sebastien Tellier @ Bluebird Theater
Snow Patrol @ Gothic Theatre

Schedule appears courtesy of Mystik Spiral.

If you're in NYC, I would suggest you get your sweet ass to Brooklyn, where Park Slope / Gowanus comes alive tonight, with Union Hall and The Bell House combining forces to bring you the likes of Castanets, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, El Ten Eleven, and Happy Anarchy — all for just $10! The show is at the Bell House, and doors are at 7:30.

For the Chicagoans in the audience, go get your dance party on with native sons (and daughter) Flosstradamus and Kid Sister at Metro.  Mash-up kingpins The Hood Internet will be DJ'ing as well, so you'd better get there when doors open at 6pm to beat the hipster masses.  Tix are a bargain at $16.

All the Angelenos need to go see one of the 1990s' most underrated songwriters, Matthew Sweet, at the El Rey Theatre tonight.  The Records and Death On Two Wheels are supporting.  Doors are at 7, and tickets are $22.

And finally, if you're in Philly, you should go check out the acoustic folk-rock stylings of fellow Philadelphian Ben Arnold at The Fire, with Chris Jasper and Joshua Park opening.  Doors open at 9, and tickets are $10.

Happy Thanksgiving Eve, kiddos!

Jeff Beck - New album, ‘Performing This Week…Live at Ronnie Scott’s’ was recorded during the live shows done in London in 2007. Brilliant, stunning, always amazing guitar work that always leaves you wanting more. The album’s 16 tracks include Beck’s cover of “A Day In The Life.”

‘Electric Arguments’ by The Fireman - Excellent album, starts off rockin’ like “Helter Skelter,” and finishes with airy, spacey ambient mood music that’s exhilarating. A breath of fresh air. You’d never know it was Sir Paul. Thankfully The Fireman still has Youth.

‘Everything That Happens Will Happen Today’ -
David Byrne and Brian Eno making musical magic again. Some confusion over the release date, but that’s easy to overlook when you’re talking about these two giants. Byrne’s lyrics and Eno’s music; sometimes it’s Talking Heads, sometimes Joshua Tree, but always breaking new ground.

Phish - Live at the Roxy - 84 songs, three shows, box set. A favorite with fans!

Guns N Roses - Chinese Democracy. Sounds like a Guitar Hero soundtrack with screamin’ guitars.

Friday, June 26, 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Emerson String Quartet
Paul Neubauer, viola
IVES Quartet No. 1
DVOŘÁK Quartet No. 12 in F, Op. 96, The American
BARBER Adagio, from Quartet, Op. 11
DVOŘÁK String Quintet No. 3 in E-flat, Op. 97, American

Saturday, June 27, 5:45 p.m. Shed
A Prairie Home Companion at Tanglewood
with Garrison Keillor
Live broadcast

Sunday, June 28, 2:30 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Juilliard String Quartet
ALL-HAYDN PROGRAM
Sun Quartets
Quartet No. 27 in D, Op. 20, No. 4
Quartet No. 26 in G minor, Op. 20, No. 3
Quartet No. 23 in F minor, Op. 20, No. 5
Quartet No. 25 in C, Op. 20, No. 2

Monday, June 29, 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra
Herbert Blomstedt, conductor
Tanglewood Music Center Conducting Fellows
ALL-SIBELIUS PROGRAM
The Swan of Tuonela
Tapiola
Symphony No. 2

Thursday, July 2 , 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Stephen Kovacevich, piano
J.S. BACH Partita No. 4 in D, BWV 828
SCHUMANN Kinderszenen, Op. 15
BEETHOVEN Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120

Friday, July 3, 6:00 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Prelude Concert
Members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra

Friday, July 3, 7:15 p.m. Shed
This Week at Tanglewood
Panel discussion with moderator and guest artists

Friday, July 3, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Opening Night at Tanglewood
Boston Symphony Orchestra
James Levine, conductor
Yefim Bronfman, piano
ALL-TCHAIKOVSKY PROGRAM
Symphony No. 6, Pathétique
Piano Concerto No. 1
Fireworks to follow the concert

Saturday, July 4, 7 p.m. Shed
Diana Krall
Fireworks to follow the concert

Sunday, July 5, 2:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
James Levine, conductor
Christian Tetzlaff, violin
STRAVINSKY The Rite of Spring
BRAHMS Violin Concerto

