Stepping into Capital City Records is sort of like visiting a museum. There are original 45s from The Beatles’ early years—album covers featuring the band members in their memorable “mop top” looks under the iconic Capitol Records label. A few bins over are classic records from The Cold, a New Orleans new wave/punk rock band closely linked with LSU’s bar scene in the ’80s.
Specializing in selling, buying and trading vinyl, owner Dana Labat tries to offer it all.
But don’t ask him for an itemized inventory of his shop. He doesn’t need one. It’s all in his head.
See, long before Labat opened the store, he began collecting vinyl. He grew up on the groundbreaking rock sounds of the ’60s and ’70s, and by the time the doors of his store opened on Perkins Road in November 2014, he had 10,000 records to his name. That love for music led him to a well-stocked shop—and an unexpected retirement plan. Find Capital City Records on Facebook.
HIS FIRST VINYL I Want to Hold Your Hand by The Beatles
I remember being around 6 or 7 years old and asking my mom to take me to TG&Y to buy their latest record, a little 45, so I could play it at home.
THE ALBUMS THAT INSPIRED HIM TO START HIS COLLECTION The Best of the Lovin’ Spoonful and The Beatles’ Rubber Soul
I really didn’t start collecting. I just bought music, and that started very early. One of my fondest memories of listening to music involved my older sister. She had these two albums I loved. I listened to Rubber Soul so many times, it was ridiculous. From there I just wanted my own albums.
HIS WEIRDEST ALBUM All My Friends Are Dead by Freddie Gage
I was collecting “worst covers” for LPs as a part of my larger collection. I found a sealed copy of this digging through a warehouse of stored records. It’s listed as one of the top 50 “worst cover” records of all time. Sadly, I lost this one, and the entire “worst covers” collection, in last year’s flood.
HIS MOST SENTIMENTAL PICK The Miser by Baton Rouge band Loudness War
My daughter did all the album artwork. So, how proud do you think I am, as both a dad and a record collector, that my own daughter’s photography dons the cover of an actual vinyl record? That’s about as good as it gets! (Editor’s note: The aforementioned daughter, Raegan Labat, also served as one of 225’s photo interns this fall.)
THE RAREST ALBUM IN HIS COLLECTION Kenny Burrell—Vol. 2
The rarity comes in that it’s an original pressing on Blue Note and also the fact that Andy Warhol did the cover art.
THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY
A first pressing of The Beatles’ Yesterday & Today
It’s the one I’ve always wanted and still haven’t found after 40-plus years of collecting. The first pressing had the original cover art of the band dressed in white smocks, holding babydoll parts and pieces of meat! It is referred to as the “butcher cover” and was quickly recalled by Capitol Records. It’s extremely rare and hard to find. At this point in life, I’m sure I could just find and buy one online, but that’s not the point—it’s all about the hunt!
This article was originally published in the December 2017 issue of 225 Magazine.
