When I first began buying film music I was in Los Angeles and gave Varese Sarabande a call asking if it would be possible to buy some of their recordings directly from then. One of the original three producers (Chris Kuchler) was on the phone and said sure. I took a drive over to Saticoy street to this little warehouse where they did there work at that time. The door was open, the weather was nice and the birds were chirping. Inside Kuchler was busy working on the cover design of "Mad Max" (Brian May). I pre-ordered a copy along with about a dozen other upcoming scores and paid with cash. He scribbled the names of each on the back of an old Citadel order form, wrote paid in full and signed it. I stashed it in one of my Varese Sarabande LP's (Probably "Mad Max"). It's funny because it's become sort of a film music relic of a label which at that time, very few people were aware of.

I became hooked on Varese Sarabande recordings after buying "Martin" (Donald Rubenstein). After that I began buying just about every score they released.

Kuchler sent me "North By Northwest" (Bernard Herrmann) for free along with the others.

What ever happened to Tom Null, Scott Holton and Chris Kuchler. They must have sold Varese Sarabande for a bundle.

victoravalentine, April 25, 2008; 11:19 PM

I always enjoy your memory snippets, knives!



coma, April 26, 2008; 8:27 AM

Thank's coma.

victoravalentine, April 26, 2008; 12:44 PM

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I discovered Varese Sarabande and spoke to Chris quite a bit. He set me up with a PHANTASM on CD which I had never seen. The really interesting thing was that I was looking for PRINCE OF DARKNESS and THE FOG. They didn't have any left and said "You said you live around San Francisco...there is this soundtrack store that might have them in stock, they're called Intrada." and that was the beginning of my long relationship with Intrada. Ironically I called Intrada and they had both THE FOG and PRINCE OF DARKNESS. I asked if they would hold them for me while I made the 40 minute drive to the store. They told me "No, we don't hold CDs, you'll have to come in and if it's here we'll sell it to you." When I walked into Intrada for the first time I was blown away. A record store of just soundtracks, WOW!

hammon, April 26, 2008; 7:58 PM

I've never been to Intrada. Sounds like a great place! Went to Tower in San Francisco a few times.

I'm going to listen to the interview a little later if I can download it.

victoravalentine, April 26, 2008; 10:43 PM

Just press on 'LISTEN' knives and wait like 10 minutes. I don't know, it was a first for me and I just found it interesting to just listen to these two guys interact with each other and answer questions by Daniel.

It is really sad to see US record stores dying off, in some places more so than others I guess. In the interview it was mentioned about the Footlight record store in NYC and its demise. NYC Tower was another which I remember very fondly. I wonder what has replaced the village store? Starbucks?
I think the Tower legacy began in California? I would have loved to have been in California (a big place!) back then when record stores were in abundance.
Intrada was a record shop? Wow! I believe a music retailer as mentioned in the interview named Amoeba is still around. I think they are on line as well.

Does anyone remember any NYC specialty record stores? Stores in other states? In the wonderful city of Boston, Chicago?

I remember vaguely these two record stores in Time Square, I believe the first was Colony which is still there I think (even though I did not see it recently) and the other KING something? Cannot remember the name. I used to browse these and more as a youngster dragging my father inside them to get my LP's. I think I enjoyed it more than he did. He paid.

BTW, Howard & Johnson's closed down as well.

HoJo... good ice cream!

serifiot, April 27, 2008; 2:31 PM

"Sam Goody's" was in New York. "Rose" in Chicago is where I bought quite a few. Was in Florida awhile back and went to a place called "Spec's" (a music chain in Florida). They had a discount bin of buy one get one free CD's. It was the west coast stock from the "Warehouse" (correct spelling?) that recently went under. I found a few obsure Morricone titles and a couple of Cam CD's for dirt cheap as well as "First Men In The Moon" on Cloud Nine for $2.00.
In Los Angeles is a place called "The Record Surplus". Still is business although their stock is not what it use to be. I'd go in there and grab up French and Italian vinyl for two or four dollars each.

And then there was "Fat Joe" who sold recordings all over Columbus, Ohio for quite a few years. He'd pop up anywhere. Found him at a flea market one time.

Have to mention the legendary "Jazz Record Mart" in Chicago. A specialist in Jazz music for decades.

"Amoeba" sells on ebay. They have quite a few one cent sales. Bought a sealed copy of "Land Of The Dead" on Varese for 37 cents not not ago. They usually have multiple copies and there's enough to go around. They also send a cool psychedelic bumper sticker with each order.

victoravalentine, April 27, 2008; 3:56 PM

I found the answers from Lukas Kendall much more interesting than anything Robert Townson had to say. Townson is all over the place, often not even answering the question that was asked! Also this interview could be 20 minutes shorter if they cut all the times Townson says ".... uhhhh...."

blind.sentinel, May 7, 2008; 3:56 AM