Boutique vinyl cutter, Steve Gibson began his career in Germany a year ago with a 20-hour training day followed by another all-nighter.
He had been eyeing up German engineer Souri Automatensa国际传媒檚 record cutter, which cuts a vinyl record in real time from digital copies, for quite some time. The only way to buy the equipment is to fly to Germany to be trained by Automaten himself. Then, only once training is completed to Automatensa国际传媒檚 satisfaction, can equipment be purchased.
Once Gibson returned home he started Sleepovers for Life, his own small-batch, record-cutting company that took off without any advertising. Gibsonsa国际传媒檚 business has been growing solely by word of mouth. In one year he has cut hundreds of records.
sa国际传媒淩ecord people are generally collectors. Limited runs mean a huge amount to certain people, myself included. Itsa国际传媒檚 that first pressing, this colour or that colour. The small batches are really fun for a certain group of people,sa国际传媒� said Gibson.
Working with local bands and now receiving orders from around the province, Gibson creates an average of 20 vinyl records per order to keep the cost low for both him and the band.
RELATED: From punk rock to politics, D.O.A. comes to Kelowna to Fight Back
Sleepovers for Life is Scott Gibson's brainchild. Gibson cuts boutique vinyl for local Kelowna musicians. He posed for a photo in his workshop on Nov. 27, 2018. (Marissa Tiel/ sa国际传媒)
Gibsonsa国际传媒檚 love of music began in the B.C. punk rock scene. He moved abroad and lost touch with the local music scene for most of his 20s, but when he came back he was astounded to see cassette tapes covering merchandise tables at shows.
sa国际传媒淚 lived away for most of my 20s, so I missed thingssa国际传媒擨 didnsa国际传媒檛 get quite how dead CDs were until I moved back to Canada and saw cassettes on peoples merch tables and though wow, people must really hate CDs right now,sa国际传媒� Gibson said.
He says that people are more willing to spend money on vinyl copies of music because of the quality of sound.
sa国际传媒淰inyl has a warmer sound and itsa国际传媒檚 more durable, theresa国际传媒檚 a good chance your CDs from the sa国际传媒�90ssa国际传媒� you cansa国际传媒檛 listen to them,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淵ou can interact with the music in a more hands-on way where I think (in) the digital age we are kind of missing (that).sa国际传媒�
Records are also a way of preserving the history of music.
RELATED: The Headstones share the story behind debut 1993 album Picture of Health
sa国际传媒淟iving through the sa国际传媒�90s and early 2000s there is a bunch of music history that is lost on CDs from bands before they had a digital footprint. No records were around and there were some huge punk bands that were pretty big deals but there is almost no trace of them anywhere because everything was pressed to CDssa国际传媒� itsa国际传媒檚 a shame that itsa国际传媒檚 lost,sa国际传媒� Gibson said.
He now works with local bands to create exclusive cuts, such as Kelownasa国际传媒檚 Icelandia. He cut their latest deluxe limited edition 10-inch clear vinyl, Paradise on Earth.
Anthony Martens, a member of Icelandia, has known Gibson for most of his life and describes him as a sa国际传媒渃entral fire of the music scenesa国际传媒� in Kelowna.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 the perfect fit (creating vinyl). He has been involved in the music community as talent, promoting music and now with the resurgence of vinyl. He has done extremely well, right off the bat,sa国际传媒� said Martens. sa国际传媒淗e has had people knocking on his doors saying sa国际传媒業 heard about what you do, can you take this.sa国际传媒� There is just a line-up.sa国际传媒�
Martens, who also swears off of CDs, says musicians are rushing to get their own short-run vinyls created by Gibson because it is rare to have affordable limited editions to sell at shows and record stores.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 such a rare thing to have short-run vinyl like that,sa国际传媒� said Martens. sa国际传媒淚f you want to get vinyl made itsa国际传媒檚 tough, you have to mass produce it (elsewhere) for it to be worth it. It opens up the opportunity for smaller artists, and those who just want a limited edition short run.sa国际传媒�
Icelandia mass produced their debut album because they wanted a large amount to sell and to market themselves. However, Martens said the process was expensive and when they released the deluxe edition of Paradise on Earth they only had Gibson make 40 to keep it special.
RELATED: Post-Modern Connection bring their culture to the forefront of their music
sa国际传媒淭he way the music industry is, people miss picking up something physical from a store, or an artist. It gives them a chance to feel something, see the artwork and take it out of the packaging. Itsa国际传媒檚 a way for fans to connect with artists again in a way that feels special,sa国际传媒� Martens said.
In 2017 Nielsen Music reported that vinyl sales in the U.S. rose for the 12th straight year, vinyl LPs rose by nine per cent to a record high 14.3 million albums.
BuzzAngle Music reported that vinyl sales have risen by 22 per cent in Canada and 27 per cent in the U.K. Rocksa国际传媒檔sa国际传媒檙oll was the highest selling genre at 4.5 million albums sold compared to pop that came in second at just over one million.
Through creating these records Gibson has had the opportunity to work with bands that he otherwise wouldnsa国际传媒檛 have had the opportunity to.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a great way to keep involved in the music industry, itsa国际传媒檚 exciting to see whatsa国际传媒檚 going on and to see people who are really passionate about it. A lot of people (new bands) are keeping the dream alive,sa国际传媒� said Gibson.
He is now experimenting with 4.5 inch cuts that are CD sized but are able to be sent in mail with a regular postage stamp. He says the possibilities are endless with that size of vinyl.
Sleepovers for Life cut records are available from artists directly and some are available at Milkcrate Records.
To report a typo, email:
newstips@kelownacapnews.com.
sydney.morton@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .
