MEET YOUR MAKER: Brian Hill
Anna Blumenthal
Okay folks. It’s looking like it’ll be a while till you get to meet all these fine folks in person, so till then, we’ll continue to introduce you to our wonderful and amazing pedal angels each week to help make you feel less quarantiney (I guess the correct word here is ‘isolated’ but correct words are soooo boring).
This week we present to you our resident pinball wizard, Brian Hill. If you thought pedals were complicated, try opening up a broken pinball machine. Actually, don’t. It’s very complicated. There is a reason we make pedals here, and not pinball machines. Although, how rad would it be if we started making pinball machines? Anyway, Brian Hill is a genius who can build a mean pedal and repair any pinball machine. He is also a great bird dad, a monster bass player, and a social butterfly to boot.
Role at EarthQuaker?
Circuit builder
How long have you been at EarthQuaker?
2 years
What’s a typical (non-quarantine) work day for you like?
After carefully weaving between all 976 potholes between Cleveland and Akron, I violently Tokyo-Drift the entire length of King James Way. I then park my rusty Ford Escape as far as possible from Chris' much nicer version of the exact same model.
I walk in and exchange as many pleasantries with Joe Golden as it takes to determine who is nicer (It's always Joe). There is a roughly 8% chance that Getz/Gilberto is spinning on the turntable, which is never a bad thing. After also saying hi to anyone who accidentally makes eye contact, and scanning the room for potential haircut-compliment-opportunities, I saunter up to check the production schedule.
The weekly production schedule is a mysteriously color-coded projection of everyone's expected tasks for the week. I generally will be populating or installing ICs. Sometimes I'm also responsible for running "The Dip", where hand-populated boards go through a process of wave-soldering, lead-cutting, and ultrasonic-cleaning.
If I'm dipping that day, I walk over to the warehouse-garage where the dip station lives. This means a trip through the gauntlet that is the machine shop. If executed perfectly, I can get all the way through it without triggering a new lifelong nickname. Sometimes I can sneak by while they are focused on planning the day's Rally's order. Later in the day, I might find Tom eating his daily 36" tuna salad sub, which his body metabolizes instantly.
I then settle into my workstation, and generally pretty quietly work on my population tasks, listening to podcasts, audiobooks, or music. Sometimes I entertain nearby coworkers by engaging them in spirited debates they don't want or even care about, and drag them out for as long as possible. They actually love this.
What’s your favorite thing about working at EarthQuaker?
The people! If it seems like there is an awesome group of ridiculously talented, hilarious, and unique weirdos and geeks here, you are absolutely right.
What instruments do you play, and what band are you in?
Mostly bass and Ableton in Megachurch.
What’s on your board right now?
TC Electronic Wiretap
EBS Octabass
EHX Micro POG
Boss ODB-3
Small box RAT
FCB1010 for triggering samples
First pedal you owned?
Pretty sure it was a Dunlop Bass Wah ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
What band would you sign a deal with the devil to play in?
Best concert you ever saw?
NIN at the Fox Theatre last year.
Best thing to eat in Akron?
Old Bald Guy from Diamond Deli.
Photo by Todd Biss Productions.
Favorite Ohio city, after Akron?
Lakewood!
Pre-EarthQuaker job?
Hot dog bartender/pinball operator.
Favorite band?
Favorite podcast?
Radiolab since Norm Macdonald Live isn't available anymore.
Favorite book?
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Favorite movie?
Favorite TV show?
Coolest skill, besides pedal building?
I can pretty effectively refurbish and tune-up most elements of a pinball machine from any era.
Favorite holiday, and why?
Thanksgiving. Because it's mostly secular, has a cool parade, and multiple pie options.
Favorite recipe?
Tom Robbins' (the author, not the aforementioned tuna sub crusher) last meal request, a tomato sandwich to his specifications:
2 slices of bread for each sandwich. In this case, the bread needs to be Wonder Bread or similar - the synthetic, squishy, air "bread" everyone knows from school sandwiches. (The bread in the picture is not Wonder Bread.)
1 large very ripe tomato, preferably from your own garden, or a farmer's market. The quality and taste of the tomato is essential for this to taste right. It should be so soft that it has to be cut with a serrated knife. No plum or Roma tomatoes - you need a big one.
Hellmann's mayonnaise, salt & pepper
Slather both slices of bread with mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste. Plenty of salt is good. Cut the tomato into thick slices (about 1 cm). Layer them on one slice, add more salt to taste, top with the other slice. Push down hard on the top of the sandwich with your hand or the bottom of a plate, to meld the juices with the mayonnaise.
Do you have a pet?
I had a budgerigar that I named Bob after my grandfather. 5 years later she started laying eggs…
Dumbest thing you ever bought?
The knee-length wallet chain made out of a bike chain I got from Gadzooks is definitely up there.
Best Halloween costume you ever wore?
Polite B of Sane Clown Posse.
Best beauty tip?
Disregard sociocultural standards and put forth whatever feels right to you as fiercely as you can.
Favorite EarthQuaker pedal?
Hoof Reaper - partly just because I think the Tentacle deserves more love and it's a killer 3-in-1.
Quarantine survival tips?
Don't get drunk all the time.
Don't pressure yourself to be productive.
Be extra patient with yourself and loved ones.
Stay in contact with friends and family.
Go outside.
Watch the Muppets covering Kokomo on YouTube at least once a week.
If you are from olden times: Go find out if you can still get into your MySpace (yes, this is still possible). If you can, download embarrassing pictures of your friends from 2005 and when you get bored send them one.
