I was obsessed like Mazzy, records were my life. My friend introduced me to vinyl in 1969, I was 11 The rest is history. 6000 albums later and then I drank the CD Koolaid and sold off which was an extensive collection. One after another until they were all gone and replaced with digital. Probably the biggest regret I ever made in my life. Now I’m rebuilding the collection with reissues at incredibly high prices. Face palm 🤦♀️ Still enjoying digging in the crates for mint used albums. I find them from time to time at good prices. Great hobby
In the 70s I'd hit the record store every Friday.The selection was amazing and if one had esoteric taste like me they were more than happy to order it for you.Those were great days.I have long since given up collecting.
Mike has good tunes playing every time. With the Macintosh speakers filling the room. I try to get in there once a week/ 2 weeks. Sometimes for pick up but also to browse. Staff is great. Enjoyed this conversation 👍🏽
Great stories about the record store and One-Stop businesses. From 1987 to 1993 I worked for a South Jersey One-Stop called Richman Brothers. We served all the mom and pop shops in the area with walk-ins and also delivered huge orders as well to some of the farther stores. They also owned a chain of 19 stores called SOUND ODYSSEY. They were all over the east coast from VA to Upstate NY. Our bigger competition was Universal one-Stop (not related to UMe at all) in Philly. Being in my early 20s and not married yet and me being the life long music nut I am it was the best job I ever had! Within a year of being there I became a buyer for certain independent labels. I bought from Important/Relativity Entertainment Dist., Caroline and a bunch of other smaller indies that carried mostly punk and metal labels like SST, Sub Pop etc. I was getting FREE SHIT mailed to me constantly. TPPT = Ticket's Parties, Promos and T-Shirts! They eventually went out of business (long story). It was right before the record biz basically took a huge shit. What a great time. 35+ years and 4 kids later I am still an avid vinyl collector. The only regret I have was selling some of the really great promo stuff I had over the years because now some of the shit is very valuable but back then we didn't know and were only making $8 an hour. I had a close relationship with 2 guys that owned mom and pops and would unload all my promos to them and get a monthly table at a record show. Had to be careful doing that tho so I had my buddy with me. I would also get a lot of full boxes of "clean" CDs or cassettes from the reps. I do still have a great record award from Metal Blade Records celebrating their 10 Anniversary 1982-1992 and sales of 6 million units (they spelled the company name wrong but it's still awesome). I also have a personalized signed Joe Satriani lithograph for Flying In Blue Dream that they gave out instead of doing gold record awards for it. I worked the shit out of that record. See pics below... Satch - i.ibb.co/MsnTxKp/thumbnail-IMG-7129.jpg Metal Blade - i.ibb.co/QCWc1Cj/thumbnail-IMG-7130.jpg Metal Blade - i.ibb.co/259V6Ws/thumbnail-IMG-7131.jpg
I really appreciated this interview, Mazzy. Mike Esposito is knowledgeable, down to earth, and strikes me as someone you'd want to have a beer with. And I don't even like alcohol.
Great video guys! I love hearing you two talk about music, and especially the insider business stuff, old and new. I hope you guys have some more videos lined up for the future.
Hi Mazzy, what a great video. This is truly one of your best. The openness and honesty of both gentlemen make this a very enjoyable video. In addition: it is educational. Thanks!
More seriously, it’s great to see you guys get together and chip away at some of the prevailing tension in the community. Well done - a nice watch and a healthy & much needed endeavour.
I worked in record stores in between these two folks, right around Los Angeles, from the late 80's to the mid 90's, during the era when CD's were king and LP's were on the way out. Interesting to see the before and after bookends around me. The mark-up on LPs and CD's during my timeframe was only 10-25%, so same as now according to Michael. That's why we also sold used, that was where we made our money.
This is excellent, Mazzy. I rarely sit down and watch “You Tube VC Videos” anymore. I just don’t have the patience. But interviews like this, with content that has some substance, but still feels like two friends having a casual conversation, it’s easy to watch.
I moved to SF in ‘97 and have fond memories of buying all my CDs from The Wherehouse on Van Ness and on Union St. New Music Tuesdays! Also camping outside for concert tickets too. Great times.
