Feature / Music
Post Office Experiences

In a different world, which we think was shortly before COVID and MAGA and all things bad and in ALL CAPS occurred, Scene Point Blank had the idea to write a comprehensive piece about mailorder experiences from the people who dedicate their free time to sending you records, cds, tapes, zines and the like.

Time makes fools of us all, and this piece disappeared into the digital abyss for a while. But when we reviewed the half-finished piece maybe a year ago we liked what we had a little too much to let it go.

It's not written the way we first planned, but we've compiled 6 interviews here with a mission to give you a glimpse behind the scenes of an important and overlooked part of the biz. The interviews are with labels, zines, and distributors. The idea is to humanize the experience even more. Support your neighbors, support the people who play a role in that joy you get when you put the needle to the wax. Many fingerprints have touched your record before it was in your hands, in your ears, in your head and in your heart.

Keith Ulrey – New Granada Records

Scene Point Blank: Tell me a bit about who you are and what you do.

Keith Ulrey: I've been running DIY label New Granada since the mid '90s. I also own/run small indie record shop Microgroove in Tampa, FL. My wife Susie and I play in the band Pohgoh. Music pretty much consumes our lives.

Scene Point Blank: Why did you start the label/distro?

Keith Ulrey: Originally the label started as a true co-op, a communal name to be shared among other indie/DIY/punk bands... We seemed to be the only ones using it, so we took over the name and ran with it, hahahaha!

Scene Point Blank: How many orders do you fill per week (or month -- feel free to estimate here)?

Keith Ulrey: We're a very small DIY/bedroom label, so probably not nearly as many as other indie labels.

Scene Point Blank: How many countries do you ship to? What are the main destinations?

Keith Ulrey: Right now we only service the US, but have titles distro'd in Japan (Waterslide Records) and Germany/EU (Thirty Something Records).
Scene Point Blank: What medium do you send the most of (cd, vinyl, tape, zines, etc)?

Keith Ulrey: Vinyl and CDs

Scene Point Blank: What is the official name of the post office or service you use in your country (e.g. United States Postal Service)?

Keith Ulrey: USPS.

Scene Point Blank: How often do you go to a post office or shipping center?

Keith Ulrey: It all depends on what we have lined up for releases: usually at least once a week, maybe twice. We package up and print postage from home, then simply drop it all off at the post office.

Scene Point Blank: Basically, and this is the biggest question, what is the craziest story you've had with trying to ship an item to somebody?

Keith Ulrey: I don't know if I have any real crazy stories, but occasionally we get messages from people asking for signed/personalized items, thinking they are ordering direct from the artist/band and that said entity is handling orders and customer service emails.
Scene Point Blank: Do you have any entertaining stories about your trips to the local post office or shipping center? Do you have a relationship with the employees there?

Keith Ulrey: don't think I have too many interesting stories directly related to the post office. But, yes, I do know the staff pretty well and they tend to treat me and my packages nicely. (Fingers crossed is continues!)

Scene Point Blank: What's the weirdest thing a customer has told you related to a package you sent them?

Keith Ulrey: A couple years ago we released a pretty successful (in DIY terms) title where I shipped close to 600 LPs out of my house. We literally had zero issues, returns, etc. ....except this one person on the West Coast. He said his record arrived with a distinct "warp" and sent pics of what, to me, looked like someone had taken a cigarette lighter to the record in one small spot, not a standard "lip" or bend. I sent him a replacement, the second one "arrived" in this same exact condition. I finally sent him a third copy, expressed my disbelief in a record showing up with a perfect one-inch melted spot just like the first one and advised this would be the last copy I was sending and asked politely to not order from us again. Not sure what someone would benefit by self-damaging an LP over and over again.

Scene Point Blank: How often does somebody email/call/text that they didn't get their package? Does it happen often?

Keith Ulrey: Knock on wood! We've pretty lucky in this department.

Scene Point Blank: What is a bigger problem: lost mail, broken mail, or returned mail?

Keith Ulrey: Owning a record store and a label has me kind of neurotic when it comes to safely packaging records. I use the Mighty Mailer brand of LP mailers and they're awesome. So, from a safety perspective, our records tend to arrive just fine. USPS tracking, non-delivery and lost packages is a nightmare, though. USPS basically removes themself from any explanation of where something could be if lost...just "lost in the system somewhere". Ugh.

Scene Point Blank: Do you have any unusual stories about receiving packages from others?

Keith Ulrey: Not me, personally. My favorite record shipping story is, years ago, a friend bought a very pricey/rare jazz LP online. The mailman literally folded the package in half like a taco and shoved it in the mailbox. The record was obviously snapped in half. Ha! I can laugh at it now.

Scene Point Blank: Do you have any sage advice for other labels on how to send the perfect package?

Keith Ulrey: Care and quality packaging will save a lot of headaches.

Scene Point Blank: What is the worst thing to do?

Keith Ulrey: Send a vinyl LP in a standard manilla envelope. I've seen it done. It's bonkers.

Lammie – Don't Buy Records

Scene Point Blank: Tell me a bit about who you are and what you do.

