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Matt Vaughan

@easystreetguy

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Small Biz Warlord
Husband, father, brother, son, cuz’n, earthling
@easystreetrecords @cimsmusic @recordstoredayus

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Looking to be house engineer and staffer at one of the most intimate live performance settings in the world? Want to support our local scene, watch our musicians and bands get their start, rise to stardom? Wanna do sound for some of the most legendary and influential artists of our time? To truly be on the ground floor !

Easy Street has hosted over 2,000 instores. We recently upgraded our sound system again ! Thank u @carlsonaudiosystems !

We require that our sound engineers are also working at the store level too! That can be as clerk, buyer, merchandising. This is a F/T position. We offer full benefits ; medical, dental, vision to those in f/t mgmt roles. Hourly wage is above Seattle minimum wage and dependent on experience and role at the shop.

Our Front of House engineer also assists in advancing the show. Working directly w record labels, band managers, tour managers, and techs. As well as w our own in house team here at the shop.

We pride ourselves on capturing magic moments and experiences.

Easy Street won the 2026 Retailer of The Year this year @musicbizassoc awards and will soon be celebrating 40 years in Seattle. Local and independent!

Please email info@easystreetonline.com and add in subject line “New Hire - FOH”
Must be friendly, courteous, and patient. Appreciate all styles and genres of music. taken in Seattle, Washington by @easystreetguy

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I had no business going to this school. My sis Aimie and I had been public school kids. Seattle Prep was the school that my neighbor friends and I would play at after all the Prep kids had left the parking lot. Hoops and baseball games w tennis balls. It was a block away from our house.

In middle school, I had gotten caught playing hooky a few x and when I was 12 my homie Mike Sparks and I got caught by SPD, booked and thrown in jail. We were accused of breaking, entering and burglarizing Stevens School. We didn’t do it, but it was past midnight and we were in the vicinity. We ran from the cops when we saw em pull up on us…we had been doing some bookable offenses anyway. Rolling barrels down Aloha St, various forms of vandalism. They eventually caught up w us by Bruce Lee’s grave. All of this may have had sumthin to do w my Grandma Doris saying “You’re going to that school w the big cross on it”. Back then, u could walk up to Prep and register same day. Cost was $3,500. Grandma shelled it out.

Prep is a college prep academy. 2 hour Collegio classes, Jesuit teaching, philosophy, religion. I struggled my freshman year, went to Roosevelt for summer school.

On the 1st day of school we were told to hold hands and pray aloud in unison, the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father). I had no idea what was going on. Even the way they played basketball, CYO-John Wooden style. I was lost. There were a few other Capitol Hill public school kids in that freshman class, many didn’t last.

My folks had divorced when I was 7, partly religious differences. My father was a practicing Irish Catholic. I was baptized and went to Sunday school as a lil kid, my mother would call herself Buddhist and practiced tarot and astrology. Marriage faltered. By high school I was onto my 2nd stepdad. I didn’t know any kids at Prep that came from a broken family. These families ate dinner together, went to Church, buttoned up, but what I can tell u…is they were some of the rowdiest most fun kids I’ve ever known. Smart, sarcastic, a few Eddie Haskell’s in the bunch. The girls too.

Critical Thinking. Prep and faculty, u saved my ass! 40 years. Matt-Senior Class Prez ‘86 taken in Seattle, Washington by @easystreetguy

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Thru The Locks, no other boats. No traffic. From Leschi to CYC Shilshole. It’s like hiking, go mid-week! Fair sails and good luck sailors, PSSC this weekend ! taken in Seattle, Washington by @easystreetguy

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Lots of high school reunions going on this month. This weekend we’ll be celebrating the Class of 1986, Seattle Prep, 40 years. If u were part of this class please DM us and we’ll get u details. Prep has resided on Lower Capitol Hill since 1891. ‘86 is the class of Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Top Gun, Blue Velvet, and Stand By Me.

New Wave music was at an all-time high, w classic records Smiths- The Queen is Dead, Depeche Mode- Black Celebration, The Police “Synchronicity” and the Cure compilation “Standing on a Beach”.

Madonna, Prince, Springsteen, Lionel, Michael Jackson, Duran Duran, Billy Idol, Bowie, Van Halen…they had the mid 80’s on lock.

Hard rock was spilling out into the parking lots of the Tacoma Dome and all over the charts with Def Leppard, Ozzy, Bon Jovi, Priest, Ratt, AC/DC, Motley Crue, Scorps. From all accounts, Prep were massive Iron Maiden fans and big supporters of a new local band Queensryche. Oh yes…and there was a metal band from SF that released “Master of Puppets” March 3, 1986. Thrash and speed metal was upon us!

Hip Hop was now getting national attention! Ice-T, Kool Moe Dee, BDP, Eric B & Rakim, Biz Markie, and The Beastie Boys…Who was at that Paramount show Run-DMC, Whodini, LL Cool J ?

80’s R&B so good! Whitney, Anita Baker, Sade, Janet, RFTW, Cameo, Gap Band, Kool & the Gang , Midnight Star, Freddie Jackson, DeBarge, Luther, while Stevie Wonder was still cranking out hit after hit!

Heart had a #1 record w their self titled smash, w songs “These Dreams”, “What About Love” . Whaaaa, and Ann Wilson lived right down the street from Prep. Sir Mix A Lot had just released his 1st single “Square Dance Rap”. C/Z released “Deep Six”! It was on!

The president was Ronald Reagan. Mayor was Charley Royer. Governor was Booth Gardner. The Teen Dance Ordinance sucked !

Steve Largent and the Seahawks were becoming a formidable team under Chuck Knox. Ken Griffey Jr was about to get drafted by the Seattle Mariners. The X-Man and Tom Chambers were leading the SuperSonics to the playoffs.

