Rig Rundown - Whores

As this Rundown unravels, your inner armchair expert (especially once we get to the pedals) may scream “gluttony.” And you’re not wrong, but Whores creator Christian Lembach doesn’t care to be right.
“
Honestly, when people say ‘You don’t need all that stuff,’ my response is, ‘No shit! I want all this stuff,’” he proudly states. “Necessity is the dumbest argument in rock ’n’ roll. For me, it has nothing to do with utility-playing guitar and using all of this [gear] gives me pleasure [laughs].”
And with that spirited passion, he’s been Whores’ ringleader since 2010 when he formed the swaggering, strutting power trio with bassist Jack Schultz and drummer Travis Owen. The band has released a pair of blistering EPs (2011’s Ruiner and 2013’s Clean) that were followed by a refined, groovier, raucous sound for the full-length debut (2016’s Gold) that featured the current lineup of bassist Casey Maxwell and drummer Douglas Barrett.
Carrying on the brash, boisterous tradition from ’90s underground slobberknockers like the Melvins, Shellac, Swans, and Jesus Lizard, Whores churns out the loudest, most obnoxious (yet infectious) rock ’n’ roll you won’t hear on your dad’s airwaves. “When rock music gets too fancy, it gets ruined. I know I’m not the world’s greatest guitar player. I don’t want to be,” admits Lembach. “I just wanna play guitar, in a band-I just love fuzz pedals and big, loud music so much-nothing else on earth makes me feel like that.”
Recently, Whores entered producer/engineer and longtime collaborator Ryan Boesch’s Candor Recording to track their second album. During the process, Lembach virtually welcomed PG’s Chris Kies to go over his simplistic-but-intense guitarsenal. Plus, we admire his plentiful pedal paradise (rivaling your favorite guitar store’s inventory) that delivers both “flavor crystals” and “fire-breathing craziness,” and he shares the two-pedal combination that “is the reason this band exists.”
Full Rig Details: bit.ly/WhoresRR
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Don't Miss a Rundown: bit.ly/RIgRundownENL
Merch & Magazines: shop.premierguitar.com
[Brought to you by D'Addario Auto-Lock Straps: ddar.io/AutoLockRR]
00:00 - Intro
03:18 - Mid-2000s Fender Classic Series ’50s Esquire
07:40 - MJT Musikraft VTM Telemaster
12:33 - Acrylic B.C. Rich Mockingbird
19:41 - 1960s Marshall 100W Super Lead
22:11 - 1960s Silvertone 1484
25:07 - Pedalboard
#rigrundown #whores #premierguitar

[@premierguitar]

Win IdiotBox Effects Whores Fuzz/Filter: bit.ly/IdiotBoxEffects Full Rig Details: bit.ly/WhoresRR Subscribe to PG's Channel: bit.ly/SubscribePGKZbin Don't Miss a Rundown: bit.ly/RIgRundownENL Merch & Magazines: shop.premierguitar.com

[@PintsofGuinness]

Between playing gigs, attending concerts and festivals, random bar bands, etc. I’ve probably seen literally 1000 bands in my lifetime. Without a doubt Whores are a top 5 live band of all time. The density of their sound is just astounding.

[@thsmchnslrnng]

Great rundown. Christians enthusiasm for music, and his sound & tone, is so infectious, it's truly awesome.

[@rustedweights]

Super nice fella too!

[@davidmurderbass]

Whores is such an awesome band. I first saw them opening for Retox a lifetime ago. This man is so kind and friendly and he’s answered a few gear questions for me. I just can’t say enough to express my love for this group. PG! Thanks for this! I’ve been wanting it for years!

[@BrettKingman]

Best one ever, blokes. Miles of smiles.

[@Intaminator]

Really psyched about this rundown. Whores. is my favorite noise rock band, period. Christian has such an incredibly gnarly tone.

[@shaneharrington3655]

Great band. Great guy! Seen them like 6 times.

[@MAP448]

Best quote ever, "it's not classical man, Rock'n'Roll is for the people!" Seems like a really great guy. It was really nice to get some insights into how you use fuzz. Thanks

[@TNNLZ]

Rad - This was a quality rundown. I’ll def be checking out this band. Thanks!

[@asifasgar6871]

This one is one of my favourite rig rundowns

[@dickvalentinesillegitimate1059]

I love how he said “bands that we ‘responded’ to when we were kids”. That’s an excellent way to put it. If you got blessed w the gift of falling in love with music when you were really young, you reacted to music that nailed you. That you instantly liked. As you get older, you tend to run music that is new to your ears through so many filters. Even subconsciously I think. Anywhodilly, this band is phenomenal and even more phenomenal live. Highly recommend traveling to see this band if you haven’t.

[@bendavies8744]

That's 3 for 3 Chris Kies! I asked for SLEEP, Big Business and Whores and you delivered! Thank you man. Such attention to detail and clearly a fan! How about Electric Wizard, WEEDEATER, Part Chimp, Mclusky, Pissed Jeans, OFF!, BORIS, Gonga, Truckfighters, FLOOR, and a new High on Fire rundown? Big love to PG x

[@TRAVIAT0]

Gonga is trill. I actually saw Whores and Truckfighters back to back in 2012 at sxsw. Got to see Mutoid Man for the first time there as well.

[@anthonysweeney4184]

BORIS rig rundown would be awesome

[@JeffBeaudoin]

These guys SLAY. Cannot wait for their new batch to destroy my ears. Great rundown!

[@Seebu]

These dudes exude positive energy and radness in live shows! Go see them when possible. I've had the pleasure twice.

[@baritonecult622]

Thumbs up, love this band, love the RiG Rundown Cheers BC

[@jakeybball]

Christian has my favorite tone of any band out there rn, so damn good.

[@shaneharrington3655]

“Blues lawyer crowd” 😂🤣

[@SkronkJappleson]

I'm glad that Premier Guitar has been more inclusive lately in terms of not exclusively featuring these types of guitarists

[@markferguson3745]

​@@SkronkJapplesonAs much as I have always appreciated truly creative and groundbreaking guitarists, there have always been those that are representative of the other team.

[@curtissgulash1005]

I'd never heard them before, but based on what I had read, I wouldn't have expected this complex of a set up. Additionally, Christian is incredibly well spoken and intelligent. Suffice it to say, I am now a fan of Whores.

[@christsatanatl]

Thanks dude!

[@Astral_Wave]

@@christsatanatl 🙌

[@christsatanatl]

@@djefferson5669 you heard wrong

[@rhettbutlerwashere]

Great rundown. Had never heard of this band before I saw them years ago in Raleigh, NC. The most energetic show I've ever seen!

[@BShrimp]

Christian's live tone is to die for, sounds massive!

[@rickyl9540]

G&L tele's have individual adjustable brass bridges for perfect intonation and great hot pickups!!

[@tsargoyle]

Awesome rundown. Whores are one of the best bands I've heard in the last 10 years and are so euphoric live. You really get to live in this guy's guitar tone and it's really something else.

[@frantisekvtelensky820]

This guy is mad! Love his passion and enthusiasm! Great rundown, guys!

[@SkronkJappleson]

Totally great and worthy guitarist to do one of these on. I saw Whores once maybe like 7 or so years ago and this dude is one of the loudest I've ever seen

[@JinxRemoving]

Awesome video, saw these guys in Bristol a while back and they were a force of nature. Also chatted very briefly with Christian outside the venue after and he was a gentleman. Great band, great guys.

[@jonlorbacher]

Man, I miss interacting with him on the old Harmony Central forum. Christian was always super helpful and had really sick rigs

[@christsatanatl]

HCFX WAS THE BEST

[@user-tf5lg7fc9s]

Finally, a nice Christian Rock band I can take my kids to.

[@captainkirk70]

AC/DC uses all JJs in their mountains of vintage Marshalls live. Good enough for them, good enough for me.

[@CaterinaCarlone]

Absolutely Fantastic!

[@peterb7435]

Awesome rundown. Thanks guys

[@doomsdaydanceparty7646]

had the pleasure of talking to him once, and it was nice to see someone as emphatically dorky about their love for 90s noise rock as i am, nuts guitar tone as well

[@johnnugent6242]

Best band of the last 20 years. I’m so glad there’s finally rig rundown, not to mention a new album. I’d love to see them if they ever made their way to eastern Canada.

[@Serphwratt]

Awesome episode! I love this band. Can you do one with Gatecreeper!?

[@caro_lam]

oh hey, i remember Christian from about a decade ago on the Harmony Central board!

[@rocket69218]

Indeed, I see his pedal addiction hasn't waned at all. :D I was tempted to ask him why he taped over the amp logos... again. ;)

[@cardinalofcrunk]

Hcfx represent

[@keithmanning7521]

Mr Benn here!

[@rocket69218]

@@keithmanning7521 Hi Keith, how you doing mate (melx here!) Not spoken to you since I got sick of FB and left. :D

[@keithmanning7521]

@@rocket69218 hey mate how are you doing! I’m still rocking your Fuzz Face and my Melxotone! hope you’re well?

[@Melo7849]

That’s an amazing tone

[@carloslozada470]

Best band name ever

[@thegrasshopperliesheavy]

Rad!

[@NicholasSantangeloDrummer]

Stoked to see this. Even if I don't play guitar.

[@hisbloodband]

Cool

[@2ndbleak]

FINALLY

[@ahenson4297]

This made me want an Esquire so bad!

[@nedschneebly1585]

I’m gonna try the thin pick advice. I’m also a hard hitter and break lots of strings. Great video. I love whores. keeping punk alive!

