By Joel Myrene

Founder of The Apple Valley Vinyl Record Expo

The Apple Valley Vinyl Record Expo record sale is coming up on Saturday May 9th in Wenatchee. I thought it would be fun to learn a little more about a few of the vendors, who have been a fixture at the expo for years.

Vendor Spotlight: Paul Troka

If you don’t remember Paul by name, you’ll remember his elaborate vendor setup, front and center as you walk into the upper hall. Never has a person in the history of vinyl shows ever utilized every inch of vendor space like Paul. Hell, he even built a wooden ramp and left it at the hall so other vendors can load in with ease. He’s also an incredibly nice guy, who loves talking vinyl with people. And you’ll learn his depth of knowledge about vinyl records is remarkable pretty quickly when meeting him. And he loves to share that knowledge with everyone he meets.

How long have you been collecting vinyl records, and do you remember what the first record you bought was?

I started collecting in the late 70’s after high school. My older brother had a stereo in our bedroom in the late 60’s. My parents had the old full cabinet stereo and mainly had country records. They liked Johnny Cash, Jimmy Rogers, Patsy Cline and others. My older brother Pete played Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and hard rock of the late 60’s.

What keeps you interested in collecting records after all these years?

What keeps me interested is the search for the rare and hard to find vinyl. Bootleg pressings of my favorite artists.

If you had to pick a few of your favorite genres, what would those be?

Stevie Ray Vaughan for sure, the blues-rock sound he plays is unlike any other . John Prine’s music is another, different style, but his songs are very mesmerizing. Listening to Prine’s lyrics takes all your attention until the end of a song. The Rolling Stones are a favorite also, and I got to see them in 2024 in Seattle. My first time and it was an incredible show. I also got to see Stevie Ray Vaughan in June 1990 at the Gorge. It was a sad day when we heard of his death a few months later.

How long have you been selling records at vinyl record shows?

I started doing record shows four years ago at the Wenatchee show. I had gone to a few to buy records and thought, I can do this and search for records I like! After the Wenatchee show, I just looked into where the other shows were, and signed up.

What is your favorite part of selling records at shows?

I’ve met so many people during shows who share their interest of different artists and tune me into new music. I’ve learned so much going to shows, and learn more every time.

I read somewhere that 2025 was something like the 19th straight year of seeing a yearly increase in vinyl record sales. Why do you think that we continue to see a yearly growth for nearly the past 20 years?

I think the hands on aspect is one of the things that helps the growth of vinyl music with people. Vinyl records have been around for over 100 years, and something that people still use that long says something. There is obviously no comparison to the analog sound versus a cd. I think once someone hears the difference they get sold on vinyl. That sound, and the hunt for their favorite artist is something hard to stop being a part of.

Nowadays the record industry is pressing so much new vinyl, you can’t keep up. I like to get as much old school vinyl as I can find. I don’t buy collections, but buy a few here and there if they are in good condition, and usually first or early pressings.

What can we expect you will be bringing to the record show this year?

I will be bringing early classic rock, blues, heavy metal, grunge, some country, funk/soul, Reggae and a mix of female artists. I’ve organized my show records A-Z. I also separate boxes of specific artists or genres. I will have over 3000 records that will be easy to dig through. All cleaned, re-sleeved in new inner and outers.

Any last thoughts?

I guess that is about it. I hope those of you going to the Wenatchee show stop by and you find something you are looking for.

Vendor Spotlight: Dustin Hays

Many Comet readers already know who Dustin is. He’s authored dozens of articles over the years for the mag, often delving into the history of the music in the valley most are unaware of. He even helped put together an exhibit at the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Arts Center, delving into the region’s pretty diverse musical history, complete with hundreds of posters lining the walls. He’s my go to local music historian. If you see the poster wall at the record expo featuring shows from the past 60 years in Wenatchee, most of those posters were sourced by Dustin. He also is the driving force behind local rippers The Nightmares and plays drums in local goth rockers Datura. He is absolutely one of the biggest reasons we have any sort of local music scene here. And of course, he’s an avid record collector. I think he was also the first person to sign up to sell records at the first Apple Valley Vinyl Record Expo, and has had a table at every show since. Hell of a nice dude too.