Sunday, July 5, 8:00 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Christian Tetzlaff, violin
Alexander Lonquich, piano**
BEETHOVEN The Complete Sonatas for Violin and Piano, Program 1
Sonata No. 1 in D, Op. 12, No. 1
Sonata No. 2 in A, Op. 12, No. 2
Sonata No. 3 in E-flat, Op. 12, No. 3
Sonata No. 4 in A minor, Op. 23

Tuesday, July 7, 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Ozawa Hall
Christian Tetzlaff, violin
Alexander Lonquich, piano
BEETHOVEN The Complete Sonatas for Violin and Piano, Program 2
Sonata No. 5 in F, Op. 24, Spring
Sonata No. 6 in A, Op. 30, No. 1
Sonata No. 7 in C minor, Op. 30, No. 2

Thursday, July 9 8pm
Ozawa Hall
Christian Tetzlaff, violin
Alexander Lonquich, piano
BEETHOVEN The Complete Sonatas for Violin and Piano, Program 3
Sonata No. 8 in G, Op. 30, No. 3
Sonata No. 9 in A, Op. 47, Kreutzer
Sonata No. 10 in G, Op. 96

Friday, July 10, 6 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Prelude Concert
Members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra

Friday, July 10, 7:15 p.m. Shed
This Week at Tanglewood
Panel discussion with moderator and guest artists

Friday, July 10, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Herbert Blomstedt, conductor
Emanuel Ax, piano
NIELSEN Helios Overture
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4
BRAHMS Symphony No. 4

Saturday, July 11, 9:30 a.m. Shed
Pre-Rehearsal Talk
Saturday, July 11, 10:30 a.m. Shed
Open Rehearsal, Sunday program

Saturday, July 11, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra
James Levine, conductor
James Morris, bass-baritone (Hans Sachs)
Johan Botha, tenor (Walter von Stolzing)
Hei-Kyung Hong, soprano (Eva)
Maria Zifchak, mezzo-soprano (Magdalene)**
Matthew Polenzani, tenor (David)
Hans-Joachim Ketelsen, baritone (Sixtus Beckmesser)**
Julien Robbins, bass-baritone (Veit Pogner)
Vocal Fellows of the Tanglewood Music Center (Mastersingers)
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
John Oliver, conductor
WAGNER Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Act III
Sung in German with English supertitles

Sunday, July 12, 2:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Herbert Blomstedt, conductor
Joshua Bell, violin
BEETHOVEN Egmont Overture
BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 8

Tuesday, July 14, 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Le Concert des Nations**
Jordi Savall, director
Les Goûts Réunis
LULLY Suite from Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme
BIBER Battalia à 10
CORELLI Concerto IV in D
HANDEL Concerto grosso in G minor, Op. 6, No. 6
SCARLATTI/AVISON Concerto IX in Seven Parts
BOCCHERINI La Musica notturna di Madrid

Wednesday, July 15, 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Le Concert des Nations
Jordi Savall, director
F. Murray Abraham, actor**
Stage Music in the Plays of William Shakespeare
JOHNSON Jacobean Masque and Stage Music
LOCKE Music for The Tempest
PURCELL The Fairy Queen

Friday, July 17, 6 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Prelude Concert
Members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra

Friday, July 17, 7:15 p.m. Shed
This Week at Tanglewood
Panel discussion with moderator and guest artists

Friday, July 17, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
James Levine, conductor
Leon Fleisher, piano
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 23 in A, K.488
MAHLER Symphony No. 6

Saturday, July 18, 9:30 a.m. Shed
Pre-Rehearsal Talk

Saturday, July 18, 10:30 a.m. Shed
Open Rehearsal, Sunday program

Saturday, July 18, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Film Night at Tanglewood
Boston Pops Concert
John Williams, conductor
John Williams returns to lead the Boston Pops and special guests in his annual celebration of music from the movies. This year’s program is a tribute to the legacy of Warner Bros. Pictures and will include film and musical excerpts from some of the studio’s legendary movies, including selections from Mr. Williams' own scores for Superman and Harry Potter.

