Inside The Vinyl Revival: With Gotta Groove President Matt Earley

The revival of vinyl has been a historic rise. From their dominance for decades before the CD, to their quick irrelevance in the 90s, to their meteoric rise again, they have had ups and downs throughout their very long lifespan. The current state of the record industry is one that looks very different from what it once did. While no, it may not be as robust as it was in the 70s, the industry has gone back into full swing again as production plants across the country continue to pop up and the veterans continue to grow. One of those veterans of this new era is Gotta Groove Records. Based out of Cleveland and only a short drive from the Rock Hall they have become one of the biggest plants in the country. They're certainly unique when compared to other plants though. They feel much less corporate and a lot more in tune with the world of music. Matt Earley is the president of Gotta Groove Records and he's got an insight into the industry that is hard to get anywhere else. We talked about the rise in popularity of vinyl, how the big labels are affecting the industry, and where the industry will be in 10 years. This is a window into the world of record production, so without further ado, here's the interview: WAX: Who are you and what do you do for Gotta Groove Records?

Matt Earley: I'm Matt Earley. I'm the president of Gotta Groove Records. So I do a little bit of everything—sales, customer service, cleaning up messes, all that.

WAX: Very cool. How'd you get started in the industry?

Matt Earley: I worked at a record store in college, and that led to my first job outside of school, which was at a wholesale distributor, not just for vinyl, but for CDs as well. I started there in 2000.

Every year at that point, vinyl sales were growing. Most of our customers were independent record stores, and every year it became harder and harder to get things in stock. It seemed like a no-brainer that maybe I'd move up the supply chain and open a manufacturer instead.

So around 2008, Vince Sr. and I opened up Gotta Groove Records.

WAX: Very cool. What changes have you seen in the industry since you started compared to now?

Matt Earley: The run sizes are much larger now than they were back in 2008. A lot bigger.

Also, vinyl color variants are a much bigger deal now than they were then. Back in 2008, I'd say 75% of what we pressed was black vinyl. Now it's probably the opposite—75% is color vinyl.

Those are probably the two biggest changes.

WAX: Anything more subtle that maybe isn't as obvious to people outside the industry?

Matt Earley: I think it's just that probably everything that comes out now has a vinyl version.

In 2008, only select titles might get a vinyl release. At this point, it feels like almost anything that comes out in a physical format is going to have a vinyl version.

WAX: What do you think is so appealing about records to younger people? A lot of conversations focus on the resurgence of vinyl among younger audiences. What makes records more appealing than CDs or digital media?

Matt Earley: Probably the biggest factor is that it forces you to pay attention.

You're not likely to just let a record play endlessly like you can with streaming. Streaming can be in the background while you're doing other things, or you can leave and it'll keep playing.

With a record, you're going to have to flip it over or stop it when the side ends. It kind of forces you to slow down and pay attention to what you're listening to.

WAX: Where do you see the industry going in the next 10 to 20 years?

Matt Earley: I'd like to say it's going to keep growing. It's been growing every year since we've been in it.

The pace is probably slower now, but I think it's a healthier pace of growth.

Independent labels have always been involved with vinyl, whereas major labels have come and gone a little bit over the past few decades. I suspect we'll probably see some backing off from major labels at some point. Whether that's in 10 years or 15 years is hard to guess.

Because they're large publicly traded companies and generally risk-averse when it comes to inventory, it makes sense that they may eventually pull back somewhat.

I'd like to see independent labels fill that void, and I think they will.

WAX: Do you think the industry will be healthier when major labels are less involved than they are now? Obviously there are things like Taylor Swift taking up a lot of pressing capacity at certain plants.

Matt Earley: That's hard to guess.

I think there's probably some level of health that comes from having the majors involved. The very large plants that have emerged over the past five or six years might change if the majors pull back. Maybe they downsize or sell parts of their operations.

But ultimately, as long as consumers remain interested, it probably doesn't matter where the records are coming from. If the music is compelling and people are interested in vinyl, things should be fine.

WAX: Do you have any personal favorite indie labels?

Matt Earley: My favorites are our customers.

We're fortunate enough to press records for a lot of people we like. Daptone Records, Coal Mine Records, and 30 Tigers are some examples.

