Astro Analog Series: Volume 3

Astro Analog Series: Volume 3 is a 7" single released in late April of 2013 by Henry Owings of Chunklet Magazine. It is available through the Chunklet website. The record was pressed on three different colors of vinyl: clear (200), purple (a chunklet.com exclusive and the same color as the foil seal), and black. The clear version sold out during the first few days of the pre-sale. In August of 2013 it was repressed on clear red vinyl. 

This record is the third and final installment in a series of 7" singles that will culminate in the release of a full length record in May of 2013. Like the others in the series, it was mostly recorded in Chicago in February of 2012 with longtime Astro-cohort Steve Albini. It features original members Star Crunch (Brian Causey), Coco the Electronic Monkey Wizard (Rob Del Bueno) and Birdstuff (Brian Teasley). Rounding out the band is Athens-based guitarist and space nurse in training Avona Nova (Samantha Paulsen).

The a-side is the song "Disintegrate" with guest vocals by Liz Durrett. It was recorded by Daniel Farris at Ole Elegante, Birmingham, Alabama. The B-side features two tracks that are exclusive to this release: "Baby's First Spacewalk" and "Defcon 0." Both of these were taken from the February session with Albini. As they are being touted as exclusives, they will not appear on the full-length.  


The record itself is packaged in a custom chipboard, die-cut cover (the same sleeve used for the first two in the series). This time it will feature a purple and silver sticker seal, identifying the release as Chunklet Industries catalog number CHK7-004:

Here is an early design mock up of what the record would look like. The center is meant to look like the color made from seeing the blue center label through the red acetate window. This color seems to be meant to correspond with the color of the foil sticker and one of the color vinyl options:

The records arrived at Chunklet headquarters on April 25th. As promised, the vinyl colors were black, clear and purple. The purple looks to be at least partially translucent. Purple also corresponds with the foil sticker that seals the packaging. The center labels are turquoise blue with yellow text. Owings posted this picture to social media:

And here is a photo of the red vinyl repress, also courtesy of Owings:

When I ordered my copies of the single I asked Owings to not seal one, so I could scan it for the blog without having to defile one. He did one better; he sent me this:

That's correct, a customized/ruined nerd copy of the single! Here are both sides of the record. Note that the copy was taken from the few junk 45s that were stamped out between the clear and black vinyl pressings. The result is a clear vinyl record with multiple black streaks:

In lieu of a proper picture sleeve, I was given a couple of cardboard stiffeners with extra stickers from all three singles and the yellow and red acetate windows from volume 1 and volume 3:

Quirky? Yes. Awesome? Double yes. This curious package/graffiti probably has its roots in a story Owings told me years ago about the time he visited Tom Hazelmyer at Amphetamine Reptile Records HQ. I interviewed Owings about a book he was putting out. We started talking about record collecting and he told me that he had once asked Hazelmyer if he had any red vinyl copies of the first "Dope, Guns and Fucking in the Streets" compilation singles left. Hazelmyer took one from a filing cabinet, pulled it out of the sleeve and scraped it over the floor a few times before giving it to him. A single that was worth several hundred dollars on the collector market had just gone from mint to shitty at the hands of the label owner.

Fast forward many years and I ask Owings to not seal a record I'm buying from him so I can photograph it first for my blog. He proceeds to send me a copy without a picture sleeve, with a dozen extra foil seal stickers, in a color that wasn't even commercially available (clear with black streaks was not one of the three vinyl color options), but first he scribbles on the center label with a sharpie and calls me a record nerd. Insulting, sure, but the story makes the record special even if it is difficult to resell. 

Owings also recently posted a picture of the test pressings for the release. According to the label stamp, there are 15 of these out there. Here it is:

Here also are a few scans of my test pressing--front and back, and in and out of the sleeve:

Of the three singles in this 7-inch series, this one is the best. The truly awesome part is that the full-record is even better.

Astro Analog Series: Volume 2

Astro Analog Series: Volume 2 was a 7" single released during the first half of November, 2012 by Henry Owings of Chunklet Magazine. It is, and will be available through the Chunklet website until it sells out. The record was pressed on three different colors of vinyl: clear (200), light green (a chunklet.com exclusive and the same color as the foil seal sticker), and black. The clear vinyl version sold out within a couple of hours. 

