This week we are heading back to Bordentown New Jersey's pressing plant Independent Record Pressing (IRP) to meet two other members of the team, Candace Beres in Assembly Supervisor and Quality Control and Lynsey O'Brien the Human Resources Manager. IRP serves to sustainably manufacture the highest quality vinyl records with best-in-class customer service. Founded in 2015 by Dave Hansen (Exceleration Music) and Ben Swanson, Chris Swanson & Darius Van Arman (Secretly Group) along with Red Light Management; with the vision to support and press records for independent labels, IRP opened its doors with six vintage Hamilton Presses made in the late 70s/early 80s.

IRP has since grown, partnering with Viryltech and now operate a total of nine new 12” presses, producing 140g-180g records for the likes of Alabama Shakes, Bad Religion, Bon Iver, Decendents, Elliott Smith, Fela Kuti, Iron Maiden, J Dilla, Radiohead, Ray Charles, and many more.

When not at work, Candace enjoys practicing yoga. "I find yoga to be very relaxing and beneficial to my life. It really helps me balance my fast paced work life." Not surprising she is also a huge music fan. "I spend a lot of my free time attending live shows. I even plan a lot of my travel around live music events. When I'm not doing either of those things you'll find me relaxing at home with my dog, Lincoln, and my fiancé."

For Lynsey it's all about live music & horror films. "Seeing live music has been a passion of mine since I was a young teenager. I relish within that atmosphere - dancing, singing along, and listening to musicians’ stories is the perfect day/night to me! As for horror, I find the exertion, science and dedication that goes into carrying out horror films fascinating." In addition to these hobbies, she is an amateur writer and mother to two sons.

How did you get into your industry / What motivated you?

Candace: Before I got the job at IRP, I worked in the bar and restaurant industry for over nine years. While I loved being in the service industry, I started to notice that my passion for this type of work was fading. Music has always been a love of mine. So, when I came across an opportunity to work in the music industry, I couldn't let it pass by.

Lynsey: In all honesty, it has been a very winding road. My career started in business operations and then took this twist into human resources. I have always enjoyed motivating and mentoring people. At the time I came across IRP's job posting, I was burned out from the pandemic. For many years, I was in operations and HR for the industries of healthcare and IT. I was looking for something that would put that intensity, passion and fire back into me. Turns out, that was making Vinyl at IRP! I was so blessed to find a position that blended my passion for music and business. I hold an MBA with a concentration in Human Resources Management, SHRM certification, and recently I obtained my NJ Black Seal Boiler Operator's License to assist the Press department with production as an additional resource. My area of expertise in HR focuses on (but is not limited to) driving organizational growth, strengthening a culture of engagement, and maximizing employee potential.

What is a day in the life like?

Candace: My position at IRP isn't limited to one specific task. When I arrive in the morning one of the first things I do is take a look at our assembly schedule for the day. This allows me to process our daily goals and what jobs take priority. The first step for my team is to take records that have already been sleeved and insert them into the corresponding jackets. This could include download cards, inserts and anything else that is requested by the customer. Once the records are in their jackets they are sent through the shrink machine, where the plastic wrap is applied to each record individually. Stickers containing descriptive information or barcodes are then placed on the shrink wrap. Finally, the final product is placed into boxes and prepared for shipping.

Throughout the day I'm responsible for supervising this entire process and making sure it runs smoothly and correctly. Before the records go into their boxes for shipping, I'm responsible for checking the quality after each of these steps are completed.

Lynsey: If there is one thing I thoroughly enjoy about HR, it is that no two days are the same. Some days I am doing daily tasks such as payroll, auditing files, and updating policies. Other days, I am heavily involved with research to better equip IRP with upcoming changes with the laws, policies, or procedures. Then there are times when the staff needs help with benefits, 401(k), understanding policies, or training information. In addition, there’s a lot of projects within HR I enjoy.

In your opinion what has been your favorite / the coolest thing you've worked on?

Candace: We worked on an album by one of my favorite bands, Lettuce. This has to be my favorite project to date. Lettuce is one of the bands that introduced me to one of my favorite hobbies, seeing live music. It's really cool to experience being on both sides of their production, from behind the scenes, to in the crowd.

Lynsey: Ah! Tough question because there has been a lot of projects! The two that spring to my mind are when IRP pressed Thursday’s new single and a repress of a Ray Charles and Count Basie album. Recently, IRP was a part of pressing Thursday's new single, "Application For Release From The Dream". It was the band's first new song in thirteen years. To be a part of that was magical. Back in April 2002, Thursday held a concert at the TLA and it was the first concert I had crowd surfed. That concert was electric! Thursday will always hold a special place in my heart! In December of 2022, IRP completed a repressing of the Ray Sings & Basie Swings album from 2006. I was stoked to be at IRP for that! I love Blues and Jazz.

