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The Vinyl Guide

If you like records, just starting a collection or are an uber-nerd with a house-full of vinyl, this is the podcast for you. Nate Goyer is The Vinyl Guide and discusses all things music and record-related. Nate is a 40+ year vinyl collector, owns some of the most highly desired titles and enjoys them thoroughly. The Vinyl Guide is his journey through the history of music to speak with the artists and technicians who made music history and get the stories behind the records.

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  2. Ep510: Matt Pinfield - Record Collector

Ep510: Matt Pinfield - Record Collector

Aug 1, 2025

Obsessive vinyl collector and radio & MTV legend Matt Pinfield discusses his music collection, holy grails, music industry stories, his recent health scares and sharing stories at the Punk Rock Museum.

The Punk Rock Museum info and tickets are here 

Matt's book "My Insane Improbable Rock Life" is here

Topics Include:

  • Matt discusses his post-stroke meal plan after months without solid food
  • Friends like Mike Ness from Social Distortion visited him in hospital
  • Stroke happened at drummer John Tempesta's house, remembers calling EMS
  • Had both stroke and meningeal pneumonia with 85% mortality rate
  • Daughters told he would die, was touch and go situation
  • Lost feeling on right side, still numb but walking with cane
  • Previous near-death experiences: aneurysm at 15, car accident, sobriety struggles
  • Recovery includes acupuncture from former punk drummer and intense physical therapy
  • Currently doing tours at the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas
  • Favorite museum artifact is rare Germs concert footage never released
  • Stories of interviewing Iggy Pop who once knocked microphone from hands
  • Hosted Wayne Kramer tribute concert at Sing Sing prison for inmates
  • Getting punk acts on MTV 120 Minutes easier than expected
  • Started in college radio at Rutgers, only 13 alternative stations existed
  • CBGBs regular, Athens Georgia born with B-52s/R.E.M. connections there
  • Kevin Bacon joked there's only two degrees of separation with Matt
  • Neil Young remains his interview "holy grail"
  • Matt is a serious 45 RPM collector
  • Lived in Paul Kantner's old apartment with psychedelic laser showerhead
  • DJed at clubs where James Gandolfini was regular
  • Friends with Don Bolles from Germs, both love 70s glam records
  • Personal rule: must buy something from every record store visited
  • Also supports opening bands by buying their vinyl and t-shirts
  • Postal service recently stole entire box of rare 45s shipment
  • Still searching for holy grail records like Panic Squad 12-inch single
  • Tom Petty acetate test pressing gift from friend Chuck Rocha
  • Found rare Cherry Slush single that climbed charts before label folded
  • Optimistic about vinyl's future as young people discover physical music
  • Believes vinyl offers irreplaceable warmth and "whole other world" experience
  • Plans Vegas record shopping and Australian record exchange with Nate

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide