Dustin Kensrue
Encyclopedia
Dustin Michael Kensrue (born November 18, 1980) is a vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist in the Orange County, California
post-hardcore/experimental rock quartet Thrice
, as well as a solo artist.
He has a tattoo
on his left wrist which is a passage from the Bible
written in Hebrew. Many of his lyrics are also Biblically based, an example being the pre-chorus in Vheissu's song, "For Miles" ("There is no greater love, than that one shed his blood for his friends"). This example of lyrics are spread throughout his works, both in Thrice
and on his solo works.
Dustin designed the album artwork for both parts of The Alchemy Index
- Thrice's fifth studio recording.
Dustin also added vocals in the song "The Contender" on the album "Pierce the Empire With a Sound" by experimental act The Out Circuit
.
, and veritas meaning truth, combining to mean "(to) bear truth". Kensrue has always expressed an interest in discovering truth, and has also said he likes bears, which lead to the play on words. However, at some point he decided to drop the name in favor of simplicity since "people have enough trouble just pronouncing [his] last name to begin with."
On January 23, 2007, Kensrue released a solo album titled Please Come Home
on Equal Vision Records
. He wrapped up the recording and mixing of the album at the home of fellow Thrice
member Teppei Teranishi
. The album opened at 142 on the Billboard
200 with 5,800 copies sold the first week. He supported the album with a solo tour including stops on David Letterman's
talk show
, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Fuse Network
. Please Come Home met with mostly favorable reviews from critics, who have compared Kensrue's versatility in his vocals to singer/songwriter Ryan Adams
and Johnny Cash
.
Dustin Kensrue intends to donate 5% of the proceeds from Please Come Home to a non-profit organization
called To Write Love on Her Arms
. In the press release, Kensrue explained the choice:
On October 14, 2008, Dustin said this on the official Thrice website - "I just finished my Christmas record. I haven’t really mentioned it because (a). I’ve been spending all my time working on it, and (b). I wasn’t totally sure I would finish it in time to come out this year. But, last night I finished it up and Teppei is finishing the mixes tonight. It’s going to be an online release only and will hopefully be out in mid-November sometime. The title is “This Good Night Is Still Everywhere” and it contains 8 covers and 2 Christmas originals. I love Christmas music so it was a lot of fun to do this and I’m glad I get to share it with you guys."
Although Dustin never attended a music school and does not typically work with sheet music, he spent years studying the guitar, music theory and songwriting with professional guitarist, acclaimed author and Berkeley graduate Karl Aranjo. The two retain a cordial relationship but do not play or write together.
acoustic guitars on stage for his solo project and certain Thrice songs, like "Come All You Weary", as well as Thrice's acoustic sets. For an electric guitar, Kensrue uses the "guts" of a Line 6 Variax
put into a Nash brand Telecaster. He states the use for this guitar on Thrice
's "Live at the House of Blues
" DVD bonus features. He goes on to say that he chooses the Line 6 guitar for its versatility of tone and tunings, and that when he plays live, he can play the same guitar the whole set without changing the tuning or sounds that comes out of it. In the early days of Thrice, The Illusion of Safety-The Artist in the Ambulance
, Kensrue was known to play a Gibson SG Jr.. In older albums you can see him with a Gibson RD Artist. See video "Stare At the Sun". He records all of his songs on his solo record with a Taylor GA5 series guitar, and plays it frequently in live settings. Dustin's Gibson SG is now on display in a Hard Rock Cafe in Boston, Massachusetts.
.
Dustin is currently the worship leader for the Mars Hill Church located in Orange County, California
. http://orangecounty.marshill.com/
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
post-hardcore/experimental rock quartet Thrice
Thrice
Thrice is an American rock band from Irvine, California, formed in 1998. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Dustin Kensrue and guitarist Teppei Teranishi while they were in high school....
, as well as a solo artist.
He has a tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
on his left wrist which is a passage from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
written in Hebrew. Many of his lyrics are also Biblically based, an example being the pre-chorus in Vheissu's song, "For Miles" ("There is no greater love, than that one shed his blood for his friends"). This example of lyrics are spread throughout his works, both in Thrice
Thrice
Thrice is an American rock band from Irvine, California, formed in 1998. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Dustin Kensrue and guitarist Teppei Teranishi while they were in high school....
and on his solo works.
