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Ep563: WTF Happened To Punk In The Park?07 Sep 202600:56:01

Punk in the Park founder Cameron Collins breaks his silence on a $250 political donation that split the punk scene - and reveals plans to bring the festival back.

Topics Include:

  • Punk in the Park traces roots back to pandemic
  • Prior fests: Punk in Drublic, Sobroso, Scallywag festivals
  • Live Nation courtship briefly paused earlier festival branding
  • Punk in the Park debuted, drawing thousands nightly
  • Cameron explains his hands-on promoter and producer role
  • His punk awakening: hearing the Ramones as a kid
  • Punk rock's meaning: distrust, self-reliance, misfit belonging
  • Cameron opens up about his $250 Trump donation
  • Donation explained as protest against Biden running again
  • He admits regret, calling it a costly mistake
  • Initial backlash was mild, mostly online chatter
  • Dropkick Murphys' onstage denouncement escalated the controversy
  • Cameron feels singled out versus other political donors
  • He highlights years of charity and community giving
  • Bands say they're paid and treated better here
  • Festivals act as touring anchors for national routes
  • Headliners reportedly earn more at fests than clubs
  • Cameron's booking philosophy: all viewpoints get a stage
  • Hard line drawn: Nazis and hate groups banned
  • He booked a singer after his own separate cancellation
  • He acknowledges marginalized fans' real safety concerns
  • New Silverado festival branches into psychobilly and Americana
  • Silverado revives a legendary Southern California festival site
  • Cameron pushes for dialogue over reflexive cancel culture
  • He shares a cross-political friendship with a fellow musician
  • Conversation turns to America's deepening political polarization
  • Cameron argues both parties ultimately serve the same interests
  • He champions smaller government and personal freedom
  • Cameron confirms plans to relaunch the festival by 2027

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep562: The Discipline of Tony Levin24 Aug 202600:50:35

Bass legend Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, etc) reflects on Fripp, John Lennon, near-misses with Zappa, Pink Floyd, and life on the road.

new Stick Men album "Let's Thrak Again" available here

Topics Include:

  • Scheduling chaos / Ron Carter
  • Stickmen's "Let's Thrack Again" reworks a King Crimson rhythm concept
  • Tony defines "thracking" — playing five against seven simultaneously
  • Robert Fripp names complex King Crimson riffs with odd phrases
  • Tony rarely forgets bass parts, even decades later
  • Simple transitions, not hard parts, cause live disasters
  • Upcoming Beat tour features Zappa alumni, except Tony
  • Tony's first NYC band included ex-Mothers of Invention members
  • Peter Gabriel froze onstage during a hostile Zappa co-bill
  • Tony regrets missing a Herbie Hancock/Joni Mitchell session
  • He also turned down touring with Pink Floyd
  • David Gilmour flew in unannounced for a Les Paul tribute
  • Radio Registry once dispatched interchangeable NYC session bassists fast
  • Tony preferred live touring over endless studio session work
  • He's a self-described "road dog" still touring at his age
  • Off-stage, Tony writes memoirs, poetry, and takes photographs
  • He owns many basses but doesn't consider himself a collector
  • Discipline started as a side project before becoming King Crimson
  • Tony chose the Chapman stick over bass in that first rehearsal
  • Fripp lets players interpret parts; Gabriel invents wild new techniques
  • Peter Gabriel suggested cymbals on fingers, inspiring "funk fingers"
  • Tony isn't certain whether "Blood of Eden" used fretless bass
  • He senses a song's emotion before lyrics are finished
  • Tony learned King Crimson disbanded from a stranger at the opera
  • He never actually felt Thrak function as a "double trio"
  • No Australian dates planned yet, though he'd love to visit
  • King Crimson's future depends entirely on Robert Fripp's instincts
  • Aging has slowed his technical dexterity, but not memory
  • He recalls John Lennon's advice: "don't play too many notes"

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep561: Chad Kassem & The Road to The Vinyl Summit19 Aug 202600:54:33

Chad Kassem of Analogue Productions, Acoustic Sounds, QPR breaks down vinyl's post-COVID boom and bust, the fragile global supply chain behind every record, and his new Vinyl Summit celebration.

Extended version of interview at Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Topics Include:

  • Nate welcomes back Chad Kassem to discuss vinyl and Vinyl Summit
  • Chad recalls moving to Kansas in 1984 as CDs launched
  • He rebuilt his collection, going against the CD trend
  • Vinyl grew slowly for decades before COVID hit
  • Chad bought his pressing plant and presses starting 2010-2011
  • CD had a 30-year lifespan; Chad always believed vinyl would survive
  • COVID caused explosive demand, "gasoline on fire" growth
  • Overbuying during the boom led to storage and inventory problems
  • Chad had to borrow millions for the first time post-COVID
  • Uneven state shutdown rules gave some competitors unfair advantages
  • Post-COVID growth normalized back to its long-term slow trend
  • Chad discusses his own taste: blues, jazz, rock from the 50s-70s
  • Younger collectors now chase 90s titles like Alice in Chains
  • Collecting interest shifts as older genres' fans age out
  • Comparison to toy collecting trends fading with generations
  • Rising interest in audiophile pressings like UHQR and One-Steps
  • Chad explains why quality mastering and pressing both matter equally
  • Originals aren't always better than modern remasters, and vice versa
  • Small improvements across many steps add up to great records
  • UHQR picks focus on undisputed classic albums Chad genuinely loves
  • Kind of Blue UHQR sold nearly 40,000 copies combined
  • Debate over pressing records at 33 vs 45 RPM speeds
  • Vinyl compound and material costs rising, but slower than expected
  • SACDs, reel-to-reel, and cassettes seeing renewed collector interest
  • Only one lacquer manufacturer remains, a major industry vulnerability
  • Skilled cutter-head repair techs are extremely rare and aging
  • Chad discusses fragile supply chain: lacquers, tape, cutter heads
  • Vinyl Summit announced: October 15-18, Salina, Kansas, 40th anniversary
  • Event replaces old Blues Masters concerts, adds vinyl-industry access
  • Details shared: tickets, guests, and proximity to Austin Record Fair

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep560: Captain Sensible of The Damned17 Aug 202600:47:15

The Damned's Captain Sensible talks vinyl rarities, back catalogue, scented records, chasing the "perfect album," and what may be their final Australia and New Zealand tour dates.

Topics Include:

  • Captain Sensible is a record nerd - Still plays childhood favorites: Groundhogs, Pretty Things, Moody Blues, loves Bee Gees' first album
  • Grew up around his dad's pub singing, informally musical
  • Paper round savings meant records played obsessively, analyzed deeply
  • Cites Shane Fenton's "I'm a Moody Guy" as formative
  • Joe Meek's Telstar and tiny Holloway Road studio praised
  • Recalls magical Motown Hitsville USA studio tour in Detroit
  • "Sonar Deceit" track was band's Motown tribute song
  • Lyric inspired by marine biologist's whale-stranding sonar theory
  • Describes uncanny ability to instantly recall and replay songs
  • Hosted radio challenge replaying requested songs live for charity
  • New Rose confirmed as first UK punk single release
  • Stiff Records signed them with a bribe of cheeseburgers
  • Beating the Sex Pistols to release still amuses him
  • Sydney Opera House gig ironic given past band bannings
  • Royal Albert Hall sent rejection letters into the 1980s
  • Mentions unlikely celebrity fans, including Australia's prime minister
  • Recalls Barney Bubbles' art department and album cover mishap
  • First pressing's mismatched back cover became a collector's item
  • Says he collects 60s psych, not punk records himself
  • Discusses Brian James tribute covers album made after his death
  • Five reunion shows almost didn't happen, no live release planned
  • Loves live show chaos, unpredictability, and Rat Scabies' drumming
  • Confirms no hidden unreleased Damned tracks remain in vaults
  • Notes band rarely controls or profits from its own catalog
  • Explains "Strawberries" album concept and its scented vinyl insert
  • Describes love of vinyl artwork, liner notes, and physical ritual
  • Talks pursuit of first editions and test pressings today
  • Names rare Cowsills albums as his current collecting holy grail
  • Tells story of Sid Barrett nearly producing their second album
  • Recalls haunted, sleepless sessions recording Machine Gun Etiquette
  • Reflects on creative bond and offstage humor with Dave Vanian
  • Closes with tour dates, S.F. Sorrow recommendation, and one-step vinyl talk

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep559: Rhino Records Co-Founder Richard Foos10 Aug 202600:59:55

Rhino Records co-founder Richard Foos reveals how a scrappy record shop invented reissue culture, chasing master tapes, getting arrested for selling bootleg records, memories of Frank Zappa, Darby Crash and more.

Topics Include:

  • Foos discusses being called originator of reissue culture, credits early employee's phrase.
  • Started as a Los Angeles record shop in 1973.
  • Recalls how scarce and cheap rare records were before collecting culture existed.
  • Describes hunting records at warehouses, swap meets, and Salvation Army stores.
  • Notes punk rock's DIY ethos sparked broader music fandom and collecting.
  • Rhino's shop became a punk hangout; Darby Crash was banned for chaos.
  • Explains how punk bands pressed 45s since albums were too costly.
  • James Brown's out-of-print catalog became Rhino's breakthrough first major reissue.
  • Details licensing process: major labels' passive licensing departments simply approved requests.
  • Rhino insisted on original master tapes, never secondary sources or stampers.
  • Engineer Bill Englott restored recordings purely, never altering original mixes.
  • Some projects stalled without usable masters, like a punk box set.
  • Nuggets compilation missed "96 Tears" for years due to licensing issues.
  • Foos explains Rhino's sequencing philosophy: welcoming newcomers, not strict chronology.
  • Doo-wop box set, initially unpopular internally, became Rhino's best-selling release.
  • Discusses 20-25 year nostalgia cycles driving collectibility of past decades' music.
  • Notes scarce 2000s vinyl pressings now make that era highly collectible.
  • Rhino focused on best listening experience over rarities for rarity's sake.
  • Foos recounts pre-Rhino bootlegging ties and friendship with bootleg artist Bill Stout.
  • Reveals he was arrested for selling bootlegs during a warehouse sale.
  • Discusses how record labels misunderstood fandom, limiting artist output and bootlegs.
  • Reflects on vinyl's spiritual appeal despite many records never being played.
  • Compares cassette-era scarcity to streaming's shifting availability of licensed content.
  • Predicts streaming remains the future, praises YouTube's vast musical accessibility.
  • Doubts catalog values will keep rising, questions which artists endure historically.
  • Criticizes a post-Rhino "L.A. Nuggets" box set for prioritizing rarity over listenability.
  • Recalls Kinky Friedman rejecting a hits compilation over disliking his originals.
  • Explains publishing hurdles licensing music for Freaks and Geeks and WKRP DVDs.
  • Describes working with Frank Zappa on Beat the Boots and elaborate packaging.
  • Shares current work: Shout Factory, wife's Narrative Method, and a new podcast.

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep558: John McCrea of CAKE03 Aug 202600:32:08

John McCrea of CAKE discusses their elusive catalogue on vinyl, rarities of the band, upcoming Australian tour, new recordings, record nerdery and more.

Tickets & info on CAKE's Australian tour is here

Topics Include:

  • John McCrae discusses collecting records, revisiting old favorites like Perez Prado
  • He describes "chasing goosebumps" — the feeling of rediscovering great music
  • Shares vivid teenage memory seeing Led Zeppelin at Knebworth, England
  • Recalls dancing to washing machine rinse cycles as a toddler
  • Names early formative records: Beatles, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie
  • His parents played accordion and folk guitar, shaping his musicality
  • Discusses his dad's Eastern European minor-key accordion versus polka music
  • Talks about "Rancho Seco," his first recorded song, a protest track
  • Song addressed a nuclear plant illegally releasing radioactive steam locally
  • Connects Dylan influence and poets to his built-in social justice streak
  • Reflects on growing up near Sacramento, Berkeley, and Nevada City, California
  • Compares old Bay Area culture to today's flashier Silicon Valley wealth
  • Describes Cake's early '90s formation, self-financed four-song EP release
  • EP funded through show earnings and merch, later expanded into album
  • Album got European distribution and unexpected early popularity in France
  • "Rock and Roll Lifestyle" got college radio play before wider fame
  • Cake signed to Capricorn Records, a small Southern rock label
  • East Bay Ray advised McCrea to fight for keeping album masters
  • McCrae says most bands don't retain their masters like Cake did
  • Vinyl of Cake albums historically hard to find, tied up licensing
  • Discusses 2014 box set now reselling for $700–$1,000 secondhand
  • New Cake album is finished, awaiting mixing, targeted early 2027
  • Explains he avoids forced album themes, focuses song by song
  • Reflects on why Cake albums come infrequently, citing family, industry fatigue
  • Criticizes modern music industry as increasingly exploitative and financially unsustainable
  • Explains reduced touring due to travel dislike and environmental concerns
  • Considers eco-friendly vinyl options and shifting kids' preference toward CDs
  • Discusses Cake's DIY visual identity, homemade posters, and lino-cut aesthetic
  • Talks rare live vinyl pressings, including $300 Crystal Palace release
  • Wraps up promoting Cake's Australian tour dates and Sydney ticket sales

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep557: The Secret Return of Neurosis with Steve Von Till27 Jul 202601:04:10

Neurosis's Steve Von Till reveals how the band secretly rebuilt itself, creating a career-defining album and making future plans for the Neurosis victory-lap that few thought possible.

