We were lucky to catch up with Gil Tamazyan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Gil, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

In 1999 I started Pressing Vinyl records at a boutique level to make a difference in the record manufacturing industry and provide a service at a much higher caliber with the emphasis to fidelity. I had experienced a huge disconnect from other plants locally and around the nation when I tried to get my own products manufactured. I wanted to use my music and engineering skills to make a change and offer a better quality product and a pleasant experience during the process. I always maintained a small boutique level outfit to have tight control on quality and the final product. Although I wear too many hats in the factory, I like to do most of the work myself instead of handing it down to a large staff. I never followed trends, I got into this for the love of sound and the medium. I started at a time when records were going out of style way before the resurgence of vinyl. I always get asked “How did you know vinyl was gonna make such a huge come back”. I just did what I loved to do and followed my heart…Not for the money, not to be cool, not because its trendy, because it’s me and this is the story of my life.

Gil, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I grew up in a music household playing Violin and Drums. Later I taught myself other instruments including Piano, Bass, Vibraphones and Congas. While writing music at home trying to capture my own compositions, I realized I wanted to learn how the pros do it. Shortly after came recording school followed by on the field hands on experience. I started working full time as an Engineer, tracking and mixing at high profile Hollywood Studio in the local circuit, while attending Sound Engineering and Recording Academy part time. I was discovered to be extremely useful in the Technical department by studio owners, utilizing me to constantly fix maintenance issues. I soon found myself wiring, installing consoles, repairing old ones for artist including BabyFace Kenny Edmonds, John McClain, Stevie Wonder, KCRW, Todd-AO. I was then commissioned by SSL Solid Stage Logic installing and repairing consoles in various studios.
A few years later i decided to press my own vinyl record with my music. That was an eye opening moment for me. I realized where I was needed in this industry. I was already living in a huge loft in the artist district in Downtown LA. I was 23 maybe 24 and decided I’m going to start my own business pressing records out of my garage. I told this to a couple people in the field. “Ya, sure you are buddy”, that’s what they said. I didn’t have money and I didn’t have help but I had to figure out a way to pull this off. I had a salesman friend who drove a nice car so I asked him “what do you do?” I started selling Home windows door to door, working a commission only sales job. I worked one year exactly with a timeline and I killed it. I raised enough capitol to get things started on my own with very little help. I got my hands on some equipment no one else wanted. Some really old rusted and beat up machines that no one else was able to restore. There was no help, no parts, no manuals. just an old beat up machine that needed a miracle. Somehow I was able to pull it off. I opened Capsule Labs Mastering, Lacquer Cutting and Record pressing plant. We were pressing in no time out of that garage and the journey to early entrepreneurship had begun. 25 years later, here we are today with a brand new pressing plant with state of the art machines from Sweden, set up in a new facility in Arcadia California. We opened Onyx Record Press mid last year in 2023. There has been many hurdles between now and then, more than anyone can imagine.
It really took a combination of elements to make this formula perform. My technical knowledge of engineering, electronics and electrical, plumbing, hydraulics, pneumatics were all key factors. This type of work is not for everyone. Next, it’s the will to get back up when you get knocked down. Never give up, it’s that “I can overcome anything” attitude. The daily discipline to get up everyday and face your hurdles and surprise agenda. Life is already full of unexpected turns, it was never easy and it’s not always just fun and games. No matter how tough it got, I always maintained my promise to deliver nothing but the best and do it passionately for the love of the craft and to my own higher standards.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

It sure was a different time back then, I took risks that I would never take at today. I was in an Artist In Residence type of loft building which means we had neighbors living in the building full time. What I did was not allowed nor did I ask permission because it would have been a hard No anyway. Looking back, I can’t believe what I was able to get away with and for how long. One day I was working in the garage with the roll up doors wide open, the management company happened to be driving by. I got a call right away and was given 7 days to get it all out or get it confiscated. That was one of the biggest hurdles I had to deal with at such an early stage of the career. We needed up moving a couple times before finding the ideal spot in Elysian Valley / Frogtown LA. We were on the LA river for about 12 years with Capsule Labs 2.0. We had many great events there including direct to disc recordings with Stones Throw and also VH1. Lots of vinyl records were pressed for both major and indie labels from that facility. Pressing plants are not easy to move, they require many permits for boilers and water cooling towers, etc. Takes a lot of funds to build this infrastructure with each move. Each time, I learned more about what my ultimate set up requires. Now being in my 4th location with a brand new pressing plant, things are starting to feel really dialed in.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

When I started, there was no social media marketing the way we utilize today. Myspace didn’t even exist yet. The major plants had the budget to do some magazine print ads, that was about it. I never had that budget, so mine was all word of mouth which means we relied heavily on keeping the reputation high. Thats all we had, to do good work and hope it comes back around again. If I had a chance to go back, I wish I had a way to figure out how to allocate more to proper marketing. Although I was able to accomplish wonders and overcome so much, things could have been much easier if I had figured out that magic marketing solution. The reputation I was able to establish did keep me alive and pressing for all these years. Even today, we are still trying to figure out that magic marketing solution, Social Media itself only does so much as everyone is using that as well. It was particularly difficult for me to survive over the early years as I was swimming against the current. Most large plants were closing down. Vinyl shops and distributors were shutting doors. Digital was taking over and LP’s were not as popular as they are today. It was tough but extra special to be apart of that time. I wouldn’t change it any other way because I’m not one of the new guys today. I’m now considered one of the OG veterans in the industry. The perseverance and experience paid off.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://onyxrecordpress.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/platterpizza/?igsh=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastering.engineer?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Linkedin: https://www.instagram.com/capsulelabs?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Youtube: @giltamazyan73
• Yelp: https://www.facebook.com/mastering.engineer?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Soundcloud: https://giltamazyan.bandcamp.com/album/window-in-the-attic-ep
• Other: https://www.capsulelabs.com