Why Kansas Metropolis musician recorded an album in a Chilly Conflict missile silo : NPR

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

Russia retains threatening to make use of nuclear weapons. The US, China, North Korea – they’re all beefing up their arsenals. In the meantime, a Kansas Metropolis musician arrange his pedal metal guitar in a Chilly Conflict missile silo to file a hopeful reminder that nuclear struggle just isn’t inevitable. Frank Morris of member station KCUR experiences.

FRANK MORRIS, BYLINE: Nate Hofer lower his enamel enjoying pedal metal guitar in nation and western bands.

(SOUNDBITE OF REX HOBART AND THE MISERY BOYS SONG, “FOREVER ALWAYS ENDS”)

MORRIS: Hofer’s first solo file comes from a really totally different place.

(SOUNDBITE OF NATE HOFER’S “NOVEMBER-05 HIGGINSVILLE”)

MORRIS: Hofer recorded this album in a 60-some-year-old intercontinental ballistic missile silo close to Wilson, Kan.

MATTHEW FULKERSON: Are you guys able to go underground?

(SOUNDBITE OF METAL CLANKING)

FULKERSON: All proper, come on down.

MORRIS: Matthew Fulkerson, the man who owns this decommissioned Atlas F missile base, is giving a tour.

FULKERSON: Yeah. The signal says – what? – warning, 150-foot open silo shaft exists on the finish of tunnel past this door or one thing like that. Right here we go.

(SOUNDBITE OF METAL CLANGING)

MORRIS: A heavy, corroded door opens on a cavernous underground silo, trying like one thing out of “Star Wars.” Huge, rusty equipment hangs from the partitions. Epoxy oozes from the 70-ton blast doorways excessive above. Nate Hofer, a tall, slender man in a cheery Hiroshima baseball cap, stands on the precipice, having fun with the acoustics.

NATE HOFER: So we’ll – I will get loud right here for a second simply so it may possibly carry. All proper. Echo.

(SOUNDBITE OF SHOUT ECHOING)

HOFER: That is a very good 5 seconds, which is superb to play into – you understand, pedal metal guitar.

(SOUNDBITE OF NATE HOFER’S “ECHO-07 SEDALIA”)

MORRIS: Pedal metal guitar is a wierd and sophisticated instrument, usually a shiny, metal desk with 20 strings on prime, performed with steel picks and a steel slide, plus foot and knee pedals to bend notes. Twentieth-century expertise got here into its personal about the identical time as nuclear weapons, however the two by no means gelled till now.

HOFER: The guitar gamers and pedal metal gamers have reverb results pedals that we are able to use on a regular basis. However for this recording, I did not do any of that as a result of I knew that this echo right here could be even higher and be excellent for the recording.

(SOUNDBITE OF NATE HOFER’S “ECHO-07 SEDALIA”)

MORRIS: Hofer grew up within the Nineteen Eighties close to a sprawling Military ammunition plant. He is been involved about nuclear struggle since first grade. His stepdad’s try at soothing did not assist.

HOFER: He instructed me to not fear as a result of if World Conflict III have been to occur, we might be gone like that.

MORRIS: Hofer’s doing what he can to go off nuclear apocalypse. His aerial pictures of decommissioned nuclear missile websites in Missouri received a International Peace Photograph award. That is what peace seems to be like, judges mentioned. He is going for a similar vibe along with his new file, which is known as “Decommissioned,” not what you would possibly count on from underground doomsday missile base music.

HOFER: Like, oh, it may be dystopian. It is – oh, it is about nuclear struggle? OK, it may be creepy. Like, properly, no, truly, it is simply the alternative. I wish to open individuals up with this music. I need it to be soothing and enjoyable. This album was recorded in a decommissioned missile silo. It is highlighting what’s lacking. That is an empty nuclear missile silo. Hey, perhaps we do not want as many of those as we thought, or perhaps we do not want them in any respect, you understand?

(SOUNDBITE OF NATE HOFER’S “MIKE-11 PITTSVILLE”)

MORRIS: Hofer doesn’t count on his new file to stave off nuclear struggle, however he hopes it will give listeners the peace of thoughts to ponder turning issues round.

For NPR Information, I am Frank Morris.

(SOUNDBITE OF NATE HOFER’S “MIKE-11 PITTSVILLE”)

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