Topics Include:

  • The Secret recording of An Undying Love for a Burning World
  • Neurosis walked away seven years ago under uncertain circumstances
  • Four remaining members reunited quietly at end of 2024
  • Aaron Turner brought in to help complete the musical puzzle
  • Reunion tied to Firekeeper Alliance, a suicide-prevention nonprofit
  • Heavy music framed as protective factor for indigenous mental health
  • Steve reflects on tribal rhythms and humanity's forgotten earth connection
  • Band knew instantly the new material had to be Neurosis
  • Reunion forced confrontation with ego, identity, and aging as musicians
  • Firekeeper Alliance's Fire in the Mountains offer pushed them forward
  • Album written and recorded in secret across three studio sessions
  • Secrecy maintained even among close friends touring together in Australia
  • Fan reaction described as unexpectedly emotional, healing, and hope-filled
  • Steve discusses reduced stigma around vulnerability in heavy music today
  • Vinyl pressing strategy explained: budget-driven first run, quick sellout
  • Running Neurot Recordings on a teacher's salary, tight cash flow
  • Multiple color variants pressed across regional distributors and mail orders
  • Debate over black vs. clear vinyl sound quality explored
  • Steve's approach to buying vinyl: music over pressing obsession
  • Talk turns to Melvins, Hazel Meyer, and DIY label camaraderie
  • Where the line sits between fan service and variant exploitation
  • Vinyl side-length considerations shaped decision to make a double LP
  • Aaron Turner's artwork process detailed, sketched live in the studio
  • Album title changed at the last minute, forcing new artwork
  • Neurosis' visual style rooted in myth, symbolism, and Jungian archetypes
  • Older catalog rights partly held by Relapse and other labels
  • Steve wants a "forever version" repress of the band's earliest albums
  • Original master tapes and artwork found corrupted or lost to time
  • Talk closes on solo tour plans and hopes for Australia

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep556: Shapel Lacey - Punk, Comedy & Rising Above20 Jul 202601:02:08

Comedian Shapel Lacey discusses the power of music, inspiration and how a 1981 Black Flag video sparked a lifelong punk obsession that shaped his identity, art, and resilience.

Shapel Lacey tour dates  |  comedy special  |  Mad Peaceful band

Topics Include:

  • Talks local record stores, Amoeba, old Sunset location
  • Discovers deep-cut Swedish hardcore at Eastside Records, Arizona
  • Reflects on pre-streaming era, hunting records in person
  • Notices rosary on Crash's grave, debates his beliefs
  • Traces punk discovery to junior high guitar class
  • Friend introduces him to ska punk, then Black Flag
  • Watches 1981 Target video of Rollins-era Black Flag
  • Rise Above vocals trigger emotional, tearful revelation
  • Explains Black Flag filled a void from turbulent childhood
  • Contrasts Korn/Deftones' anger with punk's empowering message
  • Credits Rollins with teaching self-understanding and personal growth
  • Recalls performing onstage with Rollins at Ohio festival
  • Anger management counselor used Rollins to redirect his aggression
  • Growing up Black, punk, skateboarding in Arizona desert
  • Faced criticism from all sides for musical taste
  • Explored funk, hip-hop, grunge without genre boundaries
  • Connects N.W.A. and Black Flag's shared themes of injustice
  • Discusses punk and hip-hop confronting police brutality parallels
  • Champions open-mindedness across seemingly opposite music scenes
  • Describes local DIY scene at Mesa's Nile basement
  • Panhandled for five dollars to attend all-ages shows
  • Cheerleading came after punk, called "most punk rock" act
  • Discusses tattoos, straight-edge culture, Minor Threat connection
  • Shares personal encounters meeting Henry Rollins and Ian MacKaye
  • Praises Rollins and MacKaye's discipline, historical knowledge, friendship
  • Draws parallels between punk and comedy's DIY authenticity
  • Talks band Mad Peaceful, growing sold-out comedy success
  • Discusses Australia tour interest, interview wrap up

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep555: The Taj Mahal Interview06 Jul 202600:52:12

Blues legend Taj Mahal shares rare stories about Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, and the unreleased Bill Withers song that shaped his stunning new record.

Topics Include:

  • Taj Mahal discusses his new album, Time, and its origins
  • Reveals his decades-long friendship and mutual respect with Bill Withers
  • Explains how Bill Withers heard and loved this unreleased demo
  • Bill Withers' wife gave final approval before the song's release
  • Withers walked away from music rather than change his sound
  • Why the industry pushed Withers to sound more commercial
  • Taj shares why vinyl beats digital for capturing real sound
  • Breaks down the "bell curve" problem with digital audio quality
  • Approaches albums as full journeys, not three-minute singles
  • Reveals how effortlessly he sequences songs like a live set
  • Traces his musical roots to a tight-knit 1940s community
  • Recalls learning piano, clarinet, trombone before finding the guitar
  • Explains how guitar evolved from rhythm to lead instrument
  • Names the blues legends who shaped his earliest influences
  • Credits Ray Charles as one of his deepest musical influences
  • Shares rare stories of jamming with Jimi Hendrix live
  • Discusses bootlegs, tape trading, and the ethics of live recordings
  • Compares the Grateful Dead's bootleg policy to other artists
  • Tells the wild story of Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus
  • Recalls dancing Stones and Clapton watching him at the Whisky
  • Explains how British rockers reintroduced blues to American audiences
  • Describes his first-class trip to London and Stones' hospitality
  • Reveals why Labor of Love was released only on vinyl
  • Shares the surprising stat: vinyl never drops below 6% globally
  • Talks new tour dates and hopes to return to Australia

Photo by Mike Coeyman

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep554: Everlast - From Rhyme Syndicate to Embers to Ashes29 Jun 202600:44:00

Everlast traces his journey from Rhyme Syndicate graffiti kid to House of Pain to solo artist, revealing how Jump Around's success gave him the freedom to never chase a hit again.

New LP "Embers to Ashes" available here

Topics Include:

  • Everlast's new album Embers to Ashes drops August 28th with vinyl available
  • He collects art and guitars, not records — leaves vinyl to the DJs
  • His guitar collection spans vintage Fender Strats, Gretsch Falcons, and Martin acoustics
  • Grew up immersed in graffiti culture, his kids are graffiti artists too
  • His house is essentially a private gallery of graffiti and street art
  • Music was always on — mom loved R&B and doo-wop, dad loved Southern rock
  • His dad had a guitar; Everlast taught himself basic chords by watching TV
  • Hip hop took over at 15, but guitar quietly stayed in his life
  • He plays guitar like a drummer — rhythm-first, not melody-first
  • The breakthrough came post-House of Pain: suddenly he could play and sing simultaneously
  • Whitey Ford Sings the Blues was conceived as hip hop — "What It's Like" changed everything
  • Jump Around's success gave him the financial freedom to never chase it again
  • He and Muggs deliberately made each subsequent record darker and more distant from it
  • Soul Assassins kept management out of sessions — artistic control was non-negotiable
  • His first ever rhyme came from tagging alongside Divine Styler and the Rhyme Syndicate crew
  • Danny Boy introduced him to punk — Bad Brains and the LA hardcore scene
  • His debut solo record split between pure artistic vision and label-pleasing compromises
  • Tommy Boy won his loyalty over bigger-money offers purely on cultural credibility
  • Just Another Victim with Helmet emerged organically on the Judgment Night soundtrack
  • Lethal sampled and slowed Helmet's track, then sandwiched both versions together
  • After eight-plus years away, Yellow Wolf simply asked "why don't you make a record?"
  • COVID, divorce, and losing his house shaped the emotional landscape of the new album
  • Yellow Wolf pushed him to fully sing — his strongest vocal performance on record
  • A near-miss connection to the Bataclan attack was redirected by a last-minute camera detour
  • He's got shows booked and eyes a final solo acoustic tour as his ultimate bookend

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep553: The Ghosts That Haunt Peter Hook22 Jun 202600:46:26

Peter Hook reflects on 50 years of music, the emotional weight of performing Joy Division and New Order live, and the many memories and ghosts of his past.

Tickets for Peter Hook & The Light, Australia 2026

Topics Include:

  • New Order toured Australia as early as 1982, helped by Factory Australasia's local support.
  • Hooky calls Australia the only place he never wants to leave — he still suffers leaving every time.
  • Peter Hook and the Light played their seventh-ever gig in Melbourne on their first Australian tour.
  • He is now working through every New Order and Joy Division album ever recorded live.
  • Get Ready features songs never played live as New Order, with Steve Morris largely absent during recording.
  • The band's Grammy came from Orgy's heavy metal cover of Blue Monday — Hook loves the weird covers most.
  • He revealed a plan to stage a full New Order classical concert, eyeing the Sydney Opera House.
  • Ian Curtis performed with absolute conviction every single night — something Bernard Sumner couldn't match early on.
  • Hook recalls first seeing Ian smash up a venue at 2:30am, dancing through broken tables — terrifying and electrifying.
  • That chaotic Stiff/Chiswick talent show led directly to Rob Gretton becoming Joy Division's manager.
  • Ian's lyrics, Hook says, are heartbreaking up close — Love Will Tear Us Apart masks devastating words in euphoric music.
  • Singing Ian's words himself has given Hook a profound new insight into what Curtis was actually expressing.
  • Tony Wilson signed them with a handshake — no contracts — while other labels arrived with thick legal documents.
  • Bernard Sumner found the Unknown Pleasures pulsar image in a textbook; nobody planned the iconic sleeve.
  • Hooky was actually sued for bootlegging the Unknown Pleasures artwork — which Factory themselves had originally stolen.
  • Ian Curtis reportedly wrote a letter complaining about how Closer sounded — a detail Hook only learned years later.
  • During Closer sessions, Curtis was being torn apart: marriage collapsing, new love, epilepsy worsening, the band pushing forward.
  • Hook deeply regrets not seeing Ian before his cremation — but a gravedigger privately told him where Curtis is actually buried.
  • The inquest into Ian's death so disgusted the band they decided on the spot to continue as New Order.
  • Joy Division was deliberately boxed away for 30 years; Bernard called playing those songs "miserable" and refused to continue.
  • Bobby Gillespie suggested the album playback concept so Hook could faithfully recreate Martin Hannett's studio sound live.
  • Watching his son learn Joy Division bass lines at the same age Hook was then felt like staring into the past.
  • Performing these songs, Hook says he is "living surrounded by ghosts" of collaborators now gone.
  • The K-93 sessions saw Killing Joke's Geordie Walker move into Hook's Manchester home for six weeks, causing complete chaos.
  • Those lost K-93 tapes mysteriously surfaced after the label went bankrupt — and Jaz Coleman promptly went silent again.

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep552: The Gospel According to Swamp Dogg15 Jun 202601:10:12

Jerry "Swamp Dogg" Williams Jr opens up about his new album "Contemplates the Afterlife," reflecting on death, faith, and a 70-year career that's produced over 2,000 songs.

Extended and high resolution podcast at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Topics Include:

  • New album, Swamp Dogg Contemplates the Afterlife, drops on S-Curve
  • Swamp Dogg shares wild theories on what happens after death
  • He opens up about faith, doubt, and fear of dying
  • Reveals he's written over 2,000 songs across 31 albums
  • His very first record came out way back in 1954
  • Stories of opening for Sam Cooke and Larry Williams
  • Names the R&B legends who shaped his sound early on
  • Louis Jordan's band once crashed at his childhood home
  • Tells the story of the worst gig of his life
  • A gorilla costume gets stabbed onstage — true story
  • Joining a traveling sideshow for five dollars a night
  • Discusses which Swamp Dogg records collectors hunt hardest today
  • Bob Dylan secretly covered one of his songs years ago
  • Bonds with the host over their shared Australia connection
  • Reveals his wild Beatles-cover novelty record made in Australia
  • Explains how the record business vanished almost overnight
  • Teases new Trinidad soca album and Black Grass II
  • Black Grass II will feature Steve Earle and Margo Price
  • Talks new collaboration album with Eli "Paperboy" Reed
  • Reflects on his Nixon protest era and Jane Fonda ties
  • Looks back on going broke after getting rich fast
  • Recalls producing hit records for Gene Pitney and others
  • Shares fond memories of legendary producer Jerry Wexler
  • The stopwatch story behind his studio recording ritual
  • On Phil Spector's massive ego and Wall of Sound
  • Reveals which British acts covered his songs in the '60s
  • Talks favorite record stores and his 100-record jukebox
  • Hunting down rare 45s worth up to $1,000
  • The story behind his dance hit "Let's Do the Wobble"
  • Closes with favorite love songs and a wild birthday coincidence

Extended and high resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep551: Lydia Lunch - Confrontationalist, Poet, No Wave Pioneer01 Jun 202600:52:02

Lydia Lunch unpacks the raw origins of No Wave, her squatting-and-surviving New York story, and why after five decades of confrontational art, pleasure remains the ultimate rebellion.