The record is the second in a series of 7" singles that culminated in the release of a full length record in May of 2013. Like the first in the series, it was recorded in Chicago in February of 2012 with longtime Astro-cohort Steve Albini. It also features original members Star Crunch (Brian Causey), Coco the Electronic Monkey Wizard (Rob Del Bueno) and Birdstuff (Brian Teasley). Rounding out the band is Athens-based guitarist and space nurse in training Avona Nova (Samantha Paulsen).

There are three new tracks on the single. The first two, "Communication Breakdown Pt II" and "All Systems To Go," will appear on the upcoming full length. A third track, "Chemical Cats," is exclusive to this release. Both sides spin at 45 RPM.

The record itself came packaged in a custom chipboard, die-cut cover. It was the same sleeve used for the first one in the series. This time it featured a blue-colored acetate window on one side of the sleeve. When the yellow center label is seen through the blue window, the color blend effect seems meant to mimic the color of the foil seal--the same color as one of the vinyl colors. Here is a scan of the empty sleeve:

The top was sealed with a green and silver foil sticker identifying it as Chunklet Industries catalog number CHK7-003. Here is a large image of the sticker that will seal the finished single: 

And here was an early mock-up drawing for the single. Note that the catalog number is listed as CHK7-002 on the center label, an error that was fixed for the actual pressing:

Later, as the single became available for pre-order, the colors of the center label were reversed in the mock up. Here's what the single looked like on the pre-order page of the Chunklet website:

When the records arrived at Chunklet HQ, and before they were packaged up, Owings posted the following picture online. As it turns out, the center label looks nothing like either mock up. The vinyl colors, though, were just as promised. Here it is:

the center label--a yellow field with light blue lettering

I was able to snag a copy of each which, as a collector, I really don't want to open. I did get a second copy of the green vinyl version to open and play. Here is a close up of that record:

The record was repressed on red vinyl in May of 2013. Here is a copy of the red repress, on a shelf next to the 2nd repress of Volume 1:

There was also a final pressing of 100 on purplish "space Junk" vinyl, which came out in May of 2016. At this point Owings recycled the rest of the unused sleeves and vowed to never repress it again. There were also FOUR copies of the record pressed on Coke bottle clear green vinyl. Here's a photo of these two variations (I promise to eventually snap a better picture):

The dead wax near the center label bears the following transcription: 
        A side -- "My goal now? I want to be the all being, master of time 
                        space and dimension." 
        B side -- " . . . then I wanna go to Europe . . ."

When the disc was still in pre-production, several testers were sent out to be listened to and approved or reworked. If you've ever wondered why I keep this blog, it is mostly because at this stage of the game I will occasionally get one of these tests to listen to and give my opinion. This morning's mail greeted me with this package:

It looks like Henry at Chunklet has designed his own 7" record shipping envelope. I love that it sports a warning to the letter carrier to not bend it, but to also keep it out of the sun. Classy. Inside was the most recent test press. This test is limited to 15 copies and was done by a company in Columbus, Ohio called MUS I COL. It was a true test press, with bits of junk vinyl on the outer edge and a center hole so small I had to widen it with the small blade of a pair of scissors so it would fit on the spindle. It was pressed on what I can only describe as "not exactly black" vinyl. 

As had become de rigueur with Chunklet test press records, the test singles were placed in plain white sleeves that were then stamped over with the name "Chunklet" and any pertinent details (like catalog number, number in series, etc.). Some of the stamp ended up on the paper sleeve and part of it ended up on the center label. Where this one is a little different is that the center label didn't offer a completely blank slate--there were markings from the pressing plant already there. Here is a picture Owings posted of the pile of test pressings:

Here is a scan of the one he sent me, number 9 in the series of 15:

And as I mentioned above, the record is not exactly black. When I first looked at it, it looked like a severely dusty thrift store record. As I went to blow the excess dust away I realized that it was just the color of the vinyl, an opaque, mottled black with traces of grey or white mixed throughout. Here is a scan of both sides of the vinyl record itself. Note how rough the record looks, and how the Chunklet HQ stamp is only on one side (and only on the spaces that the paper sleeve didn't cover): 

