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VOLUME 141
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OVER 20 HUGE INTERVIEWS
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YOU ME AT SIX • LUCA BRASI • JESS LOCKE • PLUS MORE!
 TASH SULTANA
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The TASH SULTANA STRATOCASTER® in Transparent Cherry

©2020 Fender Musicial Instruments Corporation. FENDER, FENDER in script, STRATOCASTER, and the distinctive headstock commonly found on Fender Guitars and Basses are registered trademarks of FMIC. Yosemite is a trademark of FMIC. All rights reserved.
 27 15

20 29

CONTENTS REGULARS
04
05
News
Around The Web
FEATURES
45
58
2021 Guitar Bootcamp
The Women Reinventing
The Art Of Lutherie
34 COVER STORY: AC/DC POWERS UP ONCE MORE 06
08
Fresh Frets
Spotlight
65 Remembering The
Earliest Legends Of
They said it would never happen – that after years of setbacks due to logistical The Blues
issues, health problems and unfortunate passings, AC/DC was finally done for.
10 Hot Gear
But hell hath no fury like the biggest rock band in the damn world! Angus and
70 How To Build The
12 CD Reviews Ultimate Pedalboard
Stevie Young, Brian Johnson, Phil Rudd and Cliff Williams have all returned to
deliver a brand new album: the bold and bombastic Power Up. In this special 33 Subscriptions 82 A Beginner’s Guide To
edition of Australian Guitar, we’re presenting two enormous (and enormously 79 Studio Tips Podcasting Like A Pro
rare) one-on-one conversations with Angus – one about Power Up, and the other 98 What To Expect When
about Angus’ own inimitable artistry and red-hot riffing skills. Get around it! 80 Producer Profile:

INTERVIEWS
15 Passenger 21 You Me At Six 29 Pale Waves
16 Bring Me The 22 Julien Baker 30 Orianthi
Horizon 25 Amahiru 31 Plini
17 Yungblud 26 Steven Wilson 32 The Smashing
18 Jess Locke 27 Tash Sultana Pumpkins
19 Luca Brasi 28 Laura Jane
20 Architects Grace

86 IK Multimedia Z-Tone 93 DV Mark Eric Gales ‘Raw

Buffer Boost + DI Dawg’ 60W Amp Combo
89 Vox Bobcat V90 + S66 94 Kramer Original
90 Fender American Collection (2020 Lineup)
Professional 96 Zoom G11 Multi-Effects
II Telecaster + Processor
Stratocaster HSS 97 Fender Acoustic SFX-II
92 Faith Lyra Cutaway And Acoustic Junior
Nylon-String Acoustic Amplifiers
4 | NEWS

#141

EDITORIAL
JARED DINES AND MATT HEAFY TEAM UP FOR EP
EDITOR Matt Doria WORDS: MICHAEL ASTLEY-BROWN
ART DIRECTOR Kristian Hagen

Y
ouTube sensation Jared Dines has Washington, while Heafy tracked vocals
joined forces with Trivium main man and select guitar solos in Florida. Dines and
CONTRIBUTORS Matt Heafy for the Dines x Heafy EP, Heafy first collaborated on Dines’ Shred
Adam Bradbury, Alex Lynham, Alex Wilson, Amit Sharma,
Charlie Griffiths, Chris Corfield, Chris Bird, Chris Gill, Chris
which is available today on all streaming Wars YouTube series back in 2017, which
Schwarten, Christopher Scapelliti, Dave Burrluck, David Mead, platforms. The five-track melodic metal EP eventually led to Dines filling in for Heafy
Matt Doria, Michael Astley-Brown, Paul Elliot, Paul Riario, sees Dines handle guitars, bass and drums in during Trivium’s 2018 tour.
Peter Hodgson, Richard Bienstock, Ron Zabrocki, Sam Roche,
Steve Henderson, Trevor Curwen
ELECTRO-HARMONIX TAKES
ADVERTISING ITS VIBRATO/CHORUS GAME
NATIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER Lewis Preece TO THE NEXT LEVEL
EMAIL lewis.preece@futurenet.com Words: Michael Astley-Brown

ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATOR Di Preece Electro-Harmonix are renowned for their

EMAIL diane.preece@futurenet.com bucket brigade-based modulation pedals, and
now the company have announced a new analog
chorus/vibrato set to join the ranks: the Eddy.
SUBSCRIPTIONS As you’d expect, the pedal’s circuitry is all-analog,
techmags.com.au or call +61 2 8277 6486 but offers a wealth of flexibility courtesy of
PO Box 1077 Mount St, North Sydney NSW 2059 envelope and expression control over modulation
rate and depth, as well as LFO shape adjustment
and a tone control. You can switch between vibrato
or chorus via a toggle switch, while an external
expression pedal can be set to adjust rate or depth.

MANAGING DIRECTOR Neville Daniels.

All contents © 2020 Future Publishing Australia or published under

licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used,
GRETA VAN FLEET
stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior ANNOUNCE ALBUM #2
written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited
Words: Michael Astley-Brown
(company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales.
Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All
information contained in this publication is for information only Grammy-winning classic-rockers Greta Van Fleet
and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press.
Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies have confirmed a new album, The Battle At
in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and Garden’s Gate, set for release on April 16th, 2021.
retailers directly with regard to the prices of products and services
referred to in this publication. This magazine is fully independent and The Battle At Garden’s Gate is said to be informed
not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. by the band’s experiences touring the world, and
PRIVACY POLICY coming into contact with new cultures, histories
If you provide information about yourself this will be used to provide
you with products or services you have requested. We may supply and philosophies. We’re promised more spacious
your information to contractors to enable us to do this. Future arrangements and dynamics, some folkier acoustic
Publishing Australia will also use your information to inform you of
other publications, products, services and events. Future Publishing offerings, and even some guitar noise freakouts
Australia may also give your information to organisations that are worthy of rivalling Neil Young.
providing special prizes or offers and are clearly associated with the
Reader Offer. Unless you tell us not to, Future Publishing Australia
may give your information to other organisations that may use it to
inform you of other products, services or events. If you would like
to gain access to the information Future Publishing Australia holds
about you, please contact us.
GIBSON EXPANDS THE
SLASH COLLECTION WITH
futureplc.com “VICTORIA” GOLDTOP
Words: Sam Roche

Gibson made history in 2020 by announcing the

Slash Collection, celebrating three decades of
partnership with the Guns N’ Roses guitarist and
marking its very-first evergreen artist collection. The
guitar giant has now announced the first addition
to the collection since its launch: the Gibson Slash
“Victoria” Goldtop. It boasts a similar set of specs
to that of the collection’s four previous Les Paul
Standards, including a solid mahogany body with
For more of the latest news an AAA maple top, C-shaped neck profile with a
and exclusive content, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard, and a pair of Custom
head to guitarworld.com BurstBucker Alnico II pickups controlled via two sets
of volume and tone knobs and a three-way toggle.

| www.guitarworld.com/australianguitar
 AROUND THE WEB | 5

AROUND Australian Guitar is proud to be a part of the Guitar World family!

Did you know they have a whole world of exclusive online-only
THE WEB content to explore? Here’s what we’ve been loving the most…

MEET THE INTELOCASTER:

