Well, as if it wasn't already too damn expensive for International buyers to buy records from the US, now the USPS has raised international shipping prices by 35%! Which means, we, unfortunately, have to raise the prices to you. This sucks for the both of us, but I hope you understand. But, remember, that the more records you buy, the cheaper it gets per record... if that's any consolation (I'm sure it isn't...)
2. NEW R STEVIE MOORE SATURDAY SINGLES SERIES!
- R Stevie Saturday Singles Series #4 - E Not Laid/Inconsiderations Pt. 1 new pair of ambient drone noise instrumental left turns from the god/father of DIY home recording.
The fourth installment of an R. Stevie Moore Singles Series. On occasional (every 3 or 4 weeks) Saturdays, we will put up for sale a new 7" square lathe cut from R. Stevie Moore in a hand-letterpressed cover. We will leave the orders up for only 24 hours, and then we will make however many were preordered (plus artist copies). They will not be available again after the initial 24 hour period. Buy it Here: http://piaptk.limitedrun.com/bands/r-stevie-moore
To sign up on the PIAPTK/R. Stevie Mailing list to receive ONLY Stevie-related PIAPTK news, go here: http://eepurl.com/o2vLD
3. Fur Family - Musk Ox Lathe Cut 7" - A three song single from Tucson up-and-comers, Fur Family. Closely related to PIAPTK favorites Golden Boots, Fur Family consists of former Golden Boots bassist, Sean Rogers, writing the tunes and playing guitars, with musical assistance from the Golden Boots core of Rian Eggleston and Dmitri Manos (also of Dr. Dog). Clear, square lathe cut 7"s in covers printed and silkscreened by the band. Ltd Ed of 50. Pick it up here: http://piaptk.limitedrun.com/bands/golden-boots/products
4. Keith John Adams - Change/Sparrow Lathe Cut 7" Single - A new single from our favorite BBC TV reporter, and old friend, Keith John Adams. Having taken it easy over the last couple years busy with his day job and daddyhood, KJA finally sends us in the US some new tunes... Probably the first and last time PIAPTK will ever release anything even remotely resembling a Ska song (did you know that I played Moog for a month in a ska band in college? don't tell anyone). But despite the horns, this song is pretty awesome. Check out the video if you don't believe me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
The covers were letterpressed on onion skin vellum. What I didn't realize, being the first time that I letterpressed onto onion skin vellum, is that letterpress ink doesn't dry well on onion skin vellum, and despite letting it dry for three days, they ink still got all smudgy and weird. But, most of them actually look kind of cool, so Keith and I decided to use them. You like stuff that is handmade, right? Even if it is by screw-ups trying something a little different?
50 copies on square, clear, lathe cut polycarbonate.
5. New Free Golden Boots Digital Sampler! - A Brand NEW (as of Sept 2012) Sampler from Tucson alt-alt-country-psychicana-freak-pop-savants, The Golden Boots. A handful of tracks culled from recent albums, with a few rarities thrown in for those already familiar with "the hits".
Pick up the FREE Sampler here: http://piaptk.limitedrun.com/bands/golden-boots/products
Vinyl and some digital available from PIAPTK.com, and ALL digital albums are available at: GoldenBoots.Bandcamp.com
As summer winds down, and I have to go back to my day job, we’ve got a few really exciting things happening:
1. Kris Kristofferson 2xLP Tribute Kickstarter
2. This Frontier Needs Heroes “2012” 8” pyramid shaped picture disc
3. R. Stevie Saturday Singles Series
The Rising Cost of Livin’ High and Lovin’ Hard: A 2xLP Tribute to Kris Kristofferson:
Kris Kristofferson’s music might not be quite as well known as his buddies Waylon, Willie, and Johnny, (who he was in a super-group, The Highwaymen, with) but amongst songwriters in the know, he is just as highly respected. Rhodes Scholar, helicopter pilot, songwriter, janitor, actor, heartthrob, and all-around Renaissance Man. His history is just as legendary as any of his outlaw country counterparts.