I'm Lammie. 39 years old, been listening to punk rock since my teens, discovered hardcore and DIY culture when I was about 18. Through reading Maximum Rocknroll I found out there were more bands than Epitaph, Fat Wreck and Hellcat were releasing. I dove right in and am still swimming, trying to keep my head above the water.

Scene Point Blank: Why did you start the label/distro?

I started the mailorder in 2009 thinking I could buy 5 copies of a record I like for wholesale, sell 4 for a fair price to people into the same music and keep the fifth for free. Through selling records I hoped to meet people with the same kind of interests. That's still more or less the idea, but nowadays I think more about what I want to stock and whether or not I can sell it than I used to. Records collecting dust on my shelves are no good for anybody.

Scene Point Blank: How many orders do you fill per week (or month -- feel free to estimate here or skip if you prefer)?

I don't know and it doesn't matter. Definitely less than before the social media days, but that's on me, because I'm not on those.

Scene Point Blank: How many countries do you ship to? What are the main destinations?

I have no idea, but most of the people who buy records from me are from Europe. There have been exceptions though. I once shipped a demo tape to a room in a Bangkok hotel. Don't Buy Records worldwide, baby!

Scene Point Blank: What medium do you send the most of (cd, vinyl, tape, zines, etc)?

Most of my sales are vinyl, but I also stock tapes and zines. The latter way too little to be honest, but they're tough sells. It seems people have been buying less 7"s lately, because they've become relatively expensive. Labels are pressing records that could easily fit a 7" on 12'' now.

Scene Point Blank: What is the official name of the post office or service you use in your country (e.g. United States Postal Service)?

It's called PostNL. It used to be a state owned but, like public transport, was privatized in the 1980s or 1990s. I was still in nappies, but Ronnie and Margareth had their disciples everywhere in the western world and the Netherlands were no exception.

Scene Point Blank: How often do you go to a post office or shipping center?

It depends. Sometimes a couple of times a week, but there are plenty of dry spells during which few orders come in. A lot has changed on this front throughout years. These days I have to print my own address stickers, which sucks. I used to make them by hand. I still do, but it feels silly and redundant now. Long live technological progress. All hail bar (and QR) codes!

Scene Point Blank: Basically, and this is the biggest question, what is the craziest story you've had with trying to ship an item to somebody?

My favorite story about doing the mailorder is about a shipment to Italy. At the time I barely ever shipped records to that country. It was also a time in which I had a lot of trouble with the postal services. Parcels were returned to me for unclear reasons and I had to make a lot of calls and fill in paperwork to get it fixed. So I was pretty frustrated about my interaction with PostNL.

I had shipped a bunch of records to this guy Alessandro. After a week or so he emails me to ask whether I've already shipped, because he hadn't received anything yet. I dig up the receipt and look up the tracking code on the postal service's website. To my surprise according to the website the parcel has already been delivered. Me being my delightful self am immediately pissed off, cursing the postal services and their shitty service. I write an email back to Alessandro saying: "Hey, according to the tracking code your parcel has already been delivered, but since you haven't had it, I assume something must have gone wrong. The postal services are fucking up a lot lately. I'll look into it and will get back to you." In mere minutes I get a reply in which Alessandro tells me he knows what's up. He's convinced his neighbor has received the parcel and is now withholding his records out of spite. Apparently the two of them were not on great terms, because of Allesandro's habit to play records late loud late at night drunk. Alessandro of course will not have any of this so he says he'll get redress from his neigbor RIGHT NOW.

In the meantime I'm looking for my receipt again to make a call to customer services. I fill in the tracking code on the website once more, because I had closed the browser window before. This time around the parcel is still in transit. I'm flabbergasted. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON! FUCKING POSTAL SERVICES AND THEIR FUCKING CRAP HANDLING! Then it hits me: I had two orders from Italy that month... I mistook the first, the one that had already been delivered, for Alessandro's. The receipt I hold in my hands right now, is the correct one. The parcel is still in transit. It has not been delivered at all. Here I was in blind rage about PostNL's services, but it turns out it is me who is at fault. Then I realize Alessandro is probably picking a fight with his neighbor at this very moment about a parcel that his poor neighbor never even saw, which is still in a depot in Italy somewhere and will be delivered in a couple of days. So I write an email explaining the situation to Alessandro, apologize for the mix-up and add I hope this has not worsened his relationship with his neighbor any further. His reply was: "Don't worry, that guy is an asshole anyway." The records arrived a couple of days later. The lesson here is don't jump to conclusions and I am an idiot.

Scene Point Blank: What's the weirdest thing a customer has told you related to a package you sent them?

One guy received his order in bad condition. The road from the post office to his doorstep had not treated the parcel kindly. He was pissed. I would have been too. He blamed me for not packing the records well enough -- he was the first to complain about my packing since the years I was still figuring that shit out. In his rage he drew all kinds of matter into the argument that had nothing to do with the damage done to his parcel. Best among those thing was he did not like the way some of the releases he bought looked. I remember him writing something like: "And don't tell me that's punk, because it's not." I still don't understand what I could have done about that. Was I supposed to get my crayons out and make the artwork look better? If you think a record looks like shit, don't buy it! He also accused me of stealing the plastic protection sleeves of the 12"s as well as the casssette cases of the tapes he bought. Neither had any when I received them from the labels. That's been the worst experience I've had throughout the years. It was, spurious, ridiculous and unnecessary.

