“My first job when I was 15 was working at an old record store in rural New Hampshire.”
“The owner couldn’t afford to pay me, so he would let me take some of the records home from the shop at the end of the day. I’d race home and head into my basement to listen to everything in the stack and find samples I could use for making mixtapes. At the time, I was selling these mixtapes to kids at school to make a few bucks. Once I was done with the vinyl, I’d bring them back to the store and exchange for new ones to experiment with.
Having access to this extensive collection of different genres and time periods had a profound effect on me as a kid. Growing up, I was heavily into hip-hop, but being able to listen to and experience so many insanely talented artists across the spectrum really opened up my world and gave me a new appreciation for artists from all walks of life.
When I started The Knocks, I continued this idea of sonic experimentation and collaboration, which has allowed me to travel the world doing what I love. Just last year (before the pandemic), I got to do some serious crate digging in places like Japan, Cuba, and Texas, to name a few.
My new solo project, Holiday87, is a revisiting of these early sample-based roots. With a focus on doo-wop and soul samples, it’s an exploration of nostalgia and escape during a time I think we all desperately need it.”
—Ben Ruttner
Holiday87, the self-titled debut solo release from The Knocks’ Ben Ruttner arrives in stores today, February 5, 2021.