Australian tour tickets and show info here.

Topics Include:

  • Lydia Lunch is touring Australia and New Zealand in June
  • She's performing Suicide and Alan Vega covers across multiple cities
  • Australia holds deep personal meaning — Roland S. Howard, Tex Perkins, lifelong friends
  • Lydia considers herself a comedian; most people are just too afraid to laugh
  • Words are her primary art — music is just the machine gun
  • She sleeps in two-hour shifts and wakes famished at 5am every day
  • Creativity has no fixed time — she writes song lyrics in five minutes flat
  • She self-publishes through 48-hour printing, selling books for $20, cost $4
  • True crime forensics and Matthew McConaughey in Magic Mike are her guilty pleasures
  • Daily she rotates between war, politics, and apocalyptic comedy — Dear Ivanka included
  • She's actively promoting new bands: Genra's Death, Bog Creeper, New City Slang
  • Instrumental music — Budos Band, Yusef Lateef, Baba Zula — is her listening diet
  • Suicide and Mars were already playing when she arrived in New York
  • Suicide actually coined the term "punk rock" on flyers back in 1972
  • No Wave wasn't a movement — it was personal insanity in a decaying city
  • The name "No Wave" just came out of her mouth in one interview
  • If you couldn't play, you had to be brutally tight — or else
  • She taught a homeless man she'd befriended to play drums for Teenage Jesus
  • Teenage Jesus songs were written on a borrowed bass she barely understood
  • She squatted an abandoned Tribeca building, running electricity from neighbours to rehearse
  • Teenage Jesus singles on Migraine Records likely preceded the No New York compilation
  • Beirut Slump was horror rock — described as a slug over a razor blade
  • She arrived in New York with $200, a suitcase, and zero contacts
  • Seeing Suicide at Max's Kansas City with ten people changed everything instantly
  • Martin Rev gave teenage Lydia vitamins; Alan Vega was leather-bound and irresistible
  • She boycotted Bowie and Iggy in Rochester — accidentally saving them from a drug bust
  • Mick Ronson's Slaughter on 10th Avenue: the glam record Bowie quietly stole from
  • Lou Reed — always a dick; Warhol — vapid, but his car crashes were great
  • She owns every recording, every publishing right — everything she's ever made
  • Her reward for a lifetime of rebellion: pleasure, rage, and zero regrets

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep550: Black Flag Vocalist Max Zanelly20 May 202600:36:19

Black Flag vocalist Max Zanelly shares how she went from waitressing to fronting one of punk's most legendary bands and how the new lineup is carving their own space in legacy of the band.

Australian tour tickets and info here.

Topics Include:

  • Max Zanelly checks in from Toronto, post-Canada tour
  • Black Flag heading to Australia: four cities in late May
  • One year ago, Max had just started rehearsing with Black Flag
  • Only prior music experience: saxophone in middle school band
  • A longtime fan, Max attended a Black Flag show in Vancouver
  • Greg Ginn noticed Max singing every word from the front row
  • Numbers exchanged; Greg said he wanted to make music someday
  • A month later: the vocalist left, Greg offered Max the role
  • Max sent vocal demos and flew to Texas to rehearse
  • Already knew the full catalog; My War was the gateway album
  • Side two's slow, sludgy tracks resonated the most deeply
  • Favourite songs to perform live
  • New recordings underway, still at early instrumental stages
  • Max currently writing lyrics for a potential new Black Flag record
  • Big age gap with Greg, but the band dynamic gels well
  • Lineup reveal photos triggered massive online backlash before any shows
  • Live shows quickly won skeptics over, including 80s-era veterans
  • Henry Rollins is Max's personal favourite past Black Flag vocalist
  • First rehearsals: nervous and shy about screaming into a mic
  • Fake-it-till-you-make-it; fully unleashed onstage by the fourth show
  • Voice conditioned gradually; 24-hour rest between shows is enough
  • Bassist David sparked Max's interest in record collecting on tour
  • Grew up religious; told mum she was just selling band merch
  • Mum eventually came around; Max now inspiring women to start bands

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep549: Dave Markey & The Secret Lives of Bill Bartell18 May 202601:18:27

Filmmaker Dave Markey discusses his documentary "The Secret Lives of Bill Bartell", the punk scene's most fascinating, mysterious, and surprisingly influential behind-the-scenes figure.

Stream it now  |  Order the Blu-Ray

Topics Include:

  • Dave Markey has a large record collection but stopped buying recently.
  • Vinyl prices have skyrocketed — once cheap records now cost thousands.
  • Dave bought records directly from band members at punk shows.
  • Ian MacKaye sold Dave a first press Minor Threat 7".
  • Dave bought Minutemen and Descendents EPs from D-Boon for a dollar.
  • Dave made the Bill Bartell documentary for people who don't know him.
  • Bill Bartell was unknowable — different things to different people.
  • Dave tried making this film in the 90s; Bill refused to cooperate.
  • The film was made ten years after Bill passed away.
  • Bill Bartell faked backstage passes to get into arena rock shows.
  • Bill named the Iron Maiden live EP Maiden Japan.
  • Bill gave Steve Harris his outfit, worn in the "Run to the Hills" video.
  • Bill saw no distinction between the Scorpions, the Germs, and the Beatles.
  • Bill would tell artists exactly what he thought — no filter whatsoever.
  • Bill told Steve Perry he was responsible for the worst night of his life.
  • Bill told Beck "I don't like you" upon their very first meeting.
  • Bill tried out as guitarist for Public Image Ltd in 1981.
  • Kiss circulated photos of Bill to security: do not let him in.
  • Bill befriended Sean Lennon, which led to a friendship with Yoko Ono.
  • Bill's 1988 Beatlefest noise performance nearly caused a riot.
  • Bill talked Kiss manager Bill Aucoin into discovering Generation X.
  • That connection indirectly launched Billy Idol's massive solo career.
  • Billy Idol himself didn't know Bill Bartell's role until recently.
  • Bill gave Kurt Cobain Os Mutantes tapes, reviving the band's career.
  • Pat Smear and Drew Barrymore were sought for the film but unavailable.
  • Dave's band Painted Willie did Black Flag's final tour in 1986.
  • Dave preferred Painted Willie's early Spinhead Records releases over SST output.
  • The Bill Bartell documentary and Love Dolls films are now on Criterion Channel.
  • Bill Bartell's Flying V guitar now hangs in the Punk Rock Museum, Las Vegas.
  • Bill's money, connections, and secrets largely died with him — still a mystery.

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Jack Douglas (1945-2026) - The Vinyl Guide interview13 May 202602:11:48

The legend himself Jack Douglas (1945-2026) shares stories from five decades of rock history — from producing John Lennon's final album to the memories Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, The Who, and his recent production of Silverplanes.

Topics Include:

  • Jack Douglas joins Nate from a snowy driveway, cigar in hand.
  • Silverplanes' debut album Airbus is finally releasing after years of delays.
  • Jack met Silverplanes' Aaron Smart through his college-age son.
  • Aaron turned out to own the Sunset Boulevard studio Jack had worked in.
  • Jeff Emerick mixed the album shortly before his sudden death in 2018.
  • The pandemic added two more years of delay to the release.
  • Jack and Aaron are now label partners with New York real estate billionaire Douglas Durst.
  • Their label operates 50/50 with artists — no standard royalty deals.
  • Signed artists include Robin Taylor Zander and the Detroit Youth Choir.
  • Jack builds songs from a single acoustic guitar performance first.
  • Aerosmith was different — built from the band groove up, lyrics last.
  • Walk This Way had no lyric until a Young Frankenstein gag unlocked it.
  • Jack started his career as a TV composer while janitoring at Record Plant.
  • He worked on sessions that became The Who's Who's Next.
  • Kit Lambert and Keith Moon were both, politely, out of their minds.
  • Jack survived eccentric clients by being reliably sober and crazy simultaneously.
  • John Lennon was the easiest artist Jack ever worked with.
  • John would say: "I'm the artist, you're the producer — let's work like that."
  • Jack engineered Imagine and stayed close to Lennon through the Lost Weekend years.
  • He was in and out of the Fame sessions with Lennon and Bowie.
  • John told Bowie: "I'm writing you the best hit you'll ever have."
  • John knew about — and liked — Aerosmith's cover of "Come Together."
  • George Martin gave Jack a flat in Kensington and a Morgan sportscar.
  • Jack helped produce Ringo's "Grow Old With Me," hiding Here Comes the Sun in the strings.
  • Double Fantasy was secretly recorded at Hit Factory, too far west for fans.
  • John wanted a middle-of-the-road record aimed at people aged 28 to 40.
  • Earl Slick was kept from rehearsals deliberately — a wildcard for fresh solos.
  • Rick Nielsen discovered John's Shea Stadium Rickenbacker with the setlist still taped on.
  • Rick later gifted John a custom all-white Rickenbacker, model 001, never cashed his check.
  • Cheap Trick's "I'm Losing You" session was thrilling but too edgy for the album.
  • Jack hid microphones throughout the sessions, gifting John cassettes on his birthday.
  • Jack destroyed the tape of the last day — John had sworn him to secrecy.
  • After John's murder, Jack and Yoko listened to vault tapes alone until dawn.
  • Yoko later sued Jack; Phil Spector's incoherent testimony and a wig mishap followed.
  • Jann Wenner called Jack a nobody — until Jack's lawyer read Wenner's own book aloud.
  • The jury was out ten minutes. Jack won millions.
  • The 2010 Stripped Down version was mixed in the exact same Record Plant room.
  • Live at Budokan was actually Osaka — Budokan tapes were too poorly recorded.
  • Jack rebuilt the Osaka drum kit using speaker-driven bass frequencies and filtered signals.
  • Aerosmith's Live Bootleg was sent back to Sony unchanged after Jack faked a remix session.

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep548: After the Astronaut - Butthole Surfers' Lost Album w Paul Leary & King Coffey11 May 202600:58:00

Butthole Surfers' Paul Leary and King Coffey trace the band's unlikely major label journey — from America's top-grossing indie act to MTV hitmakers to a lost album finally resurrected after nearly three decades.

Preorder "After the Astronaut" LP here

Topics Include:

  • After the Astronaut releases June 26 after sitting unreleased for 28 years.
  • Capitol signed Butthole Surfers when they were America's top-grossing indie band.
  • Label president Hale Milgram believed in them; his firing changed everything.
  • Pepper was written on the spot after a producer demanded one more song.
  • Pepper won radio call-in polls for a month and played MTV hourly.
  • The hit turned them into a "follow-up band," which was never their thing.
  • John Paul Jones produced Worm Saloon and taught Paul Leary how to produce.
  • Jones and the band shared a Lagavulin obsession, running up a $20,000 scotch bill.
  • Capitol's big budgets contrasted sharply with Touch and Go's approach.
  • After the Astronaut was a deliberate return to experimental, art-school Butthole Surfers DNA.
  • Mark Ryden painted the original cover; getting dropped handed it to Marcy Playground.
  • Declining a Hellraiser soundtrack placement created the first real rift with Capitol.
  • Their manager's heroin relapse coincided with the band getting dropped mid-promo cycle.
  • Promo cassettes already pressed now sell for $800–$1,000 on the secondary market.
  • Hollywood Records funded Weird Revolution; Rob Cavallo showed up once a week for ten minutes.
  • Finding two-inch master tapes in a storage locker triggered the After the Astronaut remix.
  • Documentary The Whole Truth and Nothing But took director Tom Stern five years to make.
  • Rob Reiner called it one of the best music docs ever — hours before his murder.
  • A potential box set looms, but Paul prefers naps, his cat, and his bicycle.

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep547: Greg Ginn - Black Flag, SST Records27 Apr 202601:07:13

In a rare interview, Greg Ginn opens up about the latest Black Flag lineup, the SST catalogue, the possibility of long-overdue reissues and the legacy of one of punk's most beloved bands.

