Ep510: Matt Pinfield - Record Collector

Ep510: Matt Pinfield - Record Collector

Author: The Vinyl Guide August 1, 2025 Duration: 1:09:51

Obsessive vinyl collector and radio & MTV legend Matt Pinfield discusses his music collection, holy grails, music industry stories, his recent health scares and sharing stories at the Punk Rock Museum.

The Punk Rock Museum info and tickets are here 

Matt's book "My Insane Improbable Rock Life" is here

Topics Include:

  • Matt discusses his post-stroke meal plan after months without solid food
  • Friends like Mike Ness from Social Distortion visited him in hospital
  • Stroke happened at drummer John Tempesta's house, remembers calling EMS
  • Had both stroke and meningeal pneumonia with 85% mortality rate
  • Daughters told he would die, was touch and go situation
  • Lost feeling on right side, still numb but walking with cane
  • Previous near-death experiences: aneurysm at 15, car accident, sobriety struggles
  • Recovery includes acupuncture from former punk drummer and intense physical therapy
  • Currently doing tours at the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas
  • Favorite museum artifact is rare Germs concert footage never released
  • Stories of interviewing Iggy Pop who once knocked microphone from hands
  • Hosted Wayne Kramer tribute concert at Sing Sing prison for inmates
  • Getting punk acts on MTV 120 Minutes easier than expected
  • Started in college radio at Rutgers, only 13 alternative stations existed
  • CBGBs regular, Athens Georgia born with B-52s/R.E.M. connections there
  • Kevin Bacon joked there's only two degrees of separation with Matt
  • Neil Young remains his interview "holy grail"
  • Matt is a serious 45 RPM collector
  • Lived in Paul Kantner's old apartment with psychedelic laser showerhead
  • DJed at clubs where James Gandolfini was regular
  • Friends with Don Bolles from Germs, both love 70s glam records
  • Personal rule: must buy something from every record store visited
  • Also supports opening bands by buying their vinyl and t-shirts
  • Postal service recently stole entire box of rare 45s shipment
  • Still searching for holy grail records like Panic Squad 12-inch single
  • Tom Petty acetate test pressing gift from friend Chuck Rocha
  • Found rare Cherry Slush single that climbed charts before label folded
  • Optimistic about vinyl's future as young people discover physical music
  • Believes vinyl offers irreplaceable warmth and "whole other world" experience
  • Plans Vegas record shopping and Australian record exchange with Nate

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

 

 


There's a particular kind of conversation that happens when two people who are deeply passionate about music get together, surrounded by shelves of records. The Vinyl Guide-Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds captures that feeling perfectly. Hosted by Nate, a dedicated collector and enthusiast, this podcast feels less like a formal interview and more like you're overhearing a great chat in the back of a record store. The discussions naturally weave through artists' creative processes, the stories behind iconic albums, and the tangible magic of the format itself. You'll hear from musicians, producers, and other insiders who live and breathe vinyl, offering perspectives that go far beyond the liner notes. But it's not just about the artists; it's for the collectors, too. Episodes often delve into the practical, nerdy details that make this hobby so compelling-like distinguishing between a common pressing and a rare, valuable find, or learning how to properly care for your collection so it lasts for decades. It’s that blend of artistic insight and collector-focused knowledge that gives this podcast its unique character. Whether you're a seasoned cratedigger or just appreciate the warmth of an analog recording, these conversations offer a rich, human connection to the music you love, all centered around the grooves of a vinyl record.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds
Podcast Episodes
Ep546: One-Step Audiophile Vinyl w Tom Grover Biery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:35
From funding the first Record Store Day to producing limited one-step pressings of Pet Sounds, Prince, and Dr. Dre, Tom "Grover" Biery is one of the most influential figures in modern vinyl culture - Hear all about his n…
Ep545: Zev Feldman Returns for Record Store Day 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:24
Zev Feldman returns to reveal 11 Record Store Day 2026 releases, including stunning discoveries from the legendary Joe Siegel Jazz Showcase tape archive featuring Ahmad Jamal, Yusef Lateef, Freddie King, and more never-b…
Ep543: Remembering Rozz Williams & Christian Death [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:31
Rikk Agnew, James McGearty, and David Glass share stories about Rozz Williams & Christian Death, the making of Only Theater of Pain, and completing his final recorded wish with the new song Flowers. Tickets for April 18…
Ep542: Music Documentary Producer Jeanne Elfant Festa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:45
Documentary producer & record collector Jeanne Elfant Festa has made films about The Beatles, Foo Fighters, Pavarotti, Bee Gees and more. Today she discusses her latest movie on Billy Preston — revealing rare archive foo…
Ep541: TV Smith - 50 Years of The Adverts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:15
TV Smith joins Nate to discuss the 50th anniversary of The Adverts, an Australian tour backed by The Hard-Ons, and a career full of great songs and terrible label luck. Topics Include: TV Smith is touring Australia in Ap…
Ep540: Swami John Reis - Record Collector [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:37
Swami John Reis of Rocket from the Crypt and Drive Like Jehu digs deep on record collecting, the thrill of the hunt, running Swami Records, and why the next release always matters most. Get yer tix to the Punk Rock Museu…
Ep539: Dr Strange Records' Summer Bash Festival [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:00
Dr. Strange Records' Bill Plaster talks Summer Bash and the chaos of booking a festival, punk history, record collecting, Live Strange, and how punk rock can genuinely change lives. Get Summer Bash tix here | Follow Dr S…
Ep538: John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants Returns! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:06
John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants talks rare vinyl rarities, the chaotic story behind the new album's cover art, why re-recording old music is almost always a mistake and lots more Order the new album "The World Is…
Ep537: Bongo Fury at 50 – Zappa, Beefheart and the Vaultmeister [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:16
Zappa Vaultmeister Joe Travers discusses the Bongo Fury box set, the Frank and Beefheart origin story, Frank's cutting edge approach and what may be next from the Zappa Universe. Order the Zappa/Beefheart Bongo Fury 50th…