ONYX Record Press in one of the newest record plants in the world. Opening in 2023 and based in Los Angeles, founders Moe Espinosa (aka Drumcell) and Gil Tamazyan talk to use about the vision of ONYX records and help educate us on the art of vinyl production.  Interview start Why open a vinyl pressing plant in 2023? What does ONYX do different? What are common mistakes that ONYX is addressing? People can visit the pressing plant Where does the pressing waste end up? ONYX’s approach to stampers Materials, black & coloured pellet talk Are we still seeing growth in vinyl numbers? Is sound compromised by various colours and variants? Increase in warped and scuffed records What’s lead time for records at the moment? Developing new talent for pressing records Wild mastering jobs – locked grooves, vinyl tricks Making a $7,000 record out of hashish Pressing records with items inside What’s in the future for vinyl records? Impact of record weight (180g) What are the recommended sleeves for vinyl? Sequencing music for the vinyl format Interview wrap up  Extended, Commercial-Free & High Resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide Listen on Apple: https://apple.co/2Y6ORU0 Listen on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/36qhlc8

Ep424: New Pressing Plant - ONYX Record Press, Los Angeles

Nate is a record collector, music lover and vinyl maniac. Join him on his journey to discuss, share and review all things related to vinyl records. We feature stories about and interviews with musicians, artists and people of knowledge in the area of vinyl records. Additionally we share information on desirable pressings of records, how to tell a $5 pressing from a $500 pressing and care and maintenance for your cratedigging hobby.  Subscribe and share with your record-nerd friends. Cheers!

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Matt Pike (Sleep) and Coady Willis (Big Business, Melvins) discuss their latest High on Fire album "Cometh The Storm", the many vinyl variants, touring, winning a Grammy and much more. Topic Include:  Coady and Matt fighting with Zoom Great response to the new album When is it time to do a new High on Fire album The process of writing a new album Lessons learnt with Melvins brought to High on Fire Any outtakes or over-recording? Involvement in the vinyl variants Quantities of vinyl pressings Forming and sequencing the album Where Matt keeps his Grammy Memories of Lemmy Reaction when the Grammy nomination was announced Busting Coady’s chops Touring the new LP first in Europe Is post-Covid touring normalizing? Potential Australian tour dates to be announced? Integrating tours with various other bands What’s up with Big Business? Balancing multiple bands Sleep Dopesmoker pot leaf vinyl from Third Man Al is great at marketing and merch ideas The Sleep Vault materials The recent reissue of “The Art of Self Defence” Interview wrap up  Get High on Fire "Cometh The Storm" on vinyl here. Commercial-Free & High Resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide Listen on Apple: https://apple.co/2Y6ORU0 Listen on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/36qhlc8

Ep447: Matt Pike & Coady Willis of High on Fire

DEAD and We Empty Rooms regularly releases extremely ambitious vinyl packages and boxsets. Today we speak with proprietor Jem on the making of these collections, the recent "Burn Us Clean" 9-7" boxset, working with Hard-Ons, Melvins and what's next for this creative label. Topic Include:  Zoom anxiety / interview start Jem’s skills in manufacturing and music Keeping limits of record numbers Variations of “The Laughing Shadow” Using various record pressing plants and materials Manufacturing challenges Discovering records – much cheaper than CDs Zenith records made the “Burn Us Clean” records Deciding to make a boxset of 9 – 7” records Working with 9 other bands to have b-sides for each single The Melvins and Hard-Ons split – 70g 7” Hard-Ons 30 Years boxset Guidance from Hard-Ons for their boxset Recording the new album with all-analogue intentions Announcing their new Double Album The various versions of “Burn Us Clean” boxset The logistics of coordinating “Burn Us Clean” boxset Minimal guidance given to the other bands Packaging for the “Burn Us Clean” boxset The surprise flexi-disc Will DEAD consider another major boxset? Hand-silkscreened record sleeves Upcoming new double LP set Other projects with ambitiously underestimated complexities The endearing qualities of hand-crafted record packaging Interview wrap up  Follow DEAD and We Empty Rooms' Bandcamp pages here. Extended, Commercial-Free & High Resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide Listen on Apple: https://apple.co/2Y6ORU0 Listen on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/36qhlc8