Astro Analog Series: Volume 1

Astro Analog Series: Volume 1 was a 7" single released in August, 2012 by Henry Owings of Chunklet Magazine. It is currently available through the Chunklet website. The single jumpstarted a series of three 7"s that culminated in the release of a full length record in May of 2013. It was recorded in Chicago in February of 2012 with longtime Astro-cohort Steve Albini. This is the first release of new material featuring original guitarist Star Crunch (Brian Causey) in more than a decade. Crunch is joined by fellow original members Coco the Electronic Monkey Wizard (Rob Del Bueno) on bass and Birdstuff (Brian Teasley) on drums. Rounding out the band is Athens-based guitarist, and first full-fledged Astro-Woman, Avona Nova (Samantha Paulsen). In case you missed it, her Astro name is a palindrome.

There are three new tracks on the single. Side A features the instrumental song "Defcon 5." Side B starts with "Anti-Matter Man," a track where Starcrunch actually sings, and finishes with "Dr. Space," an instrumental tune that features the accordian stylings of one Jeremy Jacobsen. The first two will figure somehow onto next year's full-length, but "Dr. Space" is exclusive to this release. The record was cut direct to lacquer at Chicago Mastering Service.

The record itself came packaged in a custom chipboard, die-cut cover with a yellow acetate window on one side (and nothing on the other). The top is sealed with a foil sticker identifying it as Chunklet Industries catalog number CHK7-002. The design work was mostly the brain child of Aaron Draplin, though the Astroman logo used on the center label was designed by Henry Owings. Both the logo and much of the feel of the record and sleeve draw inspiration from vintage audio equipment. Compare the final design of the record with that of the 1936 Zenith 12A58 Radio Glass Dial:

Thank you Benjamin Brinkman for finding this connection!

Here is an artist spec and early concept drawing for the single:

This is what the chipboard sleeve looks like in reality, with the foil sticker broken and the record removed. Note the yellow-tinted center from the clear acetate window:

Here are a few assembly pictures from Chunklet headquarters' Facebook photo stream. The first is the roll of foil stickers used to seal individual records, and the second shows several stacks of assembled sleeves (chipboard outer sleeve with acetate windows attached) awaiting the arrival of the records from the pressing plant:

The roll of foil stickers used to seal individual records

Assembled sleeves. Note the sleeve in the foreground with the red acetate window.
This a preview detail of the third volume in the Astro-Analog series.

  

The center label on the disc is red with yellow text. Here is the artist spec used in the printing of the label:

The vinyl record itself was available in three different varieties: clear, translucent orange and opaque black. The clear variety was limited to 200 copies. The orange one was exclusively available from the Chunklet website. It is also the color that matches the foil seal sticker. The black copies were the ones distributed to record stores. Here is a tweeted photo from Henry Owings that shows all three variations:

I purchased all three varieties of the single, and I got an extra orange copy to open and play. Here is a closeup shot of the orange version of the record:

There was also a second pressing, or re-press of the single after the clear and orange variations sold out. The second pressing looks identical to the first in sleeve and center labeling. The difference is that it was done on clear red vinyl. Here is a photo of the re-press:

There is also a third pressing on gold vinyl that went on sale in May of 2013. Here it is, on a shelf next to the red repress of Volume 2. It's the one on the left:

The final, and fourth pressing of the record was on "space junk" purple vinyl. There were 100 of these pressed, after which Owings got rid of the extra packaging materials so he wouldn't be tempted to make anymore. In addition to the junk vinyl pressing, there was also ONE copy pressed on coke bottle clear/green. Here's photo of both (I promise I'll snap a better picture in the future):

The dead wax bears the inscriptions: "so now I have a Google phonic stereo with a moon rock needle" and "It's okay for a car stereo, wouldn't want it in my house."

There was a series of 12 test pressings of this one. I managed to get my hands on number 5. Here it is a photo of the pile of tests, and a close up shot of my copy:

Check out how the rubber stamp graphic goes from sleeve to record and back to sleeve. Gorgeous.