Tickets for Black Flag's 2026 Australian Tour

Topics Include:

  • Greg Ginn is based in Texas but currently in Long Beach after a tour.
  • Black Flag is heading to Hong Kong and then Australia next.
  • This will be Black Flag's third tour of Australia.
  • Rumors of new recordings remain unconfirmed — Ginn stays tight-lipped.
  • The current lineup has been together for about a year.
  • Band plays nearly two hours a night across two full sets.
  • Proximity of bandmates in Texas keeps the band constantly tight.
  • Ginn discovered punk through the Stooges, MC5, and New York bands.
  • Television, Ramones, Blondie, and The Damned were early major influences.
  • Ginn identifies more with open, varied 70s punk than 80s hardcore.
  • He never planned to be in a band — guitar was a personal outlet.
  • Finding like-minded people in the mid-70s was genuinely rare and meaningful.
  • Ginn started a business at 12 selling ham radio equipment he built.
  • He published his own amateur radio magazine as a teenager.
  • Black Flag's first EP was recorded as a demo, not a label release.
  • Nobody wanted to sign them, so starting SST was a reluctant default.
  • Ginn has applied the same DIY experimentation to an organic fertilizer brand.
  • He gets bored easily and improvisation is central to keeping music alive.
  • Ginn stays connected to a song's emotional meaning, not just its notes.
  • Seven band members once lived in a single room during Black Flag's peak.
  • Lineup changes were mostly practical — commitment and lifestyle demands were extreme.
  • Ginn isn't interested in nostalgia-driven reunions; best music matters most now.
  • Fans frequently thank him personally for helping them through difficult life periods.
  • He avoids fiction, movies, and video games — prefers reality and constant learning.
  • SST vaults are mostly bare — nearly everything recorded was officially released.
  • Ginn is open to remastering but skeptical of padding albums with leftover cuts.
  • He notes Dead Kennedys recently remixed Fresh Fruit — and wants to hear it.
  • Ginn doesn't own a working turntable; portability matters more to him than format.
  • SST catalog reissues — including Stains, Dicks, Overkill — are a genuine possibility.
  • Ginn believes Black Flag's songs remain timeless, attracting both parents and their kids.

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Picts by Edward Colver

Ep546: One-Step Audiophile Vinyl w Tom Grover Biery21 Apr 202601:18:35

From funding the first Record Store Day to producing limited one-step pressings of Pet Sounds, Prince, and Dr. Dre, Tom "Grover" Biery is one of the most influential figures in modern vinyl culture - Hear all about his next adventures with the vinyl artform.

Topics Include:

  • Tom "Grover" Biery spent 20 years at Warner Bros. Records
  • He pushed vinyl internally around 2004 when nobody believed in it
  • His boss Tom Wally gave him the green light to proceed
  • First pressings were Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman catalog titles
  • Warner's vinyl billing exploded from $300K to $5M in 18 months
  • Failure's Fantastic Planet was among the earliest titles he championed
  • Neil Young gave an impassioned in-office speech about the importance of sound
  • That speech directly inspired the "Because Sound Matters" brand name
  • BSM is Warner's audiophile imprint; DSS covers Interscope and Capitol
  • Tom now operates as a consultant to both major label groups
  • His own label, Slow Down Sounds, has been running nearly a decade
  • One-step pressings go lacquer to stamper, skipping generational quality loss
  • Each stamper yields only 500–750 pressings, requiring multiple lacquer cuts
  • Neotech's D2 vinyl compound produces exceptionally quiet, revealing pressings
  • Mastering costs alone run nine times higher on one-step projects
  • Sources are vetted exhaustively — flat masters, tape, or high-res files
  • Artists and managers approve every test pressing throughout the process
  • A newly discovered 1972 Pet Sounds master changed everything for the reissue
  • Chris Bellman confirmed the tape matched a 1972 white label perfectly
  • Only 6,000 copies of the Pet Sounds DSS one-step will ever exist
  • Tom has been transparent about sourcing since 2005, long before the MoFi controversy
  • Quality now ranks second or third in why fans buy vinyl
  • Beck's Morning Phase and Tom Petty's Wildflowers one-steps surprised even skeptics
  • Soul Coughing's Ruby Vroom reissue came from original tapes at Warner
  • Nate lobbies for Frusciante, Jellyfish, Beck's Sea Change, and Marilyn Manson reissues
  • Dr. Dre's The Chronic from tape is among the first hip-hop one-steps
  • Neil Young has still never done a one-step, despite inspiring the whole program
  • Tom was one of the original funders who got Record Store Day off the ground
  • Record stores are reporting their biggest-ever RSD sales figures this year
  • His label Slow Down Sounds is releasing Terry Callier's Occasional Rain this June

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep545: Zev Feldman Returns for Record Store Day 202613 Apr 202601:05:24

Zev Feldman returns to reveal 11 Record Store Day 2026 releases, including stunning discoveries from the legendary Joe Siegel Jazz Showcase tape archive featuring Ahmad Jamal, Yusef Lateef, Freddie King, and more never-before-heard recordings.

Topics Include:

  • Zev Feldman returns, now dubbed the "Jazz Attorney General" by Nate
  • Feldman has 11 releases this Record Store Day — a personal record
  • The Joe Segal tape archive is the foundation of five RSD releases
  • Segal was an NEA Jazz Master and Chicago's greatest jazz impresario
  • He presented legends like Lester Young starting back in 1947
  • Feldman first connected with Siegel around 2010-2011 via word of mouth
  • A breakfast meeting with Siegel led to three follow-up Chicago trips
  • The archive may be the world's largest collection of unissued jazz recordings
  • Between 8,000 and 10,000 tapes discovered across reels, cassettes, and more
  • Resonance is partnering with the Siegel family and Wayne Siegel on releases
  • Joe Henderson's 1978 quartet at the Jazz Showcase is raw and electrifying
  • Pianist Joanne Burkeen confirmed this captures exactly how the band really played
  • Ahmad Jamal's 1976 Jazz Showcase run includes a full 26-minute Swahililand
  • Jamal and Siegel shared a deep longstanding friendship spanning many years
  • Yusef Lateef with Kenny Barron: a burning three-LP set from 1975
  • Lateef played the Jazz Showcase more than any other single artist
  • Mal Waldron and Sonny Stitt reunite in an unusual 1979 bebop week
  • Nate predicts Mal Waldron will be the sleeper hit of RSD 2026
  • Bill Evans at the BBC features performances Feldman first saw on laser disc
  • This marks Feldman's 15th Bill Evans release — the catalog keeps growing
  • Freddie King from the French INA archives is Nate's personal favourite of the batch
  • Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top contributed to the Freddie King liner notes
  • Cecil Taylor's 1969 Paris recordings premiere officially for the very first time
  • Michel Petrucciani recordings surfaced from the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz
  • Petrucciani died young, making these rare live documents especially precious
  • Terry Callier's 1967 solo guitar recordings came from the Earl of Old Town
  • Roy Hargrove Quintet captured live and burning at Berne Jazz Festival 2000
  • Buster Williams' debut Pinnacle gets an all-analog AAA reissue on Time Traveler
  • This batch marks Feldman's 96th Record Store Day release across his career
  • Feldman previews a Don Schlitten jazz photography coffee table book on Fantagraphics

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Photo by Zak Shelby-Szyszko

Ep544: Zakk Wylde - Ozzy's Final Chapter, Pantera's Future, and Black Label Society08 Apr 202600:21:18

Zakk Wylde opens up about Ozzy's final show, the 17 days that followed, Dimebag's unfinished recordings, and the making of Black Label Society's crushing new album Engines of Demolition.

Topics Include:

  • Zakk runs on 14 pots of Valhalla coffee every single day.
  • He was invited to Back to the Beginning well in advance.
  • Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page, and Ritchie Blackmore are mythical heroes to Zakk.
  • No More Tears was rehearsed but Ozzy pulled it on the day.
  • Ozzy was giddy meeting Axl Rose — couldn't believe it was happening.
  • Zakk watched Sabbath's final set alongside Axl Rose and Sharon Osbourne.
  • Just 17 days after the show, Ozzy passed away unexpectedly.
  • They'd been texting memes and planning another record together right until the end.
  • Zakk envisioned a global Back to the Beginning charity tour series.
  • A sober Zakk and Ozzy watched their blasted crew destroy a Tokyo restaurant.
  • Dimebag left hours of unfinished song ideas on tape for potential release.
  • Playing Dime's solos means staying faithful — like Stevie Ray covering Hendrix.
  • Zakk and Eddie Van Halen's amp, calling it life-altering history.
  • Engines of Demolition was built across several years alongside the Pantera Celebration tour.
  • Zakk confirms BLS, Zakk Sabbath, and more Pantera shows are all coming.

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep543: Remembering Rozz Williams & Christian Death07 Apr 202600:48:31

Rikk Agnew, James McGearty, and David Glass share stories about Rozz Williams & Christian Death, the making of Only Theater of Pain, and completing his final recorded wish with the new song Flowers.

Tickets for April 18 movie premiere and music reunion event

Topics Include:

  • Rikk Agnew, James McGearty, and David Glass remember Rozz Williams together.
  • Rozz described as mysterious, enigmatic, and a deeply misunderstood artist.
  • Rozz excelled across poetry, music, visual art, and assemblage work.
  • He scratched images into 8mm film cells as experimental art.
  • Rozz was a chameleon, constantly reinventing his look and sound.
  • Christian Death began as a punk band before Rikk joined.
  • Rikk's arrival catapulted Rozz's darker, more mystical artistic vision.
  • Much of Only Theater of Pain was created spontaneously in-studio.
  • Rozz unveiled his poetry to the band for the first time recording.
  • A violent storm set an eerie tone during the vocal sessions.
  • Rozz recorded in a candlelit booth — a truly otherworldly performance.
  • The vocal track was lost; nobody could explain why it didn't record.
  • The released vocals paled against what was actually performed that night.
  • The entire album artwork and layout was hand-drawn by Rozz himself.
  • Lisa Fancher of Frontier financed the record; the band were teenagers.
  • Catastrophe Ballet launched in Europe first; Death Wish emerged mysteriously unauthorised.
  • Only Theater of Pain's influence grew gradually, now considered truly seminal.
  • Rozz's final wish was a full-band studio recording of Flowers.
  • Rikk, James, and David completed Flowers separately, finding it deeply emotional.
  • Romeo's Distress documentary premieres April 18th with a live reunion performance.

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep542: Music Documentary Producer Jeanne Elfant Festa02 Apr 202600:56:45

Documentary producer & record collector Jeanne Elfant Festa has made films about The Beatles, Foo Fighters, Pavarotti, Bee Gees and more. Today she discusses her latest movie on Billy Preston — revealing rare archive footage, Olivia Harrison's key role, and Eric Clapton's emotional on-camera tribute and a lot more.

Check outtrailer and documentary screenings here

Topics Include:

  • Jeanne lost her entire vinyl collection in the Palisades fire.
  • Her family and animals all escaped the fire safely.
  • A custom-built, mathematically designed sound room housed the collection.
  • Rebuilding takes time — the turntable alone hasn't been replaced yet.
  • Music passion began with her Brooklyn-raised parents' rich jazz collection.
  • Her dad snuck into the Apollo Theater via the fire escape.
  • He carried a saxophone, jamming with musicians at the loading dock.
  • The family soundtrack: Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker.
  • Jeanne and her dad bonded over Bruce Springsteen's sax player.
  • Her father did house calls exclusively for one patient — Miles Davis.
  • Storytelling instincts came from parents who loved plays, movies, and performance.
  • Her own record collection ranged from Rage Against the Machine to Supertramp.
  • Vinyl's tactile magic: liner notes, textures, and each album's unique smell.
  • Albums are movies — side one plays straight through, no skipping.
  • Documentary filmmaking is passion-driven, not a path to big money.
  • The Foo Fighters doc came from being in the right place.
  • Business partner Nigel Sinclair's credits include Bob Dylan and George Harrison docs.
  • Billy Preston first entered her life through her parents' living room stereo.
  • Filming subjects who've passed requires diaries, archives, and extraordinary research teams.
  • A granddaughter's undeveloped home movies transformed the Beach Boys documentary entirely.
  • A stranger's undeveloped Beatles footage, found under a childhood bed, changed everything.
  • Olivia Harrison unlocked archive footage and connected the team to Ringo and Clapton.
  • Eric Clapton opened up in a way rarely seen on camera.
  • Documentary ethics: three sources minimum, no gossip, no stunt casting ever.
  • The Billy Preston film explores forgiveness, contradiction, and the full human condition.

Extended and High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep541: TV Smith - 50 Years of The Adverts30 Mar 202600:42:15

TV Smith joins Nate to discuss the 50th anniversary of The Adverts, an Australian tour backed by The Hard-Ons, and a career full of great songs and terrible label luck.

Topics Include:

  • TV Smith is touring Australia in April with The Hard-Ons.
  • The tour celebrates the 50th anniversary of The Adverts.
  • The Hard-Ons are already learning the surprisingly complex Adverts songs.
  • TV finds it odd but joyful to still be performing.
  • He got back into vinyl to quality-check his own releases.
  • Bowie, Roxy Music, and reggae were key early influences for TV.
  • The Sex Pistols made TV believe he could actually do this.
  • The Roxy Club punk scene started with just 30 people.
  • Brian James of The Damned personally recommended The Adverts to Stiff.
  • They recorded One Chord Wonders in a single afternoon at Pathway.
  • Stiff misspelled the title and controversially centred Gaye Advert on the cover.
  • Gary Gilmore's Eyes was TV's satirical response to exploitative media coverage.
  • The BBC was deeply reluctant to air Gary Gilmore's Eyes on TV.
  • Anchor Records collapsed mid-momentum, leaving The Adverts suddenly without a label.
  • Crossing the Red Sea was recorded at Abbey Road with John Leckie.
  • Gary Gilmore's Eyes was left off the album deliberately — vinyl runtime constraints.
  • RCA signed them against their own A&R team's wishes — chaos followed.
  • Cast of Thousands suffered a botched mix, a terrible cover, label indifference.
  • Channel 5 was finally properly remastered after the producer found a safety tape.
  • TV is bringing vinyl to the merch table — especially the Handwriting LP.

