The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds
Alle afleveringen
587 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
-
Ep571: Fountains of Wayne Returns! with Chris Collingwood
2 november 2026 · 1 uur 13 min
Fountains of Wayne's Chris Collingwood talks about bringing the band back after Adam Schlesinger's death, pros and cons of "Stacy's Mom," songwriting memories and what's next for the band. Lees meer
Topics Include:
Fountainheads, Elle Macpherson and kangaroos: Chris's surreal first Australian visit.
Late bandmate Adam's presence, and how punk-bred Max reshapes the sound.
Beatles, boarding-school hand-me-downs, Moody Blues and UK post-punk: formative records.
Rickie Lee Jones obsession, and why Chris refuses the nostalgia circuit.
"Stacy's Mom": Chris argued against recording it, fearing novelty-act status.
Welcome Interstate Managers' anything-goes plan; Sky Full of Holes' unresolved fights.
Debut written in one afternoon; Adam built thirty years on it.
Napkin song titles at the Radio Bar launched the band.
Drunk sessions, the "dumbest" co-writes, and Adam's resistance to criticism.
Breath-friendly rewrites, "gerbil" over "hamster," and finishing Adam's half-written "Sick Day."
How Chris darkened "Sick Day," and learning to edit after Utopia Parkway.
A Gordon Lightfoot tangent, and Adam A/B-ing mixes against "Jessie's Girl."
Title-first Adam versus structure-breaking Chris on "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart."
Proudest songs: "Cemetery Guns" played at a real military funeral.
"Senator's Daughter" began as "Tape Recorder"; "Mexican Wine" imitates Chris.
Why Chris prefers Bowie-style ambiguity, and twenty years sober.
The narrator isn't the singer, plus a provocative take on Pearl Jam.
Adam's cynicism: the Stones and Clash as cons, songwriting as craft.
"Richie and Ruben," Adam's failed-business obsession, and a name-dropping critique.
Unreleased outtakes, and why re-recording "Stacy's Mom" hit a snag.
New Fountains of Wayne music is underway, and it might be jazzy.
Fans thinking the singer died, a Yokohama arena, and Bowling for Soup.
A late roadie's haunting "Survival Car," and the magic of fan covers.
Weezer's TikTok revival, music outliving its ma…
-
Ep570: Full Throttle with Deniz Tek of Radio Birdman
26 oktober 2026 · 52 min
Radio Birdman's Deniz Tek shares tales from his memoir Full Throttle, from early Stooges & MC5 memories, Lou Reed's part of the Radio Birdman story, becoming a doctor, flight surgeon and piloting the band through their final 50th-anniversary shows. Lees meer
"Full Throttle" book here | Deniz' solo work
Topics Include:
Deniz Tek joins from Hawaii, crediting moderation and coffee for longevity.
His memoir Full Throttle arrives October 27th.
Birdman documentaries revealed bandmates' hidden frustrations and poor communication.
Murray Engelhart's Retaliate First illuminated the scene surrounding the band.
Mum taught him to read; his Turkish migrant dad drove achievement.
Engineering at Michigan, then medicine, partly to dodge his dad's classes.
A non-rock-loving father still bought his first electric guitar.
Mum's old 78s, then Beach Boys and Beatles records with allowance.
First sighting of Iggy: behind the counter at Discount Records.
MC5's high energy versus the Psychedelic Stooges' oil-drum noise experiments.
How the Stooges lifted jazz riffs the night before recording.
Three months of lessons, then learning guitar by ear from records.
Australia's vibrant 1967 scene had become stale covers by 1972.
AC/DC as early rivals; Birdman skipped the suburban pub slog.
A Lou Reed no-show launched the Oxford Hotel residency.
Rob Younger, already a fan, loved Deniz's firsthand Detroit stories.
Music first, medicine second: a day job buys creative freedom.
Flow state links medicine, flying, and music, alongside discipline and checklists.
Emergency medicine's surprises and over 100,000 patients seen.
Joining the Navy as a lieutenant; guards saluting his car.
Playing Philippine bars with shipboard band Dust in the Rotor Heads.
New Race bootlegs traced to Ron Asheton's sold rough-mix cassette.
Albert Studios tape stash discovered; New Race reissue now underway.
Ending Radio Birdman at 50 years and the setlist-building dilemma.
