Nineties nostalgia-heads from all boroughs gathered at Rough Trade Records in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York to celebrate Rex Manning Day. Hosted by BBQ Films in honor of the actual 20th anniversary of the film Empire Records, we caught up with some of the best costumed fans at the event.

BBQ Films also donated proceeds to OPENING ACT, a charity that supports arts and education in NYC schools. Here's to another 20 years of damning the man, saving the Empire and watching some of our favorite '90s characters live out our childhood dream job. (All images by Laura Jane Kirsch/Myspace)

Mark, 22

Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland 

Favorite song on the Empire Records soundtrack? Gin Blossoms, "Til I Hear It From You" 

Favorite local record store growing up? Tower Records, of course.

Favorite '90s teen film across the board? Empire Records

Which Empire Records character do you most identity with? Mark

QUICK! Gimme an Empire Records quote right now: "There's gonna be pits, chicks, this shit is gonna be heavy at midnight. Party on man, damn the man. Save the Empire!"

Empire Records vice of choice: caffeine pills, special brownies, gambling or shoplifting? Special brownies

Alex Dunbar, 32

Hometown: Hunt, Texas

Favorite song on the Empire Records soundtrack? AC/DC, “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)”

Favorite local record store growing up? There was only record store in our town—it was called Hastings Music. I got my first guitar from Hermie's music in San Antoino and that was my favorite record store.

Which Empire Records character do you most identity with? Mark

QUICK! Gimme an Empire Records quote right now: "In the immortal words of the Doors, ‘The Time to hesitate is through.’”

Empire Records vice of choice: caffeine pills, special brownies, gambling or shoplifting? Gambling

 

John Conor Brooke, 33

Hometown: Austin, Texas

Favorite song on the Empire Records soundtrack? AC/DC, “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)”

Favorite local record store growing up? Tower Records

Favorite '90s teen film across the board? Cruel Intentions

Which Empire Records character do you most identity with? Mark

QUICK! Gimme an Empire Records quote right now: "My wife left me for another woman and my girlfriend threw me out at gunpoint, does that qualify me?"

Empire Records vice of choice: caffeine pills, special brownies, gambling or shoplifting? Vodka

Chelsea Schuster, 29

Hometown: Del Ray Beach, Florida

Favorite song on the Empire Records soundtrack? The Martinis, “Free”

Favorite local record store growing up? We only had very mainstream stores—"Books a Million" is where I bought most of my CDs.

Favorite '90s teen film across the board? Definitely this movie. Hands down.

Which Empire Records character do you most identity with? Corey

QUICK! Gimme an Empire Records quote right now: "What are you gonna do? Screw every has-been until your tits fall down and they don't want you anymore?"

Empire Records vice of choice: caffeine pills, special brownies, gambling or shoplifting? Special brownies

 

 

“Eddie,” 25

Hometown: Pasadena, California

Favorite song on the Empire Records soundtrack? The Flying Lizards, "Money, (That's What I Want)"

Favorite local record store growing up? Tower Records

Favorite '90s teen film across the board? Empire Records

Which Empire Records character do you most identity with? Corey

QUICK! Gimme an Empire Records quote right now: "Could you be a bit more vague, man? We got lost of Clapton on vinyl. We got Clapton with John Mayall, Clapton with Yardbirds, Clapton with Derek & the Dominoes, Clapton with Blind Faith, the rainbow concert from '73. Do you want him solo, unplugged? You want him with Cream?"

Empire Records vice of choice: caffeine pills, special brownies, gambling or shoplifting? Special brownies

 

Justin Rancourt, 31

Hometown: Daytona Beach, Florida

Favorite song on the Empire Records soundtrack? AC/DC, “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)”

Favorite local record store growing up? Media Play—it didn’t last very long.

Favorite '90s teen film across the board? Wayne’s World 2—I wasn’t a teen movie guy.

Which Empire Records character do you most identity with? AJ

QUICK! Gimme an Empire Records quote right now: "I don't feel the need to explain my art to you, Warren."

Empire Records vice of choice: caffeine pills, special brownies, gambling or shoplifting? Special brownies

 

Hayley Mace, 32

Hometown: Odessa, Texas

Favorite song on the Empire Records soundtrack? Buggles, “Video Killed the Radio Star”

Favorite local record store growing up? Hastings

Favorite '90s teen film across the board? It was honestly Empire Records.

Which Empire Records character do you most identity with? Warren—they wouldn't let me bring a fake gun though!

QUICK! Gimme an Empire Records quote right now: "My name isn't FUCKING Warren!"

Empire Records vice of choice: caffeine pills, special brownies, gambling or shoplifting? Special brownies

 

Anna Rahn, 30

Hometown: Greenville, California

Favorite song on the Empire Records soundtrack? The Cranberries, “How”

Favorite local record store growing up? I didn't have one! I grew up in the mountains. I did have a box of my parents’ old records from the ‘60s.

Favorite '90s teen film across the board? Romeo + Juliet

Which Empire Records character do you most identity with? Eddie

QUICK! Gimme an Empire Records quote right now: "Well, Sinead O' Rebellion—shock me shock me shock me with that deviant behavior!" 

Empire Records vice of choice: caffeine pills, special brownies, gambling or shoplifting? Definitely pecial brownies, 100%.

 

“Rex Manning”

Rex’s manager said he wasn’t available for interview on his big day.

 

Seth Porges (“Mitch”), 31

Hometown: Washington, D.C.

Favorite song on the Empire Records soundtrack? AC/DC, “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)” 

Favorite local record store growing up? Kemp Mill Records in D.C.

Favorite '90s teen film across the board? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Which Empire Records character do you most identity with? A mixture of Lucas and Mark.

QUICK! Gimme an Empire Records quote right now: "You wanna be in GWAR don't you Mark? Come be in GWAR!" 

Empire Records vice of choice: caffeine pills, special brownies, gambling or shoplifting? The pills are highly derivative of Jessie from the Saved By the Bell “I'm so excited “ caffeine pill episode—so I appreciate that literary allusion.

 

Emily Joffrion, 32 

Hometown: Louisiana

Favorite song on the Empire Records soundtrack? The Martinis, “Free”

Favorite '90s teen film across the board? Empire Records for sure. Or Fear.

Which Empire Records character do you most identity with? Probably Corey.

QUICK! Gimme an Empire Records quote right now: "Damn the man, save the Empire.”

Empire Records vice of choice: caffeine pills, special brownies, gambling or shoplifting? Definitely special brownies.

 

Marley Magaziner, 33

Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland

Favorite song on the Empire Records soundtrack? I think "Say no More (Mon Amour)" by Rex Mannings because it's so cheesy and there is something so special about the ridiculousness of that song.

Favorite local record store growing up? Sound Garden in Baltimore.

Favorite '90s teen film across the board? I think Reality Bites.

Which Empire Records character do you most identity with? Deb on surface level—feeling a little like an outcast, like people don't understand you—kind of that grungy independent woman. That's very relatable to me. 

QUICK! Gimme an Empire Records quote right now: "Well, Sinead O'Rebellion, shock me, shock me, shock me with that deviant behavior!”

Empire Records vice of choice: caffeine pills, special brownies, gambling or shoplifting? Oh! Special brownies.