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep540: Swami John Reis - Record Collector23 Mar 202601:00:37

Swami John Reis of Rocket from the Crypt and Drive Like Jehu digs deep on record collecting, the thrill of the hunt, running Swami Records, and why the next release always matters most.

Get yer tix to the Punk Rock Museum's 3rd Anniversary Show here

Topics Include:

  • Swami John Reis joins to talk record collecting and Punk Rock Museum.
  • His collection is evolving — trading old hardcore for more desired records.
  • Collection is 95% 45s, driven by a lifelong musical pursuit.
  • Early punk led him to hunt for MC5, Stooges, Velvet Underground.
  • The thrill: records still exist that nobody knows about yet.
  • Digging through boxes feels calming, healthy, and satisfying every time.
  • Hawaii vintage shop surprise — radio station collection hidden outside for decades.
  • Detroit and Pittsburgh are his highest strike-rate cities for finds.
  • Always ask the clerk — the best stuff is never on the floor.
  • Styrene vs vinyl: the label sticker is the definitive tell.
  • Making records informed his collecting — plain white sleeves, big hole 45s.
  • Pressing plant relationships are everything; affordability is the biggest challenge.
  • Customs delays under the current administration are wrecking release schedules badly.
  • Major labels scrapped their own pressing plants — now everyone competes for time.
  • Marketing records stopped making sense; the artist always drives interest anyway.
  • Every record is essentially limited and out of print from day one.
  • Smaller runs mean no unsold closet stock and more collector value later.
  • Hot Snakes packaging and Rick Griffin's creativity still inspire him deeply.
  • Upcoming: Sultans reissue, Mrs. Magician LP, new Swami John Reis record.
  • Schizophonics collaboration in the works — the next thing is always the thing.

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep539: Dr Strange Records' Summer Bash Festival18 Mar 202600:50:00

Dr. Strange Records' Bill Plaster talks Summer Bash and the chaos of booking a festival, punk history, record collecting, Live Strange, and how punk rock can genuinely change lives.

Get Summer Bash tix here  |  Follow Dr Strange for Live Strange here

Topics Include:

  • Bill Plaster of Dr. Strange Records joins to discuss the upcoming Summer Bash.
  • Punk Rock Bowling's cancellation — visa bans, politics, venue loss — created the opportunity.
  • Bill connected with Gallo, who runs the Fox Theater and the Cathedral in Pomona.
  • The Cathedral: a stunning, refurbished 1921 four-story YMCA venue hosting the event.
  • A massive two-day lineup — 30-plus bands across punk, hardcore, and old-school SoCal.
  • Notable acts include the Effigies, Channel 3, the Skulls, featuring Kevin from Green Day.
  • Every band asked said yes — Bill takes no money, purely doing it for the community.
  • Dealing with booking agents was the biggest headache of organising the festival.
  • Planning started in November; Bill hopes Summer Bash becomes an annual event.
  • The Punk in the Park cancellations discussed — Bill argues protest with your vote, not boycotts.
  • Bill credits Rod for building Dr. Strange's social media profile and making the festival possible.
  • Bill's mentorship philosophy: punk rock can genuinely change lives for the better.
  • The Dr. Strange "family" ethos — making fun of people with love, never punching down.
  • Bill's book discussed — early punk discoveries via Damned, Buzzcocks, and XTC seven-inches.
  • The brutal gang violence at early 80s LA/SoCal punk shows — constantly watching your back.
  • A close call at Spanky's: the guy next to Bill got stabbed during a Guttermouth gig.
  • Biggest missed show regret: skipped Oingo Boingo due to peer pressure from girls in line.
  • Never saw Black Flag — their reputation for brutality genuinely scared him off.
  • Eight years of mail order before opening the store; Voodoo Glow Skulls his biggest-selling record.
  • Live Strange runs Wednesdays and Fridays — the cowbell is Bill's money-back guarantee.

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep538: John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants Returns!16 Mar 202600:55:06

John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants talks rare vinyl rarities, the chaotic story behind the new album's cover art, why re-recording old music is almost always a mistake and lots more

Order the new album "The World Is to Dig" here

Topics Include:

  • Flansburgh owns roughly 2,000 records across three turntable setups at home
  • He doesn't identify as a collector — just a serious listener
  • His rarest record: an Andy Warhol-autographed Sticky Fingers with wild provenance photos
  • He also owns a peeled-banana Velvet Underground and a Blonde on Blonde rarity
  • Deep dive into what makes each of those pressings so collectible
  • TMBG's new album title comes from a Maurice Sendak-illustrated children's book
  • That led to a fascinating detour on painter Ad Reinhardt's secret black-on-black canvases
  • Flansburgh has been TMBG's de facto art director for 35 years
  • The new album's cover art was nearly a Washington Post-licensed sinkhole photo
  • Washington Post's mass layoffs killed the deal at the last possible moment
  • A Hudson Valley School painting of Yosemite became the actual cover
  • Flansburgh and Linnell don't stockpile songs — cuts are made for specific artistic reasons
  • He once had to shelve a song because Linnell came in with a nearly identical opening line
  • TMBG song titles are uniquely searchable — except the new one referencing Wu-Tang
  • Flansburgh is firmly against re-recording old material — cites Zappa as a cautionary tale
  • Great discussion on remastering: Beatles got it right, Hendrix remaster was disorienting
  • TMBG evolved from NYC performance art venues to rock clubs — crowd energy changed everything
  • Their boutique 8-track manufacturer couldn't keep up when TMBG needed a thousand units
  • Dolby Atmos debate: Flansburgh is skeptical, Nate makes the case for spatial audio
  • Nate's most collectible record is a Nevermind test pressing — rejected pressings are worth more

Extended & High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep537: Bongo Fury at 50 – Zappa, Beefheart and the Vaultmeister09 Mar 202601:01:16

Zappa Vaultmeister Joe Travers discusses the Bongo Fury box set, the Frank and Beefheart origin story, Frank's cutting edge approach and what may be next from the Zappa Universe.

Order the Zappa/Beefheart Bongo Fury 50th Anniversary editions here

Topics Include:

  • Joe and Nate bond over the Stooges and unreleased raw recordings
  • Bongo Fury turns 50 with 48 previously unheard tracks
  • Two complete Armadillo shows finally presented unedited in sequence
  • Portuguese Lunar Landing emerges from rehearsal tapes—a true nugget
  • Frank kept tour itineraries but few detailed production notes
  • Joe worked solo digitizing tapes for decades under Gail's direction
  • Universal now controls the vault—the process has changed significantly
  • Frank's Mac had one gigabyte—they dumped mixes to tape constantly
  • Kennedy backup tapes and Synclavier data may be unplayable forever
  • Racing against tape decay and obsolete machines that can't be replaced
  • Heartbreak: 1630 tapes getting stuck and destroyed inside malfunctioning machines
  • Early history of Frank and Captain Beefheart
  • The Soots recorded together—Tiger Roach released, two covers still unreleased
  • Frank invited Beefheart to join tour to get him some money
  • Beefheart was unpredictable—lyrics in paper bags, sketching onstage mid-show
  • "Born to Suck" captures spontaneous studio magic with Snoop tape banter
  • Frank constantly taped everything—jokes often sparked future song ideas
  • Post-tour darkness: Herb Cohen fallout left Frank uncertain about everything
  • Frank and Beefheart reconnected—hour-long phone calls in Frank's final months
  • Warner Brothers failed to promote One Size Fits All and Bongo Fury
  • Cheaper Than Cheap footage sat in vault for decades—sync issues unresolved
  • Joe finally identified the mystery tapes; Universal funded the restoration
  • More Atmos projects coming—Joe teases a big announcement next month

Extended & High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep536: Danny Goldberg - Bumping Into Geniuses (Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, & more)23 Feb 202601:02:37

Danny Goldberg shares insider stories from his 50-year career as Led Zeppelin's publicist and Nirvana's manager, revealing Kurt Cobain's creative genius and the first-hand dynamics behind rock's biggest bands.

Order Danny's book "Bumping Into Geniuses" here

Topics Include:

  • Danny discusses the 2026 reissue of "Bumping into Genius"
  • Admits his turntables are mostly for show, prefers streaming now
  • Kept about 100 vinyls including The Fugs on ESP Records
  • Answered a Billboard ad not knowing music business existed
  • Found his calling through enthusiasm and sensitivity to artists
  • Became Led Zeppelin's US publicist in 1973 for Houses of the Holy
  • The biggest band in the world had never gotten positive press
  • Peter Grant described them as "just mild barbarians"
  • Bonzo would arrive early to tune drums for each room's acoustics
  • Jimmy Page avoided TV—felt it couldn't deliver Zeppelin's true sound
  • Physical Graffiti era: Danny became Swan Song Records vice president
  • His blues tribute pitch rejected—later repurposed for Foghat
  • Robert Plant was eloquent and handled most press duties willingly
  • Jimmy's Crowley interest rarely came up in day-to-day interactions
  • Met Ringo, never John or George—All Things Must Pass is essential
  • Nirvana's 92 Australian tour produced the Rolling Stone cover shoot
  • Kurt's "Corporate magazines still suck" shirt was pure tightrope genius
  • He storyboarded every Nirvana video shot by shot himself
  • Appeared on Headbangers Ball in a dress to subvert metal culture
  • Nevermind hit five radio formats simultaneously—unprecedented crossover success
  • Kurt agreed to edit In Utero packaging for Walmart-only kids
  • Fame invaded his privacy—tabloid coverage of Courtney infuriated him
  • Depression and heroin predated fame—confirmed by Chris Novoselic
  • Danny dismisses conspiracy theories—Seattle PD had no coverup motive
  • Sub Pop planned "Cash Cow"—Kurt licensed it back as Incesticide
  • Incesticide liner notes rank among Kurt's most remarkable creative statements
  • Danny calls In Utero Kurt's best songwriting, his personal favorite
  • Bonnie Raitt's Nick of Time gave Danny credibility to expand management
  • John Silva brought Redd Kross, leading to Sonic Youth, then Nirvana
  • Born Innocent documentary on Redd Kross earns Danny's recommendation

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep535: Making Music & Vinyl History w Producer Plug10 Feb 202601:05:53

Producer Plug discusses his journey from New York DJ to hip hop producer for Wu-Tang members, running multiple record stores, and launching R&G Records in Inglewood with Snoop Dogg.

Topics Include:

  • Producer Plug discusses meeting again at Austin Record Fair
  • His three superpowers: DJing, executive producing, and music production
  • Born in Flushing Queens with father's influential Fisher sound system
  • Father introduced him to WCBS-FM and classic disc jockeys
  • The Fugees "Killing Me Softly" became his first musicology lesson
  • Father taught him to stay curious and humble about music
  • Started buying records at Nobody Beats The Wiz and Coconuts
  • Carried white garbage bag of records through high school
  • All The Right Records shop combined haircuts and vinyl shopping
  • Made popular mixtapes across Queens neighborhoods, sold as CDs
  • Got on record label promo lists by showcasing his tapes
  • Mixtapes evolved into producing albums with original beats naturally
  • Career progression through DJing, A&R, and label executive roles
  • Opened multiple Records & Goods locations across different cities
  • R&G stores feature unique Grail Museum showcasing rare pressings
  • Hip hop's importance: taking best moments from every music genre
  • Each store represents a spiritual piece of his father
  • Haradio Sound Lab offers vinyl meditation space for listening sessions
  • Tom Silverman's advice: learn from my billion-dollar mistakes instead
  • Vinyl On Demand releases reissues plus upcoming Big Boo collaboration

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Chuck Negron (1942-2026) - The Vinyl Guide interview07 Feb 202600:51:36

Co-founder and former Three Dog Night frontman Chuck Negron (1942-2026) discusses the collectible records of his career, the early releases on small labels, the rare and recalled albums of Three Dog Night and mega-smash excesses and turnaround of his life and career.

Interview from July 2022

Topics Include:

  • Chuck's autobiography Three Dog Nightmare .
  • Basketball was first passion growing up in Bronx schoolyards.
  • Made first record "Oh Baby" in 1958 at age fifteen.
  • Early releases on tiny Bronx Records label extremely rare today.
  • Progressed through Rondelles, Marlinda, and Heart Van regional California labels.
  • "I Dream of an Angel" became regional hit across central California.
  • Columbia Records offered deal while playing college basketball at Hancock.
  • Chose to finish basketball season, damaging initial Columbia Records excitement.
  • Learned hard lesson about commitment after squandering early industry enthusiasm.
  • Bill Sharman offered Cal State LA scholarship but chose music.
  • Left school permanently, ending high-level basketball career for music industry.
  • Three Dog Night formed with three lead singers sharing spotlight.
  • Band's strategy: find great songs, not write them themselves exclusively.
  • "One" by Harry Nilsson became breakthrough hit launching massive success.
  • Achieved 21 consecutive Top 40 hits selling over 60 million records.
  • "Joy to the World" became worldwide number one, band's biggest success.
  • "Black and White" addressed racial integration as mainstream social statement message.
  • Hard Labor's controversial birthing cover recalled after hundreds of thousands distributed.
  • Now hosts weekly WhatNot show selling rare Three Dog Night collectibles.
  • At 80, credits basketball training for vocal stamina and survival.