And now, PIAPTK Records wants to pay homage to this living legend and his songwriting through a new double LP full of amazing artists putting their own personal spin on his classic tales of ne’er-do-wells, miscreants, ladies men, hard luck heroes, and misunderstood every-men battling the devil. We contacted all of the friends and artists that we have worked with over the years, and within months, we had over 27 incredible submissions.
Unfortunately, we need your help to release this amazing double album. PIAPTK Records has released 95 records over the last 6 years. However, in the next several months, PIAPTK will be dramatically decreasing releases as it’s proprietor gets ready to move his wife and 2 year old daughter into a motor home to hit the road and take travel jobs for the foreseeable future. Therefore, we have neither the money, nor the storage space required to produce a double LP.
In addition, in order to produce a tribute album, one most pay mechanical royalties to the songwriter. While some small labels/independent artists do not pay these royalties on small run releases, we, at PIAPTK, have always felt it important to compensate the writers of the songs that our artists love enough to record. We feel especially dutiful to compensate Kris. However, these royalties are no small sum. $.11 per song, per copy produced (not sold), plus a registration fee for each song. Another problem with vinyl compilations is the problem of artist copies. The artists have donated their time and recording expense to make these recordings, but at the industry-standard artist copy distribution (10%), each artist will only receive 2 copies (not even enough for everyone in the band to receive one, in many cases!)
So, with 24 songs times 500 copies times $.10 each, a run of 500 double albums is $1100 just in royalties. Mastering, plating, pressing, printing of covers, shipping, etc of a double LP is close to $6,000. Meaning that all in all, this project will cost $7,100. Many of the artists involved have contributed to the cause, but we still need a LOT of help to make this happen.
We are asking, no…, begging, for you to help us make this project that we believe so deeply in, a reality. While we really need $6,000, we are setting the first bar at $4,000. Anything above and beyond that will be used to make the record better, the packaging better, and to fund additional artist copies.
Preview ALL of the tracks at: http://soundcloud.com/piaptk-kristofferson-trib/sets/rising-cost-of-livin-high-and
The Rising Cost of Livin’ High and Lovin’ Hard: A Tribute to Kris Kristofferson:
Wooden Wand feat. The Scrivener – Tell Me One More Time
Little Wings - I May Smoke Too Much
Simon Joyner - Help Me Make It Through The Night
Golden Boots – Best of All Possible Worlds
Calvin Johnson, Sandman The Rappin' Cowboy, Timezone Lafontaine, and Andras Jones – The Highwayman
Turner Cody – Sam’s Song
Karl Blau - Here Comes That Rainbow Again
The Blank Tapes – Other Side of Nowhere
The Gifted Children – Enough For You
Assateague – Josie
RFK Heise – Stranger
Ohian – Year 2000 + 7&5
Wckr Spgt – Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down
The Gift Machine – The Taker
The Great Lakes – Nobody Wins
New Science Projects – The Pilgrim: Chapter 33
Amo Joy! – Don’t Let The Bastards Get You Down
Miniature and Presidential – Bottle to the Bottom
The Ocean Floor – For the Good Times
Daring Ear – Silver Tongued Devil and I
Southerly – Same Old Song
Matt Hopper – Jody and the Kid
The Black Swans – Moment of Forever
Good Saints – Breakdown
Bob Simpson – Jesus Was A Capricorn
Receive Special letterpressed covers, test pressings, exclusive colored vinyl, lathe cuts with bonus tracks, t-shirts, etc! CONTRIBUTE HERE: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/piaptk/a-2xlp-tribute-to-kris-kristofferson
2. This Frontier Needs Heroes “2012”
A one-sided, pyramid shaped, picture disc with a ode to the impending (or not) apocalypse. Originally released by the band as a run of lathecuts.com-cut picnic plates, PIAPTK liked the song so much we asked them if we could do the re-release. Comes with a glow-in-the-dark silkscreened insert.
Will be released (arrive on your doorstep) on Sept 21, so that you will have exactly three months to enjoy it before the world ends (or doesn't).
