Pop Profile: Pete Chiacchieri
November 10th, 2009
Pete Chiacchieri has been a regular pure pop buyer and more than a little big of a rarities collector – even once doing a short stint back in the mid 90′s at our venereal venerable establishment. We cornered him in the back for a brief discussion on music, and he willingly submitted his answers.
Pure Pop: What are you shopping for today?
Pete Chiacchieri: Today i was hoping to find the re-issue of the Rolling Stone‘s Live Licks - but i couldn’t find it, i might have the release date wrong…
PP: That has to be it…what genre’s do you prefer?
PC: Right now? Progressive Rock, you know bands like Yes, Pendragon – Their new one is the second best record of the year for me. It sounds like what you’d hope Pink Floyd would have done after wish you were here; that professional melodic sound that made Dark Side and Wish You Were Here so fantastic, and lyrically on par with the best of 70′s Floyd.
PP: Where do you find out about new music?
PC: I read lots of interviews in all the various magazines - MOJO is big, Uncut, “Q“ Art Rocker – All British Mags, sometimes if you’re online you can just travel through links, Wikipedia – just following the leads where they take you. The British mags are so much more well rounded than these American mags.
PP: Where do you shop for new music generally?
PC: Locally – here, of course. (Ed – That’s Pure Pop Records, 115 North Winooski Ave. Burlington Vermont, 05401 – Open 7 days a week.) Downtown Discs, Burlington Records, and for the more obscure i use Amazon and cd uninverse and if i’m feeling lucky i go to GEMM, (global electronic music marketplace) It’s sort of like dealing with ebay people but you never know what you gonna get so you have to really want that specific item and be will to take a chance…
PP: What formats do you prefer?
PC: Vinyl. CD. then Cassette – No MP3 as of yet, i’m interested but i’m 50 so i grew up with artwork and liner notes, having this little bit of nothing doesn’t really intrigue me. So far i’ve been able to find everything i’m looking for without getting into MP3.
PP: What was the last album you purchased
PC: Jasper Wrath, American Progressive rock from around 71′ – really astounding stuff, melodic song based progressive rock. It looked like it was a dodgy, limited issue so if you’re a collector, get it fast cause it won’t last.
PP: If you could recommend one album to anyone, what would it be?
PC: Aliens: Luna – If you wanna hear something new that beyond belief, ex-Beta Band, pure psychedelia – they use ever studio trick in the book all to great effect.
PP: Shower singer or car singer? If so, which songs.
PC: I guess both – There’s probably footage on the internet somewhere…. right now definitely belting out the Jasper Wrath, historically – Magical Mystery Tour, what if that album had been better than Sargent Peppers?
December 19th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
It is my very sincere belief that the tragic downfall of the once renown Rhino Records store out on the west coast was due to one simple, sad and solitary fact — the loss of our beloved Pete Chiacchieri. With his departure more than just hearts were broken. Without his presence all semblance of poetry was lost…(sigh) No more was there the solace of his beautifully crafted, wickedly misanthropic one liners in the back room to keep up our dreary wage-slave spirits, not to mention the loss of his brilliantly discerning eye and ear when it came to all forms of music and specifically vinyl of the rarest and most coveted kinds.
We are so much the poorer for the loss of such a friend…(sniff…whimper, etc.)…as you in Vermont are so much the richer for it (damn you and your gorgeous fall foliage!) (Sorry about that, just a little jealousy seeping out of the acid bile and spleen that even crying in my myriad beers cannot contain.). Count yourselves blessed.