I really grew to hate the consumerist approach some people have developed when it comes to buying records. It doesn't fit the DIY ethic, is extremely unpersonal and just sucks. I blame Discogs and online shopping cart systems. Some people think if they're paying for something that means they can demand certain things and act a certain way. There is never a reason to be an asshole though. If you're going to be a cunt, don't order from me.

Scene Point Blank: How often does somebody email/call/text that they didn't get their package? Does it happen often?

No, it doesn't happen often. Throughout the years only few parcels have gone missing. I've definitely saved a good number from oblivion in depots through tracking and contact with the postal services though.

Scene Point Blank: What is a bigger problem: lost mail, broken mail, or returned mail?

Both broken and lost mail are a horror, but I've had to deal with the latter far more than the former so, if I had to pick, it'd be lost mail. Returned mail is also annoying though. For a while I would regularly get parcels returned to me with a sticker saying "Address does not exist," which in all cases was untrue. I'd have to fill in forms and start a procedure to get my money for shipment back and send the parcel out again. It'd take 6 weeks before I'd get a refund and the person who ordered would have to wait longer before he could play his records.

Scene Point Blank: Do you have any unusual stories about receiving packages from others?

I once bought a second hand copy of the first Pissed Jeans 7". When it arrived, it was as if someone had emptied a can of water in the sleeve, slapped two pieces of cardboard around it and then taped it shut. The guy I ordered from said he didn't know what had happened, which I believed. The record still played, but the sleeve was damaged. That kinda shit sucks, but let's not forget records are articles of use. Wear is part of it. Of course you don't want your records to look trashed, but I'm getting tired of people's obsession with "MINT" condition.

Scene Point Blank: Do you have any sage advice for other labels on how to send the perfect package?

Pack it well to prevent damage. Always get the record out of the sleeve to prevent seam splits. Shake the box before sending to make sure there's no movement inside.

Scene Point Blank: What is the worst thing to do?

Not packing a record well, writing on an envelope that the content is fragile and should not be bent. Someone once sent me a 7" that way and I received it in perfect condition. So that is possible. It's all about the way employees of the postal services treat the parcels, but I have no control over that so it's better to take no chances.

Nathan G. O’Brien – Soda Killers Magazine

Scene Point Blank: Tell me a bit about who you are and what you do.

I’m Nathan G. O’Brien. I live in the punk capital of the world, Minneapolis, Minnesota, where I create a variety of zines, as well as run a small zine distro. Soda Killers Magazine is my main title, but you may also know me from such publications as Restore the Power, Last Chance Summer Dance, or Rap Zine, to name a few.

Scene Point Blank: Why did you start making zines, including the main one you named above?

I’ve made zines sporadically throughout my life, going as far back as sixth grade when a kid from the neighborhood and I made one issue of our handwritten, hand-illustrated pro wrestling zine. Like many of us, I got really into posting zine-style writing and point ‘n’ click photos on blogs during the MySpace / Blogspot / WordPress era. Sometime around 2008 or so, a friend was diagnosed with cancer. I wanted to create something that I could sell and donate the funds to them, so that’s when I decided to start making zines again. Essentially I was doing the same thing I was on the internet, but putting it onto paper that was photocopied, folded, and spine stapled. Around this time I was also struggling to find my way as a visual artist but as I fell in love with the process of writing and making zines it didn’t take long to realize that zines would be my true creative outlet. I scaled back on producing digital content as well, in favor of making stuff that would hang on walls or something you could hold in your hand.

There’s a whole network of trading that goes along with zine culture, so by creating zines it was also a way to attain other zines, as well as records, tapes and other merch via trade. In addition, I began communicating with zine-related pen pals that developed into real life friendships. As a lifelong punk I had always participated in and been supportive of the scene by going to shows, buying records, doing radio shows, and such, but I never felt like I was contributing, per se, to the overall culture of punk. By doing zines, I have been able to give back to punk, a thing that gives so much to me.

As for the Soda Killers title specifically, I started that for a few reasons. There’s a whole subsect of zine culture that’s tied to postal networks, that is essentially anti-internet. At that time, I was writing for this very webzine, Scene Point Blank, as well as other internet-only entities, but also becoming more involved with the postal underground. So, while I was writing all these record and show reviews and doing interviews and such that were being posted to websites that I wasn’t even sure people looked at, I was thinking about this parallel universe of people that were missing out on something they’d truly appreciate but would never see because it wasn’t printed as a tangible item that comes with a mailing address. So, that was one of the reasons I started Soda Killers. In addition, because I am able to sell my zines, even if it’s just for a few bucks, I receive a monetary return for my work, which is the total opposite of what it was like when I wrote for webzines.

I eventually began contributing to Maximum Rocknroll magazine, and other print publications, and gradually moved away from writing for any internet-only outlets. Instead of working at the behest of editors and deadlines, I am the editor and if there’s a deadline it’s self-imposed. Soda Killers became my identity so to speak, and we steadily amassed a modest following of both readers and contributors. I have met some of my favorite people in the whole world because of Soda Killers Magazine. As much as it’s my thing, it’s also everybody’s thing, especially those that have helped to keep it going throughout the years, whether it be through contributing content or parting with a few precious dollars every time a new issue comes out.