Sunday, July 19, 2:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
James Levine, conductor
ALL-MOZART PROGRAM
Symphony No. 39
Symphony No. 40
Symphony No. 41, Jupiter

Monday, July 20, 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra
Tanglewood Music Center Conducting Fellows
Works for chamber orchestra

Wednesday, July 22, 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Thomas Hampson, baritone
Craig Rutenberg, piano
All-American program, to include songs by
IVES, GRIFFES, CARPENTER, and BARBER

Friday, July 24, 6 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Prelude Concert
Members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra

Friday, July 24, 7:15 p.m. Shed
This Week at Tanglewood
Panel discussion with moderator and guest artists

Friday, July 24, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
James Levine, conductor
Steven Ansell, viola
BERLIOZ Le Corsaire Overture
BERLIOZ Harold in Italy, for viola and orchestra
MUSSORGSKY Prelude to Khovanshchina
MUSSORGSKY (orch. RAVEL) Pictures at an Exhibition

Saturday, July 25, 9:30 a.m. Shed
Pre-Rehearsal Talk

Saturday, July 25, 10:30 a.m. Shed
Open Rehearsal, Saturday program

Saturday, July 25, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
James Levine, conductor
Soile Isokoski, soprano
Matthias Goerne, baritone
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
John Oliver, conductor
BRAHMS A German Requiem

Sunday, July 26, 2:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
David Robertson, conductor
Thomas Hampson, baritone
Orli Shaham, piano
HARRIS Symphony No. 3
THOMSON Five Songs from William Blake
BARBER Songs with Orchestra
BERNSTEIN Symphony No. 2, The Age of Anxiety

Sunday, July 26, 7:30 p.m. Theatre
Tanglewood Music Center Vocal Fellows and Orchestra
James Levine, conductor
Ira Siff, director
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
John Oliver, conductor
MOZART Don Giovanni
Sung in Italian with English supertitles

Monday, July 27, 7:30 p.m. Theatre
Tanglewood Music Center Vocal Fellows and Orchestra
James Levine, conductor
Ira Siff, director
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
John Oliver, conductor
MOZART Don Giovanni
Sung in Italian with English supertitles

Tuesday, July 28, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Tanglewood on Parade
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Pops Orchestra
Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra
James Levine, Keith Lockhart, John Williams,
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, and Leonard Slatkin, conductors
ROSSINI Overture to William Tell
ENESCU Romanian Rhapsody No. 1
BERNSTEIN Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
WILLIAMS Tributes: For Seiji
COPLAND A Lincoln Portrait
TCHAIKOVSKY 1812 Overture
Fireworks to follow the concert

Wednesday, July 29, 7:30 p.m. Theatre
Tanglewood Music Center Vocal Fellows and Orchestra
Tanglewood Music Center Conducting Fellow
Ira Siff, director
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
John Oliver, conductor
MOZART Don Giovanni
Sung in Italian with English supertitles

Thursday, July 30, 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Sir James Galway, flute
Lady Jeanne Galway, flute
Phillip Moll, piano
Celebrating Sir James Galway’s 70th Birthday

Friday, July 31, 6 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Prelude Concert
Members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra

Friday, July 31, 7:15 p.m. Shed
This Week at Tanglewood
Panel discussion with moderator and guest artists

Friday, July 31, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, conductor
Vadim Repin, violin
BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto
DEBUSSY La Mer
RAVEL Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2

Saturday, August 1, 9:30 a.m. Shed
Pre-Rehearsal Talk
Saturday, August 1, 10:30 a.m. Shed
Open Rehearsal, Sunday program
Saturday, August 1, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Celebrating Sir James Galway’s 70th Birthday
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Sir James Galway, flute
Special Guests
DEBUSSY Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun
COPLAND Appalachian Spring (complete)
MOZART Overture to The Magic Flute
MOZART Flute Concerto No. 2
Plus musical surprises especially for the occasion

Sunday, August 2, 2:30 p.m. Shed
The Serge and Olga Koussevitzky Memorial Concert
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Thomas Dausgaard, conductor
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3
RACHMANINOFF Symphony No. 2

Monday, August 3, 8 p.m. Shed
Tanglewood Music Center Vocal and Conducting Fellows and Orchestra
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, conductor
Peter Serkin, piano
ALL-STRAVINSKY PROGRAM
Pulcinella (complete)
Concerto for Piano and Winds
Suite from The Firebird (1919 version)

