Renowned tattoo artist, makeup mogul, and musician Kat Von D recently sat down with AXS TV’s ‘Vinyl Obsession’ podcast to reveal her top five favorite vinyl records. A passionate vinyl collector since her early teens, Kat’s collection now boasts hundreds of records. She began her journey into vinyl through punk rock and discovered many artists via punk bands. Interestingly, she often purchased albums based solely on their cover art, leading to mixed experiences. She mentioned KISS’s 1976 album, ‘Destroyer,’ noting that the intimidating cover art didn’t quite match the music’s vibe.
Here are Kat Von D’s top five vinyl picks:
- The Cure – ‘Disintegration’ (1989)Kat hails The Cure’s eighth studio album as flawless from start to finish. A devoted fan, she believes there’s not a Cure album she doesn’t appreciate, but ‘Disintegration’ stands out as her favorite. She describes the title track as “the perfect rainy day song to listen to” and commends Robert Smith’s poetic and relatable lyrics.
- Depeche Mode – ‘Songs of Faith and Devotion’ (1993)While Kat often prefers bands’ earlier works, Depeche Mode is an exception. Their eighth album resonates with her the most. She admires Dave Gahan’s soulful and human vocals, appreciating the band’s embrace of imperfections, which adds authenticity to their music. The album’s biblical references also intrigue her.
- Motörhead – ‘Ace of Spades’ (1980)Kat expresses her love for everything about this album, from its artwork to its music. She recalls discovering Motörhead during her transition from punk rock to metal, alongside bands like Iron Maiden. She fondly remembers Lemmy Kilmister, considering him one of her favorite people and missing him every day.
- Björk – ‘Homogenic’ (1997)Kat believes that people still haven’t fully deciphered Björk’s third album. She compares the darkness of its lyrics to that of a black metal album and praises Björk’s unique voice and delivery, likening her distinctiveness to artists like Morrissey and Axl Rose.
- Bauhaus – ‘In the Flat Field’ (1980)From Bauhaus’s debut album, Kat highlights “Double Dare” and the title track as two of her all-time favorite songs, describing them as “tribalistic.” She believes she discovered Bauhaus around the same time she delved into The Cure and Depeche Mode.
For a deeper dive into Kat Von D’s musical inspirations and to hear more about why she loves these albums, check out the full episode of ‘Vinyl Obsession.’
