Beginning his career in the vinyl business at age 17 running mail order distribution for Detroit-based Italy Records, Ben Blackwell would take what he learned from that concern and start his own Cass Records imprint out of his childhood bedroom at age 20. Five years later, Blackwell was tapped to oversee the vinyl production and distribution for Third Man Records in Nashville. In the past 15 years, he’s personally overseen the production of over three million pieces of vinyl across more than 500 releases. He believes in Technics 1200s, 45 adaptors that can crack open your skull and hiding enemy phone numbers in run-out groove etchings.