KINRICK
Corbin King Interview for Metal Glory in Germany
[Q]Hi there. Congratulations to your great new album. Please describe the reactions to the CD so far.
Corbin King: So far everything has been super positive about the CD. Which is very cool and I definitely can't complain!
[Q]Do you care for the opinion of your fans, the press and people in general? Or is it just you and your music?
Corbin King: Well...somewhat you can't help but care...sometimes things someone says can really get to you...and then other times it's kinda like...to hell with you and your opinion....most of the time I've found that people that talk badly about something you've recorded are usually failed musicians or have been let down in their own efforts in music in some way and are taking out their hostility on you. It kinda goes like everything else in the world...when someone is giving you hell it's because they feel shitty about themselves and are looking for some relief by trying to bring you down to their miserable level. So, I try to take most bad comments with a grain of salt and I also try to thank the ones that say something nice...because it really does mean a lot when you get a great compliment!
[Q]Some of our readers may never have heard about you. Please give us a short briefing in the band's biography.
Corbin King: This is the 1st KINRICK CD. The band is very new although we all came from other somewhat established entities. I have a band called VAINGLORY that has been around for a few years...2nd CD in the works. Stephen has worked with KENZINER and FIREWIND, James was in Zanister, and STIAN plays with FIREWIND. So, all of us have had some prior experience and we all came together at the request and offer from David T. Chastain.
[Q]Is Kinrick a real band? Or is it a project?
Corbin King: I believe all things begin as a project and grow into real bands. Each of us were approached separately in regards to joining KINRICK and we all were for it. If you look at it that was it could seem as a project for us as musicians since we all had our other things happening at the time...but I don't think anyone really looks at it as just a project considering we all put great efforts into making it something good...it definitely has a band bonding to it and we would all go the mile for it if thats what it took.
[Q]Let's talk about the album and it's songs. How would you describe your music?
Corbin King: The music is very heavy and very classic metal oriented in a lot of ways. There are some melodic elements that tie together all the more percussive, modern heavy parts, and they are all forged together by our musicianship. We all sort of come from different realms of metal thru different time spans and the best of our worlds have come together for this. So, take classic metal and mix it with some up to date heavy chunky riffing and balls out production and thats a good start in defining KINRICK.
[Q]"Through the void" is rather dark. I like it very much.
Corbin King: Yeah me too...its dark and very heavy in the riffs...it's one of my favorites on the CD.
[Q]And what about "Empire falls again"?
Corbin King: Yeah that one's pretty cool too... lots going on...I like the way it transitions at the end and becomes more atmospheric a bit.
[Q]Which one is YOUR favorite song from the album and why?
Corbin King: I'd say I have two faves on the CD...Through The Void is one and I like the lead guitar stuff on I Fight Alone.
[Q]You do not play much really fast parts. Why is that so?
Corbin King: Hahaha... well, actually I do...but this KINRICK CD is of a different element...everything that is on this recording had a purpose and was played off the other components. Nothing was done for the sake of just doing it. We wanted to capture the wave of the song and let it take its natural journey thru time...definitely more whole picture related. But if you do want to hear fast you can check out some of the other things I've done in the past because I can tear it up with the best of them.
[Q]How and why did you choose the album cover?
Corbin King: I had nothing to do with the cover art..that was a label decision and something I think David had an idea for...looks pretty cool and fits the Sense Your Darkness theme. The European CD has an entirely different cover and that was of their decision as well...most of the time a company wants to use their own art guys and have a say in their territories release.
[Q]Are there some lyrics that are special to you? Tell us something about them.
Corbin King: I don't particularly have a personal connection with any of the lyrics but maybe of some of the underlying concepts. I think there are a lot of bad things that go on in this world and whether or not they affect you has a lot to do with how thick your wallet is...and that sucks.
[Q]Where do you get your inspirations from?
