there was Cliff on stage, banging away. And I they would play some Dead Kennedys, The [GTR] People know that you’re an avid gear
thought to myself, “That’s the guy from Easy Damned, The Ramones, or maybe something collector and have all sorts of signature gear,
Street and he has a different amp now!” He had local like the Dickies. Sometimes they would so I was excited to hear that you’d launched
gotten so much better from when I saw him in play some Motorhead and we would be so KHDK. Geoff Tyson (from T-Ride) introduced
Easy Street. excited that they were playing them. Back then, me to David Karon and he sent me the pedals
to us, Motorhead was the fastest band around. – they’re awesome. In playing them I definitely
[GTR] You’re the guy that played in Exodus
get a sense of where the inspiration came from,
and Metallica. You’re a founding father for the [GTR] I heard that you got the call for the but they also have really cool tweaks that make
Thrash scene. Did you have any idea back in Metallica audition while you were sitting in the them musically unique and lot of fun to play.
the Ruthie’s Inn days that it would ever turn into men’s room, which is a classic story. That was How did all this come together?
this, even in your wildest dreams? a call that changed your life. [Kirk] I don’t think any of us had a clue. We [Kirk] And it was on April Fool’s Day! (laughs)
were just a bunch of kids having fun. We were
looking for new sounds, new soundtracks to [GTR] I love it! So, once you figured out that
go with all of the inappropriate behavior we it was for real, you did some things that forever
were indulging in. It was all just influencing our changed the course of your life. For young
guitar playing and songwriting and the way we players that are out there who may someday
approached our instruments. The music we get a call for an audition that could change their
were making started influencing the way we life, what advice do you have for them?
were acting, and vice versa. And there were
David Karon and Kirk
Photo: KHDK Electronics
all of these great sounds coming over from the [Kirk] Show up with extreme humility and be UK, which would just egg us on and make us prepared to do anything within your musical [Kirk] I met Dave when he was working for
push the envelope to see what else was out means to get the job done. Be open to Randall Amplifiers, and we got on pretty well.
there, sonically and musically. It was all very whatever needs to be done. Attack it full on, A few years after he left Randall we were
natural. Nobody sat down with a notebook and and try not to let there be any mental barriers hanging out somewhere in Europe, and he
made a plan to do things a certain way, it just or obstacles between you and your goal. Get a said, “Hey! Are you interested in forming a
happened over the course of time. mental eraser and erase those obstacles and pedal company?” And I said, “Absolutely! What
just think about you and your instrument, and a great idea!” He knew a guy in the Czech
about what needs to be done in the moment. Republic who is brilliant with the electronics, so
KUSF and KALX, two college radio stations
we went to check him out. Six months later,
that we used to listen to all day, just hoping that
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Sep Oct 2017
GearTechRec.com