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep534: Celebrating Chess Records with Steve Jordan02 Feb 202601:01:11

Legendary drummer & producer Steve Jordan (The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Batiste, SNL & more), discusses the history and deep personal reverence for the music of Chess Records and the 75th vinyl reissue series. 

Topics Include:

  • Steve Jordan discusses touring with John Batiste at Davos Economic Summit
  • He's producing Robert Cray's new album at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals
  • JayVee Records finishing Willie Mitchell documentary, The Verbs album, and Tony Joe White posthumous record
  • Chess Records called arguably the cornerstone of modern music
  • New vinyl reissue campaign marks first proper Chess reissues in decades
  • Steve's compilation "Let's Play Chess" features personally meaningful recordings
  • The Dells were his first Chess records—Chicago's hardcore R&B answer to Motown
  • Tommy Tucker's "High Heel Sneakers" on Checker was childhood obsession
  • British Invasion reintroduced American blues that establishment had suppressed racially
  • Etta James "At Last" originals fetch four to five hundred dollars
  • Universal fire destroyed masters; some duplicates recovered from Europe thankfully
  • Early stereo versions often poorly done with hard-panned instruments and fake echo
  • Chess building preserved physically but control room was completely stripped of gear
  • Steve brought API console and ribbon mics for 2010 session there
  • Correctly guessed drum placement; Hubert Sumlin confirmed the next day
  • Otis Spann's piano still vibrates sympathetically when musicians play the room
  • Jack Wiener designed Chess gear and later mastered recordings in basement
  • Mastering represents twenty-five percent of the mix, often overlooked historically
  • Jamie Krentz alerted Universal to Chess catalog's 75th anniversary reissue potential
  • Rarities campaign revealed extraordinary alternate takes including deep Lowell Fulsom version
  • Willie Mitchell spent years perfecting Royal Recording's signature snare drum sound
  • Keith Richards session led to lifelong friendship with Willie Mitchell
  • Willie gave Steve one of Al Jackson's tom-toms from Al Green recordings
  • Recording, overdubbing, and mixing in same room captures authentic studio sound
  • John Lennon was his white whale—missed meeting him by five minutes
  • Finally played with Paul McCartney on Rolling Stones' Hackney Diamonds album
  • Blues Brothers debuted on SNL's third season finale with Saturday Night Live band
  • Matt Guitar Murphy was a Chess session player—Steve's first Chess connection unknowingly
  • John Belushi educated Steve nightly on deep Chess catalog from his Chicago roots
  • Devo's SNL performance was a life-changing moment Steve witnessed firsthand

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep533: Exploring the Pusciverse with Carina Round26 Jan 202600:59:19

Carina Round discusses the new Puscifer album "Normal Isn't", their creative partnership, how motherhood transformed her songwriting, the emotional experience of revisiting The Disconnection and much more.

Topics Include:

  • New Puscifer album "Normal Isn't" and concert film drop February 6th
  • Puscifer described as dark multimedia project with interconnecting 20-year storyline
  • New characters introduced: Belendia Black, Fanny Gray, the Synth Whisperer
  • Writing began post-Existential Reckoning; Mat keeps a magical idea folder
  • Maynard learned Logic software, contributed more initial musical sketches this time
  • Carina waits for lyrics—word rhythms shape her vocal approach entirely
  • Mat masters specific gear per album: Fairlight, Synclavier, custom guitars
  • Carina sang through Eventide effects unit, letting it shape melodies
  • Mat designs all stage plots, lighting, and visual concepts himself
  • Carina recently started improv classes—facing her worst nightmare on purpose
  • Mat discovered her at LA show; V is for Vagina hooked her
  • Maynard conveys mood clearly while leaving lyrics open to interpretation
  • Humbling River audition taught her: no preciousness about ideas here
  • Maynard's response—"as long as it doesn't interfere with me"—was freeing
  • Having an eight-year-old son completely changed her creative process
  • Revisiting The Disconnection live revealed surprising wisdom in her youth
  • Music became her way to connect rather than dissociate emotionally
  • She bootlegged her own Interscope album just to have it on vinyl
  • Kids today skip songs constantly—no commitment to full album journeys
  • Rare Ocean Blue pressing was a happy accident—only 13 copies exist

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep532: Lucinda Williams in a World Gone Wrong19 Jan 202600:55:38

Lucinda Williams discusses her recent creative surge with multiple tribute albums, paying homage to the masters, Folkways days, post-stroke recovery and the new album World's Gone Wrong

Topics Include:

  • Lucinda announces her 18th album "World's Gone Wrong" releasing January 23rd
  • Reveals dramatic shift from releasing albums every 3-8 years recently
  • Credits husband-manager Tom Overby for keeping creative momentum going post-stroke
  • Explains how new band members made working out songs fun
  • Describes creative process challenges between inspiration and studio deadlines
  • Shares need for quiet, private spaces to write freely
  • Reveals hotel rooms as unexpected creative sanctuaries like John Prine
  • Discusses how songs emerge either formed or requiring detailed work
  • Explains editing process of refining and "trimming the fat"
  • Details collaboration with Tom Overby on "We've Come Too Far"
  • Talks recording at Ray Kennedy's Room and Board studio
  • Shares Steve Earle connection from Car Wheels on Gravel Road
  • Laments losing song ideas when unable to record immediately
  • Recalls taking control in studio despite band's initial surprise
  • Tells sweet story of meeting Ringo Starr at Capitol Records
  • Discusses transformative Beatles albums from early work to Sergeant Pepper
  • Names Bob Dylan as her North Star musical mentor
  • Explains The Doors' influence especially their dark poetic imagery
  • Connects tribute album work to preparing for original songwriting
  • Previews future projects including Neil Young tribute and stroke treatment

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep531: Erik "Smelly" Sandin of NOFX12 Jan 202600:41:32

Erik "Smelly" Sandin discusses NOFX life after touring, new music, sobriety through the NOFX hurricane, the Las Vegas incident controversy, the upcoming NOFX Retrospective at the Punk Rock Museum and more.

Topics Include:

  • NOFX didn't break up, just stopped touring, still recording new music together
  • Band recorded 6-7 new songs three months ago in the studio
  • Mike constantly writes new material, has lots of unreleased songs ready
  • January 16-18 NOFX retrospective exhibit opening at Las Vegas Punk Rock Museum
  • Smelly will give personal tours but doesn't know what artifacts they'll display
  • Never kept any memorabilia from 42 years, always gave everything away immediately
  • Shocked that original PMRC records now sell for $5,000+ on collector market
  • Band relationships remain same, they talk regularly but need space between tours
  • Currently playing drums with Randy from Pennywise, Cameron Webb
  • Fills in with the Vandals when Josh Freese tours with other bands
  • Recorded drums on Vandals' Christmas album 30 years ago, including transgender song
  • Early drug experimentation began with acid at 16, escalated quickly into addiction
  • Became homeless junkie living on streets for years during darkest period
  • Got clean in 1992, has maintained sobriety for over 30 years now
  • Joined NOFX through classified ad, instant chemistry with Mike during first jam
  • Band went through multiple lineup changes before finding the classic NOFX formula
  • Fascinated by ancient mysteries like underground Turkish cities, pre-Incan megalithic structures
  • Favorite museum artifact: Joe Strummer's original "London Calling" lyrics with water stains
  • His museum tour focuses on how punk rock saved his life story

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep530: Tales of The Ramones with Monte A Melnick05 Jan 202600:55:23

The Ramones influenced generations despite critical dismissal and radio absence. Ramones tour manager Monte A Melnick reveals insider history, promotional collectables, diplomatic strategies for handling volatile band dynamics and the journey of the revival and current cultural adoration of the band.

"On The Road with The Ramones" book is available here.

Topics Include:

  • Monte Melnick's bonus edition adds 40 pages to his Ramones road stories collection
  • Full-color book features posters, tour passes, and interactive visual design beyond typical text
  • Monte served as diplomat, psychologist, babysitter, and mediator between wildly different band personalities
  • Managing crazy crews, promoters, and venues doubled the nutty people Monte handled daily
  • He delayed writing until after Joey's death to avoid discussing uncomfortable personal problems
  • Frank Meyer co-authored as musician and Ramones fan, earning full credit beyond ghostwriter
  • Book structured as oral history combining new interviews with archived quotes from multiple sources
  • Early reviews dismissed the Ramones as "crap" unlike today's celebrated 10/10 album ratings
  • Sex Pistols' anarchy lumped Ramones into punk danger zone, killing radio station support
  • Major acts like Talking Heads, B-52s, and Blondie opened for Ramones before surpassing
  • The band never considered quitting despite frustration, constantly seeking new producers for radio
  • Johnny Ramone insisted on maintaining consistent sound while others wanted musical growth experimentation
  • The Ramones acted as "Johnny Appleseeds," inspiring kids worldwide to form their own bands
  • 1996 Lollapalooza tour revealed Metallica and Soundgarden formed bands inspired by Ramones performances
  • Record labels rarely interfered except removing "Carbona Not Glue" fearing potential lawsuits
  • The Simpsons appearance was considered an honor with special studio recording and commemorative jackets
  • John Holmstrom created Rocket to Russia artwork and illustrations later used for merchandise
  • Monte immortalized in song lyrics: "Monty's driving me crazy, it's like being in the Navy"
  • 1977 "It's Alive" album represents peak original four members captured in live perfection
  • The Ramones legacy: showing kids worldwide they could form bands without virtuoso skills

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep529: Johnny Brennan of The Jerky Boys22 Dec 202500:50:07

Johnny Brennan reveals how The Jerky Boys' underground cassette tapes became an American comedy phenomenon, spreading from NYC musicians to Howard Stern's radar before landing an Atlantic Records deal and finding success with voiceover work on Family Guy.

Get yerself (or a friend) a Cameo holiday video from Johnny Brennan here

Topics Include:

  • Johnny Brennan reveals The Jerky Boys infiltrated American vocabulary for over five decades
  • People still answer phones with "tough guy" and use Jerky Boys catchphrases daily
  • Johnny started creating characters on tape for his brothers back in the 1960s
  • Father's threat to "put boot in ass" drove kids to creative outdoor activities
  • Nine-year-old Johnny was already doing fake sportscasting with neighborhood friends on tape
  • Looking through Buy Lines magazine for trucks sparked idea to record prank calls
  • First recordings made on boombox intended just for family gatherings upstate New York
  • All characters based on real people: Frank Rizzo was Johnny's father's personality
  • Sweet innocent voice character came directly from observing his mother's speaking style
  • Friend Kamal discovered forgotten tapes and declared them funniest things he'd ever heard
  • Kamal distributed copies to musician friends throughout NYC's Village music scene underground
  • Tape trading exploded nationwide through word-of-mouth before internet or computers existed
  • Howard Stern desperately searched on-air for mysterious Frank Rizzo character's true identity
  • Atlantic Records' Ahmet Ertegun signed band after discovering underground cult phenomenon spreading
  • Johnny's mom actually came up with "The Jerky Boys" name for the act
  • Catchphrases like "sizzle chest" and "milky licker" were completely spontaneous during calls
  • Johnny spent incredible week with Ozzy Osbourne filming The Jerky Boys movie
  • Currently voices Mort Goldman on Family Guy for over twenty-one consecutive years
  • Records at professional studio thirty seconds from home, works with hardcore bands
  • Offers personalized Cameo messages, giving special shoutout to Australian fans after forty years

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep528: The Legacy of SNFU with Brent & Marc Belke01 Dec 202500:51:55

SNFU founders Marc and Brent Belke discuss band history, rare recordings, records, vinyl reissues on Trust Records, upcoming events at the Punk Rock Museum & more.