Corbin King: I get my inspirations from lots of things...mood, attiitude...music...weather...pain...happiness....other people..anything that touches my day to day life in some way, leaves a mark on me and how I process it and what it does to me in the long term have many effects on my playing, writing, and thinking. So, I'd say living this life inspires me...sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad. Thats only human.
[Q]What about the recording process of your new album? Any stories or curiosities to report?
Corbin King: Not many stories other than knocking back a few beers and cranking it up...layin down some killer tracks and getting the job done. Curiosities? I have no idea...I'd be curious to know what I/ the CD sound like to untrained ears...sometime I wish I could listen to something I've recorded as just a listener and not a musician...I think I'd enjoy it on many more levels.
[Q]Please tell us something about your process of songwriting.
Corbin King: Usually I throw down a drum machine track and jam over it...I create lots of things that way...with many different vibes. Other times I'll have a predetermined riff or structure that I write around...but usually I try to get it from the jamming aspect so that it stays fresh and has a live feel to it.
[Q]What are your musical influences in your opinion?
Corbin King: I'd say I have so many I usually leave one or more out by mistake! My first influences were guys like Page, Nugent, Hendrix, then guys like Slash, Hetfield, Mustaine, Skolnick, and then came Malmsteen, Becker, Friedman, Stump, and Bellas. Also one influence I have didn't come from the beginning but after I met him in person and that's David Chastain...that guy has played some ripping stuff and I'm fortunate to have met him and worked on his label....another guy that goes unmentioned more times by mistake than I care to say is my guitar teacher and the guy that tied it all together for me and that's Howie Bentley...he has a band called Cauldron Born and I can't say enough good things about him...he's been a best friend and one of the nicest and most genuine guys I've ever met..I owe him alot...thanks Howie!!
[Q]We'd like to know something about your background in making music. How did you learn to play, what are your experiences and which musicians are your main technical influence?
Corbin King: At first I was completely self taught...struggled thru it for a few years and after getting completely frustrated reading Satriani's Guitar Secrets column and not knowing what the hell he was talking about I vowed to figure this shit out. I bought every book I could find on the subject and took music theory in school. I ended up finishing a college level theory course in high school and holed up with Howie Bentley for lessons in 11th grade. After a couple years study with Howie and the theory I continued on in private study myself and practiced like a crazed person hours upon hours for years...I dedicated my life to guitar and music. My technical influences range from like I said before...Page to Hendrix...to Skolnick, Mustaine, Malmsteen, Bellas, all those guys and Howie helped me take the questions of " how the hell did he do that?" to a reality of..." I got it now"!!
[Q]Please name some lately released CDs that you like to listen to at home.
Corbin King: I've been jamming the new BLS " Mafia" and lets see....I still play the KINRICK CD sometimes....Mainly I'm listening to the new VAINGLORY CD as it's making its way to the finished product. I don't listen to whole lot of stuff actually...I just don't have time..and unfortunately a lot of what comes out today in my opinion sucks.
[Q]Do you watch other bands play? Have there been some shows lately that impressed you?
Corbin King: Sometimes...it just depends...I'm always looking for something to go see that would be good. I of course catch all the cool shows like Malmsteen and G3 and any metal acts that come thru. I was actually supposed to jam with G3 ( Satch, Vai, Malmsteen ) on stage this last time in Atlanta because I won a contest thru Guitar Center to "be the 4th G", let me tell you, that was that a crock of shit...I got nothing...one of the "artists" wouldn't agree to the jam for what ever reason and all I ended up with was a bad attitude. The last show I saw was the Manowar show a few days back. Joe Stump was playing with the opening band Holy Hell and that was really cool. Joe absolutely rips and is one helluva cool guy...we had a blast hangin out!
[Q]Stephen was vocalist in Firewind where Stian still plays. So I think there is no bad blood between Stephen and Firewind?
Corbin King: No there is no bad blood..no reason for there to be...at least as far as I can tell everyone is cool.
