Monster Magnet’s Dave Wyndorf Shares His Vinyl Passion [Vinyl Creep]

Monster Magnet have been making music for quite some time, releasing their first EP in 1990 followed by their debut studio album, 'Spine of God,' the next year. The band's lone constant, frontman Dave Wyndorf, has firmly placed his heels in the dirt and continues to fight for everything his band stands for. One of those things that Wyndorf is passionate about is vinyl.

The singer's enthusiasm for vinyl couldn't be more obvious than when it comes to Monster Magnet's latest effort, 'Last Patrol.' Collectors can find several different releases of the double-LP, including a dark purple edition as well as a mind-blowing, multicolored splattered version. In addition, you might even stumble across a picture-disc release that features the trippy album artwork for 'Last Patrol.'

"I worked on a concept with John Sumrow and he just f---ing brought it home," Wyndorf tells Noisecreep about the man behind the cover art. "I met him online and told him that I'm really, really dedicated for this album cover to be painted. Real paint. We took a look at some '60s sci-fi paperback art. Those really lush, dark tones. He got it. He was great."

Wyndorf explains that Sumrow's painting was always envisioned for the 12-inch jacket. "I didn't even want to think about the CD package. It'd be a waste of art if I didn't press it. It'll probably look like hell on a CD, but I just wanted to make it for vinyl," the frontman says. "I won't feel like I did my job until I can hold that record in my hands. It's mine, man!"

He continues, "I'm sick of the whole CD thing. I don't mind digital downloads, but the CD case? That is insulting. That will go down in history as one of the worst things in music. For me, it's all about the look, the Bullgod in outer space contemplating whether to eat a spaceship or not. The art has to be on the vinyl jacket. And the cover for 'Last Patrol' looks like the album sounds."

For those who have listened to 'Last Patrol,' there's no denying that it is best heard spinning on a record player. It's an eerie, mysterious album where each song sets up the next. It's an experience that listeners need to be exposed to all at once. Wyndorf gets that vinyl is more about the total experience and consumption than just simply pressing tunes on a record. "It has to sound good of course, but it's about the presentation," Wyndorf proclaims. "If you do your job right, your new music should sound f---ing slamming everywhere. It's about the presentation, the album cover, the big artwork, that thing you hold in your hands. It's like holding a book, there's nothing like it."

"You can show off your stuff. When I was a kid, people would walk down the street with their records facing out so everyone could see what they were listening to," he remembers. "We would do that all the time. Records are so big, you could see it across the street! Vinyl is a very cool thing, man."

If you're still not convinced 'Last Patrol' should be a part of your collection, you need to experience it for yourself. Pick up a copy of Magnet's new studio album, drop the needle, sit back and relax. And make sure to set aside some time to stare at the cover. It just might be the coolest cover art released all year.

Dave Wyndorf's Vinyl Breakdown
Current Favorite Vinyl: Anything from King Crimson
All-Time Favorite Vinyl: Hawkwind, 'Space Ritual'