Ep341: John Foy - Australian Music Legend - Pt 2
The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds
Nate Goyer
4.7 • 579 Ratings
🗓️ 25 May 2022
⏱️ 103 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
John Foy is a respected artist, business person and inspirational leader in Australian music and culture. In part 2, we discuss Red Eye and Black Eye Records, managing the label, working with Radio Birdman, locating the multitrack tapes for "Living Eyes", collectable records, his new book "Snaps, Crack, Pop" and lots more.
Topics include:
- The early days of Red Eye Records
- Red Eye Records' operational challenges
- Red Eye and the Australian radio stations
- Memorable moments from Red Eye Records
- More effective marketing tactics for Red Eye
- The impact of other bands – INXS, AC/DC, Split Enz – for indie music
- What John looked for in bands on Red Eye Records
- The constraints for touring Australia in the 80s & 90s
- John's recollections of Big Day Out
- The biggest seller on Red Eye Records
- Getting back catalogs - Radio Birdman
- Finding the multitrack tapes & reissuing Radio Birdman Living Eyes
- Creating Black Eye Records
- The imagery of Bud Dwyer
- Tex Perkins and Thug
- Test Pressings of a Black Eye compilation – "6 Hottest Cuts"
- Salamander Jim album and artwork
- "Magpie-ing" elements for artwork
- What were the biggest disappointments of Red Eye Records?
- Competing for radio & video slots
- Did Red Eye Records have a 'sound'?
- Manufacturing multiple formats (LP, CD, Cassettes, singles, etc)
- The battle of the barcodes
- Becoming less creative and more business-focused
- The decline of Red Eye Records
- Any hope for Red Eye reissues?
- What's the most collectable Red Eye record?
- Selling art after leaving Red Eye
- John's personal record collection
- John's favourite albums / last albums
- John's history of being fatalistic – his health
- Interview wrap up
Order "Snaps, Crack, Pop" book here.
Full interview available here: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
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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
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Well, hey everyone. Welcome to episode 341 of The Vinyl Guide, the podcast for record collectors |
| 0:05.4 | and music nerds. And today, people, we are doing part two of my conversation with Australian |
| 0:11.8 | music legend, founder of Red Eye Records record label, Black Eye Records, highly collectible |
| 0:17.4 | poster artist, fellow record nerd, and witness to a tremendous amount of music history in Australia, even shaping quite a bit of it himself, Mr. John Foy. |
| 0:27.5 | Now, as stated, this is part two. So if you haven't heard part one yet, you may want to do that. |
| 0:34.3 | Episode 340, John covers quite a bit in part one, some incredible stories of the Australian vinyl pressing business, |
| 0:41.8 | the early days of Aussie punk rock, private pressings, record shops, etc. |
| 0:45.9 | John sets up the scene very, very well. |
| 0:48.5 | So go back and listen if you haven't already. |
| 0:50.7 | And if you have heard part one, or are simply a stubborn prick who likes |
| 0:55.3 | joining stories at the halfway mark, well, that's fine too. There's lots John will be covering |
| 1:00.3 | in this episode today. The founding of the Red Eye Records record label, Black Eye Records, |
| 1:06.4 | locating the lost Radio Birdman multi-track tapes for Living Eyes, running a record label, the characters, |
| 1:12.6 | the fun, the stories, the madness, it's all here with John, and it goes much, much deeper in his |
| 1:18.7 | book, Snaps Crack Pop. |
| 1:20.6 | Now this book, Snaps Crack Pop is a gorgeous, full-colored book that celebrates Australian music, |
| 1:27.2 | culture, art, and growth, and I can't recommend |
| 1:30.2 | it highly enough. Skullprintworks.com.com.a.u. You could order one there. Or the book is also available |
| 1:37.4 | at most cool record shops, too. That snaps, crack, pop. It's a limited press, so get one today. |
| 1:45.6 | Oh, and hey, really quick. I'm sure you know, doing these podcasts is a lot of work, and I do it for |
| 1:51.6 | the love, but I do have sponsors that keep me afloat, so I ask each of you to help support this show |
| 1:58.0 | by getting some cool stuff from our sponsors for your record collection. |
... |
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