Prime Minister Albanese hangs backstag…
-
Ep569: Circle Jerks' Revenge of Nervous Breakdown with Joey Castillo
20 oktober 2026 · 56 min
Circle Jerks drummer Joey Castillo reveals the story behind the new "Revenge of Nervous Breakdown" record, the importance of Raymond Pettibon cover art and what's next for the Keith Morris-fronted juggernaut. Lees meer
Preorder Circle Jerks "Revenge of Nervous Breakdown" single here - or here in the UK
Topics Include:
Joey returns from tour and adjusts to life back home.
Tour life, family logistics, and dogs that act up when he's away.
How a Circle Jerks Black Flag single came together.
Fans kept asking for Black Flag songs; Keith said no pressure.
Road-testing Depression, Revenge and Nervous Breakdown at European festivals.
Why Joey calls Keith Morris the blueprint for every Black Flag singer.
Everything Went Black versions became Joey's template for the songs.
The first Black Flag EP and Keith's staccato vocal delivery.
Recording live, in set order, at Tim Armstrong's studio.
Keith rejects the first take: "That doesn't sound like us."
Pillow out of the kick drum; the second take nails it.
The closing block where these songs send crowds bananas.
Other contenders discussed: Gimme Gimme Gimme and Louie Louie.
Discovering Nervous Breakdown via older friends and Rodney on the ROQ.
Growing up in Gardena, where skating and punk went hand in hand.
South Bay bands like Redd Kross, Descendents and Nip Drivers.
A neighbour's red sparkle kit and an instant connection.
Self-taught by playing along to records, no formal lessons.
A friend's tip lands him the Wasted Youth gig as a teen.
Fixing bad habits, practice pads, and Neil Peart's mid-career reinvention.
Learning by watching Lucky Lehrer, Chuck Biscuits, Bill Stevenson and Spit Stix.
Replacing Chuck Biscuits and Dave Grohl: respect what's already there.
Why Chuck Biscuits remains his favourite drummer to watch.
Still feeling like a kid behind the kit at 60.
Dream gigs: Bon Scott-era AC/DC, Iggy Pop, and Cheap Trick.
A short reunion stretches into 2027, plus the Repo Man shows.
Keith's legendary stage rap…
-
Ep568: Mark Arm - Mudhoney, The Saints 73-78
16 oktober 2026 · 46 min
Ahead of Mudhoney's Australian tour, Mark Arm talks vinyl rarities, bootlegs, Australian imports that blew Seattle's mind, and the daunting task of singing Chris Bailey's songs in The Saints 73–78. Lees meer
Mudhoney's Aussie Tour Info & Tix here | The Saints 73-78 Aussie Tour Info here
Topics Include:
Mark Arm preps for Mudhoney's Australian tour, then the Saints.
He's worked at Sub Pop's warehouse for 21 years.
Not a collector anymore; he's cleaning out via Discogs.
Bandcamp lets fans try before buying; vinyl prices feel abhorrent.
The rarest "Touch Me I'm Sick"? The plain black radio copies.
Sub Pop's colored "Loser Edition" first runs get band input.
Holding Mr. Epp's first seven-inch felt unbelievable at age 20.
A cheeky flyering campaign caught the eye of Seattle's Pravda label.
Rodney on the ROQ played them, briefly charting above Toni Basil.
Music wasn't a career, just entertaining bored suburban friends.
Rock records were banned at home; his mother loved classical.
He smuggled forbidden seven-inches home under his coat.
Radio staples like "Radar Love" gave way to Cosmo's Factory.
Devo on Saturday Night Live was a Beatles-on-Ed-Sullivan moment.
He thought bands needed virtuosos, until friends started making noise.
Downtown punks, he realised, came from the same suburbs.
Steve Albini tipped him off to the Saints' Prehistoric Sounds.
A surf chat in Torquay sparked Saints 73–78.
Nailing Chris Bailey's phrasing and facing Saints purists felt daunting.
New Saints material? Ed has old songs; Mark's open.
Tom Hazelmyer ran Amphetamine Reptile from a Marine barracks footlocker.
His holy grail: Randy Holden's Population II, found in Vienna.
Records as time machines: even bad Jefferson Starship lyrics stick.
Doo-wop's market vanished, Stones records stall, yet Rumours keeps repressing.
His wife's first Stones album? Black and Blue, a stubbed-toe start.
Early Mudhoney bootlegs, possibly Long Gone John's, felt like a badge.
