My first amp was a Peavey Backstage 30. I know this will come has a huge surprise to those familiar with my universally recognized virtuosity, but once upon a time my parents were fielding phone calls from aggrieved neighbors who didn’t quite understand that my pioneering attempts at turning all of the amplifier’s knobs to 10 and playing the same chord over and over again with the assistance of an MXR Distortion Plus and a guitar very similar to the one shown here deserved greater patience, if not a worldwide audience. Those days have long passed, of course, and now I’ve learned a second chord. However, the unique solid state tones of this nearly indestructible creation of amp/instrumental creator Hartley Peavey made a lasting impact on my hearing and without question that of millions of less-decorated players around the world.
Still, much as the unique sonic properties of Mr. Peavey’s amps have influenced and informed generations, I was not aware until today that there’s an active religious group worshiping him, as Gear Gods’ Trey Xavier explains (thanks to Jacob Schultz for the link) :
Methra’s new EP Acolyte is based on persistent online rumors that a cabal of top amplifier manufacturers had Hartley Peavey killed and replaced with a doppelganger in the late 80s to stop the company from collapsing the industry due to low price points on the highest quality original amplifiers in the world.
In their official video for “Hartley’s Cult”, they take the concept to new heights (lows?) by sacrificing amps made by other manufacturers and performing dark ceremonies to the lord of affordable US-made amplifiers.
Sunn O))) were unavailable for comment. Mostly because I don’t have their phone numbers.