Scene Point Blank: How many orders do you fill per week/month?

I’m small time, so it’s never so much that I’m overwhelmed. I mean, it can feel that way at times but that’s only because it comes in addition to like, having a life, a family, a job, youth coaching, and the mental toll of enduring each day’s unending barrage of terrible news. Frequency of orders can be all over the place but do seem to come in waves. I’m hesitant to put it into actual numbers for the public, but for personal reasons I do keep track of everything that goes into and out of this whole zine biz the best I can, spreadsheets and all. I’m continually humbled that there are people that are interested in what I make. That privilege is not lost on me.

Anyway, when I have something new, the first few weeks after it’s been released is usually pretty hectic. Of course, there are those times I swear I hear crickets after a release, and I’m like, "Where is everybody?" But it usually picks up. After anywhere from a few weeks to a couple months things will trickle off, but it seems there’s usually some orders to process throughout the down time as well.

Scene Point Blank: How many countries do you ship to? What are the main destinations?

Traditionally, I’ll ship to anywhere in the world. In recent years I’ve limited some things to the US only, because shipping prices to countries outside the US can be insane and I feel bad for anyone that would have to pay the same amount or more for postage than the actual item itself. I often will do a disclaimer for international orders to contact me first to get a shipping quote and make sure they want to move forward.

Even without all that though, the US is my main destination. Orders come from all over the county, but for whatever reason there are a high percentage of orders from the Bay Area, Chicagoland, and, oddly, rural Wisconsin.

Scene Point Blank: What medium do you send the most of (cd, vinyl, tape, zines, etc)?

Zines by far, because that’s mainly what I do. Occasionally I will do apparel or a cassette, as well as stickers, buttons, etc. But it’s like 99% zines.

Scene Point Blank: What is the official name of the post office or service you use in your country (e.g. United States Postal Service)? Do you use commercial companies (e.g. UPS, FedEx)?
I back the blue, the REAL blue -- the United States Postal Service. I’ve never used FedEx, UPS, DHL, or any other service for the zine biz. The USPS is constantly facing unfair scrutinization from our fascist regime. They’ve faced accusations of election tampering and have been victims of intentional sabotage in an effort to rig an election, coincidently by the same political party. The on-site employees constantly deal with entitled, uncompassionate customers, while the mail carriers must decipher poorly written addresses, deal with loose dogs and severe weather, and often have to work on their day off to make sure all the mail on their route is delivered in a timely manner. They are fucking saints. For me, it’s more important to do business with the USPS than any other service. Back the blue!

Scene Point Blank: How often do you go to a post office or shipping center?

During busy periods, usually after a new release or around the holidays, I’ll be in the post office several times a week.

Otherwise, it’s just as needed, maybe four or five times a month.

Scene Point Blank: What is the craziest story you've had with trying to ship an item to somebody?

Nothing exceptionally crazy, per se. Occasionally you’ll run into a situation where the post office counter clerk is unable to locate an address based on the way the customer entered it on an order form, so they won’t want to mail it. It’s frustrating but understandable. The craziest thing to me, is just how much people outside of the US are willing to pay for shipping. As someone who frequently cancels orders I’m placing once it gets to the postage fee part, I’m blown away that people want a zine so badly that they are willing to pay double or more to get it. I mean, how many times have you been on a distro’s site, added some records to your cart, gotten to the postage part of checkout and been like, “Welp, guess I don’t really need those records after all.” Smash that ‘cancel’ button, am I right?

Scene Point Blank: Do you have any entertaining stories about your trips to the local post office or shipping center? Do you have a relationship with the employees there?

One of my things is the old “kill ‘em with kindness” routine, if you know what that is. Basically, it’s just being really nice to people, even when they’re rude to you. It’s not always easy, especially when the other person is consistently a total dick, but usually it’s worth the payoff. These days everyone is under an extreme amount of scrutiny, and the pressure just to, like, keep on going day to day is worse than it’s ever been. You never know what someone is going through in their personal life or what’s under the surface that’s manifesting itself in an impolite demeanor. It’s been my experience that continually being nice to these types of people eventually ends up in an uplifting experience for both parties.

There’s a person at my local post office that I could have sworn had a personal vendetta for years because they were always so angry towards me. I’ve been on the other side of the desk in a few jobs, so I’m sympathetic to disgruntlement and can tolerate some crabbiness occasionally. But this seemed personal. They would intentionally bend my mailers while asking what was inside, which I knew was cracking the spines of the zines (not a huge deal on a photocopy zine but still annoying,) making it difficult for me to keep my cool. Eventually I assumed they were a MAGA nazi or some other type of far-right dummy that didn’t like my T-shirts or the anarchistic symbolism I use on mailers. Yet I continued to be kind in return. But it wore me down, so I decided to start going to another post office that’s further from home. About a year later I had to use my local post office because I was short on time, and when I walked in wouldn’t you know it, there the person was behind the counter. Except this time I was cheerfully greeted with a smile, “Hey there, I haven’t seen you in a while!”