Mike, the way Mazzy described his experience going into tower records is almost exactly like my weekly ritual for my wife. We’ve been coming in weekly for a while now. Hoping to catch you at a slower time so we can chat more, as I feel we have similar taste. Cheers and thanks for the awesome video!
Love the Mama and the Papas record Mike. I have been looking for that copy for a long time. Seen pictures of it so this is the first one I've seen I know is real.
Mike - thanks for stepping forward with the MoFi issue This is tolerable at 1.75 x speed Mike Episito makes some great points when there is a pause for him to speak Mike - in the deleted scenes for Hi Fidelity - would you buy Beverly Deangelo’s soon to be ex-husband’s singles collection for $1?
re: margins - it's clear that Amazon Canada feel they have already got enough market share to crush independent retailers. So many new records they're selling for above the MSRP, and relying on prime or free shipping to entice orders. People who don't have a good independent store nearby in Canada are getting screwed.
A few years ago I asked Shane at Intervention why the Everclear was cut from digital files. He explained to me that a final analog two track reel was never assembled (this was when CD’s were the main format). They got the release on various reels each containing some of the songs, and it wasn’t feasible to assemble to cut. For those who don’t know, individual reels have alignment tones at the start, you can’t just splice the tapes all together and cut an analog record. They would have had to make a copy.
Mazzy Have your heard the new JGB unauthorized release from KSAN Pacific High Studio??? It was recorded on February 6th ( my birthday ) 1972 on Radio LoopLoop records from England. It is incredible sound wise and selection wise??? Paul
Soooo many new records are being pressed with off center holes that it’s insane. How is this still a problem. Just took home a recent pressing of the Forrest Gump soundtrack, for example, and it sounds like I’m listening to it drunk underwater.
What database software does mike use for his inventory? I think his website is built with shopify, but I'm not sure. I know a lot of the online records retailers use it because they all have the same "your order is in" page that comes up after you complete your purchase.
I’ll say this for Mike Esposito. His shootout videos and all the promo videos he’s done for “audiophile” records have greatly contributed to the sharp increase in secondary market records over the past two years, so he better be right in ALL of his proclamations and promotions…
Have Billy Squier and some other title from Shane. A lot of folks were angered that it took a year and a half to actually receive their Squier. Supposedly a Stoughton backlog. I do like Weezer.
To me this controversy only confirms my opinion of the war between analog versus digital.There are very good and very bad recordings on both format and some people can’t even see the difference when they are convince that the source that they supposedly listening too is the one they are always praising.To me I don’t care if it’s analog or digital,I like the sound or not whatever sources I am listening too.
So you’re telling me that since 2015 MoFi has been like those Trump Jr. emails I get every day begging for donations with a pre-checked box for reoccurring payment?
I feel with mofi the strictly limited versions have to be from the master tape. Stuff like truth, vanilla fudge david crosby supervinyl, iron butterfly, etc. I just cant see them making them digital wnd they surely dont sound it. The david crosby even beats last years AAA. So i cant see them not being analogue. You'll only need one lacquer so why digitize it? I can understand the onesteps being partially digital or atleast the recent large batch ones. However they have false advertised if it has an extra step considering they have the pamphlet of the process. I wouldn't care if they were honest. But I there's even a copy of the tape they've been dishonest and I feel lied to.
I remember buying those used “promotional” albums and buying everything on sale around Christmas at Tower in Los Angeles and usually once a month a sale $3.33 at Caldor’s department store in the 70’s
Wait a minute did he said you can get money for steely Dan Aja record? I think that record is in every dollar bin in any record store of the country. I mean it has a couple of decent tracks on it but it's not like a super good record.
12:55 I would be curious to watch a video like that. I don't typically buy new releases unless it's a new band or something to rare to find. I like records that are open and inspected before buying. I think the shrink wrap should be eliminated for most products. A resealable outer sleeve makes more sense to me. MOV music on vinyl does a great job and has outstanding quality control.
And why does mofi have to put their logo over the artwork? That's the main reason I do not buy their releases. It just seems very pretentious and disrespectful to the artists to alter the artwork like that. And original center label art would be nice too.
yeah I hardly ever play classic rock anymore---- kraut rock, synth, dreampop, psych, jazz etc etc. My horizons are broadened and I cant bother with dreck such as Queen or Foreigner much anymore.