Deep Six codified Seattle'…
-
Ep567: Beastie Boys' Licensed to Ill at 40 with Ben Merlis
12 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 36 min
Author Ben Merlis traces the Beastie Boys' wild leap from young hardcore punks to rap's first number-one album, revealing the rare records, recordings and scrapped ideas behind Licensed to Ill. Lees meer
Pick up "Licensed To Ill at 40" book here
Topics Include:
How a short 2017 article landed Ben Merlis this book deal
Why the Beasties' punk-to-rap story fits Ben's two obsessions perfectly
The process of writing the book
Pollywog Stew: an unknown pressing run
How a Black Flag show sparked the Beastie Boys' hardcore beginnings
The Upper Broadway loft where they formed, demoed and played first
Lucky, well-connected teens, and why young genres are meritocracies
Scrapping an EP, crank-calling Carvel, and stumbling into Cookie Puss
Downtown dance-punk, and sets that switched from hardcore to rapping
Def Jam's surprising origins as Rick Rubin's punk label
Meeting Rubin over a bubble machine; Kate Schellenbach gets pushed out
Rubin, Dr. Dre, Hurricane: were the Beastie Boys' DJs really members?
Rock Hard & Beastie Groove
Def Jam's collectible burgundy-sleeve era, and how to spot them
British Airways steals Beastie Revolution and pays out $40,000
The settlement money buys an 808 instead of a Rickenbacker
No band cooperation, then a surprise interview with Mike D
The grief behind the jokes: losing parents young
Counting the White Castle references on License to Ill
Opening for Madonna at $500 a night with fifteen minutes' material
Recording Licensed to Ill, and pinning down its real release date
Fight for Your Right: written last-minute on Palladium cocktail napkins
MTV, race and radio: how they scored rap's first number one
The album's shockingly offensive working title, and why CBS killed it
The crashing-plane cover, Led Zeppelin worship and uncleared samples
A runaway tour, alienated fans and a messy split from Def Jam
Rubin blocks their movie, royalties stop, and lawsuits follow
Legacy: everything dope and whack about the 80s in one album
Rare pressi…
-
Ep566: Chad Channing - Love Buzz, Bleach & Early Nirvana
28 september 2026 · 1 uur 9 min
Original Nirvana drummer Chad Channing shares stories from the Bleach era, Love Buzz single & other collectables, getting knocked out by Chris's bass and digging through his rare vinyl. Lees meer
Topics Include:
Chad's prized find: an original Australian Dirty Deeds from a rummage sale
Hunting a Bill Evans record, and why jazz demands clean vinyl
Dad played LA jazz bass; Mom once sang with Chet Baker
How jazz quietly shaped his "drummer for the song" philosophy
Describing his drumming style in one word: adaptive
Nirvana's only instruction when he joined: powerful but simple
Coming from a math rock band with 13-part songs
The one time Kurt openly praised his drumming: In Bloom
How "About a Girl" got its name from Chad
Kurt finishing Bleach lyrics in a notebook while driving to the studio
Shelved songs, lost tapes, and Chad's forgotten cassette in the box set
Owning Love Buzz single #3; Kurt had #1, Chris #2
His blank-label Bleach test pressing, housed in a homemade cover
Nate authenticates Chad's Australian Waterfront blue vinyl live on air
The ultra-rare purple Waterfront pressing and why most were destroyed
Swirled Sub Pop variants, and why he's never played some
Knocked out by Chris's bass at the Bleach cover photo show
Tracy Marander's undeveloped rolls of never-seen Nirvana photos
Sub Pop steering early decisions while the band went along
Packed European shows: the moment they realized something big was happening
The Blew EP and its gynecologist-chair cover he never chose
Hiding under the drum riser with Kurt as bottles flew
Stuck alone in a broken Manchester elevator for half an hour
His European tour posters, including the coveted Lush show poster
Could his beat-up distortion pedal be Kurt's missing Astoria pedal?
A gifted Mustang, his kit at MoPOP, and heirlooms for his kids
Smart Studios sessions, and Dave Grohl keeping his drum parts
Here She Comes Now, Sappy, and becoming a Nirvana fan afterward
MS, a childhood leg injury, and a memoir…
-
Ep565: Coop - Poster Boy, Record Collector
21 september 2026 · 55 min
From teenage Flaming Lips flyers to Nirvana and Soundgarden posters and record covers galore, Coop shares art-creation stories and the chaos of his record collection. Lees meer
Grab one of Coop's "Poster Boy" books here!
