Advertise on podcast: The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds

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

Zev Feldman returns to reveal 11 Record Store Day 2026 releases, including stunning discoveries from the legendary Joe Siegel Jazz Showcase tape archive featuring Ahmad Jamal, Yusef Lateef, Freddie King, and more never-before-heard recordings. Topics Include: Zev Feldman returns, now dubbed the "Jazz Attorney General" by Nate Feldman has 11 releases this Record Store Day — a personal record The Joe Segal tape archive is the foundation of five RSD releases Segal was an NEA Jazz Master and Chicago's greatest jazz impresario He presented legends like Lester Young starting back in 1947 Feldman first connected with Siegel around 2010-2011 via word of mouth A breakfast meeting with Siegel led to three follow-up Chicago trips The archive may be the world's largest collection of unissued jazz recordings Between 8,000 and 10,000 tapes discovered across reels, cassettes, and more Resonance is partnering with the Siegel family and Wayne Siegel on releases Joe Henderson's 1978 quartet at the Jazz Showcase is raw and electrifying Pianist Joanne Burkeen confirmed this captures exactly how the band really played Ahmad Jamal's 1976 Jazz Showcase run includes a full 26-minute Swahililand Jamal and Siegel shared a deep longstanding friendship spanning many years Yusef Lateef with Kenny Barron: a burning three-LP set from 1975 Lateef played the Jazz Showcase more than any other single artist Mal Waldron and Sonny Stitt reunite in an unusual 1979 bebop week Nate predicts Mal Waldron will be the sleeper hit of RSD 2026 Bill Evans at the BBC features performances Feldman first saw on laser disc This marks Feldman's 15th Bill Evans release — the catalog keeps growing Freddie King from the French INA archives is Nate's personal favourite of the batch Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top contributed to the Freddie King liner notes Cecil Taylor's 1969 Paris recordings premiere officially for the very first time Michel Petrucciani recordings surfaced from the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz Petrucciani died young, making these rare live documents especially precious Terry Callier's 1967 solo guitar recordings came from the Earl of Old Town Roy Hargrove Quintet captured live and burning at Berne Jazz Festival 2000 Buster Williams' debut Pinnacle gets an all-analog AAA reissue on Time Traveler This batch marks Feldman's 96th Record Store Day release across his career Feldman previews a Don Schlitten jazz photography coffee table book on Fantagraphics High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide Photo by Zak Shelby-Szyszko 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

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

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

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

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

Swami John Reis of Rocket from the Crypt and Drive Like Jehu digs deep on record collecting, the thrill of the hunt, running Swami Records, and why the next release always matters most. Get yer tix to the Punk Rock Museum's 3rd Anniversary Show here Topics Include: Swami John Reis joins to talk record collecting and Punk Rock Museum. His collection is evolving — trading old hardcore for more desired records. Collection is 95% 45s, driven by a lifelong musical pursuit. Early punk led him to hunt for MC5, Stooges, Velvet Underground. The thrill: records still exist that nobody knows about yet. Digging through boxes feels calming, healthy, and satisfying every time. Hawaii vintage shop surprise — radio station collection hidden outside for decades. Detroit and Pittsburgh are his highest strike-rate cities for finds. Always ask the clerk — the best stuff is never on the floor. Styrene vs vinyl: the label sticker is the definitive tell. Making records informed his collecting — plain white sleeves, big hole 45s. Pressing plant relationships are everything; affordability is the biggest challenge. Customs delays under the current administration are wrecking release schedules badly. Major labels scrapped their own pressing plants — now everyone competes for time. Marketing records stopped making sense; the artist always drives interest anyway. Every record is essentially limited and out of print from day one. Smaller runs mean no unsold closet stock and more collector value later. Hot Snakes packaging and Rick Griffin's creativity still inspire him deeply. Upcoming: Sultans reissue, Mrs. Magician LP, new Swami John Reis record. Schizophonics collaboration in the works — the next thing is always the thing. High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide 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

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

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

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

Danny Goldberg shares insider stories from his 50-year career as Led Zeppelin's publicist and Nirvana's manager, revealing Kurt Cobain's creative genius and the first-hand dynamics behind rock's biggest bands. Order Danny's book "Bumping Into Geniuses" here Topics Include: Danny discusses the 2026 reissue of "Bumping into Genius" Admits his turntables are mostly for show, prefers streaming now Kept about 100 vinyls including The Fugs on ESP Records Answered a Billboard ad not knowing music business existed Found his calling through enthusiasm and sensitivity to artists Became Led Zeppelin's US publicist in 1973 for Houses of the Holy The biggest band in the world had never gotten positive press Peter Grant described them as "just mild barbarians" Bonzo would arrive early to tune drums for each room's acoustics Jimmy Page avoided TV—felt it couldn't deliver Zeppelin's true sound Physical Graffiti era: Danny became Swan Song Records vice president His blues tribute pitch rejected—later repurposed for Foghat Robert Plant was eloquent and handled most press duties willingly Jimmy's Crowley interest rarely came up in day-to-day interactions Met Ringo, never John or George—All Things Must Pass is essential Nirvana's 92 Australian tour produced the Rolling Stone cover shoot Kurt's "Corporate magazines still suck" shirt was pure tightrope genius He storyboarded every Nirvana video shot by shot himself Appeared on Headbangers Ball in a dress to subvert metal culture Nevermind hit five radio formats simultaneously—unprecedented crossover success Kurt agreed to edit In Utero packaging for Walmart-only kids Fame invaded his privacy—tabloid coverage of Courtney infuriated him Depression and heroin predated fame—confirmed by Chris Novoselic Danny dismisses conspiracy theories—Seattle PD had no coverup motive Sub Pop planned "Cash Cow"—Kurt licensed it back as Incesticide Incesticide liner notes rank among Kurt's most remarkable creative statements Danny calls In Utero Kurt's best songwriting, his personal favorite Bonnie Raitt's Nick of Time gave Danny credibility to expand management John Silva brought Redd Kross, leading to Sonic Youth, then Nirvana Born Innocent documentary on Redd Kross earns Danny's recommendation High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide 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

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

Co-founder and former Three Dog Night frontman Chuck Negron (1942-2026) discusses the collectible records of his career, the early releases on small labels, the rare and recalled albums of Three Dog Night and mega-smash excesses and turnaround of his life and career. Interview from July 2022 Topics Include: Chuck's autobiography Three Dog Nightmare . Basketball was first passion growing up in Bronx schoolyards. Made first record "Oh Baby" in 1958 at age fifteen. Early releases on tiny Bronx Records label extremely rare today. Progressed through Rondelles, Marlinda, and Heart Van regional California labels. "I Dream of an Angel" became regional hit across central California. Columbia Records offered deal while playing college basketball at Hancock. Chose to finish basketball season, damaging initial Columbia Records excitement. Learned hard lesson about commitment after squandering early industry enthusiasm. Bill Sharman offered Cal State LA scholarship but chose music. Left school permanently, ending high-level basketball career for music industry. Three Dog Night formed with three lead singers sharing spotlight. Band's strategy: find great songs, not write them themselves exclusively. "One" by Harry Nilsson became breakthrough hit launching massive success. Achieved 21 consecutive Top 40 hits selling over 60 million records. "Joy to the World" became worldwide number one, band's biggest success. "Black and White" addressed racial integration as mainstream social statement message. Hard Labor's controversial birthing cover recalled after hundreds of thousands distributed. Now hosts weekly WhatNot show selling rare Three Dog Night collectibles. At 80, credits basketball training for vocal stamina and survival. High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide 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

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

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