R.I.P. Vinyl Pressing in Canada
Toronto-based DJ/producer/songwriter vitaminsforyou just released his new single Flesh Python and has inadvertently made history in the process. It is the last piece of vinyl manufactured here in Canada.
"It is true that the vinyl factory is closing due to the retirement of our master pressman and plant manager", confirmed Aaron Zon, Vice President of Music Manufacturing Services (MMS). "We are indeed the last Canadian plant standing (that I'm aware of anyway)".
While he assured me that MMS will still offer vinyl pressing through a plant they partner with in Nashville, this is still the end of an era of sorts for the coolest music format.
And what does Canadian vinyl's swan song sound like? Pretty good! One of blogTO's favourite remixers of 2007, vitaminsforyou put together an impressive single. "Flesh Python" is one of his best original songs to date and the single includes three remixes, one of them coming from Toronto's own Stop Die Resuscitate.
vitaminsforyou - "Flesh Python" (Stop Die Resuscitate Remix)
Comments (12)
Sad...
When I played in a band, we always talked about having vinyl pressed through them.
They're an excellent company, by the way. We put out about 500 cds with them, and the results were excellent, the booklet printing in particular.
Bugger. I've always hoped to be able to put something out on vinyl, possibly with my current band, and this means it's that much further out of reach.
What I'm wondering is, will rates be raised now that the actual pressing is taking places all the way down in Nashville? It can't be cheap to ship x-hundred vinyl records across the continent. It's fortunate that MMS can still offer vinyl pressing, but hopefully this won't complicate matters for bands trying to get their stuff pressed. 'Tis a right shame.
"this is still the end of an ear of sorts for the coolest music format"
Is that a typo or a pun?
It is cliched to say that "the death of vinyl" is tragic. It was a bloated medium.. do you know how many independent labels have gone broke over the years because they couldn't make ends meet due to the price of vinyl? It is ironic but indy house and techno lived and died because of vinyl (to say nothing of the crossfader).
I'm not exactly an MP3 cheerleader (although for the sake of economy of space I prefer them to .FLAC) but I'm happy to see a changing of the guard when it comes to production and distribution.
I wish that was a clever pun Greg. Thanks for pointing that out. I don't think it's "tragic" either although I know a bunch of people who would disagree with both of us. It's definitely an event worth mentioning.
No doubt digital distribution is amazing, but wouldn't it still be nice to have the option to have vinyl pressed somewhere in the city? Natalia's concern about MMS charging more now that they have to outsource to Nashville is probably true.
Oh...here is a bonus Q&A I did with Bryce (aka vitaminsforyou) about his new single, his upcoming record and some new remixes he's working on:
blogTO: What's the story behind the song "Flesh Python"?
Bryce: Well, I wish there was more poetry involved then there actually is, but the song is about being a guy controlled by your "desires"...your flesh python...not really a happy story, sorry.
blogTO: I noticed some clips of you playing with a live band. Is this something you?re going to be doing more for your upcoming record?
Bryce: Yes, I have a band now for the new album and tour. Duncan Christie from the band Madrid is holding the bass and keys, and David Foster from The Junior Boys & Teste is playing drums.
blogTO: Is the rest of your upcoming album similar in sound/style to the first two tracks you've posted so far?
Bryce: Yeah for sure...dark, dancey and electronic.
blogTO: Are you working on any new remixes right now?
Bryce: I am...this great band called The Banjo Consortium from Montreal, Ghislain Poirier, and a new project from Charlie Spearin of Broken Social Scene & Do Make Say Think fame called Happiness.
I believe Magnificent 7's is still pressing vinyl. You just have to be on there label for you to do so.
This is sad news indeed. I've pressed some things at United Record Pressing in the past (www.urpressing.com), who I assume is the Nashville plant they're referring to (I think they're the only pressing plant in Nashville?), and their rates are actually really good. It helps that the exchange rate's good these days too.
i am considering opening a pressing plant in canada in the near future, i'm currently just studying the market and my ability to afford it at the moment, however i am hoping it may fly.
Vinyl is coming back in - BIG TIME -- everyone is on a vinyl craze right now -- how unfortunate for that company -- too bad they can't just train someone new. Wonder how much they are selling their vinyl pressing equipment for?
especially since CD is dead... what a way to shoot yourself in the foot.
if the price was good I'd buy the press myself...
You would think the master pressman would have had an apprentice ; I'm sure there were other reasons. Anyway, it is too bad because vinyl has made some impressive waves in the year since; numbers are up, quality releases are up, enthusiasm is up. I wonder where Arts+Crafts gets their vinyl pressed?
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