Currently I would not say that I have a personal relationship with anyone at the post office, but I have in the past. For several years there was this clerk named Kevin that worked at the Butler Square post office in downtown Minneapolis. He was one of the kindest people I’ve ever encountered at any business, let alone the post office. He was an old head from the Factsheet Five days, and, without fail, he’d work to get me the lowest rates possible, always looking for the loophole that would save me a few bucks. I looked forward to seeing him and enjoyed our chats. I’d even let people go ahead of me so that I was last in line thus having some extra time to chop it up with him. Sadly, once the pandemic hit, I never saw him again. After a couple years working remote, I returned to on-site at my job downtown. One day I walked over to the post office to mail some zines, excited catch up with Kevin. When I asked the clerk on duty about him, I was told that when Coronavirus hit he saw the writing on the wall and took the opportunity to retire early. “A lot of people ask about Kevin.” They said, “He was a good guy.” Indeed, he was. Kevin, I don’t know if you’re out there, but if you are, I just want to say ‘thank you for your service’ and I hope you’re doing good.

Scene Point Blank: What's the weirdest thing a customer has told you related to a package you sent them?
One time a person claimed that I sent them a blank tape: that there was no music on the cassette they ordered. I thought that was weird because I was like, 99% sure that it wasn’t true because I test every cassette. I sent them a replacement and paid for the postage to send the supposed blank back to me, but I never received it and not surprisingly, did not hear back from the person again. Unfortunately, I’ve been stiffed for zines I’ve sent out on the honor system as well.

The only other thing that comes to mind is not related to shipping but is kind of a weird story: A friend unfortunately had their apartment broken into, and the burglar(s) left copies of my zines that I had given to my friend lying in the middle of their empty living room. As if they had looked at them and were like, “Nope, don’t want that shit.” Funnier than the person that visits your table at a zine fest, reads through everything cover to cover, chuckles or snorts to themselves, then sets them down haphazardly and walks away without saying a word.

Scene Point Blank: How often does somebody email/call/text that they didn't get their package? Does it happen often?

In an effort to keep shipping costs as low as possible, I mail most things at letter rate, with actual stamps, so occasionally I’ll hear that it took a really long time for someone to receive their zines. It’s rare but it does happen. Fortunately, it seldom happens that someone didn’t get the thing they ordered. Occasionally it does, in which case I just send out another one free of charge. I usually hear back that they eventually ended up with both packages, to which I will tell them to give one to somebody else or leave it on a table somewhere for a stranger to find.

Scene Point Blank: What is a bigger problem: lost mail, broken mail, or returned mail?

The biggest problem would probably be lost mail, because then you’re out the cost for both the item(s) and the shipping. Personally though, the biggest problem -- and it’s rare -- is returned mail. Because now I must pay to ship the item again. Not a huge deal, but everything adds up ya’know?

Scene Point Blank: Do you have any unusual stories about receiving packages from others?

I get a fair amount of unsolicited mail from bands, labels, etc. hoping to have their stuff reviewed in Soda Killers Magazine. One time a kid sent me like 50 CDRs of their various one-person bedroom noise/grind/powerviolence shit-fi projects, all in individual cases with artwork, liner notes, and all. They were wrapped in this impossible-to-open weird concoction of newspaper, Totino’s party pizza boxes, and duct tape. It’s hard to put into words what this thing looked like. Very bizarre. Not even sure how it made its way to me. But, again, a testament to the USPS for making sure it did.

Scene Point Blank: Do you have any sage advice for others on how to send the perfect package?

I will defer to Jud at Heavy & Fast Records and Distro for this one. The “perfect package” belongs to Jud. Jud’s packages are legendary, nuclear fallout shelter-level parcels that are impossible to penetrate. There’s a less than 1% chance anything sent from Heavy & Fast will arrive damaged. Plus, Jud includes a ‘thank you’ note and generous amount of ‘extras.’

For me, I think it’s just about keeping postage low while making sure the item I send will arrive with no-to-minimal damage. It’s pretty easy for me, as I primarily send zines. I use sturdier envelopes that can be sent at letter rate. I also think anything you can do to jazz up the packaging with human touches like a handwritten (yet clearly readable) delivery address and some inkpad stamps of your logo, return address, etc. will look cool and reinforce the recipient’s choice to part with their money for you. I like to write my ‘thank you’ note on the back of the envelope, envisioning the mail carrier reading it like a postcard.

On that note, please, please include a personalized ‘thank you’ note. It’s not hard and it goes a long way with the customer. Plus, it humanizes you, let’s people know there’s a real, living, breathing person behind your label, distro, or whatever; that they’re not just a dollar sign to you, but that you are indeed thankful for their support. Put it this way: if you can’t feed the dog or take the dog for walks or have someone that can feed the dog and take the dog for walks for you, then you shouldn’t be allowed to have the dog.

And lastly… Stop gouging people on shipping!

Scene Point Blank: What is the worst thing to do?

