Vinyl File: Interview with Mike Park, win Goddamnit

You're the lucky reader of the 21st edition of the Punknews.org Vinyl File. This column aims to keep you informed with upcoming releases as well as spotlighting interesting releases, your favorite band's own collections and labels with an history of vinyl releases worth talking about. As always, Vinyl File is brought to you by Ben Conoley.

Our run of great interviews continues this week as we present a conversation with Mike Park, who of course runs Asian Man Records. While managing to keep themselves in the news on a consistent basis, Asian Man has recently been causing a great deal of excitement as they prepare to re–release Alkaline Trio's beloved album Goddamnit. Although it's not out until February, orders are being taken on the records now and are likely to be nearly gone by the street date.

But that's not all! We've got another exciting contest this week. Read on for details on how to win as well as the names of last week's winners.
Click Read More for the interview.

THE PUNKNEWS.ORG VINYL FILE

Last week's contest, presented by Vagrant Records produced a huge response, but only three people were quick enough on the button to win a copy of The Bled's new album Silent Treatment. Our winners were:Nick Heitman, Baltimore, MD

Jon Schweitzer, Garden Grove, CA

Christopher Mason, San Francisco, CA

Congratulations, your records are on the way.

But it's a new week, and we've got new contests for you to win. Mike Park and Asian Man Records have agreed to give one lucky winner a white vinyl copy of Goddamnit limited to 500 and one runner-up a copy of the CD/DVD. To win, email your name and address to ben (at) punknews (dot) org by 10:00PM EST tomorrow, Thursday December 13 to be entered in a draw.
Now, let's get on with the show.
VINYL FILE SPOTLIGHT

With the re-issue of Goddamnit just around the corner, how do you feel about the album looking back on it?
First of all, it's kind of hard believe it's been ten years. It feels like yesterday when I first saw them playing the Albion house basement in Chicago. To be honest, I truly feel Goddamnit is one of the best punk records to come along in the last ten years. It has all the ingredients for a classic punk record. It sounds like a real band. Nowadays everything is so overproduced that the recorded bands sound like machines compared to musicians with soul. But Goddamnit was a record I listed to daily for at least a year straight.
What has the response been from people in regards to the repressing of Goddamnit repress?

It's been insane. My head hurts to be honest. Probably not the best idea to put up pre-orders during the xmas rush, but yeah I'm just trying to keep up right now.

You released a number of Alkaline Trio albums and 7"s that are now very tough to find, have you ever considered re-printing some of them - such as Maybe I'll Catch Fire or For Your Lungs Only?
Hopefully we can re-release Maybe I'll Catch Fire, but I really doubt we'll do any of the EPs. And eventually the S/T record is something I'd like to see on vinyl. I didn't press it on vinyl cause I saw this as a b-side to a lot of records that were strictly vinyl only, so it didn't really make sense at the time.

When you released Maybe I'll Catch Fire and printed 1,000 copies - did you imagine that they would be so in demand down the road?

Actually, we released 1,000 on black vinyl and 1,000 on orange swirl. So the total number of records out there is 2,000.

There are two label variations on Goddamnit - any idea how many of each one exist? Do you remember why you did it that way?

I didn't even know that? What do they look like? I don't even have a copy.

Do you think it's every possible that you'll work with the Trio in the future for new projects?

I'm sure of it. I talk to Matt at least once a week and it seems Danny and I are talking daily about our daughters. So yeah, we'll do something for sure.

Are you into collecting vinyl yourself?

I'm actually doing the opposite. I've sold over 1,000 records over the past 5 years. I still have a lot of records, but they're not fetching much on EBAY if anything, so I'm stuck with them. I've been trying desperately to be a minimalist and that is the reason why I'm getting rid of the records.

You've recently been selling a lot of your test presses and rare records on Ebay - did you imagine they would be fetching the amounts they have?

Not at all. I didn't even know I had these until I found a T-Shirt size box full of all the test pressings. After seeing what some of them went for I'm wondering where certain other test pressings are? Who would have known?

Asian Man still releases albums on vinyl - what are some projects you've currently got under way.

O Pioneers!!! 7", Lemuria Get Warmer on white vinyl (/400) and black vinyl (/100), Mike Hale Broken With No Hope also on white vinyl (/400) and black (/100). I'm also going to release my first two solo records in vinyl, plus a never ending amount of new stuff, and of course the Alkaline Trio Goddamnit on six different colors of vinyl limited to 500 each. Fun, fun.

Are there any bands you haven't worked with who you'd like to?

Come on, of course. How about you give me the Clash and Rollins era Black Flag. Sound good?
Peace..

Thanks for reading the Punknews.org Vinyl File. If you have any info, please send it along to ben (at) punknews (dot) org.