Like many mid size and small pressing plants, the employees at Hellbender Vinyl, wear a few hats, and one of these people is Janeka Johnson. Janeka is the Community and Production Liaison. She plays a pivotal role in nearly every part of the pressing plant’s day-to-day operations. From helping with production and assembly, to onboarding new projects and guiding clients through the process, she’s often the first voice you hear when calling into the facility. Her hands-on support extends to quality control, contributing to custom variants on the press, offering tours both virtual and in-person, and stepping in for project management whenever needed. Janeka’s deep connection to the work and her joy in every part of it make her an essential force in keeping the Hellbender engine running smoothly.

Hellbender Vinyl, located in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood, is a boutique vinyl pressing plant known for its attention to detail and commitment to independent music. With high-end WarmTone presses and a tight-knit, passionate team, Hellbender specializes in transforming audio projects into beautifully crafted records. The facility is more than a production space—it’s a hub for artists who care about the integrity of their sound and the story behind their release.

Janeka is a mother of three so outside of work her hobbies consist of "...being a toddler punching bag and amateur wrestler, however I will say my opponents are typically between the ages of 6 and 11". When she has some free time she enjoys listening to You've Got Males, "...a couple of guys that review rom coms on their podcast and somehow tie Nicholas Cage into every episode." as well as checking out local shows.

How did you get into your industry / What motivated you?

I started out in a punk band in my youth, then shifted gears to managing a band down in Houston. But Pittsburgh kept pulling me back like some kind of artistic gravity.

When I returned, I dove into fabrication work. The ceramics studio became my playground, sculpting faces and masks, then getting obsessed with building drum bodies. My undiagnosed ADHD meant these projects were more about the journey than the destination. Half-finished. Totally my style.

I happened upon a position that just kind of fell into my lap at a makerspace which was where a lot of the magic happened. Helping people build anything was exciting, but assisting and teaching others to weld and craft their own instruments was amazing. I'd later move to NJ where there was none of that...the job I had felt soul-crushing and after some great thought, I decided that chapter in my life didn't speak to me and moved back to Pittsburgh.

Not long after setting foot back in the burgh, out of nowhere, an old friend hits me up about a job he wanted to offer me at his vinyl pressing plant. Just like that, another chapter begins.

My motivation is taking an idea and bringing it to fruition and seeing how much that means to artists when you put in the extra effort for something they're passionate about. The fact that they know we care is what motivates all of us to keep doing what we do.

What is a day in the life like?

Wooooof. Well, I get up and have to convince smaller versions of myself that they too, want to open their eyes and start their day. Once they're off to school I have an hour commute to the office where I assist the PM's with whatever projects we have in house. I communicate with artists that email or call in for more information or if they need help with their projects vision, I'm here to help.

I help to QC the records, assemble, assist with coordinating tours/interviews, etc. At the end of the day we all give each other fist bumps and head out. And then I get home to people that don't think I'm as cool as everyone else does.

In your opinion what has been your favorite / the coolest thing you've worked on?

I strongly feel that every project that comes through our doors has a unique, fun, interesting story to them. I'm going to say Normal Creatures has one of the most unique jackets I've ever seen with their album Florescent Black. Pam did an incredible job at making that come to life. I will always be a huge fan of the music and artwork that comes out of Willowtip Records, I have a few of their albums. And I just have to mention that we also did the Seal- Kiss From A Lime 7" record for the Superbowl.

What has been / is the most difficult part of your job?

I haven't had a bad day yet. Every day has been like walking into a shop full of some of the coolest people you'll ever know and working together to make a quality product that people love. I dare you to find anything difficult about that. Now if I was a press operator........lol.

What advice do you have for someone wanting to get into pursuing what you’re doing?

Networking is always the way to go!

Honestly the best way I'd suggest getting into what I do is just getting your foot in the door by asking if you can take a tour, ask questions, ask if they are hiring, and just getting yourself familiar with process. Networking is always the way to go!

Are you a vinyl collector yourself? What drew you to it? If not, why the vinyl industry?

I used to have a solid collection of 200+ that I started acquiring at a young age from my Mother and Father. My Dad was a big fan of Parliament Funkadelic, Enigma and old school artists, and my mother was a fan of Queen, David Bowie, Frank Sinatra and dare I say it Nickelback -haha! I lost all of those in a fire and I had a hard time at first getting back into it.

Working at Hellbender has brought back that love for vinyl that I had lost and I've been able to build it back up to about 50+, some of which have been gifted to me and signed by some of the most amazing people I've had the pleasure of working with, some I've acquired by going on trips Hellbender has sent me on and others I've purchased while taking little spontaneous trips to record shops around the city.

What types of things are happening in your industry / with vinyl that you’re excited or worried about? i.e. innovation, or trends you’re seeing.

No worries here! I'm excited to see the resurgence of vinyl, the way we're able to create something tangible for artists that helps continue to pour into this ecosystem and continues to allow us all to have a thriving music scene for artists all around the world. Seeing artists move towards putting their work to vinyl and not rely solely on streams is so rewarding.

Who has been influential to you and your growth as a professional in this industry? 

Hands down... Wax Mage.... We had the pleasure of having Heath come through our shop and show us some of their magic and it was incredible to witness. It was so inspiring and got our gears turning and we couldn't be more grateful for that experience!

Anything else you’d like to add; if not tell us what you're listening to: 

Favorite music genre will always center around Punk, Metal, Funk, etc. Favorite band right now - I have so many favorites, but I'll say I am on a NASH.V.ILL kick which is an awesome local band I'm obsessed with. The band Complete F-cker (edited for censorship purposes) is intense! Oyo has an incredible stage presence. Shayfer James, Gem Club, Prav and this band from Philly My Wifes An Angel has a firm grip on me right now! ha Soooo so many, but these were just the ones that came to mind that I've been listening to for a bit now.