As far as mailing goes, the worst thing to do is wait in line at the post office when I don’t have time (when I have time, I actually don’t mind it) or having to deal with the occasional grump on the other side of the counter. As far as the zine biz in general goes, the worst thing to do is the labor. I really like doing every aspect of zine creation, but my least is probably assembly. I do everything by hand, from making the layout on hard copy masters (scissors, glue stick, tape, etc.) to photocopying, to assembly (collating, folding, longarm stapling), and adding finishing touches like trimming with a paper cutter and ink stamping zines and envelopes. For whatever reason, I get a negative physical reaction during the assembly process. I think maybe it’s because I’m realizing the completion of something I’ve worked really hard on, and my body just dumps the toxins I’ve been storing.

Scene Point Blank: Anything you'd like to add?

Shipping is a pain in the ass on both sides of the transaction. The thing I said about not gouging people on shipping… I do realize it’s easier to say than it is to do. But it’s not impossible. A lot of distros use services that track stock, estimate postage costs, etc. Exploitive entities whose only goal is to make money by inserting themselves as middleperson between artist and consumer is nothing new. Unfortunately, we live in a world where there’s a dollar amount attached to every item and action. Those services’ postal estimations are always on the high end. And they always take a cut. While those services might make your life easier, they are often unnecessary and drive the price up for customers. It’s unfair.

Numerous times I’ve mailordered zines or tapes from fellow creators, and when I get to checkout, I’m aghast at how much they’re charging for shipping. I know from personal experience running my own thing how much it costs to ship. I’m not afraid to reach out and say like, “Hey, I see you’re charging $5 to mail a zine. I mail the same size zine plus inserts for the price of one 3-ounce stamp.” The answer is always the same: “I’m not in control of that; (Shopify, Etsy, Bandcamp, whoever) sets the shipping rates.” OK, so if you absolutely must use a service like this, then give your customers an option to contact you with a list of their items, and place an order directly with you rather than through the service you use. You will certainly be able to save them a few bucks.

I also want to thank Loren and the staff at Scene Point Blank for giving me the opportunity to contribute way back when. I was able to hone my review and interview skills writing for this site, which ultimately led me to going into business for myself, so to speak. SPB was certainly instrumental to the creation of Soda Killers Magazine and that will not be forgotten. Thank you!

Jud – Heavy and Fast Records + Distro

Scene Point Blank: Tell me a bit about who you are and what you do.

My name is Jud and I run Heavy and Fast. Heavy and Fast is a label, distro and pop-up with a focus on metal and punk. I have 9 releases so far, an online store for the disto and I vend at various types of events about 15 times a year. I have been a record, tape and CD collector since I was a kid in the '80s and I wanted to start a label and distro so I could curate releases and bands that I really enjoy. I recently got laid off from a very long stint in corporate America and I’m now focusing solely on my passion of metal and hardcore along with physical media.

Scene Point Blank: You run both a label and distro. Did one predate the other? When did you start doing this?

I started both at the same time in early 2022. I decided to do start Heavy and Fast to help make a small contribution to our scene.

Scene Point Blank: How many orders do you fill per week (or month -- feel free to estimate)?

I currently ship about 50 packages a month. As a fan of punk and metal, I have been writing to bands and friends via snail mail since the '80s. That’s also when I started buying via mailorder which organically moved to online and then I began selling here and there starting in the late '90s.

Scene Point Blank: How many countries do you ship to? What are the main destinations?

I ship 95% to US only. I know, it sucks, but shipping is so expensive to other countries that I have just been avoiding it and the potential hassle. I hope to branch out and do more international shipping one day.

Scene Point Blank: What medium do you send the most of (cd, vinyl, tape, zines, etc)?

12” vinyl is the medium I send the most and is the largest medium I have available for sale. I literally have boxes and boxes of new tapes and CDs that I am trying to inventory and put on my store, but I must prioritize, and the tapes seem to lose out, which is a shame because I really love tapes. Ultimately, I would like to have a full array of large and small vinyl, CDs, tapes, and zines available on my store.

Scene Point Blank: What is the official name of the post office or service you use in your country (e.g. United States Postal Service)? Do you use commercial companies (e.g. UPS, FedEx)?

United States Post Office

Scene Point Blank: How often do you go to a post office or shipping center?

I go to the post office pretty much daily. One thing I strive for is fast shipping and that also means getting the package to the post office too.

I have been doing online and mailorder as a buyer and seller for a very long time. One of the things that bugs the hell out of me is when you get the shipment notification and then the tracking just sits at “label Created, not yet in system” or something similar for an extended period. Going to the post office everyday may be a bit extreme, but go at least once a week for god’s sake. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of DIY labels and distros do ship promptly, but not everybody.

Scene Point Blank: What is the craziest story you've had with trying to ship an item to somebody?

Not crazy, but it’s interesting and sometimes amusing watching the routes packages take. Watching a package headed for Philly from Boston take the scenic route through Texas. I once had a package destined for a friend in Norway bounce back and forth from New York customs to Norway about 5 times.

Scene Point Blank: Do you have any entertaining stories about your trips to the local post office or shipping center? Do you have a relationship with the employees there?

I am fortunate to live close to my local post office (see above response about going everyday, haha!) and I absolutely have a relationship with the employees at my local post office. I have been at my current place for about 12 years, so I have seen some USPS folks come and go but I am on a first name basis with all the clerks who work at the front desk. Most times, it’s just a simple “Hello” or “see you tomorrow” but when it’s not busy I always try and chat.

