Jack White urges major labels to build own vinyl pressing plants

nme.com:

Jack White has shared a video and written an open letter to major record labels, urging them to build their own vinyl pressing plants.The White Stripes frontman owns the Nashville-based Third Man Records, who have their own pressing plant and opened a new London store last year.

His letter comes after the vinyl industry has experienced huge delays due to COVID, meaning many smaller artists have been forced to delay album releases due to wait times at pressing plants.“At least once a week, without fail, someone will reach out asking me to help expedite their vinyl record manufacturing,” White’s message began. “It’s a natural thought… knowing that I own a pressing plant and have my own record label, ‘if anyone could help, it’s this guy!'”In the written message he went on to call the idea for major labels to build their own plants a “no-brainer,” writing: “We have ALL created an environment where the unprecedented demand for vinyl records cannot keep up with the rudimentary supply of them.”“We’re all on the same team with the same goals,” he added. “I truly believe that with a good faith investment in the infrastructure that got us here, we can continue on this upward trajectory and further inspire the worlds around us.

Now is the time.”Watch the video and read the full written statement below.“At least once a week, without fail, someone will reach out asking me to help expedite their vinyl record manufacturing.

It’s a natural thought… knowing that I own a pressing plant and have my own record label, “if anyone could help, it’s this guy!”With industry-wide turnaround times for vinyl currently leaning towards the length of a human pregnancy, it’s obvious, in a world so contingent on being of-the-moment and timed just right.