Topics Include:

  • Marc and Brent Belke join from Vancouver and Victoria to discuss SNFU's December 5th Punk Rock Museum exhibit and album re-release.
  • The exhibit coincides with Trust Records' re-release of SNFU's debut album "...And No One Else Wanted to Play" with extensive extras.
  • The re-release includes a 53-page booklet with rare photos, interview excerpts, and a full record of early demos and alternate versions.
  • The exhibit features band paraphernalia, posters, t-shirts, and artwork, originally displayed at a Saskatchewan museum last summer before moving to Vegas.
  • Marc and Brent will provide guided tours at the Punk Rock Museum and participate in a roundtable discussion on December 5th.
  • The brothers describe Edmonton's early 1980s scene as intimate with only 50 people, mixing new wave, rockabilly, and emerging hardcore sounds.
  • Getting punk records in Alberta meant ordering from New York stores via mail, waiting two months, and receiving only 25% of selections.
  • Pivotal records included Bad Brains' ROIR cassette, Let Them Eat Jellybeans compilation, Sex Pistols' debut, and Minor Threat's Out of Step.
  • The LA hardcore scene heavily influenced SNFU, with bands like Circle Jerks, Social Distortion, and Youth Brigade making significant impressions.
  • SNFU formed when Marc and Brent's band lost members, recruiting bassist Curtis and drummer Evan Kaufmann based on personality over experience.
  • Singer Chi Pig brought irreverent humor and sarcastic lyrics that became central to SNFU's identity and separated them from serious hardcore bands.
  • The band recorded their debut album in two weeks with limited preparation, creating the raw energy that defined their sound.
  • Early SNFU combined hardcore speed with melodic elements, drawing from both aggressive punk and bands like The Damned and Buzzcocks.
  • The band signed with BYO Records for their second album, appreciating the DIY ethos and direct artist-to-label relationship.
  • SNFU toured extensively across North America, playing everywhere from established venues to DIY spaces and experiencing varied punk scenes nationwide.
  • The brothers discuss how the band's legacy feels incomplete, with the Trust re-release helping emphasize positive aspects of their history.
  • Brent left SNFU to attend music school, studying jazz and strings, and now works creating music for film projects.
  • Marc emphasizes Trust Records' meticulous approach, taking four years to perfect the release compared to SNFU's tendency to rush.
  • Both brothers have never visited the Punk Rock Museum and look forward to experiencing it while giving tours on December 5th.

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep527: Tales from the Stooges with Mike Watt28 Nov 202501:12:22

Mike Watt played with Iggy & The Stooges for over 10 years - today he shares all about his times with the brotherhood - Iggy, the Asheton Brothers, Steve Mackay, the comeback tours, The Weirdness, the end of the road and more!

Topics Include:

  • Mike Watt discusses new Record Store Day release: 40-minute version of "We Will Fall"
  • Without the Stooges, Watt believes punk movement wouldn't have existed as we know it
  • Played with Stooges for 126 months after Iggy Pop called him in 2003
  • First heard Funhouse in 1970-71 when most people dismissed the band entirely
  • Stooges music helped Watt recover from serious illness 25 years ago
  • Initially met Ronnie Asheton at Minutemen gigs in Detroit's Greektown neighborhood
  • Played with Ronnie in 1996 for Todd Haynes film Velvet Goldmine
  • Iggy and Ronnie hadn't spoken for 29 years before 2003 reunion
  • Watt received fateful call at Tallahassee club: "Ronnie says you're the man"
  • Iggy's first concern: Would Watt wear T-shirt instead of flannel? "Fuck yeah"
  • Thought Coachella would be one-off gig, became decade-long musical journey
  • Being youngest member at 45 allowed Watt to absorb everything from legends
  • Asheton brothers had telepathic connection, communicated through rhythm more than words
  • Lost Ronnie in 2009, Brother Steve in 2014-2015: "You always think you got time"
  • Watt never wore same T-shirt twice during entire Stooges tenure
  • One time played shirtless in New Orleans after wearing orange triggered Iggy's nightmare
  • After Ronnie died, switched from T-shirts to black flannel honouring his memory
  • Final years wore Dickies work clothes, embracing mechanic aesthetic Iggy appreciated
  • Still calls Iggy every April 21st for his birthday, ringtone is "TV Eye"
  • Instrumental tribute albums with Larry Mullins represent "paying back the debt"

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep526: Tales From The Stooges with Larry Mullins27 Nov 202500:56:35

Larry Mullins (Stooges, Swans, Nick Cave) discusses his love of the Stooges, playing with Iggy and the Asheton Brothers and shares how he and Mike Watt reworked several Stooges tracks for multiple Record Store Day releases, including a 40-minute version of "We Will Fall", available RSD-BF 2025.

Topics Include:

  • Larry Mullins discusses Stooges tribute project with Mike Watt, creating extended instrumental versions
  • Record Store Day release features 40-minute version of "We Will Fall" from the Stooges
  • Mike Watt initiated project after Steve Mackay's death as band tribute without vocals
  • Recording involves aggressive nine-minute live takes with bass representing lead vocal parts
  • Sessions happen in San Pedro with releases on seven-inch records that fade between sides
  • Songs like TV Eye, 1969, 1970, Fun House only available on limited seven-inch releases
  • Pandemic interrupted recording process, forcing creative remote collaboration between Berlin and San Pedro
  • "We Will Fall" chosen specifically because original had no drums, allowing remote recording
  • Brian Kehew mastered Rhino reissues, revealed original Stooges takes were 12-15 minutes long
  • John Cale edited and faded original lengthy jams into known three-minute song versions
  • Stooges wrote most songs at Chelsea Hotel night before recording first album sessions
  • Band originally performed as wild improvisational psychedelic jam band before structured songs
  • Recording process involved jamming songs for entire tape reel length, then editing down
  • Story reveals Steve Mackay's green saxophone matched his deteriorating health but sounded fantastic
  • Limited to 1,000 copies globally, pushing boundaries furthest of all their tribute releases

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep525: RSD with Jen Keenan - Queen B Vinyl Cafe24 Nov 202500:54:52

Jen Keenan reveals how she built a thriving vinyl destination in rural Arizona, Queen B Vinyl Cafe, combining record sales with coffee roasting, ramen, and live music in a 12,000-person town.

Topics Include:

  • Jen Keenan owns Queen B Vinyl in Cottonwood, Arizona, a unique multi-business destination spot
  • Record Store Day philosophy focuses on obscure, abstract, and smaller indie bands over mainstream releases
  • RSD features 9am opening, numbered line system, DJs, live bands, and free chair massage
  • Record stores can choose RSD titles but quantities received remain unpredictable surprises
  • Queen B Vinyl spans two buildings with courtyard, housing vinyl, cafe, barbershop, ramen house
  • Coffee roasting happens in-house alongside direct-to-garment printing press and live music stage
  • Cottonwood serves as crossroads for tourists heading to Jerome, Sedona, and Grand Canyon
  • Maynard James Keenan's presence helped amplify area's wine industry from handful to 100 wineries
  • Rural record stores require more advertising and unique inventory unavailable at big box stores
  • Used vinyl comprises 30% of inventory, with curated selection over quantity focus
  • Jen drives five hours to Tucson for quality collections like 80s metal acquisitions
  • After school music programs inspired Jen's punk rock journey from trumpet to cello
  • Band Glitter Wizard emerged from record store workplace, requiring careful schedule coordination
  • Queen B stocks diverse punk releases, carefully avoiding exclusion based on political perspectives
  • Vinyl manufacturing delays from nine-month backlog created significant challenges for store operations
  • Small town stores thrive through exceptional customer service recognizing individual preferences and needs
  • Pandemic surprisingly improved business by bringing new audiences to smaller town locations
  • Falconry hobby involves training hawks with telemetry tracking within one-mile range
  • Jen and Maynard maintain separate vinyl collections despite sharing everything else
  • Tool vinyl represses remain frustratingly delayed, creating bootleg market opportunities
  • Rural record stores serve as essential community spaces beyond commercial transactions

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep524: Population II - Randy Holden's Enduring Legacy17 Nov 202501:05:59

Guitar pioneer Randy Holden reveals how record label incompetence destroyed his 1970 masterpiece Population II, leading to depression, exile in Hawaii, and eventual vindication through cult status.

Get Population II and III at Riding Easy Records or preorder Population II reissue at Noble Records online

Topics Include:

  • Randy Holden is surprised Population II remains influential after recording it in 1970
  • He knew it would be big—there was nothing like it musically then
  • Population II was ready to release with Sun Amplifiers sponsoring monthly magazine ads
  • National promoters wanted to book shows but needed the album released first
  • Hobbit Records delayed release for eight or nine months, destroying Randy's career
  • The label wouldn't release the record or let Randy out of his contract
  • Owner Leonard Poncher's background was Latino music and auto parts wholesaling
  • Randy was creating a new form of music that became known as heavy metal
  • Poncher's lawsuit with MCA distribution completely tied up the album's release
  • Recording Population II went smoothly with Randy overdubbing all bass parts himself
  • He used four to eight amps recording through a Fender Jazz Bass
  • Engineer Hank Cicalo placed three mics at different distances for guitar tone
  • Randy pioneered mixing through car speakers instead of massive studio monitors
  • His original mix had full dynamics with sweeping highs and lows
  • Mastering engineers destroyed the mix, cutting frequencies to prevent needle skips
  • Randy joined Blue Cheer replacing Dickie Peterson but left over musical differences
  • Blue Cheer wanted shorter songs while Randy pursued extended musical compositions
  • He formed Population II with Chris Lockheed on keyboards and organ bass pedals
  • The name meant two people creating massive sound usually requiring four musicians
  • Randy's guitar journey began with Fender IV, then Sons of Adam
  • The Other Half featured Randy's early heavy guitar work before Blue Cheer
  • He recorded Guitar God album in 1997 after decades away from music
  • Nobody knows the original Population II pressing number
  • Recent remasters by engineers in New York and Smokey Taylor improved the sound
  • Randy's broken ring finger now prevents him from playing guitar properly
  • He manipulated audiences' emotions playing solos through walls of amps for thousands
  • Randy considers music like movies—"Land of the Sun" is theatrical drama
  • Playing live was his reason for living, creating heavenly musical moments
  • His legacy continues through reissues on Riding Easy Records reaching new generations

Extended and High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep523: Celebrating John Prine w Jack Prine10 Nov 202500:42:56

Jack Prine shares intimate stories about his legendary father John Prine, discusses the new "You Got Gold" movie, the history and state of "Oh Boy Records" and reveals intentions for unreleased recordings from the family archives.

Check out screenings of "You Got Gold - A Celebration of John Prine" here

Topics Include:

  • Jack Prine discusses "You Got Gold" film celebrating his father John Prine's legacy
  • Film originated through family friend connection at Radical Media, directed by Michael John Warren
  • Documentary captures 2022 Ryman concert series benefiting the Hello In There Foundation
  • Foundation started after John's death in April 2020, helping family navigate grief
  • Jack reflects on balancing family's personal grief with fans' collective loss
  • Film features collaborators like Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams sharing stories and performances
  • Many people know John Prine's songs without realizing he wrote them
  • Movie bridges generations from Dwight Yoakam to Tyler Childers and Jason Isbell
  • Tyler Childers shares quirky story about John keeping Dairy Queen coupon in wallet
  • Jack's legal name is John Patrick Prine; uses Jack to separate identity
  • Growing up in Nashville, didn't have special musicians' kids friend group
  • Jack joined family business at Oh Boy Records after college, learning the ropes
  • Worked in warehouse initially, understanding physical product and distribution fundamentals
  • Oh Boy Records started in 1984 as fiercely independent label maintaining creative control
  • Archives contain decades of unreleased recordings being carefully curated for future releases
  • Lost Dogs deluxe edition recently released with unheard track "Hey, Aw, Nothing"
  • John Prine disliked his debut album cover showing him on hay bale
  • John was technologically simple, kept flip phone until he died, browsed cars on eBay
  • 80th birthday celebration planned for October, possibly in Chicago rather than Nashville
  • Jack's lessons from father: live in the moment and always give to others

Extended and High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep522: The Soul Purpose of Bootsy Collins03 Nov 202500:32:03

Bootsy Collins shares tales of P-Funk, Praxis, Buckethead and community work, philanthropy and mental health advocacy.

Bootsy online  |  Bootsy & Buckethead single  |  "Is there Anybody Out There" podcast

Topics Include:

  • Bootsy's philanthropy and community work
  • Bootsy reveals music now has purpose beyond just making people feel good
  • "If you ain't chasing something, there's no reason to hunt" - finding new motivation
  • From chasing girls and highs on tour to discovering why he still makes music
  • Always gave back to unknown musicians like Buckethead before they became famous
  • Opens up about mental health struggles when he got "too blown up"
  • New "Metal Health" album with Buckethead addresses mental health for everyone
  • First Buckethead collaboration was 1991's "Bucketheadland" recorded in Cincinnati
  • Praxis exploded when Bill Laswell joined Bootsy, Buckethead, Bernie Worrell, and Brain
  • Complete Strangers caught King Records' attention, leading to James Brown discovering them
  • James Brown demanded everything tight; George Clinton allowed creative freedom and experimentation
  • Most P-Funk classics were created spontaneously "while the tape was running"
  • Both Bootsy and Buckethead must wear their signature headgear while recording
  • Eddie Hazel's solo album used Bootsy's instrumental tracks - George's "superhero" vision
  • Reveals George Duke's "Reach For It" is the funk hit he wishes he was on

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep521: The Raymond Pettibon Interview27 Oct 202501:05:29

In an extraordinarily rare interview, artist Raymond Pettibon discusses his journey, from early punk rock works to present day artistic themes, technique and rhythms, the Getty archives and more.

