Feature / One Question Interviews / What's That Noise?
Graf Orlock

Words: Loren • February 10, 2021

Graf Orlock
Graf Orlock

Justin Smith (Graf Orlock – guitar/vocals)

SPB: When you play live, what is your preferred guitar/amp combo? (And why that setup?)

Smith: In Graf Orlock I use a Gibson Les Paul with custom made humbuckers which are wound hotter than normal. This runs through an original model Peavey 5150 and an Orange Rockerverb 100. These go into two separate cabinets: a Marshall slant 1964 with Vintage 30s and a Mesa Boogie straight cabinet with Vintage 30s. I have never really been a fan of pedals or pedal distortion, so I go straight with gross tube distortion to get where I’m going. The only pedals I use are logistical, an A/B splitter, a tuner of course and a noise gate, since this set up refuses to be clean. 

— Loren • February 10, 2021

Graf Orlock
Graf Orlock

Series: What's That Noise?

One-question interviews with artists where we find out about the gear and equipment they use to achieve their sound.

— More from this series

Related features

Dez Dare

One Question Interviews / What's That Noise? • August 17, 2026

Dez Dare talk about his studio gear including the Knas Moisturizer and Death By Audio's Echo Master and Space Ensemble.  Read more

Real McKenzies

One Question Interviews / What's That Noise? • July 8, 2026

Tell us about your bagpipes? Read more

Black Adidas

One Question Interviews / What's That Noise? • March 5, 2026

Courtney Ranshaw (Black Adidas) SPB: Is there an instrument that's central to "the Black Adidas sound"? Ranshaw: I’d like to showcase an instrument that’s central to one of the songs on the record and has made its way onto a few songs of ours over the years. This is our … Read more

Eric Angelo Bessel

One Question Interviews / What's That Noise? • September 22, 2025

Eric Angelo Bessel SPB: Walk us through your gear setup for the recording of Mirror at Night. Eric: I composed the album, Mirror at Night, using a pair of digital Mellotrons (proto-sampling keyboards), an Alesis Micron (keyboard synthesizer), and guitars. The Micron is a new addition, and is the main … Read more

Mike Huguenor

One Question Interviews / What's That Noise? • July 8, 2025

Mike Huguenor Tell us about the primary guitars you used making Surfing the Web with the Alien? Read more

Related news

Graf Orlock closes the book

Posted in Records on May 22, 2023

Graf Orlock are back for more

Posted in Records on November 27, 2018

Related reviews

Graf Orlock

Los Angeles
Vitriol (2012)

Graf Orlock has never been a band to waste time. Much like any of their other releases there's never a meandering part or ambient build up. Instead it is and always has been no nonsense grind with a touch of hardcore and a tongue puncturing their collective cheeks. Their music remains dead serious but is leavened with a liberal use … Read more

Graf Orlock

Destination Time Tomorrow
Level Plane (2007)

First and foremost, I would just like to state that Graf Orlock, or as tourmates Comadre jokingly refer to them, Crap Orlock, kill it live. Their drummer is fucking on point, and vocalist Kalvin Kristoff is as humorous as he is intense. Plus, it doesn't hurt when you have a basement full of sweaty punks yelling out movie lines like, … Read more

Graf Orlock

Destination Time Yesterday
Level Plane (2006)

The connection between abrasive, warp speed music and film samples isn't new - for a whole wave of turn of the century hardcore bands, the familiar samples punctuating minute long tantrums were usually the most memorable part of the entire enterprise. But Graf Orlock takes this connection to an entirely new level. Named after the vampiric villain in Nosferatu, Graf … Read more

More from this section

Florida Men

One Question Interviews • November 4, 2026

Jouke (Florida Men – guitar)SPB: We all know Florida Man from hilarious headlines, what is the headline about the band Florida Men?Jouke: Florida Men Actually Not From Florida Read more

Deady

One Question Interviews • November 3, 2026

Chyppe Crosby (Deady)SPB: Louisville has had an incredibly deep underground music history, but what does the current Louisville punk scene give Deady that you don't think the band would have gotten growing up somewhere else?Crosby: I think the scene here is more familial. Most genres of music kind of coalesce … Read more

Plastic Meat

One Question Interviews • November 2, 2026

Nerina (Plastic Meat – vocals)SPB: Is there a hyped band (or even TV show/movie) that you just can’t get into?Nerina: My bandmates are gonna kill me for this, but I think that Zeke is a super overrated band. I know everybody loves them and many people tell us that they … Read more