[@ctwarmuth]

this dude rips so fuggin' hard! fuggin' a!

[@MackTheKnifeSlowly]

Awesome! Qq: why Marshall if you need low preamp gain? Cool trick with the pre tubes tho! Also idea: maybe a Boss line switcher would be more reliable? Idk, but those switches can take abuse.

[@AnodyneHipsterInfluencer]

The Silvertone's are cool but there are some tweaks that must be done to make them worthy of work in a band. The circuit itself is great but they're best served by upgrading the choke and tranny and ripping out the reverb "tank" (matchbox really) for an accutronics. As well of course upgrading all the electrolytics if that hasn't been done already. If not than they're really only suitable for home use. They can't be pushed at all as far as cranking them or even hitting the preamp with gain when the volume is low. They sag like crazy and just can't handle it. I've got a '61 Tremolux that's fantastic but even with that I'm seriously tempted to put a Mercury Mag tranny in it because it can't handle having the front end being hit with anything but a boost.

[@christsatanatl]

I’ve actually just been looking up the schematic! Good looking out!

[@azombiestool]

Use to practice two doors down from these guys

[@daverice2426]

Oh man, I had one of those Schecters in my Tele and it died; amazing pickup. Have been looking for a replacement for years. Looking at Haussel now, is it the Bigmag?

[@christsatanatl]

The walk of life

[@daverice2426]

@@christsatanatl Huh, that doesn't show up on the Haussel site. There's another German site, MK Guitar, that offers a "Walk of Life" pickup that certainly looks correct, tempted to give it a shot

[@harrysutton8998]

60 times a gig- on and off!

[@SocialGore]

He sure has a lot of buddies

[@christsatanatl]

It’s nice to be nice. That’s what my mom says, at least.

[@zhegwood]

Copper is a conductor...

[@spuuuuuz]

And it makes for decent piping

[@christsatanatl]

@@spuuuuuz *cooking

[@ericturcotte3131]

I don't know about the efficiency of the NF-1, but maybe you should consider an NS-2 instead, or another modern noise suppressor. You could be surprised! But if you think your sound ain't broke, don't try to fix it!

[@garrettboomerbender]

Also Shoutsout Chris. Iowa gang

[@andrewglover4839]

Snuck in the aussie tour update yesh 👌2022 plz be nice

[@arnowillekes7979]

Has Unsane ever done a rig rundown?

[@garrettboomerbender]

This guy seems really rad! I liked his tone a lot. I'd like to talk gear with him someday.

[@jeebsa4m3]

Showed my girlfriend this band the other day, I don’t think she liked it but that’s okay because I love whores.

[@zhegwood]

Shreds your forearm when you do 2x a week practices too, dude.

[@huseynguitar4676]

O ye

[@huseynguitar4676]

are you selling them

[@samstar9332]

Oh shit Bill has a solo on a whores AC/DC cover? That rules

[@misterknightowlandco]

First time my wife didn’t kill me for watching whores for 56 minutes…

[@Thunderbolt_5150]

Bolth

[@Stratking01]

When did Drew Carey start a band?

[@DMSProduktions]

NICE name for a band! WTF was that noise?

[@ileutur6863]

The sweet sound of Rock n roll, or have you forgotten what that sounds like

[@DMSProduktions]

@@ileutur6863 NOT at all! THAT opening 'sound' was NOT rock &/or roll!

[@christsatanatl]

@@DMSProduktions you seem cool

[@DMSProduktions]

@@christsatanatl Yes, I do try!

[@christsatanatl]

@@DMSProduktions try harder

[@HIGHHOPES]

Thought this was going to be an interview with my ex-wives

[@fotog04]

Who would have thought your guitar might not be vegan friendly? LOL!

[@JulienEarle]

This guy is the emo house show final boss

[@purpled4864]

emo?

[@ssr6855]

well I can't take back that 5 minutes

[@invay69]

With all those stupid pedals, probably the last thing left for the guitar is the name...

[@martygraw1406]

That’s the worst tone I’ve ever heard.

[@christsatanatl]

Thanks!

[@purpled4864]

ikr it's great

[@ashmiller6893]

p90's in a bc rich? lol no thanks. its hard to take this guy seriously with his "filthiest gnarliest most radical guitar tone" when he's playing a telecaster. wtf?

[@justinhedrick1318]

🤣🤣

[@mescaliiiiine]

Are you for real?

[@frantisekvtelensky820]

You can play gnarliest tones even with a triangle if you know how to do that. That's the point of being creative.

[@keithmanning7521]

This is some Dunning Krueger shit right here

[@SkronkJappleson]

Go see them live and you won't talk shit like this. Probably because you won't be able to hear your own voice, but I digress. Go back to your lawyer blues band dude