As for stories, I don’t think I have anything that’s too entertaining. I don’t have to stand in line much anymore, but I have spent a lot of time in USPS lines over the years and are I have some interesting observations. The amount of disrespect and ire I see hurled at the clerks is frightening and infuriating. Waiting in line 45 minutes isn’t fun for anybody, but do people really think it’s the clerk’s fault for not hiring more people? My real trigger is when some douche says, “I pay your salary.” I hear this and I want to start swinging. I know a lot of folks in retail take a lot of abuse, but I wonder if the US post office is worse because people think everyone there works for them and them alone. On the inverse of that, the sheer amount of patience a lot of clerks have. I would last about a half a shift. I am fortunate to have one the nicest and most patient clerks at post office. Shout out to Chingyi, you are the best!!

Scene Point Blank: As a distro, you're both receiving and sending merch. What is the most unique element of running a distro (from a mailorder perspective)?

Maybe not unique, but a surprising thing to me after starting the distro was how much of your life now revolves around cardboard. Of course, I knew cardboard would be a big element, but I guess I just didn’t fathom the sheer amount of cardboard (and space) it would consume in my life, haha!

Breaking down boxes, keeping and sorting boxes for reuse and recycling the ones you can’t reuse. Buying materials in bulk to keep shipping prices down. All this leads to every spare space having stacks and bins of various cardboard and packing materials.

One unique element from the mailorder perspective is the opportunity to engage with people through the long-lost art of handwritten notes. I always write a note for every package, and this has encouraged folks to write back via email. Now I have a bunch of new friends around the country and it's pretty damn cool. This is how we did it in the olden days when I was a kid and it’s cool that the method lives on, even if in a modified way.

Scene Point Blank: What's the weirdest thing a customer has told you related to a package you sent them?

Just a weird story with a package. The customer didn’t receive the package but tracking showed as delivered. It turns out since this was an apartment building someone must have taken the package by mistake. So we waited for someone in the building to realize they didn’t order a bunch of angry tapes but...nothing for a couple of weeks. I was about to refund when the package did show up at the customer's door, opened but everything still there. We laughed that they must not have liked the angry music after all.

Scene Point Blank: How often does somebody email/call/text that they didn't get their package? Does it happen often?

For the most part everything arrives fine, but I do get inquiries from time to time. Generally, it’s just delayed and will show up within a week, sometimes its delayed for a few weeks. Anything after a month is usually forever in the abyss and it's refund time.

Scene Point Blank: Have you noticed patterns with any specific types of mailers, or packages, or sending a certain medium to people?

As I ship mainly records, it’s nice that there are lots of record mailer options out there. I see a lot of Mighty Mailers, which I don’t like personally but they do the job. I still use standard record mailers for 1-2 records. These mailers work but you must do some extra work to make sure they arrive safely (use corner protectors people!). I do like Whiplash v3 mailers for 3-4 records or mixed mediums. Anything beyond that, I double box usually reusing mailers from other distros or one-stops.

Scene Point Blank: What is a bigger problem: lost mail, broken mail, or returned mail?

Since I started the label and distro, I may have 2 or 3 lost packages -- not that bad. Since I am only shipping to the US, the biggest problem I have is delayed mail or tracking going into limbo. I check tracking for all packages I ship and sometimes tracking just doesn’t update and my OCD will not allow to let this sit, so I reach out to the person to ensure they received, and they always have.

Scene Point Blank: Do you have any unusual stories about receiving packages from others?

Oh yes, great question! I think one of my favorites is a 7” I ordered from Discogs quite some time ago. It came in a Dominos small pizza box. Literally, a used pizza box with grease stain and crumbs in the bottom. The 7” was in a plastic grocery box and arrived perfectly. I wish I remembered which 7” it was...I think maybe Career Suicide??

Scene Point Blank: Do you have any sage advice for others on how to send the perfect package?

Poor packaging drives me fucking crazy and I rant it about it a lot! I think the best advice is to assume the package will be thrown around and dropped many times, so pack accordingly. I’m pretty sure I read this on Ebullition’s site, who has/had a great "How to package records" page along with pictures of poor pack jobs.

I have three main goals with shipping: ship fast, ship secure and make no money on shipping. Ship fast, I already covered, but ship secure I take to a whole other level. I won’t go into the gory details, but I have received some feedback like “bomb-proof”, “this package could have made it through the apocalypse it was packed so good”, and “packaged like a tank”. When I get this type of feedback, it just warms my heart.

Scene Point Blank: What is the worst thing to do?

Besides shitty packing, the worst thing to do is make money off shipping. Setting up shipping rates on any site is not a perfect science due to so many variables, but I will always refund any shipping charge overage that is more than $1. If you make money off shipping, you pretty much suck.

Example/Rant time: I once ordered three records and paid $12 shipping. The records came in a single white econo mailer ($.50 cents), no pads, no bubble wrap. At the time this would have been around a $5 media mail cost. So, the shipper paid less than $6 bucks in shipping cost and then made over $6. And all three records were damaged with dings and seam splits. Fuck this and fuck you. It’s not punk to ship like a fool.