3. R. Stevie Moore Saturday Singles Singles Series –
Starting this Saturday, and Every(ish) Saturday thereafter, for as long as we and Stevie feel inclined, PIAPTK will be opening up preorders for a new R. Stevie Moore clear, square, lathe cut single in a hand-set letterpressed cover. The preorders will last for 24 hours. We will then make only that many records (plus artist copies) and the single will be out of print forever. To sign up to the PIAPTK Stevie email list (separate list that will only contain Stevie-related emails) to remind ya, click here: http://eepurl.com/o2vLD .
Thank you as always for your support! Mike
To celebrate the Seattle opening of The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl touring exhibit, Michael Dixon, founder of PIAPTK Recordings, has been offered an Artist In Residency opportunity by the Henry Art Gallery of the University of Washington. Dixon will spend the five-day residency cutting records in real time as a part of the “B-Side” exhibit in the front wing of the gallery.
The residency is comprised of three parts:
Friday, July 13th – Opening Night –The Hive Dwellers (Calvin Johnson of K Records and Beat Happening) and Slashed Tires will perform while records are cut live on a vintage record lathe. Henry members will receive free admission and will be entered in a drawings to receive one of the records as they are cut. Complimentary snacks and beer (courtesy of Hales Ales) will be served. Non-Member Admission is $10.
Wednesday, July 18-Friday July 20th – Lacquer Dub Record Lathe Cutting
Three Pacific Northwest Artists have donated new, unreleased recordings to be cut live and sold for $75.00, with proceeds to benefit the Henry Art Gallery (A 401c3 Non-Profit Organization). Only 40 copies will be sold, with 20 copies being made available for internet preorder at http://www.henryart.org/ at 6pm on Friday, July 13th. The remaining 20 copies will only be sold in-person at the Henry during the residency. Each record will be cut in real-time on a 1930’s Presto 6N mono record lathe (the same model that Sam Phillips used in the Sun Records studio to cut early records from Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, etc). Each record has been autographed by the artist, silkscreened on the B-side and includes a digital download of all three records. Attendees are welcome to ask questions about the cutting or pressing process while they watch the records being made. Many thanks to Apollo Masters for their support!
Artist for Wednesday, July 18, 10:00am-4:00pm – Joe Plummer – Plummer is currently the drummer for the Shins, but has also spent time in Modest Mouse, Blackheart Procession, Magic Magicians, Mister Heavenly, and Caustic Resin, amongst dozens of other bands. Plummer has contributed three songs on which he recorded all the instruments.
Artist for Thursday, July 19th, 10:00am-4:00pm – Grand Archives – Consisting of Seattle indie rock veterans Mat Brooke (ex-Band of Horses/Carissa’s Weird), Curtis Hall, Jeff Montano, and Thomas Wright, Grand Archives contributed two unreleased demos that were recorded in preparation of their upcoming album.
Artist for Friday, July 20th, 10:00am-4:00pm – Eric D. Johnson (of the Fruit Bats) – Johnson is the main force behind The Fruit Bats but has also performed in bands such as Califone and The Shins. He has also recently been focusing scores for films such as Our Idiot Brother and Youth in Revolt.
Saturday, July 21, 12:00pm-3:00pm – Ipod-to-Lathe live cutting event – Bring in your own recording on an MP3 player and watch as your tune is cut straight to a record in real time! Then take it home! You may also bring in your guitar or other instrument and record as it cuts!
A new, 2-song single from arty Olympia post-pop cat-fanciers, Meowtain. Each one is uniquely spin-painted and foil-stamped. One of my favorite "art-projects" to date... in advance of their West Coast tour, the band and I got together and made 50 copies of this. It got recorded, mixed, cut to disc, and spin-painted in about a week. They have 25 on tour, and I have 25 for sale. Includes a download of both tracks of the single, plus a digital copy of their 6-song debut cassette EP.
Available here: http://piaptk.limitedpressing.com/products/17586