Music for me is not genre, I enjoy whatever sounds good to my ears. Furthermore some albums sound so sonically awful but I just love the music so I overlook the recording and pressing. Not snake oil, there are audible differences between different pressings Reel to reel is a great musical experience, very expensive and complicated format. Certainly the digital experience is more practical and convenient. From one end of the spectrum to the other. Love it all
I was obsessed like Mazzy, records were my life. My friend introduced me to vinyl in 1969, I was 11
The rest is history. 6000 albums later and then I drank the CD Koolaid and sold off which was an extensive collection. One after another until they were all gone and replaced with digital. Probably the biggest regret I ever made in my life. Now I’m rebuilding the collection with reissues at incredibly high prices. Face palm 🤦♀️
Still enjoying digging in the crates for mint used albums. I find them from time to time at good prices.
Great hobby
In the 70s I'd hit the record store every Friday.The selection was amazing and if one had esoteric taste like me they were more than happy to order it for you.Those were great days.I have long since given up collecting.
I like good, friendly conversation about records! We need more of this stuff!
Mike has good tunes playing every time. With the Macintosh speakers filling the room. I try to get in there once a week/ 2 weeks. Sometimes for pick up but also to browse. Staff is great. Enjoyed this conversation 👍🏽
Great stories about the record store and One-Stop businesses. From 1987 to 1993 I worked for a South Jersey One-Stop called Richman Brothers. We served all the mom and pop shops in the area with walk-ins and also delivered huge orders as well to some of the farther stores. They also owned a chain of 19 stores called SOUND ODYSSEY. They were all over the east coast from VA to Upstate NY. Our bigger competition was Universal one-Stop (not related to UMe at all) in Philly.
Being in my early 20s and not married yet and me being the life long music nut I am it was the best job I ever had!
Within a year of being there I became a buyer for certain independent labels. I bought from Important/Relativity Entertainment Dist., Caroline
and a bunch of other smaller indies that carried mostly punk and metal labels like SST, Sub Pop etc.
I was getting FREE SHIT mailed to me constantly. TPPT = Ticket's Parties, Promos and T-Shirts!
They eventually went out of business (long story). It was right before the record biz basically took a huge shit. What a great time. 35+ years
and 4 kids later I am still an avid vinyl collector.
The only regret I have was selling some of the really great promo stuff I had over the years because now some of the shit is very valuable but back then we didn't know and were only making $8 an hour. I had a close relationship with 2 guys that owned mom and pops and would
unload all my promos to them and get a monthly table at a record show. Had to be careful doing that tho so I had my buddy with me.
I would also get a lot of full boxes of "clean" CDs or cassettes from the reps.
I do still have a great record award from Metal Blade Records celebrating their 10 Anniversary 1982-1992 and sales of 6 million units (they spelled the company name wrong but it's still awesome). I also have a personalized signed Joe Satriani lithograph for Flying In Blue Dream
that they gave out instead of doing gold record awards for it. I worked the shit out of that record. See pics below...
Satch - i.ibb.co/MsnTxKp/thumbnail-IMG-7129.jpg
Metal Blade - i.ibb.co/QCWc1Cj/thumbnail-IMG-7130.jpg
Metal Blade - i.ibb.co/259V6Ws/thumbnail-IMG-7131.jpg
I love records store stories ✌🏼
It’s all about the mastering!
Mazzy lived the baby boomer dream. Getting free records, wined and dined etc
Me too just like Mazzy, I caught a lot of freebies working in Montreal record stores. Great times
this was my favorite video you've done Mazzy. Cheers to you and Mike!
I really appreciated this interview, Mazzy. Mike Esposito is knowledgeable, down to earth, and strikes me as someone you'd want to have a beer with. And I don't even like alcohol.
That was a great conversation, really enjoyed it. Thank you to both of you!
Great video guys! I love hearing you two talk about music, and especially the insider business stuff, old and new. I hope you guys have some more videos lined up for the future.
Hi Mazzy, what a great video. This is truly one of your best. The openness and honesty of both gentlemen make this a very enjoyable video. In addition: it is educational. Thanks!
One of my favourite videos of yours Mazzy. Always entertaining and informative. Cheers, Steve 🍸
More seriously, it’s great to see you guys get together and chip away at some of the prevailing tension in the community. Well done - a nice watch and a healthy & much needed endeavour.
