I'm trying to record an EP for my 3 piece garage punk band and I want looooooo-fi. Those albums are my top 3 inspirations for recording, but I don't know shit about recording. I live in NYC, so I have access to awesome studios, but I can't tell who's blowing smoke up my ass when they say "lo-fi". What should I be looking for? What questions should I be asking? Is there anything I can do myself?

Your best bet would be to find an engineer/producer who's familiar with your genre and has had (proven) experience with recording bands you can relate to… Studio facilities and equipment hardly matters when working with the right people.

Get a left/right mic input tape recorder (or a 4-track with only two mics plugged in, each one panned all the way to left or right). Put each mic on a mic stand at opposite ends of the room. Record everything live.

JW recorded De Stijl in his house with cheap equipment. Chances are, the more expensive your studio is, the less likely you are to get a 'lo-fi' sound. Best bet is to go DIY and make do with poor conditions, that requires a lot of know-how though. If you have a lot of time to experiment then you should record the raw tracks yourself and maybe get a pro to mix them for you.

That 'magic, awful sound' is going to be a combination of good songwriting, a well produced record, and recording with the musicians who have the right feel. It's a lot more than just going to the right place.