How long have you been collecting records?

I probably started when I was 16 or 17.

Do you remember the first record you bought, and where you bought it?

Modern Guilt by Beck. Got my copy at Hastings. If I remember correctly, the first year or so that they started selling vinyl again.

You just got back from a quick tour of the East Coast, with Datura. Congrats on the band making it over to the East Coast! Were you able to visit any record stores while you were back East? Grab any cool records?

Thaaanks. Played my first show with those fellas March of last year.. it’s cool to have already made it over to the other side of the U.S. with them!

I was able to take a cab up to Village Revival in Manhattan. Been following “Revival Of The Fittest” on Instagram since last year.. I’ve wanted a chance to dig through their 45s for awhile now. Found a few really clean copies of some early ‘60s NY doo wop.

Also, had to pick up Drowning Pool’s album Sinner at a shop in Virginia :)

The bands you are in consistently release music on vinyl. It’s an expensive format these days to release music on vinyl. How important to you is it that bands you are a part of, make their releases available on vinyl?

It’s the whole thing for me, really. Every musician has their goals and dreams - mine is to get on records. Playing shows is super fun, growing a community around your music and your performances is endlessly invigorating, but I really just want to have a stack of records I played on when I’m old n’ grey.

Very expensive, yes. But ya gotta kinda put that aside if you’re a small-town artist who wants vinyl.

Do you have a favorite record store?

Hmm. Turntable Treasures in Tacoma has a ton of goodies - all LPs, lots of high shelves and ladders. Holy Cow in Pike Place has some gems - lots of 45 boxes on the floor that no one messes with.

With the stuff I like findin’, I mostly enjoy shady estate sales, and dirty thrift stores. Any place with a box of loose 45s is what I’m searchin’ for.

You have been a part of every Apple Valley Vinyl Record Expo since its inception. What’s your favorite part of being a vendor at the show?

It’s still getting to hang out with a crew of people who work or attend the show. Some of the best people in life are those who tell you about new music to listen to - and it’s a full day o’ those folks.

Do you have a favorite record in your personal collection? Or top three if one is too hard to choose?

1. The Billy & The Kids “Say You Love Me” on Julian. It’s been written about lol.. This is the record that started most of “where I’m at now in my life.” East Wenatchee garage rock record from the mid ‘60s. Very hard to find. Very expensive, unless you’re finding it in the wild.

2. The Flamingos “I Only Have Eyes For You”

NY doo wop tune, one of my all-time favorites. I’ve got a copy that came out of the KOZI station. I always enjoy knowing a copy is the specific one that people around here heard on the radio years back.

3. Paolo Conte’s album Paris Milonga. Some ‘70s Italian jazz. I’ve been into that guy for 6 or 7 years now, but he’s become one of my favorite writers.

You love 45’s more than anybody I know. Any 45’s or LP’s you are currently on the hunt for?

I’m always looking for SRCs. Sound Recording Company was a studio in Spokane active through the ‘60s and ‘70s.. Lots of small pressings from regional artists. I’ve got a box going, but there are still a bunch I’m searchin’ for.

What can we expect from your table at the record expo?

Lots of different stuff. I’ve found a ton of cool albums and 45s over the last year, but am also purging a ton from my collection that I’ve just never made the time for. A bunch of super clean copies, and a bunch of cheap stuff... I always try and price my stuff a little lower than what it’s going for online, just so I can go home with an empty car.