[Q]Gus G. and Corbin King are both fantastic guitar players. What is the difference between their styles, where are similarities?
Corbin King: Thanks for the compliment...I don't know enough about Gus to comment on this.
[Q]To give our readers some help in getting along with a new band we are always search for comparisons. Listening to your record some of the classic US Metal bands came into my mind. Would you agree?
Corbin King: Sure. I believe there is a nice mix of the classic metal style with a little bit of the more modern production and chunky riffing.
[Q]Do you now some German Metal Bands? I have found some Grave Digger in "Call of honor" and some parallels to our new hopefuls Brainstorm in "Stand up and fight". It is not really worth to be mentioned. I am just interested in the degree of publicity of our local heroes.
Corbin King: I've got a Grave Digger CD and I thought it was pretty good actually... although I don't have enough of these band's material to know really any detail to this question...there very well may be some comparisons.
[Q]What makes the difference between Kinrick and other US Metal bands?
Corbin King: I think our band's lineup has the musicianship that you don't hear a lot of anymore...even though every song is not balls out all the time they are very well rounded...you can tell that each of us really has done our homework and that we are playing what is needed and not ruining anything with a bunch of clutter. I know for a fact that in our own rights we can really rip...but KINRICK was not about that. The most noticeable difference is also that there are no stupid blast beats and we don't have Cookie Monster singing for us.
[Q]We'd like to know something about the underground in your hometown. Are you still in touch? And if so: Where do you hang out? Are there some yet unknown bands that you like?
Corbin King: I really don't know anymore. Atlanta had one or two ok metal bands a few years past but mainly to be honest most all of them really suck. Unless times have drastically changed outside of what I have done and what I am doing currently, I don't know of any worthy metal acts around here. When there is a local act opening for another bigger band at some of these clubs...while they're playing is usually when I'm at the bar making use of my 'liquid ear plugs'...having enough beers to where I don't notice the noise.
[Q]What about the Atlanta Metal Scene in general? Do you know some bands, and if so, is there friendship, rivalry or more or less nothing special?
Corbin King: Back a few years ago...there was definitely some cool guys to hang with and we had a lot of the band friendships...we used to all set up shows together and what not...but it seems as those days have been long gone. I will say that I don't go out much anymore...just don't care to...it's usually always a hassle and for little reward. I save up my going out for when something cool comes through town.
[Q]How important is it for you to play live on stage? Will there be live shows of Kinrick?
Corbin King: Playing out and performing is the other half of the package as far as I'm concerned. Writing is the first 50%. As of now there are no KINRICK live dates...but that may prove to change soon...we'll see.
[Q]Are there some bands that you would die to play with?
Corbin King: Sure...jamming with Black Label would be cool...lets see...Symphony X would rock...Slayer....Hell, I'd jam with Metallica just to get the mass exposure...a Malmsteen gig would be cool to me also just to shred it up with the guy.
[Q]I think your web page needs some extra hours of work. Don't you think so?
Corbin King: Sure...don't they all. If you stare at anything long enough you can find ways to improve it. I have no control over the web aspects so...I would guess any concerns such as these should be directed to the webmaster.
[Q]Still three questions to go. What do you think of Metal web magazines?
Corbin King: I think they rock! It's very cool to visit them all and have the resource available to check out what's going on in the scene. It seems the web has become the haven for most metal nowadays...since to get any notice in the everyday eye you gotta play shit and be pop culture oriented. Long live the metal web!!
[Q]Is there something that you have never been asked but always have been eager to say?
Corbin King: I don't know...probably...but until I'm asked it I won't know.
[Q]We are looking forward seeing you in Germany. Best wishes to you all. Any last words?
Corbin King: Thanks for all your interest! It really is an honor to be able and take the time to answer these questions...I look forward to many more..and to meeting all of you on the road somewhere!!
METAL!!!
www.kinrick.com
www.corbinking.com
www.vainglorymusic.com
Cd $9.99! (US/Canada orders only)
