Collections Interview

Name: Paula Louise McHenry
Forum Username: firefish
Location: Northern Ireland
Age: 19

When and how did you get into Garbage?
When I was 9 years old, my sister got the album and she really loved it. She played me a song and I said I didn't know it (OHWIR) then she played one, I jumped up and was like, I know this! I know this! She told me that I couldn't possibly know it but I just loved it instantly and from then on, I was obsessed. The song was Supervixen.

When did you start collecting?
I started collecting Garbage things in about 1999. Before this time, I only had the albums and a CD single. I decided when ITIP came out, that I would buy the CD singles. This was even before I had my own CD player but I just decided I wanted to buy it. The first things I started to collect were CD singles and then in that year, I discovered record shops while in Glasgow (I lived in the country with relatively small towns and no proper record shops that sold promos and such). And from then on, I began to increase my collection. However, when a Garbagey friend started to give me items in the V2.O, I got greedy and wanted more and more! ;)

Do you or did you have any aims when you started out collecting?
I just wanted to get more Garbage things. Even now, it is not my aim to have everything. I never wanted to have everything. I just wanted some things. I wanted every Trash item and all the debut 7"'s (I still don't have Subhuman – ha!). I still don't buy certain things if I consider them to be too expensive. I enjoy what pieces I have. It is not essential for me to have the biggest collection in the world.

How big is your collection?
I don't know. How do we measure scale here? I have a number of rareties but I wouldn't have a multitude of things like Spanish promos or anything – they don't do it for me ;)

What is your favourite Garbage item in your collection?
My favourite Garbage item is pretty simple. When I was younger, I had a Garbage fanzine called Fish on Fire. In December 2000, I sent a postal interview to Shirley. She returned it to my shock and delight. I love the interview but more than anything I adore the autographed picture she sent with it. Very simple. Very basic. "To Louise, with love from Garbage". I think of how little time that might of taken or how unimportant a gesture that might have been to her, I don't know. But to me, to that 15 year girl, that interview and that small signed photo were the most wonderful things I'd ever received. I look at them and I remember how happy they made me. I needed Garbage so much then and they represent a positive feeling in a bad time.

How much do you think you have spent on your collection?
I would say between £500 - £1000. It's only this because I was very very lucky that during the Version 2.O and BG eras, I was friends with a lot of nice people who for no reason whatsoever would give me items. The Vow 7" for example. The debut album boxset thing. Random promos, t-shirts etc. Due to a mixup, a purchase from the Garbage store in 1999 (inc skatedeck) came for free. In fact, I paid for very very little. Plus, I now work as a journalist so I get promos as well! Haha! Excellent. I've spent very little.

What’s the most you have spent on a Garbage item?
Erm, I don't know… not more than £50 I would imagine. As explained above. Do gig tickets count – I paid £500 or more to get to Paris and see them play live. It was unfortunately my least favourite of all the gigs I've seen by them! Ha :P

What’s the most you would ever spend on a Garbage item and what is it?
I really want the Subhuman 7" but I would restrict myself. I would probably pay up to £40 for it. But I'd begrudge it! I'm tight!

Does your Garbage collecting Obsession stretch to seeing the band live in concert?
Eg: Do you follow the band from Show to Show for a period during a tour?
Indeed, indeed. During V2.O I was unfortunately 12/13 years old and living in the country in NI. I was lucky to even make one show! Thankfully, by BG, I had an understanding mother, who allowed me to go to 4 shows within that year. It's few to some people but come on, I flew to different countries – she helped to fund me and I was only 16. I consider that to be nice. And I went to a couple this year as well. So I've never really toured. When I was 16, I said I really wanted to. But when the October dates were announced this year, I realised that perhaps it might be overkill for me ;)

Will you ever sell your Garbage collection? If you were asked this same question in 5 years time what would your answer be?
2 years ago, I would have said NO NEVER. But last year, I was kinda broke and considered it. But I realised I'd have to sell the whole lot for it to have any worth. And then I also realised, I could sell the whole lot but it wouldn't have the same worth it has to me. I can pick up every item and know where it came from and know how it makes me feel to remember where I was then or who gave it to me. No one who would buy my stuff in bulk would ever feel like that. I worked my part time job to collect that stuff – why sell it and make all that time a waste? Other things I could never consider giving away – my photos; my signed stuff. I'm silly but it always makes me smile again.