What has been / is the most difficult part of your job?

Candace: The most challenging part of my job is taking a new employee, who has never worked in a similar position, and incorporating them into our process while still being expected to meet our goals. Despite the challenges that a situation like this presents, it's extremely rewarding to see these employees flourish in their new roles and acquire a new skill that they will have forever.

Lynsey: There are a few difficult aspects to HR. A few of them are effective communication and engagement, hiring staff, and staying abreast of law changes. When it comes to communication and engagement, it is a lot of work. You must take a lot of information into consideration when trying to be effective. In HR, you always have to be plugged in, even when you're having a rough day. It isn't the type of job that you can turn off your brain and go through the motions. Hiring can be difficult in some areas. Since vinyl is a niche business, I can't pluck Vinyl Press Operators off the street. Aligning the skills and passion for vinyl can be a little tricky. In addition, the law is always changing and addendums are constantly being added. I consistently check on these for compliance.

What advice do you have for someone wanting to get into pursuing what you’re doing?

Just go for it! You wouldn't believe how rewarding it is to work with something that you have a genuine passion for.

Candace: Just go for it! You wouldn't believe how rewarding it is to work with something that you have a genuine passion for. Keep an eye out for any opportunities in your area and don't get discouraged if something isn't a good fit. After being in this industry for 4 years, I've come to realize that new opportunities are constantly presenting themselves.

Lynsey: If you want to get into the vinyl record industry, do not be afraid to research and contact companies or people. I have found many people in this industry will answer your questions and give you resources or tips to aid in your success.

Are you a vinyl collector yourself? What drew you to it? If not, why the vinyl industry?

Candace: I was interested in listening to music on vinyl before I got the job at IRP. When listening to music digitally, I often find myself skipping songs or bouncing from artist to artist. What I love about listening to vinyl is hearing an album in its entirety. I sometimes feel that the artistic intention of an artist has been lost in listening on modern media.

Lynsey: Yes, I am a vinyl collector. My father is a musician and was also a collector. Two things growing up that aided in my love for music and vinyl were:

First - My dad and mom gave me access to their vinyl at a very young age. I still remember sitting in the living room making mixed tapes with their huge stereo system from their vinyl records. I would mix and match songs all the time.

Second - I grew up with music always being on and available in every room of the house. My dad even put speakers in the bathroom so we could listen to music! If I could have my own soundtrack playing as I go through life, I would. HA!

What types of things are happening in your industry / with vinyl that you’re excited or worried about? i.e. innovation, or trends you’re seeing.

Candace: Something that I've noticed that is close to my immediate situation here at IRP, is the recent trend of focusing on sustainability. Since the beginning of 2023 IRP has become Climate Neutral Certified. With the recent focus, in all industries, on environmental wellness, it's awesome to see the vinyl industry playing a part. You can find more out about this program on IRP's website, if you are interested.

Lynsey: Sustainability in the vinyl record industry is a huge topic now and I am happy to be here for it. Being a mother to my two children is my main priority. In turn, I am always thinking about their future and how decisions today will impact them later in life. The sustainability of the environment is absolutely one of them! I have read quite a few articles about how vinyl record pressing plants are trying hard to take new approaches to making a timeless tangible listening experience. IRP has done a lot over the last two years with taking responsibility for finding new ways to cut our carbon footprint and become eco-friendly.

Who has been influential to you and your growth as a professional in this industry? 

Candace: For me, the entire team at IRP has been a huge influence on my growth. Another big influence is the music itself. The fact that artists are still releasing music on vinyl, helps me understand the significance of what we do and reassures me that vinyl record pressing is, in no way, outdated.

Lynsey: My coworkers at IRP have been extremely influential to my growth in this industry. From the day I walked into IRP, they have answered all of my questions and taken the time to teach me about making vinyl. Their patience and passion for this industry is amazing!

Anything else you’d like to add; if not tell us what you're listening to: 

Candace: Currently my favorite music comes from a funk band called Lettuce. Like I said prior, I was so excited when we got the opportunity to press one of their albums at IRP.

Lynsey: Well, I will start off by saying I love all genres of music everything from death metal to classical. My Spotify recently has been: Vision Video, Aurora, Then Comes Silence, and GG Magree. My Vinyl Record Player recently: Mehro, Thursday, Fenton Robinson & Watermelon by John & Jane Q. Public (Dinner in America Indie Film) My Youtube Channel: Giant Rooks and Chappell Roan.

All photos thanks to Mike Elliott: https://www.instagram.com/mpielliott/?hl=en