Scene Point Blank: Anything you’d like to add?

Shout out and thanks to Loren and Scene Point Blank, this interview was a blast. A quick wave to Nathan from Soda Killers zine, who is relevant to these topics as I have been mailing back and forth with him for over 5 years, which stemmed from mailorder.

Jouke Rispens – Owner, Morning Wood Records

[written in 2020]

Scene Point Blank: Tell me a bit about who you are and what you do.

My name is Jouke Rispens (27), owner and founder of Morning Wood Records. The label is located in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands and was founded in 2013. Morning Wood Records is a label focussing on releasing fast, melodic punk rock that builds upon the sound and vibe from back in the '90s. Besides that I have a little distro that I sell through Discogs and at live shows.

Scene Point Blank: Why did you start the label/distro?

It pretty much started out as a joke back when I did my bachelor in business economics and needed to make a business plan for a minor entrepeneurship. I figured creating a punk label called “Morning Wood Records” would surely create some smiles in the classroom when I needed to present my plan. After that I simply carried on since I played in a couple of punk rock bands myself and wanted to release that music.

Scene Point Blank: How many orders do you fill per week (or month -- feel free to estimate)?

Before the whole COVID crisis I’d say, on average, 20 a week. Sometimes when there’s a big release with a lot of pre-orders it can be between 50-100 packages in a week. Nowadays, and generally during the summer it’s very calm.

Scene Point Blank: How many countries do you ship to? What are the main destinations?

So far I shipped to countries on all continents, and I’d estimate between 30-40 different countries worldwide. The top 5 countries I ship to are the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan, and France. As far as continents go: 66% stays in Europe, 18.6% goes to North America, and the rest is spread over the remaining continents.

Scene Point Blank: What medium do you send the most of (cd, vinyl, tapes, zines, etc)?

Surprisingly enough, mostly CDs. That’s partially because half the stuff Morning Wood released is only available on CD, and also due to the fact that shipping vinyl is relatively expensive. The other reason is that a lot of orders come from Japan, and almost all orders from there are purely CDs. I’m grateful for that, 'cause I very much want to continue releasing music on CD as long as possible.

Scene Point Blank: What is the official name of the post office or service you use in your country (e.g. United States Postal Service)?

I use PostNL, the main postal service in The Netherlands. There might be a couple of other options, but PostNL is reliable and it rarely happens that packages get damaged.

Scene Point Blank: How often do you go to a post office or shipping center?

During peaks, every day. When it’s a bit calmer, two or three times a week.

Scene Point Blank: Do you have any entertaining stories about your trips to the local post office or shipping center? Do you have a relationship with the employees there?

The post office is accross my street, so it’s really not a problem at all to post packages once or twice a day. The owner’s name is Ronald and he lives next to the store. He always knows how I want to post my packages and gives me a loads of customs forms so I can already fill them in at home. As far as that goes, it could definitely be worse.

Scene Point Blank: How often does somebody email/call/text that they didn't get their package? Does it happen often?

Sometimes it takes a while for a package to arrive 'cause it needs to go to a less-western country like Malaysia or gets stuck in customs in South Africa, for instance. As long as the package has track & trace there’s no problem and, in other cases, it just takes a little bit longer but still arrives at the destination. It’s honestly just 1% of the customers that get in touch with me if it their order hasn’t arrived after a while.

Scene Point Blank: Have you noticed patterns with any specific types of mailers, or packages, or sending a certain medium to people?

A CD always fits in a mailbox, 12” vinyl doesn’t. If the customer isn’t at home he/she might need to go to a local post office to pick up a vinyl order or go to a neighbour. When someone decides to have bigger packages shipped to them without track & trace it might be a surprise when and where it shows up, but it always works out.

Scene Point Blank: What is a bigger problem: lost mail, broken mail, or returned mail?

All of the above are annoying and cost money since it’s my duty to deliver products in one piece. In seven years only two packages got lost and never showed. It's also very rarely happens something breaks. Sometimes a crack in a jewel case or a little bit of wear on a vinyl sleeve, but nothing too terrible. The most frustrating thing is when a package gets returned to me because the postal service abroad “couldn’t find the address,” while the address is 100% correct. This mostly happens in Germany somehow.

Scene Point Blank: Do you have any unusual stories about receiving packages from others?

Nope. I made the agreement with my mailman that he puts packages at some place when I’m not home. He also gave me his phone number in case something’s wrong. Or he’s hitting on me -- I don’t know.

Scene Point Blank: Do you have any sage advice for other labels on how to send the perfect package?

Always bubble wrap your vinyl like there’s no tomorrow. That stuff really isn’t expensive in big volumes, and when LPs can move in a box it's guaranteed it’s going to get damaged sooner or later.

Scene Point Blank: What is the worst thing to do?

Waiting in line at the post office for some grandpa who wants to buy lottery tickets for his whole family and needs to think for five minutes whether he wants to pay a euro or two extra to add the super jackpot or not.

Scene Point Blank: Anything you'd like to add?

The weather in The Netherlands sucks. If you have palm trees and a good beach at home don’t even think about coming here.