The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds

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

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

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

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

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

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

Paul Riedl and Morris Kolontyrsky of Blood Incantation discuss the incredible 1st year of the album "Absolute Elsewhere", how it's transformed their lives and art, the creation of the record, the band's deep interest in vinyl collecting and lots more. Enter to win a signed vinyl copy of "Absolute Elsewhere" by becoming a sponsor at Patreon.com/VinylGuide Topics Include: Absolute Elsewhere transformed their lives: bigger venues, mainstream press, entirely new audiences. Album allows new stage production; band already writing faster than ever before. Now headlining shows in US; Europe tours were always headliners, just smaller. Forbes called it one of most important death metal records in history. Record serves as gateway, exposing listeners to extreme metal and progressive influences. Vinyl LP format is their artistic endpoint; last two albums are side-long tracks. Twenty-minute sides provide perfect breathing room for their narrative-driven compositions and riffs. Maxed out Pro Tools voices at Hansa Studios during Absolute Elsewhere recording sessions. First three records recorded live on analog tape; complete takes, minimal punch-ins. Absolute Elsewhere used hybrid approach: drums on tape, then built digitally with Arthur. Recording live on tape creates collective synergy and tension they want captured. Band uses Oblique Strategies cards; asks "what would Trey, Chuck, or Eno do?" Paul designs all layouts; collects test pressings and creates prototype covers himself. Searching for roughly 200 more records; has specific rare pressings in mind. Weakling's Dead as Dreams LP extremely rare; basement flood destroyed most copies. Double album versus double LP distinction: complementary discs versus interrupted single work. Songs start with riffs that suggest where to go; excitable band keeps moving. Timewave Zero was critical palate cleanser enabling more holistic collaborative approach forward. Tangerine Dream collaboration manifested unexpectedly; Thorsten used vintage Edgar Froese Mellotron samples. Future dreams include Brian Eno, Steve Roach; already have secret collaborations lined up. High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide 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

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

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

Hüsker Dü & UltraBomb bassist Greg Norton discusses the Miracle Year of 1985, vinyl rarities, the archive fire, Reflex records, the making of Zen Arcade, the Punk Rock Museum and more See Greg at the Punk Rock Museum Sept 9 | Preorder "Hüsker Dü - The Miracle Years" here Topics Include: Greg Norton announces September 9th Punk Rock Museum guided tour and performance Norton discusses favorite museum pieces including Joe Strummer's guitar and burned DOA Stratocaster Band's archive mostly intact despite Grant Hart's 2011 house fire destroying materials Norton used to own 7,000 vinyl records but downsized after difficult moves Hüsker Dü formed through Minneapolis record store connections at Melody Lane and Cheapo Band members met when Bob Mould heard Grant Hart blasting Ramones music Northern Lights record store basement became their rehearsal space after hours Twin Tone rejected their demo, leading to self-releasing on Reflex Records Band assembled and sold first singles themselves, no distribution deals initially BREAKING NEWS: Numero Group announces "Hüsker Dü 1985: The Miracle Year" box set Previously unreleased First Avenue live recording from January 1985 finally gets release 1985 was pivotal year with 150 shows, multiple album releases across continents Band road-tested new songs before recording, sometimes writing during soundchecks Most basic tracks recorded in one or two takes maximum Zen Arcade conceived as rock opera double album from the beginning Minutemen rushed Double Nickels release to match Zen Arcade's double format Producer Spot mentored Hart and Mould while engineering at Total Access Studios Jello Biafra praised Zen Arcade as bringing "self-indulgence back to rock" Current band Ultra Bomb working on third album with rare vinyl issues Norton hopes to finally tour Australia after decades of missed opportunities Extended and high resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide Photos by @insomniac199 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