Flipping record causing series of loud pops

Use Zerostat (anti-static gun). 

@chakster, the Zerostat reminds me of those cheap plastic toy guns we used as children. Cap guns were better and they had this great smell. Now they want to make boys play with dolls and flowers. American males need to get their testicles back. Defend your families, don't buy a Zerostat. Get an AR-15!

Zerostat is perfect mechanical device to eliminate static.
I paid $60 for mine 15 years ago, but it was red, not blue. 

Use Furutech Destat 2 now the best.

Shouldn’t need a zerostat (or an AR15). Nor mute the whole system when touching the LP. This sounds like a grounding problem in the tube preamp but not the SS. Is there a ground lift switch on the tube phono stage? That would probably fix it (if it’s in the wrong position). Otherwise try to mitigate static buildup until you fix the phono stage