Lo-Fi Video Main Brain Daniel Del Pozzo Unites West Coast Rewind Inclined Minds in Search of Analog Glory at the Upcoming 2nd Installment of His VHSwap Buy or Die Fest in Los Angeles, CA!
The visible rise of VHS collector culture and the resulting resurging interest in rare, amazing and obscure video cassettes over the past few years has helped to inspire some seriously radical events engineered to assemble the most voracious of Videovores. Earl Kess’ Severed Short Film Night and Horror VHS Collectors Unite! Convention does a killer job at gathering a horde of tape-hungry Videovores on the East Coast, and Nate Higley’s Tape Eaters Convention magnetizes the analog-inclined crowd for the mid-west… but what about the West Coast, mang? Cue Lo-Fi Video owner and operator Daniel Del Pozzo. Inspired by the suggestive absence of rare and radical slabs of analog obscurity while roaming the wilds of L.A., Del Pozzo has been doing his part to keep the anti-digital dream alive and VHSing the praises of the almighty video tape with his second installment of the VHSwap: Buy or Die! Fest. He’s out to bolster the collector community and foster love for the format while sparking dope discussions on rarity, resplendent cover art and the overall advantages to being rewind-inclined. Read on, my fellow Tapeheads, and dig in to some genuine video cassette lovin’ camaraderie out near Hollyweird...
! As always, thanks again Josh/Lunchmeat VHS Zine for having me!
Need 'em, need' em, got 'em, need 'em, got 'em! Tapes galore are in store at the upcoming VHSwap, Tapeheads. DIG IT.
Can you tell us about the inspiration to start up the VHSwap? How was the experience of putting the first one together? How did the show go? I’ve always been a huge fan of VHS, collecting, and VHS collecting. There are so many places in LA to get tapes, including liquor stores, vast amounts of thrift shops, Amoeba Music, and very randomly scattered Mom and Pop shops across southern California. The problem is within the last 5 years or so, VHS has really gotten big with the resurgence, so I’m lucky if I find anything other than a few Jerry Maguire’s or Titanic. Then I figured there had to be some collectors out there, since every shop I was hitting up was dry, and thought it would be cool to have a VHSwap. I had heard of swaps in the past and from my years in the record circuit, so I thought “Why not?” The very first one I put on was almost 2 years ago now… Rewind This!, had just been released and Elric, the owner of this really cool local café JUMPCUT (which hosts a radical array of cool events including HORROR TRIVIA NIGHT) was going to screen an early copy he had gotten. I asked to have an event there and we did just that; it was very last minute and only my friends Warren, Speck, and one other person including myself were setup. It’s kinda funny because I actually made decent money and traded for some cool tapes. So, the one we had back in October 2014 I consider the official “real” one. My first LO-FI Video releases were out and I asked KENNETH J.HALL to come sign the big box edition of Linnea Quigley’s Horror Workout in support of our release. The event was a great success and a lot of people left happy with bundles of tapes literally spilling out of their hands. To have 30-40 people crammed in that small café at once was pretty awesome. I would have loved the attendance to be larger, but the vending turnout was better than I could have expected. I was afraid it would be myself and maybe a couple others again, but instead there were about 10 of us setup with some random people with a box or 2 asking to vend. Amongst us was FRED OLEN RAY, who came to sell some VHS from his own collection including the re-release of Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers SUB-ROSA released.
A peek at some the analog-lovin' crowd at the last VHSwap! Tapes everywhere! You know we can dig it.
The second installment of VHSwap seems to be bigger and badder with even more anti-digital doses of analog awesome, mang. Can you give us all the details on the upcoming event? You have quite the array of guests… and you’re doing a Blood Diner reunion?! Insano cool. March 1st will be the 2nd installment (hopefully many more to come) of my VHSwap: Buy or Die Fest! It is being held at one of the coolest places for everything horror, DARK DELICACIES, in Burbank, CA. I have been coming to this place for years, and have met everyone from TOM HOLLAND to MICHELLE BAUER there. Del and Sue (owners) were gracious enough to allow me to book an event, and while VHS collecting is sometimes really misunderstood, I’m hoping to show DARK DELICACIES, the event guests, as well as attendees that VHS is still a very special part of history. I intend to help preserve it and assist in the resurgence starting with something as small as these swaps, and in the future would love to go on to planning VHS conventions. Also I’m happy to say that‘s a yes on the mini Blood Diner reunion…still working on getting director JACKIE KONG... But I do have CARL CREW as well as DUKEY FLYSWATTER, and they may bring a few people, as well. I really hope people will be excited about this as much as I am. As many times as I have met them, I have never been in the same room with them together, and they don’t ever make it to signings!
An absolute home video horror essential, mang! VIDEOVORE APPROVED x INFINITY!