Dustin designed the album artwork for both parts of The Alchemy Index
The Alchemy Index
The Alchemy Index may refer to:*The Alchemy Index Vols. I & II, the first half of Thrice's Alchemy Index*The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IV, the second half of Thrice's Alchemy Index...
- Thrice's fifth studio recording.
Dustin also added vocals in the song "The Contender" on the album "Pierce the Empire With a Sound" by experimental act The Out Circuit
The Out Circuit
The Out Circuit is an indie rock/post-hardcore band/project by former Frodus co-frontman Nathan Burke currently signed to Lujo Records. The Out Circuit was originally based in Washington, DC but now resides in Seattle, Washington.-History:...
.
Solo project
Ursus Veritas was the former alias for Dustin Kensrue's solo side project. The name was a play on words from Latin: ursus meaning bearBear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
, and veritas meaning truth, combining to mean "(to) bear truth". Kensrue has always expressed an interest in discovering truth, and has also said he likes bears, which lead to the play on words. However, at some point he decided to drop the name in favor of simplicity since "people have enough trouble just pronouncing [his] last name to begin with."
On January 23, 2007, Kensrue released a solo album titled Please Come Home
Please Come Home
Please Come Home is the first acoustic solo mini-album by Dustin Kensrue, released in 2007.The album was planned for release in October 2006, but was delayed to 2007 due to issues recording and acquiring a label to distribute it. The album was recorded in the studio of Thrice lead guitarist Teppei...
on Equal Vision Records
Equal Vision Records
Equal Vision Records is a record label based in Albany, New York, which has a focus in metal or punk-based rock genres. Equal Vision Records was founded in the early 1990s by Ray Cappo ....
. He wrapped up the recording and mixing of the album at the home of fellow Thrice
Thrice
Thrice is an American rock band from Irvine, California, formed in 1998. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Dustin Kensrue and guitarist Teppei Teranishi while they were in high school....
member Teppei Teranishi
Teppei Teranishi
Teppei Teranishi is the lead guitarist and keyboardist of the post-hardcore band Thrice from Orange County, California. In addition to guitar and keyboard duties, he also provides backing vocals for Thrice's live performances. He favors Gibson Les Paul guitars and Fender Telecasters among others...
. The album opened at 142 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
200 with 5,800 copies sold the first week. He supported the album with a solo tour including stops on David Letterman's
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Fuse Network
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
. Please Come Home met with mostly favorable reviews from critics, who have compared Kensrue's versatility in his vocals to singer/songwriter Ryan Adams
Ryan Adams
David Ryan Adams is an American alt-country/rock singer-songwriter, from Jacksonville, North Carolina. Initially part of the group Whiskeytown, Adams left the band and released his first solo album Heartbreaker in 2000...
and Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
.
Dustin Kensrue intends to donate 5% of the proceeds from Please Come Home to a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
called To Write Love on Her Arms
To Write Love on Her Arms
To Write Love on Her Arms is an interfaith, American non-profit organization which aims to present hope for people struggling with addiction, depression, self injury, and thoughts of suicide while also investing directly into treatment and recovery...
. In the press release, Kensrue explained the choice:
"To Write Love on Her ArmsTo Write Love on Her ArmsTo Write Love on Her Arms is an interfaith, American non-profit organization which aims to present hope for people struggling with addiction, depression, self injury, and thoughts of suicide while also investing directly into treatment and recovery...
is a nonprofit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for those struggling with clinical depressionClinical depressionMajor depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
, addictionSubstance dependenceThe section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
, self-injury and suicideSuicideSuicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. To Write Love on Her ArmsTo Write Love on Her ArmsTo Write Love on Her Arms is an interfaith, American non-profit organization which aims to present hope for people struggling with addiction, depression, self injury, and thoughts of suicide while also investing directly into treatment and recovery...
began in March 2006 as a written story and an attempt to raise money for one girl's treatment. T-shirts were printed and a MySpace page was created to serve as home base for the story. Excitement spread quickly throughout MySpace and the independent music community. For 2007, TWLOHA is aiming to raise $100k for treatment and recovery. This comes in addition to online counseling and continued efforts to creatively present hope and raise awareness.
TWLOHA is a fitting choice for Please Come Home. The album lyrically exudes redemption, personal worth, love, acceptance, and hope. “I try to be an artist who aspires to find hope even in dark places: If I’m down, I don’t want to bring people down to that place with me. I’m looking for a way out," says Kensrue.
