Well, ya’ll feelin’ spring yet? In Tucson, it’s tank top weather. Got a TON of news and new releases (and we are really branchin’ out, genre wise on this batch) … Michael Nau, Floating Action (Tribute), Mastodonna, and Tucsonans Jim McGuinn and Female Gaze, and, of course, as long as Lathe Cut Camps keep selling out, I’ll keep having them, so, #23 is up for sale now…. but let’s start with some cyber-begging, shall we?
PATREON
Well, I’m doin’ it. I’m starting a Patreon. In the almost 2 decades of running PIAPTK, only two of those years has PIAPTK actually broken even…it usually hemorrhages money, I’m a masochist that clings to a totally untenable business model. To quote my buddy Isaac I “clung on…like barnacles on a boat, even though the ship sinks, you know we can’t let go”. Which is totally fine, I suckle the filthy milk of the corporate teat cutting records at corporate events to make a living and then I spend that money on PIAPTK as a hobby. It beats golf. BUT…. If you are one of those folks who enjoys PIAPTK and who has a little extra monthly dough to throw down in exchange for eternal gratitude (and some good exclusive perks… I promise to work super hard to make it worth your while…), it will really help to smooth out my cash flow and make it easier to keep bringing you the excellent records I always have.
Perks:
-Exclusive Patreon ONLY releases (choose between 2 or 4 a year). And these are NOT going to all be some bands you’ve never heard of. There will be some new artists, but I’m planning on THROWING DOWN here. I already have some heavy hitter bands (we are talking the kind of bands that sell out in hours if not minutes, when I’ve worked with them before) that have committed. This will be the only way to get these releases and they will be limited to the number of Patrons (plus obviously some copies for the artists to do with what they want. (These will be held for you and shipped with your next purchase)
-Exclusive Friends and Family Versions of some releases – Exclusive colors, covers, etc We can’t do it for every release, but for a good amount of them, we try to make something special for our regulars. These will be limited and only available on a first come first serve basis, but we WANT to get them to as many patrons as possible.
- Discounts – Before every email blast, you will receive a one week discount code good for anything, including new releases and lathe cut camps.
-24 hour advance notice of releases – Get your discount codes sent to you at least 24 hours before I launch the new email and get the jump on everyone else.
- Exclusive Digital Drops – every week or two, I’ll drop some digital files. Could be sneak peeks of upcoming releases, .wav files of in print LPs, long out of print lathe cuts, unreleased and unheard outtakes and rarities, etc.
-More of the same ol’ bullshit you’ve come to love/loathe from my email blasts, but with behind the scenes glimpses and upcoming releases…
DO A GOOD DEED AND SUBSCRIBE HERE!
Michael Nau – Tour Releases (Three of em!)
Michael Nau is, by now, in the middle of the east coast leg his mostly sold out first tour in four years. And, you probably know how much I love Mike and his music, and how freaking prolific he is, so I took some of his recent recordings and made him some tour merch… and made myself some copies to sell here.
2024 One-sided Tour 8”s
A pair of one sided 8" lathe cuts culled from a home recording session of over the Christmas Holiday featuring Michael's family on vocals and saxophone.
Michael Nau - Dance Pebble / Blue Flower / Inst 9
Michael Nau - Smoke Flowers / Wood Bats / Heartready
Each limited to 75 copies on Clear One Sided 8"s with transperency Insert.
Michael Nau – Pit of Joy Lathe Cut LP
Ltd Ed of 100 White Vinyl Lathe Cut LPs in reused and stencilled sleeves left over from the previous Nau album, Less Ready to Go.
This is NOT a traditional Nau Record, so don’t buy it expecting his traditional stuff.
I think the hype sticker sums it up best "noisy Instrumental recordings from a period of morning devotion" + "instrumentals made up of the sounds found under rocks" + "instrumentals for the spare room"
The Friend Who Knows: A Tribute to Floating Action LP
This album has been long in the works... If you preordered it through the Indiegogo, you should already have received it. If you missed it there, , I have a limited number available.
LOOK AT THE FREAKING LINEUP of this thing! If you’ve been sleeping on Floating Action, just know that a lot of of your favorite artists haven’t.
ALL PROFITS from the release go to Seth's Charity of Choice, The Concrete Jungle Foundation.
