On this episode of Where Do We Go From Here?, I talk to Reyna Bryan and Tim Anderson, the founders of Good Neighbor, which is the first truly eco-friendly vinyl company. Their records are completely recyclable, made from recycled materials with no toxic runoff, and, as their mission statement puts it, “the first real step change for record manufacturing in the last 50 years.”
Tim is a record producer and former A&R who has worked with Billie Eilish, Banks, and Halsey, among others and worked in the major label system for almost a decade. Reyna is an extraordinarily accomplished executive and engineer working in sustainable manufacturing for almost two decades.
We dive into their working history, the goals of Good Neighbor, and the path to building a more sustainable version of the music business as demand for physical product balloons. This is a pretty nerdy episode. We talk about toxic plastics, circular economies, what it really means when a company says something is recycled, and corporate responsibility more broadly.
For full disclosure, I am an advisor to Good Neighbor, but only because I deeply align with their mission and methods. I believe they can be a part of a sea change in corporate responsibility in the music industry and influence broader positive shifts beyond vinyl production. People like Reyna and Tim are what Where Do We Go From Here? is all about—picking more future-oriented paths for the businesses we build. Putting ideals and communal goals over pure profit.
A few key takeaways from our conversation…
Conventional vinyl production is toxic as fuck. Bad for humans, bad for the earth, and only getting worse as demand for vinyl continues to increase (looking at you, Taylor Swift).
Quality first. One core lesson that Reyna and Tim have learned in their journey: Lofty ideals won’t land without a commitment to quality. They manufacture a product that is identical to conventional vinyl from a sound quality standpoint. Without that quality match, it is unlikely their ideological concerns alone would be enough to win over converts from traditional manufacturers. So far, it seems to be working. They’ve enticed artists like King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, FINNEAS, TV On The Radio, and LCD Soundsystem, among others, to produce vinyl through their pipeline.
Culture second. From their branding, to their hires, to their conversations with artists, Tim’s history in and around the music industry and various wings of art more broadly has influenced the way he and Reyna are building Good Neighbor to be a front-facing brand. It’s highly unusual for a manufacturer to have a mascot, let alone an adorable one like Globey. It is rarer still for a manufacturer to have a mission that galvanizes people.
Vinyl is only step one. The entirety of music products and the packaging the come in can be pushed into far more sustainable territory without loss of quality or prohibitive expense to the consumer. Good Neighbor wants to fix the whole supply chain for consumer goods in music. Records were just a clear in on the problem.
Special thanks to Anna Kasper for producing, Will Grogan for providing music, and Hugh Huntingford for designing the Applied Science logo and podcast cover image.
Los Angeles Fire Support Resources:
LAist has published a helpful guide for renters trying to make sense of their rights and options in the post-fire LA landscape.
Mutual Aid Network of Los Angeles’s spreadsheet lists an expansive number of funds, organizations, and aid types across the expanse of the city. A great place to start.
15 Food and Drink Fundraisers To Support L.A. Wildfire Relief, organized by the incredible folks at L.A. Taco.
HitsDailyDouble has compiled a wealth of resources for people within the music community, including emergency financial assistance, support with pets/animals, temporary shelter, food, medical and mental health services, gear storage, and free clothes.
A comprehensive volunteer and support guide from local organization LA2050.
A good post from The Angel on different ways to get involved with relief efforts.
A book/PDF written for parents to help explain the enormity of wildfire to their children.
PBS SoCal’s resources for how to talk to children about wildfires.
A U.S. government fact sheet on protecting children from wildfire smoke and ash.
A spreadsheet of GoFundme’s for Black families from Altadena who have been displaced or lost their homes. Altadena is one of Los Angeles’ historically Black centers, a place where generations of hard-earned wealth and equity in the land were decimated in a matter of days. (first seen via Saul Williams)
An excellent primer called AQ101 on wildfires themselves and the pollutants they release into the air.
Two camp resources for those in need of outdoor childcare (though there are still numerous reports about the danger of the air quality in parts of Los Angeles that are down wind of the fires; I am certainly no expert, so I would do your own research).
The official government map of the fires.
A comprehensive resource guide from Trusted Advisor.
A collection of GoFundme’s that are under 20% funded, shared by 5PM LUCKY (via Ventura-based brand RatBoi):
Share this post