KING SHIT: Talking Music with the Vert King Eric Klebs
Look, there are records and FKT's that don't mean shit. Really 99% of them probably land in the categories of so contrived nobody should even care to try and so obscure nobody would even think to try. Eric Klebs has a real fucking record. In October 2023 he set the record for the most vertical feet gained on foot through complete trips ie no cowardly rides down a gondola. Blow your knees up on the downhill like a tough guy. Thew! (I spit on on my desk for dramatic effect)
Eric's Stats:
Total Elevation Gain in one month: 506,269 FT(154,310.8M)
Distance in Miles: 573.83
Average vert per day: 16.3k
During this effort he was obviously listening to music. He's wearing a band shirt in the image, bro! We asked Eric to give us a little taste of the month's music in a tight little playlist and asked a couple questions.
Who are you? Seriously, I went to ur local stairs and everyone knew you but elsewhere they were struggling to make the connection!
I’m just some guy! Born in Wisconsin, raised on fried cheese curds and Pabst Blue Ribbon. Working class as fuck. Trying to make my grandma proud. Been up the Manitou Incline entirely too many times. Decent enough at mountain running that I broke the world record for most elevation gain in a month two years ago. Won’t think twice about doing some stupid shit if it’ll make for a good story.
What do you do for a living?
I’m a sous chef at a local hospital. Been working culinary jobs for most of my 20s. It gets chaotic but I love it. I’d lose my mind working at a desk all day.
What is the worst meal in Colorado Springs, CO?
Coffee and blueberry pancakes at Doug’s on Austin Bluffs, holy shit that place sucks so bad. Whataburger can go to hell too.
Let’s talk about the playlist. Surely, you listened to more than this but why these songs to represent?
These are the songs that got me super juiced up when I needed it the most. I’d be out on the incline by myself at 3 in the morning belting out the words to the Tigers Jaw self titled album and all the songs off Flockaveli.
What is the weirdest thing you remember listening to?
In the middle of the month there was a day where I got super emotional and cried for the first time in like a year. So there I was bawling my eyes out with 100 gecs’ smash hit Money Machine blaring in my headphones. Formative experience.
Did you discover any new music during that month?
I got really into slam! I actually got to see Snuffed on Sight play a set at the pavilion in Monument Valley Park which is walking distance from where I live. Also used that time to get caught up on podcasts. I’m a huge fan of Timesuck and Behind the Bastards.
Is there anything you never want to listen to again?
Listened to the debut LP from Frog Mallet so many times that month that I’m cool if I never hear it again.
When you were struggling what genre or artist did you lean on?
I tried to tap into nostalgia when I was feeling down. Old Lil Wayne bangers and Earl Sweatshirt deep cuts that you can only find on SoundCloud. Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress by Gulch and Exmilitary by Death Grips also never failed to bring me out of dark places. Those albums made me feel like I could lift up a Ford F-250 with my bare hands.
Guiltiest pleasure artist during that month?
I don’t believe in guilty pleasures when it comes to music. I fully embrace all the corny shit I listen to. With that being said, I have so much love for emo revival and 2008-2012 indie pop.
What did you do on Nov 1?
On the last day of Vertober, which happened to be Halloween, I drank a bunch of beer and watched Scream with my buddy Jacob. Then I caught some Z’s and drove my happy ass to work at 5 in the morning the next day, where I regaled my coworkers with stories of climbing up and down the same stairs every day for a month. It took awhile to fully recover. I was probably putting down 4 or 5 thousand calories a day while hardly running at all for 3 weeks.
What artist living or dead would make the soundtrack to your life?
Johnny Paycheck!
Best show you’ve ever been to?
Aw man, this’ll be a long winded answer. I’ve been to so many incredible shows that I’ll have to do a top 5 list. Without a doubt, the absolute best was the first show of Rage Against the Machine’s 2022 reunion tour in East Troy, WI. Went with my mom (who took me to their first reunion tour at the same venue when I was 9 years old). It was their first time sharing the stage in over a decade and the energy in the place could never be replicated.
I’ve seen King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard 10 times. At their recent festival in Buena Vista, they covered Police Truck with Jello Biafra on vocals. I’m surprised you couldn’t hear me on the bootleg recording screaming all the words. Deeply meaningful moment.
Death Grips at the Mission Ballroom in 2023. Pure, unbridled rage bottled up into an 80 minute set. As soon as the first note hit, the screen behind the band went blood red and it was like a tidal wave ripped through the crowd. Hope they come back soon.
Skrillex at Red Rocks this year! I’ve been a Skrillex head since I was like 12. Spent an embarrassing amount of money on a resale ticket but it was worth every penny.
Cortex at Cervantes last year was so sick. Killer French crossover jazz band that made a banger of an album 50 years ago. Those guys are like 80 years old and still put on an amazing show.
Honorable mentions: B.B. King in Milwaukee 2008, Blood Incantation album release show 2024, Passion Pit + Matt & Kim + Icona Pop 2012
Parting words?
Check in on your loved ones. Listen to John Prine. RIP Keith Hayes.