Topics Include:
Introduces Poster Boy, his massive new career-spanning art book
Kickstarter (via Zoop) already blew past $40k raised
Coop admits he's "too much" of a record collector
Closing in on 10,000 records, out of shelf space
3,000-4,000 are 45s he actively spins as a DJ
Recalls chasing UK punk records early in his Discogs days
Loves Jamaican 45s for their rough, charming pressings
Tells story of scoring a stash of 60s garage 45s
Traces another haul to a Miami DJ's Jamaica trips
Confesses completist streak for The Fall, Guided by Voices
Owns up to buying every Bandcamp vinyl color variant
Prefers Bandcamp since money goes straight to the band
Talks Austin's record fair and reconnecting with old LA dealers
Describes current obsession hunting weird beatnik novelty 45s
Buys mostly on vibes and wild, bizarre label artwork
Explains how he broke into art through poster connections
Credits Greg Shaw and Long Gone John's Sympathy label
Became a top poster artist alongside Frank Kozik
Poster work opened the door to major record covers
Tells the wild origin story of the Lords of Acid cover
Discusses keeping Discogs updated for his family's future
Shares recent grails: a Beefheart 45, rare beatnik pressing
Explains his (mostly) organized system for shelving and DJ crates
Talks trading doubles, then wraps with a final Poster Boy plug
High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide
-
Ep564: Laura Jane Grace - Record Collector
14 september 2026 · 54 min
Laura Jane Grace opens up about tours and donating gear to the Punk Rock Museum, her massive vinyl obsession, the wild story behind her first Against Me! record and more. Lees meer
Topics Include:
Nate and Laura Jane Grace preview her Punk Rock Museum dates
She's donating her amp, guitar, and clothes, mostly for storage space
Museum's jam room lets visitors actually play donated instruments
Her photo greets everyone entering the Punk Rock Museum
Favorite museum artifact: Joe Strummer's last bag of weed
LJG is an avid vinyl collector who abandoned CDs entirely
Her collection fills Ikea shelves plus boxes of seven-inches
She now collects complete artist discographies, especially posthumously
Bowie's late career shows the appeal of complete discographies
She's donating a rare, flawed first-pressing Against Me record
Physical vinyl feels more meaningful to her than streaming stats
Reinventing Axl Rose has hundreds of variants; she's wary of the trend
Axl Rose has never publicly acknowledged their tribute record
She loves browsing new-arrival shelves during unhurried store visits
Their first pressed record had accidental distortion, but still sold
Touring made scheduling test pressings a constant headache
Warner Brothers surprisingly gave White Crosses back to the band
Her label, Total Treble, drew lessons from mentor Fat Mike
She worries algorithm-driven social media and AI hurt musicians
Her teenage son's DIY punk scene offers genuine hope
She discusses redemption debates and a German venue's IDF controversy
She closes by naming favorite record stores worldwide
High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide
-
Ep563: WTF Happened To Punk In The Park?
7 september 2026 · 56 min
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. Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: h…
-
Ep562: The Discipline of Tony Levin
24 augustus 2026 · 51 min
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. Lees meer
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…
-
Ep561: Chad Kassem & The Road to The Vinyl Summit
19 augustus 2026 · 55 min
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. Lees meer
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: Octobe…
-
Ep560: Captain Sensible of The Damned
17 augustus 2026 · 47 min
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. Lees meer
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
Te…
-
Ep559: Rhino Records Co-Founder Richard Foos
10 augustus 2026 · 1 uur
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. Lees meer
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 sca…
-
Ep558: John McCrea of CAKE
3 augustus 2026 · 32 min
John McCrea of CAKE discusses their elusive catalogue on vinyl, rarities of the band, upcoming Australian tour, new recordings, record nerdery and more. Lees meer
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 …
-
Ep557: The Secret Return of Neurosis with Steve Von Till
27 juli 2026 · 1 uur 4 min
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. Lees meer
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" re…
-
Ep556: Shapel Lacey - Punk, Comedy & Rising Above
20 juli 2026 · 1 uur 2 min
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. Lees meer
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/…
-
Ep555: The Taj Mahal Interview
6 juli 2026 · 52 min
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. Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/V…
-
Ep554: Everlast - From Rhyme Syndicate to Embers to Ashes
29 juni 2026 · 44 min
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. Lees meer
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…
-
Ep553: The Ghosts That Haunt Peter Hook
22 juni 2026 · 46 min
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. Lees meer
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: …
-
Ep552: The Gospel According to Swamp Dogg
15 juni 2026 · 1 uur 10 min
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. Lees meer
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 …
-
Ep551: Lydia Lunch - Confrontationalist, Poet, No Wave Pioneer
1 juni 2026 · 52 min
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. Lees meer
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 wit…
-
Ep550: Black Flag Vocalist Max Zanelly
20 mei 2026 · 36 min
