The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds

Peter Hook reflects on 50 years of music, the emotional weight of performing Joy Division and New Order live, and the many memories and ghosts of his past.
Tickets for Peter Hook & The Light, Australia 2026
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New Order toured Australia as early as 1982, helped by Factory Australasia's local support.
Hooky calls Australia the only place he never wants to leave — he still suffers leaving every time.
Peter Hook and the Light played their seventh-ever gig in Melbourne on their first Australian tour.
He is now working through every New Order and Joy Division album ever recorded live.
Get Ready features songs never played live as New Order, with Steve Morris largely absent during recording.
The band's Grammy came from Orgy's heavy metal cover of Blue Monday — Hook loves the weird covers most.
He revealed a plan to stage a full New Order classical concert, eyeing the Sydney Opera House.
Ian Curtis performed with absolute conviction every single night — something Bernard Sumner couldn't match early on.
Hook recalls first seeing Ian smash up a venue at 2:30am, dancing through broken tables — terrifying and electrifying.
That chaotic Stiff/Chiswick talent show led directly to Rob Gretton becoming Joy Division's manager.
Ian's lyrics, Hook says, are heartbreaking up close — Love Will Tear Us Apart masks devastating words in euphoric music.
Singing Ian's words himself has given Hook a profound new insight into what Curtis was actually expressing.
Tony Wilson signed them with a handshake — no contracts — while other labels arrived with thick legal documents.
Bernard Sumner found the Unknown Pleasures pulsar image in a textbook; nobody planned the iconic sleeve.
Hooky was actually sued for bootlegging the Unknown Pleasures artwork — which Factory themselves had originally stolen.
Ian Curtis reportedly wrote a letter complaining about how Closer sounded — a detail Hook only learned years later.
During Closer sessions, Curtis was being torn apart: marriage collapsing, new love, epilepsy worsening, the band pushing forward.
Hook deeply regrets not seeing Ian before his cremation — but a gravedigger privately told him where Curtis is actually buried.
The inquest into Ian's death so disgusted the band they decided on the spot to continue as New Order.
Joy Division was deliberately boxed away for 30 years; Bernard called playing those songs "miserable" and refused to continue.
Bobby Gillespie suggested the album playback concept so Hook could faithfully recreate Martin Hannett's studio sound live.
Watching his son learn Joy Division bass lines at the same age Hook was then felt like staring into the past.
Performing these songs, Hook says he is "living surrounded by ghosts" of collaborators now gone.
The K-93 sessions saw Killing Joke's Geordie Walker move into Hook's Manchester home for six weeks, causing complete chaos.
Those lost K-93 tapes mysteriously surfaced after the label went bankrupt — and Jaz Coleman promptly went silent again.
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Jerry "Swamp Dogg" Williams Jr opens up about his new album "Contemplates the Afterlife," reflecting on death, faith, and a 70-year career that's produced over 2,000 songs.
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New album, Swamp Dogg Contemplates the Afterlife, drops on S-Curve
Swamp Dogg shares wild theories on what happens after death
He opens up about faith, doubt, and fear of dying
Reveals he's written over 2,000 songs across 31 albums
His very first record came out way back in 1954
Stories of opening for Sam Cooke and Larry Williams
Names the R&B legends who shaped his sound early on
Louis Jordan's band once crashed at his childhood home
Tells the story of the worst gig of his life
A gorilla costume gets stabbed onstage — true story
Joining a traveling sideshow for five dollars a night
Discusses which Swamp Dogg records collectors hunt hardest today
Bob Dylan secretly covered one of his songs years ago
Bonds with the host over their shared Australia connection
Reveals his wild Beatles-cover novelty record made in Australia
Explains how the record business vanished almost overnight
Teases new Trinidad soca album and Black Grass II
Black Grass II will feature Steve Earle and Margo Price
Talks new collaboration album with Eli "Paperboy" Reed
Reflects on his Nixon protest era and Jane Fonda ties
Looks back on going broke after getting rich fast
Recalls producing hit records for Gene Pitney and others
Shares fond memories of legendary producer Jerry Wexler
The stopwatch story behind his studio recording ritual
On Phil Spector's massive ego and Wall of Sound
Reveals which British acts covered his songs in the '60s
Talks favorite record stores and his 100-record jukebox
Hunting down rare 45s worth up to $1,000
The story behind his dance hit "Let's Do the Wobble"
Closes with favorite love songs and a wild birthday coincidence
Extended and high resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
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Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Lydia Lunch unpacks the raw origins of No Wave, her squatting-and-surviving New York story, and why after five decades of confrontational art, pleasure remains the ultimate rebellion.
Australian tour tickets and show info here.
