Deftones/Sol Invicto guitarist Stephen Carpenter recently took part in a series of videos for Fishman Music, each of which cover different topics. Carpenter himself is a Fishman artist, with a series of signature pickups available through the company.
One of these videos finds him answering some of the web’s most searched questions regarding him, ranging from how many guitars he owns, to how Meshuggah inspired him to graduate to 7 and 8-string guitars, and confirmation as to whether or not he has any familial ties to pop star Sabrina Carpenter.
Another of the featured videos finds him detailing his musical origin story and how that led him to help form Deftones and take the world by storm. There’s even an anecdote of him being fired by drummer Abe Cunningham from a taco shop they worked at together in their young years.
Speaking of his early experiences with music, Carpenter cited the first three albums he owned as being impactful in setting out the course his life took. Speaking on that, he stated [transcribed by theprp.com]:
“I love music, all styles of music. I was never attracted to a single style, until I got my first three records ever. And that was KISS – “Alive II“, Queen – “News Of The World” and ‘Saturday Night Fever‘ [soundtrack.] Again, all three different… styles. I mean, they’re not the same.
But I absolutely, you know, I loved all of it, but I really loved KISS and the opening of that, of that double-album sleeve with them on stage and on the risers and all the flames, I could not resist. I was like, ‘Wow’, that was it for me.”
The conversation also steered into his first instruments, his admiration of metal during his youth, Deftones signing their first record deal and more. The third video included finds him detailing his introduction to Fishman’s pickups and why he endorses them.
