Blowtorch Records Podcast

Bigmooon Records is an independent record store in Drogheda, Ireland and episode 46 finds me chatting to owner Jason Mahon. From travelling all over Ireland for lockdown record fairs to opening a physical record shop, promoting gigs and helping to kickstart the music scene in the town, we get insights from this super sound independent music obsessive.
You can find all Bigmoon Records details on Instagram
Mentioned in the podcast:
Thirty Three 45 Records
Fuzzed Up Astromoon Records
Swarm Zine
Stone Roses blog
Music played is:
Thee UFO - Ponderous Fug
Search Results - Panic In The Park
Japanese Jesus - Tension
Punching Peaches - Full Goose
Guided By Voices - Bunco Men

Our first podcast of 2021 features South Wales' mighty The Rivers, post industrial poets with a fine line in nuanced and dynamic songwriting. Evan, Nathan and Dan talk us through the music scene in South Wales, their influences and what inspires them, and their songwriting. Nathan gets embarrassed as he's nominated as the best musician in the band, we uncover Evan's predilection for prog rock and Dan is revealed as the songwriting leader of an autocracy. And we get the scoop on their latest addition to the line-up - hello Lloyd. As ever entertaining chats and great music.

Seabass Vinyl is Scotland's first ever, and currently only, vinyl pressing plant. As vinyl is our favourite obsession there's no better subject for the half century of Blowtorch podcasts than Seabass co founder Dave Harvey.
Dave and his wife Dominique have setup a state of the art pressing plant 20km from Edinburgh which aims not only to deliver short vinyl runs to up and coming bands (and Taylor Swift if she asks nicely) but also be the most sustainable facility in the world.
We pressed our recently released Swedish Railway Orchestra album with Seabass and were delighted with the result. So here's our chat covering everything you wanted to know about vinyl production but were afraid to ask.
Mentioned in the podcast:
Seabass Vinyl website
Seabass Vinyl Instagram
Fish on a Friday podcast
Indicator Records
Stamper Discs
Barry Grint mastering
Calum Malcolm audio

To mark the announcement of the inaugural West x Sound West Blowtorch Records showcase, Michael Smyth from Old Crows Promotions and Belfast shoegaze band Virgins turned the tables and made me a guest on our own podcast.
West by Sound West (WxSW) is on May 1 2025 and features 8 bands across 2 floors of Galway's Róisín Dubh. Virgins and Adore are co-headliners and joined by Nerves, Nixer, iNNUENDO, Some Remain, The Savage Hearts and Scattered Ashes. Rob Smith from Swedish Railway Orchestra finishes the night with one of his legendary DJ sets.
WxSW tickets (early bird €10)
It is a joint promotion between Blowtorch Records, A Modern Movement and Old Crows Promotions

In our latest episode we are heading over the Atlantic to chat to Andy Gesner. Andy is the founder and president of HIP video promotion based in New Jersey in the USA.

His company have promoted over 4800 music videos, starting with someone called Johnny Cash and his video for Hurt. Interestingly they have turned down over twice that number which for us that marks them out as a company of integrity.

Andy shares over 20 years of experience in this field and has great advice and tips on how up and coming artists can produce and promote videos which will help them carve out a career in a tough industry.

As he says "if you are a music creative your visual is your most potent and powerful piece of marketing currency"

You don't get a second chance to make a first impression!

HIP website

HIP on Instagram