And, though there was no official insert with the record, some shipments came with swag from Chunklet HQ. Like, for instance, this:

this is pretty close to actual size

THIS JUST LEAKED. A preview of things to come:

Electrostatic Sensitive Device

Electrostatic Sensitive Device was a 7” EP released on November 5, 2010. It was put out by Henry Owings at Chunklet Magazine and the people at Soundscreen Design. Soundscreen Design had just released the Touchable Sound book, a graphics-heavy tome that celebrated the labor intensive 7” record packaging and design that permeated the 1990s.

Paying tribute to ridiculous, completely cost inefficient packaging, the record came in a plain white sleeve with plain white center labels that were hand stamped in black ink. The records were then placed inside a static shield bag with a square of circuit board that acted as a stiffener. The circuit boards were donated for the project by Diego Kirsch of Athens, GA. Star Crunch personally hand cut each of them. When assembled, sometimes the record ended up on the front side of the circuit board, sometimes it was on the back. The bag was sealed at the top with a dated sticker. Here is a picture of an unwrapped record posted by Flickr user Maxonemillion:


Notice how the stamped center label on the record itself is off-centered. The rest of the graphic was over-stamped onto the paper inner sleeve, a simple fact that makes each of these records one of a kind.

Here is a candid shot (lovingly borrowed from Henry Owings’ Facebook page) showing the records being assembled. Note the black ink on the center labels:



The single was limited to 300 black vinyl copies. Many were sold at the MOAM? concert at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia on November 5, 2010 (this was the source of the date on the sticker seal). The rest were bundled with the copies of the Touchable Sound book that were sold through Criminal Records in Atlanta. Here is a shot of the flyer from the show at the 40 Watt, the record release party, if you will:



These two songs were not newly recorded. They had both been released before. “Earth Station Radio” had previously appeared on the Jabberjaw No. 6 compilation box-set. “Updated Theme To Supercar” had appeared on 1998’s All Punk Rods compilation from Gearhead/Lookout! Records.

There were six test press copies of this single. The only visible difference between these and the records that ended up in the static shield bags is that the test press copies were stamped with red ink instead of black ink. Here is my copy:

Two Blood-Soaked Space-Horror Hits!!

Two Blood-Soaked Space-Horror Hits!! was a split 7" EP released in 2000. It was put out by Loch Ness Records (TMA 008). The split featured Man or Astro-man? and Jonny and the Shamen. MOAM? did "A Synthesis of Previously Unknown Substances" and Johnny and the Shamen did "Stratosphere Mortuary Theme".

This was the only Astro-Man single to feature the four man line up with both Trace Reading and Blazar the Probe Handler on guitar. Blazar (Richie Edelson) had also been in the Clone Project: Alpha band, performing as Cocoid. He was not the only member from the Clone Tour to play on this single--there were also two versions of Chromo Crunch. The first was Erich Hubner (Trace Reading). Much like Edelson, Hubner was drafted into the band proper after a stint in the clone band. Replacing Hubner as the second Chromo Crunch was Jonny Stratosphere (Jonny Browning). Browning appeared on this record as the leader of the Shamen. He later played with Birdstuff in a band called the Humans. Recently he rejoined Man or Astro-Man? under the name Victor Vector.

The full-color picture sleeve for this single was machine folded and glued, and printed with high-gloss ink. It featured the artwork of Ronnie Land who had previously done the artwork for the MOAM? lunchbox and thermos set, and for the clock and light switch plates that were for sale on the astroman.com website in the mid-1990s.

There were 1000 copies of this one pressed, all on translucent blue vinyl. Here is a scan:

Ex Machina

Ex Machina was a Man or Astro-Man? 7" EP released in 1998. It was put out by Touch & Go Records (TG199). It was one of only two singles that they did for Touch & Go, even though this was the label that put out their four final full-length LPs and the 10”/CD 1000X. The release had a motorcycle racing team theme to it. The title is Latin and can be translated as from the machine or by the machine.

The single came with a small, letterpress-printed poster on heavy card stock paper. The large graphic on the poster showed an outline of a rocket superimposed over a drawing of a suspension spring. Here is a scan:



It was released exclusively on opaque black vinyl. Here is a scan:



This record featured a three member MOAM? line-up. There was no rhythm guitarist, only Coco, Starcrunch and Birdstuff. Though this same trio appeared on a compilation 7" and on a split single, this was the only time that a three member Man or Astro-Man? did an exclusively MOAM? record.