Vendor Spotlight: Mark Pickerel

For many, Mark needs no introduction. But for others, here is the CliffNotes version as Mark’s musical journey is ridiculously impressive. Ellensburg native, probably best known as the drummer for legendary Screaming Trees. Other drumming credits include Truly in addition to playing drums for Brandi Carlile, among many others. He was also part of the brief project called The Jury, which also included Kurt Cobain, Mark Lanegan and Krist Novoselic. Mark also has an accomplished solo career as a frontman/guitar player. He ran a brick and mortor record store years ago, and now sells vinyl records and vintage clothing through his Roadtrip Records brand, at various locations in and around Ellensburg. I think one of my all time favorite youtube videos is when Mark sits in on drums playing “The Witch” with The Sonics at Easy Street Records. Great song, great band and goddamn, Marks’s powerful and stylish drumming compliment what is probably the most well known Sonics tune. It’s embarrassing how many times I’ve watched that video. Shh...don’t tell Mark. I’m leaving out about a thousand other cool projects Mark has been a part of over the years. But he has also been a sponsor of the expo since our first year.

Do you remember what the first vinyl record you bought was? How old were you at the time?

The first few records I remember buying with my own money were 7” singles: Elton John’s “The Bitch is Back,” “Beth” by Kiss, “Walk This Way” by Aerosmith etc., and interestingly enough, one of the first full-lengths I ever bought (The Beach Boys’ Endless Summer) was from a record rack at Jerrol’s in Ellensburg, over 45 years ago—where I currently curate and sell a pretty big selection of vinyl. But they had phased-out their own selection back in the 80’s, so it’s pretty cool to see kids back diggin’ through crates again in there, after all these years. Other early purchases of mine included full-lengths by Kiss, Aerosmith, A Flock of Seagulls, Cheap Trick, Joan Jett, Creedence Clearwater, The Beatles etc.

You were pretty young when you first opened your own brick and mortar record store. Was that a pretty eye opening experience having your own business at such a young age?

It sure was, but I had acquired some working knowledge of how to own and operate a record store from having been promoted to a managerial role at Ace Records in Ellensburg when I was about 19. Then I got a job as a retail sales rep at Sub Pop for a couple of years before opening my own store in 1991, so I had a little bit of experience from the get go. However, there were lots of blind spots that made for some pretty turbulent times!

But 1991/1992 was a great time to get into the business, with so many incredible artists breaking — Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Dr. Dre, Screaming Trees, Social Distortion, Alice in Chains and more. And we were the only store in Central Washington that was hosting midnight sales so that kids could be the first to get their hands on a title on the eve of its official release. We would have a hundred kids lined up waiting to get in to grab records that they’d already reserved by many of the bands previously listed. It was a really exciting time, almost every month there would be enough interest around a specific title or two to warrant such an occasion.

You now run Road Trip Records, and sell vinyl records and vintage clothing at various locations. I really like how you pretty seamlessly include your vinyl records and clothes into the other offerings of these locations. Do you enjoy not having the overhead expenses of your own store, or do you in any way miss having your own dedicated location?

I don’t miss having to worry about payroll or any of the associated expenses of running a standalone store, but I do keep my eye out for the perfect place to do it all over again. And it’s looking more and more like that could happen for us in Cle Elum in the not-so-distant future.

You have been a sponsor of the Apple Valley Vinyl Record Expo since year one, so first off, thanks! Do you sell records at any other records shows these days?

We appear at Apple Valley exclusively!

What is your favorite part (or parts) of coming to Wenatchee every year for the vinyl record sale?

Well, besides trading playful sarcasm and insults with you and Ron Evans, I just love witnessing younger people getting turned on to the format, and finding out what’s on their bucket lists or hearing of their conversions to artists that I already know and love, as well as learning about artists that are new to me. And I almost always walk away with a couple dozen new acquisitions for my own collection! And one year, it was more like a couple dozen CRATES of records!

And this year’s offering will be the most interesting, rare, and diverse selection I’ve ever presented!

The Apple Valley Vinyl Record Expo

Saturday, May 9

IOOF Hall - 601 N. Chelan, Wenatchee

Early entry 10 am ($5)

Free entry 11 am - 4 pm