Wednesday, August 5, 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Thursday, August 6, 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Mark Morris Dance Group
Tanglewood Music Center Fellows
Mark Morris, choreographer
Emanuel Ax, piano
Colin Jacobsen, violin
Yo-Yo Ma, cello
Martin Pakledinaz, costume designer
James F. Ingalls, lighting designer
New work (world premiere)
IVES Trio for piano, violin, and cello ‘A Lake’
HAYDN Horn Concerto No. 2
New work (world premiere)
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 4 in C for cello and piano, Op. 102, No. 1

Friday, August 7, 6 pm Ozawa Hall
Prelude Concert
Members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra

Friday, August 7, 7:15 pm Shed
This Week at Tanglewood
Panel discussion with moderator and guest artists

Friday, August 7, 8:30 pm Shed
Boston Pops Orchestra
Keith Lockhart, conductor
Chris Botti, trumpet**

Friday, August 7 – Tuesday, August 11
Festival of Contemporary Music
Augusta Reed Thomas, director

Saturday, August 8, 9:30 a.m. Shed
Pre-Rehearsal Talk

Friday, August 8, 10:30 a.m. Shed
Open Rehearsal, Sunday program

Friday, August 8, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, conductor
Laura Claycomb, soprano*
Lawrence Brownlee, tenor*
Markus Werba, baritone*
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
John Oliver, conductor
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 1, Classical
ORFF Carmina burana

Sunday, August 9, 2:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Julian Kuerti, conductor
Yo-Yo Ma, cello
PERLE Sinfonietta No. 2
SHOSTAKOVICH Cello Concerto No. 1
FAURÉ Elégie, for cello and orchestra
BIZET Symphony in C

Wednesday, August 12, 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Boston Symphony Chamber Players
André Previn, piano
VILLA-LOBOS Quintette en forme de chôros, for wind quintet
PREVIN New work (2009)
BRAHMS Quintet in F minor for piano and strings, Op. 34

Friday, August 14, 6 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Prelude Concert
Members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra

Friday, August 14, 7:15 p.m. Shed
This Week at Tanglewood
Panel discussion with moderator and guest artists

Friday, August 14, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Yefim Bronfman, piano
RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3
SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 5

Saturday, August 15, 9:30 a.m. Shed
Pre-Rehearsal Talk

Saturday, August 15, 10:30 a.m. Shed
Open Rehearsal, Sunday program

Saturday, August 15, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
André Previn, conductor
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 4
LISZT Piano Concerto No. 2
RAVEL La Valse

Sunday, August 16, 2:30 p.m. Shed
The Leonard Bernstein Memorial Concert
Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra
Kurt Masur, conductor
Garrick Ohlsson, piano
ALL-BRAHMS PROGRAM
Piano Concerto No. 2
Symphony No. 2

Sunday, August 16, 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
André Previn, piano
David Finck, bass
André Previn and David Finck return to Ozawa Hall for an evening of jazz favorites.

Wednesday, August 19, 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Thursday, August 20, 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor and host
Pat Birch, director*
Judy Blazer, performer*
Neal Benari, performer *
Ronit Widmann-Levy, performer*
Eugene Brancoveanu, performer*
THOMAS The Thomashefskys: Music and Memories of a Life in the Yiddish Theater

Friday, August 21, 6 p.m. Ozawa Hall
Prelude Concert
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
John Oliver, conductor

Friday, August 21, 7:15 p.m. Shed
This Week at Tanglewood
Panel discussion with moderator and guest artists

Friday, August 21, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Kurt Masur, conductor
David Fray, piano*
HAYDN Symphony No. 88
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 25 in C, K.503
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 1

Saturday, August 22, 9:30 a.m. Shed
Pre-Rehearsal Talk

Saturday, August 22, 10:30 a.m. Shed
Open Rehearsal, Sunday program

Saturday, August 22, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Kurt Masur, conductor
Gil Shaham, violin
ALL-MENDELSSOHN PROGRAM
The Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave) Overture
Violin Concerto
Symphony No. 4, Italian