There are others that I don't always mention publicly because they keep things pretty close to the vest.

WAX: If you could make something standard across the record-producing industry, what would it be? I know Gotta Groove doesn't necessarily do everything exactly the same as everyone else.

Matt Earley: I don't know if it's necessarily something we do that others should do, but I think there could be more consistency around the very first step: the lacquers.

The lacquers and DMM blanks sent to pressing plants vary wildly in how they're shipped and what information accompanies them.

Since we're a plant that also does work for other pressing plants (we make stampers for them). We often receive boxes where we have no idea who the sides belong to.

That creates delays for both the plant and the customer. Some kind of industry-wide standardization for how masters are shipped and documented would benefit everyone.

WAX: I know quality control is something Gotta Groove really prides itself on. I toured the facility about two years ago and noticed that. Do you think you're trying to be a standard for quality control, or do you think a certain level should simply be expected across the industry?

Matt Earley: I'd like to think we aim to be a standard.

We're obsessed with quality control. It's one of the big selling points for new customers and one reason many of our longtime customers stay with us.

I also recognize that some records get produced that may not actually be listened to very much. In those cases, maybe that same level of quality control isn't as necessary.

But most of the projects we work on are for people who genuinely listen to records, so I think focusing on quality first is important.

WAX: You guys are probably one of the only pressing plants that regularly offers tours to the public. How do you think that helps you stand out?

Matt Earley: It gives us a bit of a Willy Wonka factor.

Most people have never seen how a record is made—not even in a video. Seeing it happen in person for the first time leaves an impression.

People take a lot away from those tours.

WAX: How has being located in Cleveland helped? Whether in terms of customer access, workforce, being connected to the East Coast and Midwest, or even being near the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

Matt Earley: It's helped in several ways.

We're very close to two of the largest record distributors in the industry. Being a one-day shipment away from those locations has helped us because it's faster and cheaper for customers to get products to those warehouses.

As for workforce, Cleveland is a vibrant city with a lot of talented people and manufacturing experience. That's helped us attract great employees.

And the Rock Hall definitely contributes to our visibility. People visit the museum, learn we're only about a mile away, and decide to tour the plant.

WAX: What's one thing artists considering pressing records should know before starting the process?

Matt Earley: Don't start your artwork before you know the specifications.

A lot of people create artwork without looking at templates first, and there are measurements that are really important for how jackets, labels, and other components print.

You'll save yourself a lot of work if you know the specs before diving into the design.

WAX: Do you have any personal favorite records or color variants you've worked on?

Matt Earley: We do a lot of handmade colors through a side project called Wax Mage Records.

It's a collaboration between the company and a few employees. At this point it's basically a label.

The people who create those records come up with things that constantly surprise me.

As for a specific variant, we've been making one called the Nebula since around 2012. It's a really striking handmade color variant. No two copies are the same, and it's incredibly colorful.

Some (very awesome) Wax Mage variants

WAX: I know many of your machines originated in the 1970s. Do you think those older machines set you apart? And how difficult is maintenance on them today?

Matt Earley: We rebuilt all of those older machines.

We now use a combination of rebuilt vintage presses and newer presses. Interestingly, many of the new presses are built on the same foundation as the old ones.

Maintenance is actually pretty manageable because most of the components that tend to fail have already been replaced.

The older machines also offer a level of flexibility that many newer presses don't.

New machines are heavily focused on efficiency and speed, which is great, but some of the older features that allowed for experimentation and customization aren't always present anymore.

That flexibility helps us create certain color variants and gives us more control over temperatures, cycle times, and other factors that affect sound quality.

I'd argue that some of the reason our records sound better is because of the machines.

WAX: We talked about the industry overall, but where do you see Gotta Groove itself in five years?

Matt Earley: We're actively expanding our own releases through the Wax Mage brand.

This year we'll probably release more titles on our in-house label than in any previous year.

Growing that side of the business is definitely one of our goals over the next five years.

WAX: If you could talk to yourself when you first started, what would surprise you most about where you are now?

Matt Earley: The fun thing about this job is that there's still something new to learn every day.

I'm not sure every company offers that experience, and I really appreciate it. Every day there's something different that might throw you for a loop.