Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Vinyloscopy with Benny Kemp of Rebel Priest

Let's check out a Hollywood band. How long has it been since we've been listening to those sleazy rock bands that dragged themselves down the dirty streets of the Sunset Strip?

There's just something right about bands that play where the stars are. It makes them reach that much higher.

So hailing from <checks notes> Vancouver, British Columbia....OK, so here's the deal, they're from a place where they make movies...so I just kind of assumed.

Anyway, not only do these guys release a vinyl record last year, they also are big fans of the medium. Check out BANDCAMP and see about getting that record of theirs...

1. Listening to Black Sabbath's eponymous debut the night I got it blew me away. What's the album that sounds the best on vinyl compared to digital sources?

All of them?? I’m no audiophile by any stretch, but there’s just simply something special about vinyl. Even some of the detrimental things to the sound, such as pops and crackles; to me, it just creates a vibe while listening that can’t be beaten.


2. I was laying in bed one night and couldn't sleep and I figured, it was time to start buying records. How did you come to the idea that it was time to start buying vinyl instead?


I started when I was just a young teen, a few records from my mum (Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors, The Band, and I believe an Earth, Wind, and Fire record) are kinda what got my mind turning, leading me to my first purchases pretty soon afterward. 


The first ones I remember picking up were the Ramones self-titled, Rory Gallagher’s Photo Finnish and Nuthin’ fancy by Skynyrd. Haha its been an off and on obsession ever since


3. For my old stuff, it's vinyl worthy, for new stuff, it's all vinyl if available. Do you buy everything on wax or do you have a vinyl worthy category?


I wouldn’t really say I have a “vinyl worthy” category in that way. 


Usually, I’ll snag it on wax if I’m able; especially when I can snag my friend's stuff! But usually, I only stray into other formats when there’s no alternative. 


It’s gotta be good to be bought at all, so If there’s a vinyl of it, that’s kinda what I’ll be after.

 

4. My second living room is where I keep it all. Upstairs, my 1971 Sherwood 7100-S, Receiver,  1975 Pioneer PL-200, and 70's Sansui 5 way speakers. Tell us all about your vinyl set up.


Definitely gone through many different setups over the years, and as long as its working I won’t fuss with it. As I said, I’m no audiophile, my current setup is by no stretch anything close to a high-fi setup haha.


But my setup is a JVC Ql-A2 turntable, PS1 preamp, Behringer 4 Chan mixer with M-Audio powered speakers. 


It’s nothing fancy, but it gets the job done!


5. Do you read the lyrics and go over the inserts when you're spinning?


If it’s new I definitely pull it all out!! that’s part of what makes records so fun; there’s a physical aspect that you don’t ever get with digital, and when it comes to tapes or CD’s it's just not the same. 


But if I’ve had the record for a while, I’m in it for the spin.


6. When someone says, I'm stupid for buying records, I tell them, thanks, more limited edition colored vinyl for me, what's your answer?


I feel like I don’t hear that so much, it’s like anything these days. 


People collect some far crazier things than records, so in my mind, it's really not a thing to think about. If you like it and wanna spend time and money building a collection, go for it!


7. My first album ever was Live Evil by Black Sabbath, so I'm stuck on live albums. What's the best live album on vinyl?


Someone asked me this recently, and my answer was Ted Nugent’s Double Live Gonzo!! I’m sticking to my guns on this one.


It's a great double-disc album with all the songs you wanna hear and that crazy 70’s Teddy attitude. Also, that version of “Great White Buffalo” is simply the best there is!


8. Tell me about your latest vinyl release. 


We released our 2019 album “R’lyeh Heavy” a bit late in the year (November release) but we brought it out in style. 


We went with 3 different coloured pressings (marbled trans green, trans purple, and standard black) and they turned out GREAT!! 


Stoked to finally have a Rebel Priest record sitting amongst my others, looking forward to the next!


9. Listening to records is my comfort food for my soul. As mentioned earlier, I have a living room dedicated to it. I normally drink a beer or two whilst listening to music I love. Describe your normal listening experience.


Crank it loud with a friend or 2!!


Enjoy a few beers and possibly some other party favours, I find I love records as social time… It's a fun activity picking records, commenting on stories or concerts we’ve attended. records to me are more than just a set of songs to sit and listen to, music as a whole is much more than that. 


Its the art and things to see (visuals) and social aspect, etc.. that add to make a fuller experience than simply songs alone.

No comments:

Post a Comment