Ken Brenninger is a fierce guitar slinger who spent time in bands Fully Glazed and Storks, before joining up with Jesse Sheppard from Elkhorn and Dave Siebert from Jackie O Motherfucker to form the sludgy acid hurricane that is Blues Ambush.
Brenninger also works at the famed Philadelphia Record Exchange, which is indeed an essential temple of music that any crate digger in the area should frequent.
With an impressive music-laden resume like that, we of course had to feature him on Liner Notes. Check out his answers to our questions below:
RCU: What was the last song that you listened to?
KB: “Run Run Run”, by The Velvet Underground, Live at Hilltop Pop Festival, 8/2/69.
RCU: What was the last album you felt obsessed with?
KB: Frankie Miller’s Once In A Blue Moon.
RCU: Which artist do you most want to listen to on a Friday night?
KB: (15-60-75) The Numbers Band.
RCU: Which artist do you most want to listen to on a Sunday morning?
KB: Terry Riley or Nikhil Banerjee.
RCU: What record do you wish more people knew about?
KB: All of the Pappo’s Blues’ LPs…Every time I’ve played them for homies that didn’t know, they’ve been slack-jawed, full-on stoked and that makes me so happy.
RCU: What’s your favorite album to drive to?
KB: Träd Gräs och Stenar’s 3CD anthology/Gärdet 12.6.70 no question. My bud Harmonica Dan once likened listening to them to sitting on the beach and watching the waves endlessly roll in and it was as apt a descriptor as I’ve ever heard nil.
RCU: If you could pull a Groundhog Day and relive one concert that you’ve previously attended over and over again, what would it be?
KB: High Rise at the Mercury Lounge, NYC, 1998. their first ever New York show and they were absolutely fucking bonkers. The crowd was frothing at the mouth by the end and my friend threw a chair onstage he was so pumped. Thankfully Narita and Nanjo just laughed it off and played a sick encore.
RCU: Which artist, living or dead, do you wish you could have a conversation with at a bar over drinks?
KB: Jerry Garcia
RCU: What’s the music doc/concert film that you’ve probably seen the most?
KB: Hmm good question… maybe Festival Express or AC/DC’s Let There Be Rock….
RCU: If we blasted a follow up to the Voyager 2 gold record into space, and you could choose just one song to put on it, what would it be?
KB: “Frihetsdans I D-Moll” by Träd Gräs och Stenar, preferably on infinite repeat.
For more rad record recommendations, you should check out Ken’s Instagram account, @humandonkey.
Blues Ambush’s music can be found on Bandcamp. Seeing that it’s another Bandcamp Friday today, why not help this power trio out and throw some money their way?
Philadelphia Record Exchange is open for in-person shopping every day 11-4 or 5, but currently only 5 customers at a time. Masks required (and don’t even think about wearing it below your nose!) Their site is here and be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram @philarecx.
-KH
Record Crates United 