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. Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide
-
Ep549: Dave Markey & The Secret Lives of Bill Bartell
18 mei 2026 · 1 uur 18 min
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. Lees meer
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 …
-
Jack Douglas (1945-2026) - The Vinyl Guide interview
13 mei 2026 · 2 uur 12 min
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. Lees meer
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 re…
-
Ep548: After the Astronaut - Butthole Surfers' Lost Album w Paul Leary & King Coffey
11 mei 2026 · 58 min
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. Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon M…
-
Ep547: Greg Ginn - Black Flag, SST Records
27 april 2026 · 1 uur 7 min
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. Lees meer
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 everythin…
-
Ep546: One-Step Audiophile Vinyl w Tom Grover Biery
21 april 2026 · 1 uur 19 min
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. Lees meer
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, Je…
-
Ep545: Zev Feldman Returns for Record Store Day 2026
13 april 2026 · 1 uur 5 min
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. Lees meer
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 …
-
Ep544: Zakk Wylde - Ozzy's Final Chapter, Pantera's Future, and Black Label Society
8 april 2026 · 21 min
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. Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide
-
Ep543: Remembering Rozz Williams & Christian Death
7 april 2026 · 49 min
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. Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide
-
Ep542: Music Documentary Producer Jeanne Elfant Festa
2 april 2026 · 57 min
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. Lees meer
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 …
-
Ep541: TV Smith - 50 Years of The Adverts
30 maart 2026 · 42 min
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. Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide
-
Ep540: Swami John Reis - Record Collector
23 maart 2026 · 1 uur 1 min
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. Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide
-
Ep539: Dr Strange Records' Summer Bash Festival
18 maart 2026 · 50 min
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. Lees meer
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 cowbe…
-
Ep538: John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants Returns!
16 maart 2026 · 55 min
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 Lees meer
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
Apple: …
-
Ep537: Bongo Fury at 50 – Zappa, Beefheart and the Vaultmeister
9 maart 2026 · 1 uur 1 min
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. Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tv…
-
Ep536: Danny Goldberg - Bumping Into Geniuses (Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, & more)
23 februari 2026 · 1 uur 3 min
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. Lees meer
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
Da…
-
Ep535: Making Music & Vinyl History w Producer Plug
10 februari 2026 · 1 uur 6 min
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. Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide
-
Chuck Negron (1942-2026) - The Vinyl Guide interview
7 februari 2026 · 52 min
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. Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com…
-
Ep534: Celebrating Chess Records with Steve Jordan
2 februari 2026 · 1 uur 1 min
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. Lees meer
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
Willi…
-
Ep533: Exploring the Pusciverse with Carina Round
26 januari 2026 · 59 min
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. Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide
-
Ep532: Lucinda Williams in a World Gone Wrong
19 januari 2026 · 56 min
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 Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide
-
Ep531: Erik "Smelly" Sandin of NOFX
12 januari 2026 · 42 min
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. Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide
-
Ep530: Tales of The Ramones with Monte A Melnick
5 januari 2026 · 55 min
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. Lees meer
"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 use…
-
Ep529: Johnny Brennan of The Jerky Boys
22 december 2025 · 50 min
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. Lees meer
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 band…
-
Ep528: The Legacy of SNFU with Brent & Marc Belke
1 december 2025 · 52 min
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. Lees meer
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 ba…
-
Ep527: Tales from the Stooges with Mike Watt
28 november 2025 · 1 uur 12 min
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! Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/…
-
Ep526: Tales From The Stooges with Larry Mullins
27 november 2025 · 57 min
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. Lees meer
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
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide
-
Ep525: RSD with Jen Keenan - Queen B Vinyl Cafe
24 november 2025 · 55 min
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. Lees meer
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
… -
Ep524: Population II - Randy Holden's Enduring Legacy
17 november 2025 · 1 uur 6 min
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. Lees meer
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 af…