On October 14, 2008, Dustin said this on the official Thrice website - "I just finished my Christmas record. I haven’t really mentioned it because (a). I’ve been spending all my time working on it, and (b). I wasn’t totally sure I would finish it in time to come out this year. But, last night I finished it up and Teppei is finishing the mixes tonight. It’s going to be an online release only and will hopefully be out in mid-November sometime. The title is “This Good Night Is Still Everywhere” and it contains 8 covers and 2 Christmas originals. I love Christmas music so it was a lot of fun to do this and I’m glad I get to share it with you guys."
Discography
- 2007: Please Come HomePlease Come HomePlease Come Home is the first acoustic solo mini-album by Dustin Kensrue, released in 2007.The album was planned for release in October 2006, but was delayed to 2007 due to issues recording and acquiring a label to distribute it. The album was recorded in the studio of Thrice lead guitarist Teppei...
- 2008: This Good Night Is Still EverywhereThis Good Night Is Still EverywhereThis Good Night Is Still Everywhere is a Christmas album by Dustin Kensrue, released on November 18, 2008 through Vagrant Records. An online-only release, it contains eight covers and two original songs. Fellow Thrice member Teppei Teranishi is credited with mixing the album.The album was available...
Although Dustin never attended a music school and does not typically work with sheet music, he spent years studying the guitar, music theory and songwriting with professional guitarist, acclaimed author and Berkeley graduate Karl Aranjo. The two retain a cordial relationship but do not play or write together.
Guitars
Kensrue plays GibsonGibson
Gibson may refer to:* Gibson Amphitheatre* Gibson Appliance* Gibson Girl* Gibson Guitar Corporation* Gibson * Gibson Generating Station-Places:In the United States:* Gibson, Arkansas* Gibson, Georgia* Gibson, Iowa* Gibson, Louisiana...
acoustic guitars on stage for his solo project and certain Thrice songs, like "Come All You Weary", as well as Thrice's acoustic sets. For an electric guitar, Kensrue uses the "guts" of a Line 6 Variax
Variax
Variax is a line of modeling guitars marketed and developed by Line 6. It claims to be the first guitar able to emulate the tones of other notable electric and acoustic guitars. It also has a banjo and a sitar tone...
put into a Nash brand Telecaster. He states the use for this guitar on Thrice
Thrice
Thrice is an American rock band from Irvine, California, formed in 1998. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Dustin Kensrue and guitarist Teppei Teranishi while they were in high school....
's "Live at the House of Blues
House of Blues
House of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers...
" DVD bonus features. He goes on to say that he chooses the Line 6 guitar for its versatility of tone and tunings, and that when he plays live, he can play the same guitar the whole set without changing the tuning or sounds that comes out of it. In the early days of Thrice, The Illusion of Safety-The Artist in the Ambulance
The Artist in the Ambulance
The Artist In The Ambulance is Thrice's third album, but their first on a major label. The album peaked at #16 on The Billboard 200 charts. As with The Illusion of Safety, a portion of the sales of this CD were donated to a charitable cause. In this case, it was the Syrentha J. Savio Endowment...
, Kensrue was known to play a Gibson SG Jr.. In older albums you can see him with a Gibson RD Artist. See video "Stare At the Sun". He records all of his songs on his solo record with a Taylor GA5 series guitar, and plays it frequently in live settings. Dustin's Gibson SG is now on display in a Hard Rock Cafe in Boston, Massachusetts.
Amplification and Effects
Kensrue uses a Line 6 pedalboard as well as a Line 6 Vetta II amplifier, again for their wide range of tones and the ability to not have a lot of pedals at his feet, but rather one large pedal board. During all of Thrice's performances during the Vans Warped Tour 2009, Kensrue can be seen using a M13 Line 6 pedalboard and a Vox handwired AC30. Currently in the studio, he's been using a Morgan 30/800 with a matching 1x12 cabinet with a POD HD500, with various Nash guitars ranging from a Jaguar Baritone to a Mustang with a push/pull pickup selector.Personal Life
His younger brother, Chase Kensrue, played guitar and piano for the band Eye AlaskaEye Alaska
Eye Alaska was an American alternative rock band from Orange County, California, formed in 2006. Two members, Brandon Wronski and Cameron Trowbridge, were former members of "Dead Letter Diaries"....
.
Dustin is currently the worship leader for the Mars Hill Church located in Orange County, California
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
. http://orangecounty.marshill.com/