I've only got a handful of the "Super Deluxe Version" That includes a special color vinyl (smokey clear), plus a special cover hand-stenciled by Seth, and an 8" with bonus tracks from Tyler Ramsey, Eric Slick, and Daniel Martin Moore.
Side One:
Bryan Cates – Unrevenged
Michael Libramento – Digging
Satiety - Long Night, Bright Lamp
Scott McMicken - Cinder Cone, Pt. 3
Jim James - The Balance
Angel Olsen - Not What I Came For
Side Two:
Invisible Creature - All It Takes Is One
Fruit Bats - Harshness of the Blow
Jacob Rodriguez - Say Goodbye
Daniel Martin Moore - Evening Blessing
Tyler Ramsey - To Connect
Michael Nau - Lotus on the Hill
8" Lathe cut tracks:
Tyler Ramsey - To Connect v2
Daniel Martin Moore - Four Leaf Clover
Eric Slick - Seized
All Songs written by Seth Kauffman & originally recorded by Floating Action -- Produced by Daniel Martin Moore -- Mastered by Kevin Ratterman -- Released by OK Recordings & PIAPTK
What some of the artists have to say:
"there's just nothing quite like floating action music. it's the easiest to love music that i think i've ever heard. so present and so deep and so fun and such feel and so free! for the heart and body in equal measure. maximum inspiration." - Scott McMicken
“I immediately fell in love with Seth’s recording style when a boyfriend had shown me Floating Action in 2012. Something about the way every instrument sounded weathered in the sun like a hot summer day after a long time of walking aimlessly. I was new to the community in Asheville at that time but over the years I would get to know him and his wife and later got up the nerve to invite him to play some guitar on my album, My Woman. You can really hear Seth’s influence on my music on that record especially on songs like “Those were the days” or “Heart Shaped Face” - Angel Olsen
"whenever i need a blast of emotional weirdness full of dirty funk and soul....that tastes organic and pure, yet deep fried in delicious stark raving madness....i turn to the healing sounds of seth kauffman's floating action brand musics." - Jim James
“Seth’s records are never far from the turntable in our house, we probably listen to Floating Action more than any other artist. The music is so fun, yet profound for deep dives, and just sounds so great — inventive arrangements and classic playing that is all somehow thoughtful and carefree at the same time. One morning in late 2020 after listening to “Outsider Art” for the third time in a row, I thought, “There are so many great musicians who love Seth’s music as much as I do… We gotta do a tribute album.” Everyone I asked about it was psyched, and it slowly took shape over the following months, with one amazing track after another rolling in. Working on this album has been a source of pure joy. We hope you love it." - Daniel Martin Moore
Mastodonna – Hail Satin LP
Tucson's own Madonna-Songs-In-The-Style-Of-Mastodon Brutal-Pop-Shredders. Made up of an all-star cast of Tucson musicians, Mastodonna. If you fall in the overlap of the Sexy-pop / Heavy Riffs Venn Diagram, you NEED this LP. Ltd Ed of 500 on Pink Vinyl. Sample it Now on your favorite streaming service.
Pick One Up Here!
Jim McGuinn – Mop Me Up / The Makings Of
Jim McGuinn (grandson of Byrds frontman, Roger McGuinn) was my first ever employee, shortly after I moved to Tucson, while he was still in high school. He and I traveled the highways and biways of America together, cuttin' records, Jammin' Waylon, and raisin' hell all over the country.
But, last year, Jim moved to Nashville to chase his dream of being the next Randy Travis. And damn, he's givin' it a real good go. He put together a killer band of friends (several of whom are Nashville Session dudes) and has been knockin' out Neo-Neo-Traditional Honky Tonk bangers... and here are the first two. Mop Me Up & The Makings Of (The One That Got Away).
If you like late 70's / Early 80s style honky tonk country, check these out (streaming now on Spotify, etc). But, fair warning, whether you like these earworms or not, you will NOT get them out of your head for years. MoPPPPppppp meeeee UPPPPPPP.......
Female Gaze – The Joy of Missing Out
Female Gaze is a power trio, and one of the best bands in Tucson right now. We whipped up these one sided 7"s with transparency inserts with a weeks notice so they had something to sell when they opened for Explosions in the Sky at the Rialto Theatre here last month.
LATHE CUT CAMP 23! May 18-20, 2024 in 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.
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.