Topics Include:

  • Raymond Pettibon has been drawing constantly since childhood, "always with a pen in hand"
  • Started with crayons, pastels, pencil - India ink came later as too messy
  • Early influences included Albrecht Dürer, etchings, and comic book art equally
  • Self-taught artist who learned through trial and error, never attended art school
  • Studied economics in college, bringing analytical thinking to his art practice
  • Approaches work as fine art, not commercial art, values creative freedom
  • Rarely takes commissions - the more constraints, the less he likes it
  • Band artwork usually selected from existing drawings rather than commissioned pieces
  • Black Flag's "Nervous Breakdown" images came from his "Captive Chains" book
  • Artwork inspired by "Blackboard Jungle" film - students destroying teacher's jazz records
  • Has experience teaching, can identify with teacher-student conflicts from that period
  • Left SST Records in 1985-86 due to oppressive environment
  • Describes certain subjects he returns to repeatedly over the decades
  • Works on multiple drawings simultaneously, some remaining unfinished for years
  • Enters a meditative "fugue state" when drawing or writing
  • Never experiences artist's block - blank paper doesn't intimidate him
  • Believes he can write about any subject with natural fluency
  • Doesn't plan series - they develop organically through returning to themes
  • Sometimes works directly on gallery walls during exhibitions for coherence
  • Used to work all day and night when deeply engaged
  • Dislikes deadlines - they make work harder, not easier for him
  • Sees deadlines as triggering psychological rebellion despite wanting to please collectors
  • Hates when people suggest ideas - it "breaks the spell"
  • Admits he's not the greatest draftsman but learned on the job
  • Recently donated personal archive to Getty Research Institute for scholarly access
  • Participated in Getty's research scholar program, one artist among academics
  • Program reconnected him with economics after years away from the discipline
  • Still has unfinished drawings in studio, some over 30 years old
  • Currently creating less due to frustrations with art world dynamics
  • Values complete artistic freedom - no curator has ever asked him to change

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Photo by John Newsom

Ep520: Toody Cole - The Legacy of Dead Moon20 Oct 202500:46:50

Toody Cole of Dead Moon discusses their vinyl rarities, the DIY ethic of the band, owning a mono cutting lathe, refusing major labels, inspiring a generation of musicians around the world.

DeadMoonUSA.com  |  Zipper LP Reissue  |  Melbourne 2025 shows

Topics Include:

  • Toody Cole rushing to airport to retrieve guitar from Spain before Australian tour
  • November 2025 Melbourne shows - jumping on Jenny Don't and the Spurs tour dates
  • First time in New Zealand described as most fun tour ever - prehistoric landscapes
  • Missed Nirvana tour opportunity due to Fred's rule: never cancel committed gigs
  • Fred restored a 1954 mono cutting lathe from pieces using xeroxed manual
  • Machine had tubes like mason jars that dimmed house lights when powered up
  • First 45 cut on the lathe was "Hey Joe" and "Parchment Farm"
  • The Weeds played Vegas Teen Beat Club in the hullabaloo/shindig TV era
  • Teen Beat Records pressing was probably only 300-500 copies maximum
  • Fred never owned original Weeds single - got it back from younger sister
  • Lollipop Shop nightmare: Fred sold publishing for $1, forced into pink sweater
  • Manager claimed Fred Cole was stage name, real name "Freddy Colletti" - totally false
  • Zipper lived in their house, practiced in basement - "70s butt rock" era
  • Captain Whizeagle store name came from Fred's children's story about Snake Troopers
  • 1970 Yukon homesteading attempt broke down outside Whitehorse, changed everything
  • Dead Moon started after splitting business partnership, opening Tombstone Music in 1986
  • Kelly Manahan drew logo through dozen iterations - Fred kept demanding "gnarlier!"
  • Fred hand-cut moon into graveyard photo for first album cover artwork
  • All early Dead Moon records were mono because lathe couldn't cut stereo
  • Major labels approached during grunge explosion - Fred refused after Lollipop Shop experience
  • Seattle grunge bands were young kids attending Dead Moon's late-80s shows
  • Fred embarrassed by "godfather of grunge" label despite obvious influence on scene
  • Everything DIY: owned stores, cut masters, designed covers, kept all control
  • Portland celebrates Dead Moon Night annually on October 5th with cover bands
  • Fred handpicked songs for Echoes compilation - now 4LP vinyl box set
  • 2017 final European tour with Fred already sick from bone cancer
  • Fred passed November 2017 leaving unfinished songs Toody can only hear mentally
  • House is unofficial Dead Moon museum: lathe, stampers, posters, worn cowboy boots
  • New documentary coming with backstage footage showing band's view of audiences
  • Toody's favorite Dead Moon song "My Escape" was never performed live

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep519: Inside Levitation, Greenway & Reverb Records w/ Harry Portnof13 Oct 202501:21:30

Record nerd Harry Portnof started Greenway Records, revived Reverb Appreciation Society, and now leads Levitation's label operations - today we discuss the elaborate vinyl variants and the clear passion for music the Levitation festival inspires.

Topics Include:

  • Harry Portnof runs Greenway Records, Levitation, and Reverberation Appreciation Society labels.
  • Dad blasted southern rock and Allman Brothers at excessive volumes throughout childhood.
  • Discovered dad's CD collection, dove deep into classic rock discographies.
  • Taught himself guitar in high school after getting kicked off tennis team.
  • Found grandmother's records in attic with broken turntable playing in mono.
  • Mesmerized by grooves holding information, felt more futuristic than digital files.
  • Got Project turntable in college, started seriously collecting vinyl records.
  • College dorm had file sharing programs to download everyone's music collections.
  • Became obsessed with seven-inch singles and exclusive B-side hunting on Discogs.
  • Studied accounting, got CPA, worked Manhattan while spending money on records.
  • Brooklyn DIY scene 2010-12: Death by Audio, Glasslands, 285 Kent venues thriving.
  • Third Man Records inspired with collectible releases, impossible to get from New York.
  • Playing in surf rock cover band The Midnight Snacks around Long Island.
  • Started Greenway with friend Joey's pop punk band, 300 hand-screened seven-inches sold.
  • Online forum of ten new labels supporting each other, Greenway only one remaining.
  • Artist Dan Curran created lino cut covers for first thirty Greenway releases.
  • Met LA Witch outside Music Hall, promised European tour records in two months.
  • LA Witch success led to more touring bands wanting Greenway releases.
  • Met Levitation founder Rob Fitzpatrick backstage at Desert Daze festival in California.
  • Pandemic hit, launched Levitation Sessions producing concert films with thirty bands.
  • Suddenly working with dream artists like Ty Segall and The Oh Sees.
  • Levitation started as Austin Psych Fest in 2008, became major three-day festival.
  • Flash flood disaster canceled festival one year despite bands and fans arriving.
  • Austin's psych legacy rooted in 13th Floor Elevators and Rocky Erickson era.
  • Levitation Sessions are filmed concerts; Live at Levitation are actual festival recordings.
  • King Gizzard bootleg program allows labels to press their live shows freely.
  • Learned vinyl manufacturing hands-on at New Jersey plant, experimenting with color pours.
  • Most proud of Frankie and the Witch Fingers KEXP recording for Record Store Day.
  • Market tightened post-pandemic, had to adjust pressing quantities and strategy accordingly.
  • Creates regional variants for Australia, UK, EU retailers using Precision Record Pressing.

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep518: Year One of Absolute Elsewhere w/ Blood Incantation06 Oct 202501:03:45

Paul Riedl and Morris Kolontyrsky of Blood Incantation discuss the incredible 1st year of the album "Absolute Elsewhere", how it's transformed their lives and art, the creation of the record, the band's deep interest in vinyl collecting and lots more.

Enter to win a signed vinyl copy of "Absolute Elsewhere" by becoming a sponsor at Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Topics Include:

  • Absolute Elsewhere transformed their lives: bigger venues, mainstream press, entirely new audiences.
  • Album allows new stage production; band already writing faster than ever before.
  • Now headlining shows in US; Europe tours were always headliners, just smaller.
  • Forbes called it one of most important death metal records in history.
  • Record serves as gateway, exposing listeners to extreme metal and progressive influences.
  • Vinyl LP format is their artistic endpoint; last two albums are side-long tracks.
  • Twenty-minute sides provide perfect breathing room for their narrative-driven compositions and riffs.
  • Maxed out Pro Tools voices at Hansa Studios during Absolute Elsewhere recording sessions.
  • First three records recorded live on analog tape; complete takes, minimal punch-ins.
  • Absolute Elsewhere used hybrid approach: drums on tape, then built digitally with Arthur.
  • Recording live on tape creates collective synergy and tension they want captured.
  • Band uses Oblique Strategies cards; asks "what would Trey, Chuck, or Eno do?"
  • Paul designs all layouts; collects test pressings and creates prototype covers himself.
  • Searching for roughly 200 more records; has specific rare pressings in mind.
  • Weakling's Dead as Dreams LP extremely rare; basement flood destroyed most copies.
  • Double album versus double LP distinction: complementary discs versus interrupted single work.
  • Songs start with riffs that suggest where to go; excitable band keeps moving.
  • Timewave Zero was critical palate cleanser enabling more holistic collaborative approach forward.
  • Tangerine Dream collaboration manifested unexpectedly; Thorsten used vintage Edgar Froese Mellotron samples.
  • Future dreams include Brian Eno, Steve Roach; already have secret collaborations lined up.

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep517: Preserving the Westbound Sound29 Sep 202501:11:13

Mastering Engineer Dave Gardner & Audio Archivist Catherine Vericolli discuss the preservation of the Westbound Records audio catalogue, including the masters of legendary recordings by Funkadelic, The Counts, Ohio Players & more.

Topics Include:

  • Dave Gardner (mastering engineer) and Catherine Vericoli (archivist) introduce their specialized roles
  • Mastering serves as link between creative process and manufacturing standards
  • Catherine transfers analog tapes to highest possible digital quality preservation
  • Physical restoration work includes extensive mold and splice remediation tasks
  • Much archival work involves "audio archaeology" detective work with clues
  • Working backwards from incomplete information when documentation is missing completely
  • Common assumption that old records were always done "the right way"
  • Reality reveals beloved records often weren't made using proper methods
  • Got rare access to examine entire Westbound Records collection together
  • Westbound Records started late 1960s by distributor Armin Bolodian in Detroit
  • Detroit-based independent label achieved regional success with multiple hit records
  • Funkadelic, Ohio Players, Detroit Emeralds were among their major successful acts
  • Complete catalog reissue approach rather than cherry-picking just popular hits
  • Assets moved between multiple locations over decades, not everything returned
  • Found various generations and copies of tapes for each release
  • Maggot Brain original masters were believed to be permanently missing
  • Discovery of missing masters hidden in completely unmarked white archive boxes
  • Original tape playback speeds rarely match speeds of vinyl releases
  • Spent entire week meticulously fine-tuning correct playback speeds for accuracy
  • Academic ethnomusicologist confirmed musical key was wrong on commercial releases
  • Many recent European reissues contain fundamentally inaccurate speed and sound
  • Double 45 RPM format avoids sonic compromises required for long sides
  • 27-minute album sides on 33 RPM required major audio quality sacrifices
  • All-analog cutting process preserves original sound character without digital conversion
  • Unreleased material exists primarily in unprocessed multitrack tape format only
  • Dennis Coffey played guitar on many more Funkadelic recordings than known
  • Analog tape degradation accelerating rapidly, especially problematic for digital formats
  • Cultural preservation mission drives their passionate collaborative archival restoration work
  • Asset paranoia and trust issues affect access to important historical recordings
  • Primary motivation remains saving irreplaceable music for all future generations

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Ep516: Punk Cinema with Kevin Smith & Josh Roush08 Sep 202500:55:26

Kevin Smith and Josh Roush discuss punk cinema and share how the DIY ethos of punk rock influenced both their filmmaking careers and their lifelong love of music and vinyl records.

September 20 at the Punk Rock Museum - book now!

Topics Include:

  • Josh Roush introduces his punk rock film "Wrong Reasons" screening at Punk Rock Museum
  • Film described as dramedy about fan kidnapping singer to clean her up
  • Josh discovered punk through Rancid track in Beavis and Butthead movie
  • Kevin Smith joins, reveals his rebellion was hip hop not punk rock
  • Kevin explains his DIY punk ethos despite loving Run DMC and Public Enemy
  • Jason Reitman told Kevin that "Clerks" is essentially a punk rock song
  • Kevin compares his film career to Anthrax (the band not the disease)
  • Josh wrote "Wrong Reasons" for his love of punk rock
  • Discussion of Punk Rock Museum displays including Lemmy's boots and Germs footage
  • John Hughes soundtracks praised for passionate music curation and detailed planning
  • Kevin reveals his vinyl collection started with father's stolen postal records
  • Heavy Metal Parking Lot documentary celebrated as authentic snapshot of 1980s culture
  • Josh secured soundtrack through Tim Armstrong connections, most artists said yes immediately
  • Licensing music from Black Flag, The Wipers, L7 and more.
  • Kevin shares $400,000 Fleetwood Mac "Tusk" song licensing horror story from film
  • Lindsay Buckingham put "fuck you" price on track, producers paid anyway
  • Vinyl collecting discussed as communal church-like experience for non-religious people
  • Josh rips personal vinyl at high quality for authentic movie soundtrack pops
  • September 20th museum screening includes Q&A, signed posters, and bar party

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

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