MRH :    One problem in being so exhaustive is you're kind of obligated to buy scores that are weak, if not bad, just to complete the collection. What stylistic shift in any of the monster series do you regard as the biggest miscalculation, and in your opinion, are those albums purely for completists?

LT :___ Some of the music seems to get repackaged forever, or in a few cases isn't all that good. Whenever a CD fits into a "for completist only" category it's noted in the review of the disc. There are definitely some CDs I have bought only because I thought they should be added to the site and was disappointed with the content. Luckily it doesn't happen often.

MRH :    Some serious collectors tend to keep their items as sealed objects that rest on shelves for show, collect for investment purposes, or are more hands-on and collect to hear and enjoy the music. Which of these qualities describes yourself?

LT :___ I definitely fit into the hands-on category. Why bother buying the music if you don't want to listen to it? I have always had an eclectic taste in music and love listening to a variety of types. Anyone who just buys music for investment purposes and leaves them sealed is just fooling themselves. It's very rare to ever get "book" value for your vinyl or CDs. It's all about the music.

When I was selling my vinyl back in the 1980s my stuff was in pristine condition because I took care of them. I still have LPs dating back to the 1960s that look like they were bought yesterday, but when I sold the stuff I only asked for a reasonable price because that's what sold. People who had rare LPs and were asking top dollar usually ended up taking them back home. The various collector books and websites are only a guide to what something is worth.

Finding someone actually willing to pay those prices is close to impossible. So collect music because you like it and want to hear it, not for what it may be worth.

MRH :    What's most intriguing about your collecting is that you've chosen to share rare discographical information online, which most collectors rarely do. What made you decide to turn your obsession into a global resource?

LT :___ The answer to this is quite simple. I was frustrated at finding these CDs and having no clue as to what the track titles and sometimes CD titles were because I don't speak or read Japanese (wish I did). I figured other collectors had to be equally frustrated and also wanted to know as much as they could and places where they might find some of these CDs. I have been fortunate so far to find some people willing to translate the track titles for me for a very reasonable fee. I'm always looking for more translators. Online web translations leave a lot to be desired if anyone has ever tried it.

MRH :    Your site is very detailed and organized. Did you undertake the site's design and construction on your own?

LT :___ Yes, the design and construction is my own, and all pages are coded by me by hand and not via some software package. I wanted to keep it as simple as possible for people with limited bandwidth and connections.

I also pay for the site entirely by myself because I wanted to keep pop-ups and ads off the site. So far I have been fortunate enough to cover the costs, but a day may come when I can no longer afford it and may have to either ask for donations or take it down. The site is truly a labor of love since I don't make a single cent off it, and it costs me a few hundred dollars a year (not counting the costs of CDs I buy).

MRH :    With the wealth of material on your site, are your concerned about others misappropriating material, or have you found most people tend to be respectful of what you archive and maintain, and even contribute info to maintain its accuracy?

LT :___ Actually this has been a problem. Often I will come across a site or someone will report one to me that has stolen pictures, track titles, reviews etc. and put them up somewhere without giving credit where they obtained it.

If someone wants to use some of my material I rarely turn them down if they follow two simple rules: 1) email me and ask for permission and 2) give full credit to my site where you got it. This also happened often on eBay where people would steal everything on my site about a disc for their sale without giving credit. I ALWAYS go after people who steal and don't ask permission. I have also recently added code to most of the items on my site making it harder to copy.

I love hearing from people who visit my site [and] I always answer. HOWEVER, I respect copyrights and artists work and NEVER make illegal copies of these discs. I know how frustrating it can be to find this music, especially since it goes out of print so fast and can be expensive, but if all you want to ask me is to make you an illegal copy of a CD, don't bother.

MRH :    The Japanese labels are known for releasing massive, exhaustive boxed sets of material. As a collector, is it sometimes frustrating when the same titles comes out in new packaging, or are re-issued with one or two new cues?

LT : ___Yes, it can very well be frustrating. One of the worst offenders seems to be the endless repackaging of material by The Peanuts who appeared in the early Mothra films. It also gets frustrating when something is supposed to be remastered and expanded like the 50th Anniversary Godzilla Soundtrack Perfect Collection. This was supposed to be all the Godzilla films redone into six box sets with bonus materials. So far only four of the six have come out and the last one came out well over a year after its scheduled release. The last two may never come out, and it's a shame because they are wonderful sets and give fans a chance to get material long out of print.

MRH :    What soundtracks would like to see redone in a proper, complete form?

LT : ___Off the top of my head I can't think of any. A lot have been remastered in the last few years and some others are planned. What I will tell people based on my many years of experience: if you can get a CD you want, grab it now, because you may never get another chance. These CDs go out of print rapidly, and once they are gone, get harder and harder to find.

MRH :    What is the worst produced release you've encountered?

LT : ___Off the top of my head that's a tough one to answer because there are so few that are truly bad. I have favorites and some I don't care much for, but that's my personal taste. Something I dislike may be someone else's favorite.

MRH :    And finally, if you had to store the entire collection, would it manage to squeeze into a standard garage, or are we talking a two-car setup?

LT : ___Don't ask the wife. She hates my huge collection. It takes up most of three walls in our family/TV room and another chunk of my home office.