What was your favorite record from 1986?

What was your favorite TV show in ‘86? Cheers? Family Ties? Miami Vice? Cosby Show? by @easystreetguy

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Crazy sexy funky life continues! 17 years. Thx all for luv’n us. They say 17 is the Year of Furniture! It’s gotta be more exciting than that! We’ll make sure of it. Luv u @thatgirlkisha I’m still weak in the knees…ok well maybe a lil more so now! by @easystreetguy

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by @easystreetguy

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Easy Street Records featured on Papa Ray’s Vintage Vinyl Roadshow 🎵 9/28/2025
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#easystreetrecords #seattle #vinylcommunity #pearljam #brandicarlile taken in Easy Street Records by @easystreetguy

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It was a twofer! North Cascades; Mt Pilchuck and Mt Dickerman. Got up to the ol fire lookout, beautiful panoramic views, 5,300’ Summer ain’t over ! Next was Dickerman 5,800’ …I see where it gets its name, it’s a punch. Steeper and vast, hobbitville meadows will greet u once out of the forest canopy. Up in the clouds await! Friendly chipmunks and chukln grouse along the way.
Drive Music: Talking Heads
Evening: Modest Mouse
Morning coffee/gear up: Kaytranada
Ok, now we back to school! PNW #UpperLeft #IntoTheWild by @easystreetguy

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Hey it’s Friday! This Gold Record was awarded to Diana Vaughan (mother of @easystreetguy) in 1978. The song became a nationwide hit ! If u were going out on a Friday night, anywhere in America…u prefunk’d to this song. Diana and her fellow promo girl Gwen Yazzolino (West Seattle) ran their own independent radio promotion company in the mid 70’s to early 80’s. They were known as the Scream Sisters. They broke countless songs out of Seattle. Marley “No Woman No Cry” Patti Smith “Because the Night”, Spinners “Rubberband Man” … it was hard for women to make it in the music biz, they teamed up and became local legends. Seattle helped set the precedent that women were a true force in the music biz. Along w a few other brave and adventurous female pioneers, they would help shape the future of NW music and eventually the entire country; radio, retail, record labels, mgmt, promotion…

Tell us about the women that helped shape the modern music business!

Bell & James were a Seattle duo. Recorded at Kaye-Smith Studios. “Livin It Up” would go onto to sell over 1 million copies! Leroy is the nephew of @rockhall inductee Thom Bell, one of the true pioneers of Philly soul. Both Leroy and Casey James were well known songwriters before they put out their own record. They would co write and record with Elton John. His hit “Are You Ready For Love” was written by Bell & James. Bell & James also scored hits w The OJays, Freda Payne, Gladys Knight, Phylis Hyman, The Three Degrees…

Both Leroy Bell and Casey James ( West Seattle) and are still recording music, they are avid music enthusiasts, educators, and songwriters. Both are phenomenal musicians!

Have a great Friday everyone! Live It Up!
#kayesmithstudios #bellandjames #thombell by @easystreetguy

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Miss u Glen Hansard…from one evergreen 🌲 to another ☘️. Sláinte, from PNW #upperleft by @easystreetguy

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We’ll be playing the music of Glen Hansard from 11-1 today. We lost Glen in a tragic motorcycle accident last Wednesday (Dublin), on July 29. Glen was 56. One of the greatest songwriters of our generation. He was revered. Billie Eilish said, “Glen made me want to write songs, I wouldn’t be the person I am today without Glen Hansard.” Bono, “He was an angelic presence, the voice of the streets.” The outpouring of love and reflection has been far and wide.

From our @easystreetguy … I was at a music convention in New Orleans when I saw the news of Glen passing. It was 7 am. Phone drops, hands to head. Nooooo. I went to the fitness room, played Glen’s songs and got on the Peloton. There was a ride thru Dublin. Most spiritual and emotional ride I’ll ever have. Was comforting though…looking out over one of the greatest music cities, New Orleans, while playing the music of Glen Hansard…from one of the world’s greatest music cities, Dublin. That afternoon, there was a pool party at the Hotel Monteleone. I see Michael Begley from @nettwerkmusic standing alone, wearing dark shades, I knew he was from Ireland. With arms open, all I say is “Glen Hansard”. Hugs, tears. Scott Register from @think_indie @cims walks up. Dark shades on, says to us “Glen Hansard”. More tears, hugs.
I’ve been a fan of Glen since The Frames, his Oscar winning film “Once”…then of course The Swell Season, and his solo work. He collaborated w Springsteen on the “Drive All Night” EP. His duets w Eddie Vedder (as well as Olivia Vedder) are some of the most beautiful moments u will ever see on stage. In Dec 2023, Glen performed at the funeral of Pogues singer #ShaneMacGowan

Our ♥️ go to all buskers, all songwriters, every street corner…and the entire country and landscape throughout the beautiful island and country of Ireland… and to all those that worked with and for Glen…his tech Simon Good, labels @antirecords @islandrecords @plateaurecords and his friends, family, and all those that loved him, millions! Sláinte ☘️
Matthew Gavigan Vaughan @easystreetguy by @easystreetguy

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A high quality individual right here! A brother, a son, and a friend to many! The Tutty Bear! He came in from Rochester, NY, he never left. Now he’s a record industry stalwart, a master at his position. He’s also, a shoplifters worst nightmare. HBD Adam …today also marks his 25th year at Easy Street. Whenever he’s had to step away for any extended period of time, it feels like we’re about to go out of business. He’s one of those guys that might scare the hell out of u at first. U then find he’s sweetheart of a man and all u will ever try to do…is all that u can for him. Much adored!
MVP Wrecker ! by @easystreetguy

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