15. Amps For Christ

For the first episode of season two, we travel to Claremont, CA to get to know Henry Barnes, better known as Amps for Christ. Henry, who brought his fretless banjo along for live accompaniment, has been an active participant in the realms of folk, hardcore and noise music since the 1980s, playing in bands like The Dull, Man Is the Bastard, and Bastard Noise before starting AFC. Topics include how Barnes settled on his band's name, the link between environmentalism and Christianity, his elaborate homemade instruments and oscillators, how he came to join the indie band Gun Outfit, and the songs and sounds that shaped his output from an early age. This episode also includes a previously unreleased exclusive version of "The Cherry Tree Carol," which as of now, can only be heard on this episode!
Our conversation was recorded on location at the Folk Music Center in Claremont, CA.

Recommendations:

This brief folk ditty is from their first CD release on Shrimper Records, "The Beggar's Garden" (1997)

AFC's 2004 album "The People At Large" (5rc) features a wide array of collaborators, and features the line-up that toured with Animal Collective in the early 2000s.