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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. Ep538: John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants Returns!

Ep538: John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants Returns!

Mar 16, 2026

John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants talks rare vinyl rarities, the chaotic story behind the new album's cover art, why re-recording old music is almost always a mistake and lots more

Order the new album "The World Is to Dig" here

Topics Include:

  • Flansburgh owns roughly 2,000 records across three turntable setups at home
  • He doesn't identify as a collector — just a serious listener
  • His rarest record: an Andy Warhol-autographed Sticky Fingers with wild provenance photos
  • He also owns a peeled-banana Velvet Underground and a Blonde on Blonde rarity
  • Deep dive into what makes each of those pressings so collectible
  • TMBG's new album title comes from a Maurice Sendak-illustrated children's book
  • That led to a fascinating detour on painter Ad Reinhardt's secret black-on-black canvases
  • Flansburgh has been TMBG's de facto art director for 35 years
  • The new album's cover art was nearly a Washington Post-licensed sinkhole photo
  • Washington Post's mass layoffs killed the deal at the last possible moment
  • A Hudson Valley School painting of Yosemite became the actual cover
  • Flansburgh and Linnell don't stockpile songs — cuts are made for specific artistic reasons
  • He once had to shelve a song because Linnell came in with a nearly identical opening line
  • TMBG song titles are uniquely searchable — except the new one referencing Wu-Tang
  • Flansburgh is firmly against re-recording old material — cites Zappa as a cautionary tale
  • Great discussion on remastering: Beatles got it right, Hendrix remaster was disorienting
  • TMBG evolved from NYC performance art venues to rock clubs — crowd energy changed everything
  • Their boutique 8-track manufacturer couldn't keep up when TMBG needed a thousand units
  • Dolby Atmos debate: Flansburgh is skeptical, Nate makes the case for spatial audio
  • Nate’s most collectible record is a Nevermind test pressing — rejected pressings are worth more

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