There are currently only about 20 vinyl pressing plants in the country, causing a shortage and setting back music releases as demand for vinyl records increases nationwide. William Socolov, co-founder of legendary hip-hop and dance music label Sleeping Bag Records, may have found a way to close the gap: build a high-quality vinyl press restoration plant.
“Functioning presses are especially scarce,” says Socolov in a Kickstarter video seeking funding for the Brooklyn Vinyl Works plant. “More presses in operation will help us better serve the independent artists and small labels that frequently have to wait size months to get their finished product,” he says.
The plans will perform “meticulous restoration” of old presses. Restoration of old equipment is vital, according to the Kickstarter page’s description, because “record pressing plants are a marriage between very old and new manufacturing technologies.”
“When a part breaks on a record press, you can’t run down to the Vinyl Machinery Superstore. Instead, you need the skill and knowledge to fabricate it yourself. The folks at Brooklyn Vinyl Works have years and years of expertise in the art of making records and are adept in the art of repairing and maintaining these old machines,” it says.
The plant will be open 24 hours a day, with the goal of opening sometime in July.
Socolov is seeking $100,000, which will go “towards obtaining and upgrading a number of our factory’s most vital components: a new boiler, a shrinkwrap machine, grinders and hydraulics equipment.” After that infrastructure is all set up, “additional funds raised will go towards purchasing more presses.” Backers get to check out the restoration process, as well as the record manufacturing process.
Catch a glimpse of the new plant here:
(Photo: supermariolxpt)
