Memphis Listening Lab (MLL) has announced Memphis Record Pressing (MRP) as their 2022 title sponsor as well as released details on a series of workshops to further educate the Memphis community on the vinyl record making process.
The workshops will consist of a four-part series focusing on the working parts that are involved in the vinyl making process. The series will incorporate local and national industry leaders who understand the value of producing vinyl albums and are active in the vinyl industry. Topics will include Recording and Mastering for Vinyl, Album Artwork/Liner Notes Production, Funding a Vinyl Project, and How Vinyl is Made.
“Teaming up with MRP is a perfect match for us,” said MLL Archivist, Jim Cole. “For a company like MRP to be in Memphis is amazing, and we are thrilled to collaborate on these workshops.”
Brandon Seavers of MRP, said “It makes total and complete sense for Memphis Record Pressing to partner with the Memphis Listening Lab. It is amazing to have such a cutting-edge space here in Memphis that gives the community such a unique way to connect with the format through MLL’s extensive music collection. We are looking forward to helping promote both the MLL and vinyl as a format through our partnership.”
More details on each of the events will be available in the coming weeks as well as specific dates for each workshop.
Catrina Guttery (MRP, Marketing/Communications), Jim Cole (MLL, Librarian/Archivist). Image courtesy Jim Thompson
About Memphis Listening Lab: Memphis Listening Lab is a non-profit, curated collection of music and music history, a forum for music-related talks and performances, and a music education, appreciation, and experimentation space located in Crosstown Concourse. 1350 Concourse Avenue, Suite 269, Memphis, TN.
About Memphis Record Pressing: Memphis Record Pressing (MRP) was founded in 2014 as a collaboration between Audiographic Masterworks (‘AGMW’, est. 1997) and Fat Possum Records (‘FP’, est. 1992.) Having spent the better part of 15 years working together on CD & DVD manufacturing, AGMW and FP teamed up to fill a much-needed gap in the resurging world of vinyl manufacturing. After acquiring a recently defunct pressing plant, MRP worked feverishly to build out the complicated infrastructure required to power vinyl production, while simultaneously scouring the nation in search of those with the knowledge to bring the aged machines back to life. All the pieces fell into place when MRP officially opened to the public in January 2015.
In June 2016, MRP joined forces with GZ Media (GZ) from the Czech Republic, the largest manufacturer of vinyl records in the world. This partnership, along with the increased global attention on the vinyl resurgence, combined with the appetite of the major record labels to capitalize on vinyl’s new-found glory, has fueled MRP’s growth into a global leader in vinyl LP production. MRP has been in a constant state of expansion, growing from 15 employees in 2015 to over 180 employees in 2022, with vinyl output increasing from 880,000 LPs in 2015 to 7.1 million in 2021 (a 700% increase).
MRP’s goal is to make the highest quality record, with the fastest turnarounds in the industry, backed by the best customer service around. Memphis Record Pressing is proud of its Memphis heritage and is dedicated to keeping all things vinyl alive and spinning for many years to come.