Photo Credit: TK
A new artist-run vinyl pressing plant is operational in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, catering to artists of all career levels. Hellbender Vinyl is co-founded by Jeff Betten and Matt Dowling and based in the Lawrenceville neighborhood in the East End.
Hellbender is a relatively new company, but it has quickly become one of the most trusted vinyl processing plants. It manufactures 7”, 10”, and 12” vinyl records with a commitment to delivering award-winning customer service. Hellbender is a member of the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) and aims to support artists at every stage—from emerging talents to well-established names.
It is one of only 40 vinyl pressing plants in the United States, offering artists a chance to have their music available to fans in a highly sought after physical format. The move is similar to one Jack White made in 2017, establishing Third Man Records vinyl record pressing plant. White has called for major labels to address the vinyl supply chain problem by opening their own pressing plants in 2022.
Hellbender Vinyl has answered that call for independent artists, with a roster of clients that include Guster, The Ataris, Sparta, Wheatus, Zao, DFTBA Records, Ollabelle, Dizzy Reed, Raymond Watts, Abigail Rose, Mol Sullivan, Beauty Pill, and more.
Locally, Hellbender is trusted by Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania artists including Jim Donovan & Sun King Warriors, Ghost Hounds, MCG Jazz, Meeting of Important People, Feralcat and the Wild, townsppl, Endless Mike & the Beagle Club, Moemaw Naedon & C. Scott, Kahone Concept, Different Places in Space, Slim Forsythe, Danny Rectenwald, Elliott Sussman, Silver Car Crash, Get Hip Records, Crafted Sounds, Willowtip Records, and others.
In the B2B space, Hellbender serves clients including Urban Outfitters, Mountain Dew, Saatchi & Saatchi, Pereira O’Dell, and more.
The vinyl pressing plant is run by independent artists for independent artists. In addition to vinyl pressing, Hellbender hosts an event series that brings together Pittsburgh’s independent community through live shows, album listening parties, art exhibits, podcasts, and film screenings. Upcoming events include a Record Store Day party on April 12 at 5:30 pm EST.