Ep446: Handmade Vinyl Boxsets of DEAD and We Empty Rooms

Dweezil Zappa returns to The Vinyl Guide to share stories of Frank, the recordings, Frank's record collection, an unreleased track with Eddie Van Halen, discuss his tour celebrating 50 years of "Roxy & Elsewhere", "Apostrophe'" and more!  The changing world of touring 50 years since “Roxy & Elsewhere” & “Apostrophe” Memories of the making of Roxy and Apostrophe "Roxy and Elsewhere" arrangements and approach for live shows Frank’s approach to being “in the moment” in a guitar solo Dweezil’s live interaction with other band members The Rox(postroph)y  touring band Did Dweezil recognize the uniqueness of his upbringing? Dweezil’s history with playing guitar Seeing the guitar neck as shapes Working with his dad and musicians that were around the house Frank’s response to Dweezil becoming a musician How did Frank look back on “Roxy & Elsewhere” and “Apostrophe”? Various entry points to Frank’s music Does Dweezil have his father’s archivist mentality Dweezil has had no involvement for Zappa Family Trust releases Thoughts on the recent Roxy box sets What Zappa music is Dweezil still aspiring to play? ROX(POSTROPH)Y tour plans, international tour dates? Dweezil’s version of “Stayin’ Alive” with Ozzy Osbourne Frank and Ozzy’s interactions Frank’s vinyl collection and listening habits When the Zappa family would receive Frank’s latest album Did Dweezil have any time with Randy Rhoads? The unreleased “What The Hell Was I Thinking?” track w/ Eddie Van Halen, Brian May, Angus and Malcolm Young & lots more Dweezil is remixing projects for ATMOS (Deep Purple ‘Machine Head’ recent project) The history and future of “What The Hell Was I Thinking?” Working with Brian May, Joe Walsh and Eddie Van Halen Any special guests on the ROX(POSTROPH)Y tour Dweezil’s podcast “Running with the Dweezil” Interview wrap up  Check out Dweezil's tour dates here. Extended, Commercial-Free & High Resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide Listen on Apple: https://apple.co/2Y6ORU0 Listen on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/36qhlc8

Ep445: Dweezil Zappa - Return of the Son of...

Michael Cuscuna (1948-2024) spent several decades preserving record label archives and compiling rare recordings, sessions and 'vault material' through Mosaic Records. In theis 2019 interview he discusses this fascinating journey through the vaults of Blue Note, Atlantic, Impulse and more to make this material available to music lovers around the world.  Starting his career, joining Atlantic Producer and A&R; for Atlantic Records Working with the Atlantic Records tape warehouse Early tape finds – Mingus at Antibes Convincing Ahmet Ertegun to reissue lost material Unissued material lost in a building fire Starting to document and archive Blue Note tapes Joining Blue Note, organizing the archive Finding Alfred Lion’s notes and files in Japan Obtaining the Francis Wolff photography negatives Improving the condition of the negatives and imagery Was Alfred aware of the legacy of Blue Note Records? Did Blue Note have the original artwork and cover layouts? Memories of the Blue Note Reissue Series Much of the Blue Note vault materials have been issued Trainwreck sessions that haven’t been released Blue Note artwork in the 70s and 80s Listening to hours and hours of outtakes Idea for Mosaic Records boxsets Working with various labels and rights holders for reissues Columbia reissuing Miles Davis Mosaic shift from LP to CD Deciding what’s next for Mosaic Records releases Challenges of developing boxsets Most rewarding Mosaic Releases Current pricing of Mosaic Records boxsets Story of the Monk/Coltrane at Carnagie Hall Story of the Charlie Parker / Dean Benedetti tapes Interview wrap up  Support this podcast at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide Listen on Apple: https://apple.co/2Y6ORU0 Listen on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/36qhlc8

Michael Cuscuna (1948-2024) - The Vinyl Guide Interview

Buzz Osborne and Toshi Kasai have been musical collaborators for several decades of Melvins and related releases. They discuss their partnership, history, studio lessons and memories, recording "Tarantula Heart", future releases and more.  Buzz and Toshi met at a Tool recording session Toshi and Buzz have similar humour and work ethic Melvins work on defined time schedules How “Tarantula Heart” was recorded Melvins have to re-learn the songs from Tarantula Heart Potential relation to “Plan D” recording approach Making the 20 minute track “Pain Equals Funny” How to approach playing “Tarantula Heart” tracks live Melvins activity during the pandemic Recording session with Melvins & Napalm Death Lots of Melvins unreleased material What has Buzz Learned from Toshi? Buzz would like to re-record the Atlantic albums What has Toshi learned from Buzz? How will Buzz approach the next album? Constraints during recording Trying to not overthink material Examples of sessions that were not successful Husker Du’s “Data Control” was recorded multiple times before the Helms Alee version Upcoming HAZEXXL remix of “Pain Equals Funny” / Boris split Melvins recent vinyl reissues “(A) Senile Animal” vinyl screwup Any preparation for the end of Melvins? Upcoming projects, albums Interview wrap up  Order "Tarantula Heart" at Ipecac or Blixt Merchandise Extended, Commercial-Free & High Resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide Listen on Apple: https://apple.co/2Y6ORU0 Listen on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/36qhlc8

Ep424: New Pressing Plant - ONYX Record Press, Los Angeles

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