Great show Mazzy … THE greatest live stream of the day! Thanks for bringing Mike on. This was my favourite interview I’ve seen on vinyl. Thanks again!
One of the greatest ✌🏼
Thanks for great video guys !! Please keep going…so cool
I worked in record stores in between these two folks, right around Los Angeles, from the late 80's to the mid 90's, during the era when CD's were king and LP's were on the way out. Interesting to see the before and after bookends around me. The mark-up on LPs and CD's during my timeframe was only 10-25%, so same as now according to Michael. That's why we also sold used, that was where we made our money.
Norm has been kicking heads in on the forums and now takes this shit to TH-cam. What a world we live in.
Two of the VC giants! This is so great. Thanks for making this happen fellas.
This is a great show Mazzy, really enjoyed watching it live.
This is excellent, Mazzy. I rarely sit down and watch “You Tube VC Videos” anymore. I just don’t have the patience. But interviews like this, with content that has some substance, but still feels like two friends having a casual conversation, it’s easy to watch.
It was a fun discussion 🤠
Fascinating and enlightening conversation. More please.
My two favorite channels. Looking forward to this.
I moved to SF in ‘97 and have fond memories of buying all my CDs from The Wherehouse on Van Ness and on Union St. New Music Tuesdays! Also camping outside for concert tickets too. Great times.
Great content gentlemen. Fascinating stuff. More please.
Thanks Mazzy great interview
great video Maz, enjoyed it!
Watching in the UK, great live chat
Looking forward to Mikes report after Tuesday 😀
That was a cool collaboration....you guys should definately do it again. It's fun listen comparing the past and present.
Thanks guys for the fun watch.
Mike, the way Mazzy described his experience going into tower records is almost exactly like my weekly ritual for my wife. We’ve been coming in weekly for a while now. Hoping to catch you at a slower time so we can chat more, as I feel we have similar taste. Cheers and thanks for the awesome video!
Love the Mama and the Papas record Mike. I have been looking for that copy for a long time. Seen pictures of it so this is the first one I've seen I know is real.
Great video. The VC definitely needs to mix it up more, and this is a great example of how to do it!
Great conversation
Mike - thanks for stepping forward with the MoFi issue
This is tolerable at 1.75 x speed
Mike Episito makes some great points when there is a pause for him to speak
Mike - in the deleted scenes for Hi Fidelity - would you buy Beverly Deangelo’s soon to be ex-husband’s singles collection for $1?
Great video
Awesome chat!
Thank you both for this interview. It may be nice to add "with guest Mike Esposito from The 'In' Groove" to the title.
He is listed and linked in the description ❣️
Hey! THAT'S
MY FUCKIN' CHEERIOS!!!!
re: margins - it's clear that Amazon Canada feel they have already got enough market share to crush independent retailers. So many new records they're selling for above the MSRP, and relying on prime or free shipping to entice orders. People who don't have a good independent store nearby in Canada are getting screwed.
Looks more like Mazy talks and Mike is listening....11:00 min in.
😉 True but funny.
I have a picture disc of Roxy Music manifesto and the sound is a little compromised but is so cool
Hmm - if you invite a guest on, you should really give him the chance to speak, versus your normal diatribe
Thank you guys for this interesting show.
So a store makes 9 dollars on a 36$ record--better than I thought---but yeah that 9$ has to cover lots of expenses.
A few years ago I asked Shane at Intervention why the Everclear was cut from digital files. He explained to me that a final analog two track reel was never assembled (this was when CD’s were the main format). They got the release on various reels each containing some of the songs, and it wasn’t feasible to assemble to cut. For those who don’t know, individual reels have alignment tones at the start, you can’t just splice the tapes all together and cut an analog record. They would have had to make a copy.
Must have Pink Floyd, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who in a store, they are staples
9:00 BEAR'S CHOICE! 🐻 Awesome
Mazzy
Have your heard the new JGB unauthorized release from KSAN Pacific High Studio??? It was recorded on February 6th ( my birthday ) 1972 on Radio LoopLoop records from England. It is incredible sound wise and selection wise???
Paul
I have not but I did attend a live Van Morrison KSAN broadcast there around the same time.