Sunday, August 23, 2:30 p.m. Shed
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Erin Wall, soprano*
Kendall Gladen, mezzo-soprano*
Stuart Skelton, tenor**
Raymond Aceto, bass-baritone
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
John Oliver, conductor
IVES Thanksgiving and Forefathers’ Day, for chorus and orchestra
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9
*BSO debut
**Tanglewood debut

James Taylor and Friends
August 27 – 30

Thursday, August 27, 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall
The Band: Conversations Among Friends
James Taylor presides over an intimate and informal evening of conversation and performance with members of his legendary band

Friday, August 28, 7 p.m. Shed
Saturday, August 29, 7 p.m. Shed
James Taylor Concert
James Taylor and his band return to the Shed stage and are joined by special guests in two unforgettable evenings

Sunday, August 30, 2:30 p.m. Shed
James Taylor and the Boston Pops
Boston Pops
John Williams, conductor
James Taylor, soloist
Two Tanglewood favorites reunite in concert for the season finale

In 1951, at the age of 12, Paul Mawhinney bought his first record, Frankie Lane’s Jezebel. His collection has grown quite a bit since: Mawhinney has dedicated his life to acquiring every recording issued in the U.S. His now 3 million-strong archive is organized alphabetically and cataloged in his Pittsburgh warehouse. It is the world’s largest record collection, and growing every day.

Mawhinney, who ran the RecordRama store for 40 years until it closed in February, has recently put the $50 million dollar collection up for grabs at a mere $3 million because the economy scares him — he’s got bills to pay, and three kids to help out. “My goal is to find a home for the history of music,” the 69-year old Pittsburgh native says.

He opened his 16,400 square foot warehouse, the RecordRama Archive, in 1968, when he had 160,000 records. In the mid-’70s, he started cataloguing the music on his computer, making him not only a vinyl connoisseur, but a pioneer. “I created the Music Master database, which is the largest database in the field of popular music,” he explains. Custom built shelves, temperature and humidity control keep his 6 million-plus song titles secure and organized — search for a track (or any keyword) in the electronic database, and it will direct you to the record on the shelves.

A study conducted by the Library of Congress determined that 87 percent of the music in Mawhinney’s vault is not available on the Internet. The collection’s most valuable record is a rare Rolling Stones album that was never commercially released — only 300 promotional copies were produced by London Records, and it’s valued at approximately $8,000. Mawhinney is also the owner of the first flat record ever made (an 1881 recording of Teddy Roosevelt), a copy of the most released non-hit record in history (”Let Me Love You,” by George Goodman), 15 promotional copies of an unreleased Elvis record called Joshua and hundreds of rare singles from Bob Dylan and the Beatles.

Over the years, Mawhinney and his massive collection have actually changed rock history. He helped out David Bowie’s career by pressuring RCA to send a reissue of the self-titled record featuring “Space Oddity” out to radio stations after it had been locked up in their vault for three years. “The manufacturers still don’t even understand what I did,” he says. “They don’t even have their own records. RCA, Columbia, Rhino — when they want to reissue a CD, they’ve come to me to get a master. Nobody was organized like I was.” And he’s not a fan of big-box stores dominating the record-sales biz today. In his opinion, music distributors have killed the business by cutting breaks to places like Best Buy and Wal-Mart, making it impossible for independent stores to be competitive.

Mawhinney dropped out on current rock scene post-2002, after which he says that music became nasty. He opposes CDs and MP3s, which is why he is adamant about preserving recorded history on vinyl. “When you take a record and put it on CD or tape, you’re compressing the whole thing from top to bottom, taking the highs and the lows,” he explains. “You’re only hearing half the song,” he says. “Believe me, you will never hear a song the way your hear it on a vinyl record with a good needle.”

Prospective buyers and the curious look at the collection almost every day, and Mawhinney gets inquiries from museums worldwide regularly. He’s had a few serious bidders, including the Library of Congress. “Every curator has wanted my collection there for the last 25 years,” he says. “But they don’t want to pay.”

Aside from the archive, Mawhinney owns seven record labels and a publishing company, “the best record washing company in the world.” But the vault is truly his life’s work. “I think that saving my collection is going to have a real wonderfulness in 20 or 30 years,” he says. “If this collection gets broken up and sold as crap, everybody loses big time.”

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• “Thriller” Added to Library of Congress Registry