Topics Include:
Lydia Lunch is touring Australia and New Zealand in June
She's performing Suicide and Alan Vega covers across multiple cities
Australia holds deep personal meaning — Roland S. Howard, Tex Perkins, lifelong friends
Lydia considers herself a comedian; most people are just too afraid to laugh
Words are her primary art — music is just the machine gun
She sleeps in two-hour shifts and wakes famished at 5am every day
Creativity has no fixed time — she writes song lyrics in five minutes flat
She self-publishes through 48-hour printing, selling books for $20, cost $4
True crime forensics and Matthew McConaughey in Magic Mike are her guilty pleasures
Daily she rotates between war, politics, and apocalyptic comedy — Dear Ivanka included
She's actively promoting new bands: Genra's Death, Bog Creeper, New City Slang
Instrumental music — Budos Band, Yusef Lateef, Baba Zula — is her listening diet
Suicide and Mars were already playing when she arrived in New York
Suicide actually coined the term "punk rock" on flyers back in 1972
No Wave wasn't a movement — it was personal insanity in a decaying city
The name "No Wave" just came out of her mouth in one interview
If you couldn't play, you had to be brutally tight — or else
She taught a homeless man she'd befriended to play drums for Teenage Jesus
Teenage Jesus songs were written on a borrowed bass she barely understood
She squatted an abandoned Tribeca building, running electricity from neighbours to rehearse
Teenage Jesus singles on Migraine Records likely preceded the No New York compilation
Beirut Slump was horror rock — described as a slug over a razor blade
She arrived in New York with $200, a suitcase, and zero contacts
Seeing Suicide at Max's Kansas City with ten people changed everything instantly
Martin Rev gave teenage Lydia vitamins; Alan Vega was leather-bound and irresistible
She boycotted Bowie and Iggy in Rochester — accidentally saving them from a drug bust
Mick Ronson's Slaughter on 10th Avenue: the glam record Bowie quietly stole from
Lou Reed — always a dick; Warhol — vapid, but his car crashes were great
She owns every recording, every publishing right — everything she's ever made
Her reward for a lifetime of rebellion: pleasure, rage, and zero regrets
High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
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Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Black Flag vocalist Max Zanelly shares how she went from waitressing to fronting one of punk's most legendary bands and how the new lineup is carving their own space in legacy of the band.
Australian tour tickets and info here.
Topics Include:
Max Zanelly checks in from Toronto, post-Canada tour
Black Flag heading to Australia: four cities in late May
One year ago, Max had just started rehearsing with Black Flag
Only prior music experience: saxophone in middle school band
A longtime fan, Max attended a Black Flag show in Vancouver
Greg Ginn noticed Max singing every word from the front row
Numbers exchanged; Greg said he wanted to make music someday
A month later: the vocalist left, Greg offered Max the role
Max sent vocal demos and flew to Texas to rehearse
Already knew the full catalog; My War was the gateway album
Side two's slow, sludgy tracks resonated the most deeply
Favourite songs to perform live
New recordings underway, still at early instrumental stages
Max currently writing lyrics for a potential new Black Flag record
Big age gap with Greg, but the band dynamic gels well
Lineup reveal photos triggered massive online backlash before any shows
Live shows quickly won skeptics over, including 80s-era veterans
Henry Rollins is Max's personal favourite past Black Flag vocalist
First rehearsals: nervous and shy about screaming into a mic
Fake-it-till-you-make-it; fully unleashed onstage by the fourth show
Voice conditioned gradually; 24-hour rest between shows is enough
Bassist David sparked Max's interest in record collecting on tour
Grew up religious; told mum she was just selling band merch
Mum eventually came around; Max now inspiring women to start bands
High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
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Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Filmmaker Dave Markey discusses his documentary "The Secret Lives of Bill Bartell", the punk scene's most fascinating, mysterious, and surprisingly influential behind-the-scenes figure.
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Dave Markey has a large record collection but stopped buying recently.
Vinyl prices have skyrocketed — once cheap records now cost thousands.
Dave bought records directly from band members at punk shows.
Ian MacKaye sold Dave a first press Minor Threat 7".
Dave bought Minutemen and Descendents EPs from D-Boon for a dollar.
Dave made the Bill Bartell documentary for people who don't know him.
Bill Bartell was unknowable — different things to different people.
Dave tried making this film in the 90s; Bill refused to cooperate.
The film was made ten years after Bill passed away.
Bill Bartell faked backstage passes to get into arena rock shows.
Bill named the Iron Maiden live EP Maiden Japan.
Bill gave Steve Harris his outfit, worn in the "Run to the Hills" video.
Bill saw no distinction between the Scorpions, the Germs, and the Beatles.
Bill would tell artists exactly what he thought — no filter whatsoever.
Bill told Steve Perry he was responsible for the worst night of his life.
Bill told Beck "I don't like you" upon their very first meeting.
Bill tried out as guitarist for Public Image Ltd in 1981.
Kiss circulated photos of Bill to security: do not let him in.
Bill befriended Sean Lennon, which led to a friendship with Yoko Ono.
Bill's 1988 Beatlefest noise performance nearly caused a riot.
Bill talked Kiss manager Bill Aucoin into discovering Generation X.
That connection indirectly launched Billy Idol's massive solo career.
Billy Idol himself didn't know Bill Bartell's role until recently.
Bill gave Kurt Cobain Os Mutantes tapes, reviving the band's career.
Pat Smear and Drew Barrymore were sought for the film but unavailable.
Dave's band Painted Willie did Black Flag's final tour in 1986.
Dave preferred Painted Willie's early Spinhead Records releases over SST output.
The Bill Bartell documentary and Love Dolls films are now on Criterion Channel.
Bill Bartell's Flying V guitar now hangs in the Punk Rock Museum, Las Vegas.
Bill's money, connections, and secrets largely died with him — still a mystery.
High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
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Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide