Hey Ya'll. Today is my 45th Birthday. I'm sure it will surprise absolutely nobody that I'm Capricorn AF. I'm also officially exactly 50% through my absolutely-best-case-scenario-but-highly-unlikely-maximum life expectancy. So, for my birthday, and in honor of both of our own mortality, help us both out and buy a bunch of the amazing records I'm serving up for ya!
Everytime I keep telling everyone around me that it's time to put PIAPTK out to pasture, the Universe keeps fucking with me by giving me bucket list artists I can't refuse. A few months ago, it was Modest Mouse, lately it's been the pre-Dr Dog project of Scott and Toby, Raccoon, then Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals, and Whit McGraw from Cotton Jones and her first ever solo release. And a constant flow of Floating Action keeps the PIAPTK pond stocked with sick regular releases that I can't say no to.
One of these days yall won't have PIAPTK to kick around anymore... but today ain't that day.
This Time:
-New Year Super Sale - Lots of backstock at stupid low prices
-Raccoon (pre-Dr Dog) / The Teeth - Split LP
-Begale (Whitney McGraw from Cotton Jones Basket Ride) - Loose Ender LP
-Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals) / This is the Kit Split Single
-Floating Action (Seth Kauffman) TING LP Reissue
-Lathe Cut Camp 21
New Years Super Sale
Get rid of some of that Visa Giftcard from Mom and Dad and help me clear out some shelf space with these hella deep discounted titles. These are all below my cost. The longer they've been here and the more space they are taking up, the cheaper they are.
Raccoon (Dr Dog) / The Teeth - The Christmas City EP
THIS IS NOT A CHRISTMAS RECORD! It is called "The Christmas City" in honor of The Teeths' connection to Bethlehem, PA.
I have wanted to do a Raccoon (Scott and Toby before Dr Dog) record since I first started working with Dr Dog almost a decade ago. Thanks to an impending Teeth reunion (3 nights at Johnny Brenda's in January!!) and a total chance run-in with Raccoon member Rory Connell in Battery Park NYC while we were both headed to a free John Cale show, the stars aligned for this righteous slice of early aughts CD-R history to come out on vinyl for the first time ever!
Limited Edition of only 500 copies with heavy duty printed eurosleeve innersleeves, and some other fancy, deluxe PIAPTKish packaging features.
300 standard copies and 200 "deluxe copies" on "Microfiche Reader Screen Haze" colored vinyl that comes with a bonus 5x7" lathe cut featuring a Raccoon session outtake called "Fiesta Stallone" and it's just as weird as the name implies. Also 20 copies of the Test Pressing with "numbers matching" Sleeve, Library Card, and LP.
Don't forget to pick up the other Dr. Dog related releases from Scott McMicken, Toby Leaman, and Eric Slick here: https://piaptk.limitedrun.com/bands/drdog
From Rory Connell:
Raccoon and The Teeth found each other in Philadlelphia early in the century. The bands shared stages at the various rock and roll toilets of the day, from Phiiladelphia to outposts such as West Chester, PA, Newark, DE, and Bethlehem, PA (the Christmas City). The Christmas City EP was conceived as a compact disc that could be sold at their many shows.
The EP was recorded by Mike Quinn quickly over the course of a few weekends in May 2003, allowing for a shared mid-fi sonic texture and a grouping of songs about odd men in desperate situations. Tracks were recoreded in Quinn’s bedroom that he shared with his cousin Pat Finnerty, with overdubs often recorded while band members sat on the beds of Quinn and Finnerty.
The recordings serves as s transition point for both bands. The Teeth would settle their lineup after its release and build its reputation in Philadlelphia and as a touring act. Raccoon would dissolve soon after its release, as band members Toby Leaman and Scott McMicken turned thier attentions to Dr. Dog.
The 20th anniversary edition of The Christmas City presents this EP on vinyl for the first time, with a recreation of Aaron Modavis’ excellent artwork for the format. The release presents Raccoon on vinyl for the first time. The release is limited to 500 copies. Each copy has a numbered checkout card.
A limited number of 200 copies include the record on "Microfiche Reader Screen Haze" and bonus record featuring a lathe cut of “Fiesta Stallone,” a Raccoon outtake from The Christmas City EP sessions that was removed to make way for McMicken’s last minute song “The Thick and the Thin.” “Fiesta Stallone” was assumed to have been lost for years, until a 3” CD-R of a mix of the recording was discovered. The song has been placed on an equally obscure and impractical format for this limited edition—a 5”x7” clear plastic lathe cut of this schizophenic lost Raccoon song.
Begale (Whitney McGraw from Cotton Jones Basket Ride) - Loose Ender
The Debut solo album from Whitney McGraw (Cotton Jones Basket Ride) and boooooy is it a doozy.
Only 200 copies made All on 180g Tan to Rose colored marble vinyl to match the sleeve art.
From Whit: These song were conceived from time at home, a spontaneous generation brought to order by many loving hands. Sung by Whitney McGraw with contributions from Michael Nau, Seth Kauffman, Mat Davidson, Andrew Dost and Graeme Gibson. Mixed by Graeme Gibson.
this record is a stone cold crusher.
I haven't fought this long and hard with gentle but persistent pressure to release a record in a LONG time. It's been years in the making and finally coming to fruition. The final straw that made me put the real hard sell on was when I had an emotional epiphany this summer at sunrise in the mountains outside of Thessaloniki Greece to the opening track Now and Then. And if Skeleton Chord doesn't end up in the background of every movie released in the last half of 2024, there is no universal justice.
Please also check out the EXCELLENT new Michael Nau record that came out last week on Karma Chief Records... https://www.coleminerecords.com/products/michael-nau-accompany-release-date-12-8-2023. Also Check out Mike's East and West Coast tour here: Tour - Michael Nau
Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals) / This is the Kit Split Eulerian 7"
I've been trying to work with my friend Kate Stables (This is the Kit) since 2014 when I met her in Paris. And when we finally got to work together, she brought with her Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals, a band I've loved since college. This single features both artists covering each others' songs on a 7" square Eulerian Circle and is available only at www.PIAPTK.com and on their tour in Oct 2023. Limited Edition of 200!
While you are at it, buy Gruff's new album "The Almond and the Seahorse" and This is the Kit's new album "Careful of your Keepers"!!!
Floating Action (Seth Kauffman) TING LP!
We are starting our one in/one out/next one In Floating Action reissue campaign at the beginning(ish). The first(ish) solo release from Seth Kauffman, before he donned the Floating Action moniker.
Only 200 copies made on black 180g vinyl. Each LP comes with a free Ting Scented Air Freshener.
Once this sells out, we will press the ST Floating Action LP, also in an edition of 200.
(ALSO PICK UP a copy of the excellent Floating Action LP Jinx Protecting (it comes with a beautiful FLoating Action Incense Burner and Incense pack).
From Seth:
2004…it’s a blur, really. I had experimented in 2002 a little with a cassette 4-track, playing all the instruments on an album called Perigo Nao Tocar. But ‘Ting’ was the first time i tried recording with a computer too. With unlimited tracks I realized ‘hey i could add more percussion, and even play a bunch of violins to make a little string section.’ I was listening to deep motown cuts, and lots of Sergio Mendes Brasil ‘66, so I was just trying to make something that sounded like that, but sloppier and more rusty…try to take it to some new unknown place. I really wanted every song to be different from the last. The recording methods I used then were laughable (still are now, but…even more then.) I never really intended for anybody else to even really hear it, but had given a couple cd-r’s of it to musician buddys, and they freaked out. So then I snail-mailed a cd-r of ‘Ting’ to a delta blues/gospel label I revered, called Hightone Records, and they put it out! And then the label went out of business. And that was pre-streaming era, so it only existed on cd…which means it basically disappeared for over a decade. I had pretty much forgotten about it, until I realized around 2020 that I probably should release it into the streaming world. The original individual tracks I of course didn’t save properly, so they’re gone forever- but I did ‘poorly re-mix’ the songs off a cd…really just added a little reverb and compression. Then had my pal Kevin Ratterman master it, since Hightone had released it not even mastered…kind of awesome when you think about it. And now (2023) the brilliant PIAPTK came up with the idea to put it on vinyl- what a weird backwards path for ‘Ting’! It began life as a cd, died and was buried for ten years, then reborn as digital, and now finally, vinyl.
Lathe Cut Camp #22 - March 2-4, 2024 Tucson, AZ!
(This Camp is PERFECT FOR NEWBIES or Folks who just want to learn how it's done whether they want to start cutting themselves or not!)
(Classes are Saturday thru Monday, but Monday is just extra practice and cutting of campers records, so if you need to fly in late Friday and leave late Sunday, you will get most of the information)
YOU ALSO GET TO CUT YOUR OWN RECORDS AND TAKE THEM WITH YOU!
THERE ARE ONLY 8 SPOTS AND ALL PREVIOUS CAMPS HAVE SOLD OUT!
Spend three days in scenic Tucson, AZ learning (almost) everything you need to know about DIY Record Cutting! The focus of this camp will be on mono "semi-professional" machines, with particular focus on Presto 6Ns, which are one of the most common and "industry standard" vintage machines around. (if you have a different model that you want to learn more about, please ask! I may have one you can use here, or you can bring your own). You can do some amazing things with these incredible machines, and I will show you how.
We will also talk about and do a little Stereo Diamond cutting demo, which is new for this lathe cut camp!
Bring your own music and we will put it onto discs for you to take home. We will touch on professional record mastering/pressing, but my main interest and experience, and the focus of this camp, will be on the more DIY and experimental side of the hobby. There are only 8 spots available, so buy early because every previous camp has sold out!
Perfect if you are interested in:
Vinyl records and how their masters are cut
Learning how this strange black art works
Buying a lathe to make your own records
Ordering lathe cuts from a lathe cut service
Cutting your own music to disc
Topics covered:
The science behind vinyl record cutting
Lathe Operations and equipment
The pressing process
Lacquer dub plate cutting
Experimental and alternative materials (plexiglass, laserdiscs, picnic plates, etc)
Stereo Diamond Hifi One-Off Records (Introduction to)
Please Note: You are responsible for your own transportation to/from Tucson and your accommodations. The New Lathe Cave is in Midtown Tucson near the corner of Grant and North Country Club Rd.
Purchase is non-refundable. I understand that sometimes plans change and things go awry, and will try to apply your credit to a future camp, but due to the limited nature of the camp, I can't refund your payment if you aren't able to attend.
About the Presenter: For more info on me, please visit the About page of this site.