TPM Episode 33: Matt Vaughan, Owner, Easy Street Records

In 1987, the (West) Seattle music scene and Easy Street Records were both in their infancy.  Both the scene and the store showed a DIY ethos that is still apparent today.  The global culture that was created by the scene was cultivated locally by the store.  There were a lot of players in Seattle, Matt Vaughan was and still is a very important one…He would never say that but he says a lot on the podcast.

Matt Vaughan Show Notes

2:43:  Major developments in the world of Easy Street,

4:30:  New Orleans and the Pearl Jam in-store that was the inspiration for Record Store Day

12:27: Evo (listen for special offer) and Diecutstickers.com (Listen for 10% off your first order with DCS 15)

14:08:  Growing up in Seattle with the Hattrup Family.

16:00:  Matt’s grandmother invents the surf short with Hang Ten

18:05:  Matt’s family growing up

22:12:  Matt’s mom creates Queensryche and Matt tours the world with them at 16

26:59:   Patrol USA Use TPM10 at checkout on the site and get 10% off and RESQWATER

28:38:  Matt was the Senior Class President when he wasn’t being suspended

31:45:  Working in record stores, college and how he started Easy Street.

36:18:  Surviving the first few years, dropping out of Seattle U and going all in in

38:53:  Death and music

42:37:  West Seattle in the late 80’s and the long hours of owning your own business

44:54:  What is Matt thinking now about the business, going on the road with Alice in Chains for two tours and managing bands

47:30:  Moving Easy Street to the best corner in West Seattle and a lot of music history

53:35: Giving exposure to bands that made it and the ones that had exposure handed to them

58:10:  Cowboy Coffee

1:00:  Eddie Vedder works at Easy Street to sell Ticketmaster tickets

1:04:  Winning the 2016 EV Games

1:05:  The Beastie Boys replace their stolen records at Easy Street

1:10:  The Easy Street Café opens in ‘99

1:12: The Queen Anne days and closing the store

1:19:  How has the internet impact business?

1:22:  The Café experience

1:25:  What is next in the record store business?  How does he keep Easy Street alive?

1:27:  Brands in the airport

1:28:  Who’s the most talented person he’s ever met?

1:30  Who’s the biggest asshole he’s ever tried to help out /

1:31:  What’s the nicest thing anyone’s done for Matt in his work life?