Aside from the radical chance to meet all these awesome analog era peeps, you’ll have a ton of tapes for sale and trade. Are you planning to have any exclusive fresh VHS releases from Lo-Fi Video or any other analog unleashing entities at the event? Who’s gonna be there slingin’ slabs of black plastic gold? We will be having some very exclusive stuff from Lo-Fi Video at the swap, actually. I just announced recently we will be releasing MIKE WILLIAMSON’s short film In the Wall on VHS there. It was originally supposed to be just an exclusive tape for the swap, but I had a huge outpouring of people asking if it will be available after the swap and how they can pre-order one. I think one of the reasons for all the excitement stems from the main actress in the film ERIN BROWN aka Misty Mundae. We decided to make 25 copies only: 10 will be at the swap with a limited swap edition gore cover signed in person by Mike, 15 regular editions will be available within the next week or so. Also, currently working on a few exclusives for our release of JAY WOELFEL’s 1989 fucked up nightmare film Beyond Dream‘s Door! As for the companies we have coming, so far Lostwitch Releasing, who will be bringing out two new tapes exclusively for the event, and Film Trauma who will also be unleashing some new releases, as well! We also have many friends coming out to setup and buy/trade/sell tapes from their personal collections.
A look at the Limited Edition IN THE WALL fresh VHS release available at VHSwap! That yellow tape is lookin' yummy. Your VCR's gonna love it.
What are you hoping VHSwap does for the VHS collector community on the west coast? Are there any other rewind-inclined events that you see happening? I’m hoping that with doing these events I show people the joys of VHS collecting that aren’t inclined to grab a VHS over a DVD. There is more to VHS then just the analog format. I also hope to bring some people together to make new friendships bonding over how cool the Wizard Video art was or how rare this Demon Queen on Mogul is. For me as well as other collectors, there is an over-whelming feeling of joy when finding a tape you’ve wanted forever or never even heard of, whether it be in a goodwill, video store, or a VHSwap. I see how well the SEVERED tape convention on the east coast has done over the years as well as bringing all forms of life gathered for one common interest was pretty amazing. I wanted to help create something like that and bring it to the Los Angeles area.
Another slab of analog re-animation on deck from Lo-Fi Video, mang! VHStay TUNED!
What’s next for you, mang? More Lo-Fi Video releases? More VHSwap-age? I literally just got an email back from STEVE LATSHAW in regards about acquiring film rights. I’m currently not announcing which titles… just know I am very stoked about it! I do have a few more things planned, but as I just mentioned, I‘m going to have to keep them hush-hush for now! Since the first “unofficial” VHSwap went over so well with less promotion in a smaller space, I’m really hoping this one knocks it out of the park. I’ve put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into making this event really special for everyone attending. I’m also currently toying with some ideas for another event I’m looking to do towards June, and hope to start promoting it even earlier to draw the masses! In the future, I do want to get the ball rolling with gathering a group of vendors together for a small convention and see how that goes, here on the west coast we don’t have many of those around, and I’d love to change that starting with Lo-Fi.
Director Kenneth J. Hall and Daniel hangin' loose and showin' off Lo-Fi's VHS re-animation for LINNEA QUIGLEY'S HORROR WORKOUT. Ruling, dudes, ruling.
Anything else you wanna shout out to all the Videovores eyeballin’ this VHS-obsessed blog? I want to thank everyone so far who has given our Facebook page a “like”, followed our Instagram, or visited our Storenvy page. The amount of support we’ve received so far has completely blown me away. As a company just getting their footing, it’s so awesome to reach the audiences we have already, and I can’t wait for that following to grow. You guys are what keep us going, and we truly appreciate everything! It’s people like you who keep VHS alive! I also want to give a shout out to all our closest friends who have helped make these releases the analog gold they are, all the VHS fans out there, the numerous directors and actors who come together to help support what we’re trying to create, and once again my amazing girlfriend Sara who has let me build the Lo-FI Video empire in our home with only minimal complaintsThe pleasure is ours, duder! Daniel is undoubtedly doing some mad radical rewind-inclined work out on the west coast to help bring the magnetic masses together, spread that analog awareness, and preserve the love for our favorite format. Daniel, we VHSalute you, dude! Be sure to groove on over to the Official VHSwap: Buy or Die! Fest Facebook page to stay updated, and if you’re in the L.A. area, mang, you just gotta groove on in and bask in the plethora of VHS that will no doubt be abounding within the walls of the event! If you’re not on Facebook (we don’t blame you), and here’s the info: Sunday, March 1st / 2-4pm / Dark Delicacies / 3512 Magnolia Blvd / Burbank, CA 91505 – And don’t forget to clickity-click on over to the Lo-Fi Video Page to stay updated on all of their analog-inclined happenings and fresh VHS re-animations. They got some goodies on the way, mang.
Groove and Groove and We Are Family.
Josh Schafer