Have you met Holly Hunt, the fairly new skull-crushing doom metal atmospheric sludge band that's taking Miami by storm?
The band's two members -- Gavin Perry and Beatriz Monteavaro -- are both visual artists who live and work in Miami. They create objects for our viewing pleasure and they also make some very heavy music.
Prunk TV had a guitar-geek chat with Gavin last night about the tone of his axe. And then the conversation turned to stage diving, Jim Morrison, speaking in tongues, and other interesting topics.
Prunk TV: Let's talk about your equipment and your tone. You use a lot of pedals. What is your set up?
Gavin Perry: I'm currently using a two head setup. I have an Ampeg V4 and I've been alternating between another V4 and a Peavey JSX. I use lots of boutique pedals, and some standards.
Is that a Marshall cabinet?
No, it is Peavey that has two Hellatone 60s that I swapped in. I would like to work on that end. I think I may make my own after I get my shop setup again. The other is a Traynor that has two 15 inch Eminence speakers. I've had that cabinet for quite a long time.
How long have you been playing guitar?
I got my first guitar when I was 12 or 13. Played a lot through high school, drifted away for a long time, too long, I always kept some gear.
(Realizing that this was now an official interview, I started to wonder what I would ask Gavin next. I astral projected myself to his Glacier exhibit about 9 months ago at the Frederic Snitzer Gallery. I then realized that I had been staring into the hot sun for about 10 minutes) I'm sorry, my brain is fried right now...
It is fucking hot outside.
I'm trying to compare your sculptures to your guitar playing... Both are minimal
Yes!
Tony Iommi and Donald Judd.
I like it.
You never seem to face the crowd during live performances.
Channeling Jim Morrison.
[I had another flashback, a real one this time. When I was in high school, I had taken some LSD and gone to see The Doors movie at Town and Country Mall. I realized that Gavin may have been referring to that movie so I said ... ] Val Kilmer.
Eww ... Top Gun.
There also seems to be communication via facial expressions between you and Beatriz during your performances.
We are speaking in tongues.
The President has a new song about speaking in tongues and I performed it for the first time Saturday. [The President had opened for Holly Hunt at Sweat Records this past Saturday night. Beatriz played drums for The President. How awesome is that?]
Nice.
I love speaking in tongues.
It's tricky.
Its called glossolalia, where you're using a part of your brain that you don't normally use to create your own language. Anyway, it was interesting to experience Beatriz' drumming during The President's set and then she gets real aggressive with Holly Hunt.
She is pretty badass and I'm not just saying that. That phrase makes no sense.
Badass?
She is.
Heard you did a stage dive recently.
Yes, during Torche [at Churchill's Pub]. The crowd parted like the Red Sea. Some dude was pretty pissed. I think he was throwing punches until he realized just how big I am.
Did you land on him?
Not too sure actually.
Any future plans for Holly Hunt? Tour maybe?
Yeah we have a couple dates set up for the last two weeks of July and we're putting together a show for mid August in WPB. Next week, Thursday, we are playing in a show with Shroud Eater, Slashpine, Orbweaver, Consular, and Ether at Churchills. There has been some discussion about a small tour in the short term future. I need to check dates as I have an exhibition in Paris around the same time. We're planning on recording as soon as scheduling permits.
Thanks for your time!
Thank you. We'll see you and the President soon.
Holly Hunt with Shroud Eater, Ether, Orbweaver, and Slashpine. Thursday, July 21. Churchill's Pub, 5501 NE Second Ave., Miami. The show starts at 8 p.m. and admission costs $5. Call 305-757-1807 or visit churchillspub.com.
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