Artist Spotlight :: Rex Granite

Bio

The Rex Granite Band is fronted by:
Vocalist Sarah Benck, along with slide guitarist Rex Granite, Dain Armbrust on bass guitar, and drummer Anton Divis.

The Rex Granite Band won the 2017, 2021, and 2022 OEA Award for Omaha's Best Blues Band as well as the 2018/2020 IBC Nebraska Blues Challenges, and were two-time semi-finalists at The International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN.

Their album "Spirit/Matter/Truth/Lies" was released on Nov. 22, 2017, and charted at #101 on The Top 200 Albums of 2018 on The Contemporary Blues Charts. Their 3rd album, "Electric Combo," features nine new original songs and was released in December 2019.

The Band's 4th full-length original rock and roll album, "House," was released on July 15, 2022. The Band is currently working on their 5th full length album "The Long Hello".

What/Who inspired you to pick up your instrument?

George Harrison - I am of the generation whose life path was defined by The Beatles.

What piece of musical advice would you give yourself if you could go back in time to the beginning of your musical journey?

Align your dreams with God's will. Jesus Christ is The Messiah.

What keeps you excited about playing?

I'm blessed with a vocalist (Sarah Benck) and a rhythm section (Dain Armbrust and Anton Divis)whose talent far outshines my own. Surround yourself with the best.

Desert Island 3 pedal pedalboard (not including tuner)

I could do it with 2 Crazy Tube Circuits Space Charged and the Keeley Halo

When you find yourself in a musical rut, what techniques do you do to break out of it?

Music is communication. I listen to music that affects me on an emotional/spiritual level, and try to recreate that feeling through songwriting. (It's style, not chops)

Who is your favorite artist/band today? And who was your favorite artist/band ten years ago?

I am amazed by longevity and methodology. I believe it was Ian Gillan who said a band has to have three things to be legit: 1) New material
2) gigs
3) improvisation
So... I would say Deep Purple

When you find yourself in a music store - what is your go-to riff when test drive gear?

A major
E major

What is your most prized/cherished piece of gear? And why?

My Dwight Volk Flying V - a perfect cross between a Flying V and a Junior...big fat neck, super resonant,.. lightweight. The Flying V design is the perfect slide guitar...unlimited note access and keeps your back straight when held properly in the sitting position.

What is the next big musical purchase you're hoping to save for?

I've been thinking about a Princeton with 12" speaker-type amp.

Gear Breakdown

I run a Wet/Dry/Wet rig utilizing a Rattlesnake loom custom-made for me by Hank. Routing is as follows:

Guitar> Mythos Golden Fleece>Crazy Tube Circuits Space Charged>Korg Pitch Black Tuner>Radial Bigshot ABY
Bigshot A side> Keeley Halo (2nd Dunlop DVP4 utilized as expression pedal)
Keeley Halo (R)> Armadillo Havana Amp
Keeley Halo (L)> Goodwood Audio Buzzkill>Germino Masonette Amp
Bigshot B side> Dunlop DVP4 Volume Pedal>J Rockett Archer Ikon> Armadillo Chesterton Amp

I am a slide guitarist in open E 24/7, and we play all original material ranging from gut bucket blues to progressive rock and roll. The two most significant pedals in my signal chain are the Crazy Tube Circuits Space Charged V1 and the Keeley Halo. The Space Charged is my favorite overdrive due to the response from my guitar's volume knob...crunch to clean to slide sustain without the need of a compressor. The Halo with expression pedal gives me every delay/reverb/special effect I need while keeping my pedal board flight-friendly.

When looking for a loom to connect my pedalboard to my amps, I inquired to 3 different companies, and Hank not only was the only one who replied in a professional time frame, but he also made critical suggestions to my order that were dead on accurate.

You'll only find a handful of players using Armadillo Amps. They are custom-made by Dain Armbrust, who just happens to be my bass player. This blessing has allowed me to verbally design an amp, and he technically connects the art to science. The Chesterton was the first prototype whose circuit was based on the Filmosound 385 projector amp. The Havana cross hybrid that circuit with a Vox AC10 SRT.

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