I am coming from Canada down to Seattle. Which record stores in Seattle should I visit if I am mainly interested in Jazz?
Soooo many new records are being pressed with off center holes that it’s insane. How is this still a problem. Just took home a recent pressing of the Forrest Gump soundtrack, for example, and it sounds like I’m listening to it drunk underwater.
Mazzy sent me here!
What database software does mike use for his inventory? I think his website is built with shopify, but I'm not sure. I know a lot of the online records retailers use it because they all have the same "your order is in" page that comes up after you complete your purchase.
I’ll say this for Mike Esposito. His shootout videos and all the promo videos he’s done for “audiophile” records have greatly contributed to the sharp increase in secondary market records over the past two years, so he better be right in ALL of his proclamations and promotions…
How do you know this? Without the proof of data this is merely speculation and not a fact.
You are right about his shootouts - leave it at that
@@wordtoyou4395 you can almost graph it out
Saved in Maslov File!
Have Billy Squier and some other title from Shane. A lot of folks were angered that it took a year and a half to actually receive their Squier. Supposedly a Stoughton backlog. I do like Weezer.
I have a few colored records. My Green John Denver sounds great. Aren't black records "colored"?
To me this controversy only confirms my opinion of the war between analog versus digital.There are very good and very bad recordings on both format and some people can’t even see the difference when they are convince that the source that they supposedly listening too is the one they are always praising.To me I don’t care if it’s analog or digital,I like the sound or not whatever sources I am listening too.
As the phrase goes 'If it sounds good it is good.'
Completely agree
Please consider letting your guest talk a little more (or a lot more).
Fly into Oakland and take the Richmond bridge north
Good idea 🤠
So you’re telling me that since 2015 MoFi has been like those Trump Jr. emails I get every day begging for donations with a pre-checked box for reoccurring payment?
Except I never get promised to be a MOFI KING.
Or that Kreig Winderlich is worried that I may not be LOYAL to him!
😂
I feel with mofi the strictly limited versions have to be from the master tape. Stuff like truth, vanilla fudge david crosby supervinyl, iron butterfly, etc. I just cant see them making them digital wnd they surely dont sound it. The david crosby even beats last years AAA. So i cant see them not being analogue. You'll only need one lacquer so why digitize it? I can understand the onesteps being partially digital or atleast the recent large batch ones. However they have false advertised if it has an extra step considering they have the pamphlet of the process. I wouldn't care if they were honest. But I there's even a copy of the tape they've been dishonest and I feel lied to.
Nice Toilet copy of the Mama's & Papa's LP.
I remember buying those used “promotional” albums and buying everything on sale around Christmas at Tower in Los Angeles and usually once a month a sale $3.33 at Caldor’s department store in the 70’s
Wait a minute did he said you can get money for steely Dan Aja record? I think that record is in every dollar bin in any record store of the country. I mean it has a couple of decent tracks on it but it's not like a super good record.
Certain pressings demand big money.
Yes turntable set up, speaker placement. Vital
Agree it was a social event record shopping.
Don’t care for coloured vinyl. Prefer black
12:55 I would be curious to watch a video like that. I don't typically buy new releases unless it's a new band or something to rare to find.
I like records that are open and inspected before buying. I think the shrink wrap should be eliminated for most products. A resealable outer sleeve makes more sense to me. MOV music on vinyl does a great job and has outstanding quality control.
Very little money on new vinyl, record shops need to sell used
Yeah. Weezer is kind of barf. That said, I picked up Pinkerton Mofi. We’ll see if I can change my mind.
And why does mofi have to put their logo over the artwork? That's the main reason I do not buy their releases. It just seems very pretentious and disrespectful to the artists to alter the artwork like that. And original center label art would be nice too.
yeah I hardly ever play classic rock anymore---- kraut rock, synth, dreampop, psych, jazz etc etc. My horizons are broadened and I cant bother with dreck such as Queen or Foreigner much anymore.
Music for me is not genre, I enjoy whatever sounds good to my ears.
Furthermore some albums sound so sonically awful but I just love the music so I overlook the recording and pressing.
Not snake oil, there are audible differences between different pressings
Reel to reel is a great musical experience, very expensive and complicated format. Certainly the digital experience is more practical and convenient. From one end of the spectrum to the other.
Love it all