A STRAT MADE FROM OLD
COMPUTER PARTS
Words: Richard Bienstock
JOE BONAMASSA SHARES coolest guitar collections on the planet. It’s not just You’ve met the Les-o-Caster, a Les Paul/Strat
HIS GREATEST FINDS FROM the numbers – which are impressive – it is his focus. hybrid. Now how about we introduce you to the
A LIFETIME OF BUYING AND He knows what he likes, and that, folks, is one of Intelocaster, a Stratocaster-like guitar with a body
SELLING GUITARS the key takeaways from this one. constructed from the guts of old laptop computers?
Words: David Mead With his new album, Royal Tea, out on record This newest bizarre build comes courtesy of
Every guitar player who turns up for a Bought store shelves virtual and physical, Bonamassa YouTuber AWDCUTLASS, who begins by mixing
& Sold interview has got a few stories to tell and recants some of his gear buying war stories, and together epoxy resin and epoxy hardener and
wisdom to share, but none are as well positioned shares some times should you be considering pouring it into a Stratocaster-shaped body frame.
as Mr. Joe Bonamassa to talk about the buying and entering the vintage guitar market. He then places the frame in a high pressure tank
selling of electric guitars and amplifiers. The blues to solidify the epoxy mixture and remove the air
master and proprietor of Nerdville has one of the Check it out: http://bit.ly/JoesBestBuys bubbles. This solid epoxy structure serves as the
back of the guitar’s body, over which he piles a
layer of laptop insides. From there, it’s more epoxy,
then more insides, then more epoxy, and so on,
resulting in a 3D visual effect.

Check it out: http://bit.ly/GlitchGuitar

JAY LEONARD J WRITES AND

RECORDS A WHOLE SONG USING
ONLY HIS JAMMY MODULAR
DIGITAL GUITAR YOUTUBE SHREDDER TURNS
Words: Richard Bienstock
We first met the Jammy – a portable, modular digital
A FURIOUS PASTOR’S HEAR EDDIE VAN HALEN
travel guitar that features 15 standard-sized frets, COVID-19 EXORCISM INTO A GET COSMIC ON A NEWLY
touch sensors to track finger positions, string muting RIPPING METAL JAM UNEARTHED COVER OF JIMI
and bending levels, and a detachable neck – back Words: Richard Bienstock HENDRIX’S “IF 6 WAS 9”
in 2018 and were immediately wowed. Able to fit We’ve met YouTube electric guitar player Andre Words: Richard Bienstock
into most backpacks, the battery-powered six-string Antunes before, witnessing his impressive videos Keyboardist David Garfield has played with
can be plugged straight into an amp, a DAW or playing Dire Straits’ “Sultans Of Swing” in the style everyone from Larry Carlton and Steve Lukather to
headphones. The guitar’s sound is both generated of 12 guitarists, and stringing together famous solos George Benson and Smokey Robinson. But one of
and processed on board, so different effects can be from the likes of Steve Vai and Carlos Santana into the highlights of his career came in the late ‘90s,
used without the need of a mobile app. one song. He’s also performed ridiculously complex when he recorded with Eddie Van Halen. Now, for
But that’s only the beginning of what the Jammy arrangements of Mozart’s “Moonlight Sonata” and the first time, Garfield is releasing that track, a
is capable of. In this demo video, in-demand Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons”, as well as originals like cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “If 6 Was 9”, and Guitar
recording and touring guitarist Jay Leonard J writes “The Washing Machine Song”, where he jams along World is happy to be premiering the collaboration.
and records an entire song in just five minutes using with, well, a washing machine. The cut, which appears on Garfield’s new EP
only the Jammy MIDI guitar – which, he says with Now Antunes and his guitar have taken on Guitar Heroes OTB, Vol. 1, also features singer
amazement, “looks like something Johnny 5 from COVID-19 itself, with a new video where he combines and guitarist Michael Landau, bassist Will Lee and
Short Circuit would play.” It’s a completely digital some proggy metal riffage with Texas-based Pastor drummer Simon Phillips. But right up front is Eddie,
guitar, but he says “it has real strings on it so there Kenneth Copeland’s fire-and-brimstone onstage who contributes an absolutely wild and psychedelic
is a tactile experience.” exorcism of COVID from the US. guitar performance to the Hendrix classic.

Check it out: http://bit.ly/FretsOfTheFuture Check it out: http://bit.ly/CoronaCore Check it out: http://bit.ly/EddieVanHendrix

6 | FRESH FRETS

SIOBHAN COTCHIN Photo: Annie Harvey

AGNES MANNERS Photo: Dave Le Page

SHE IS the future queen of Australian country, fresh out of WA with ambitions THEY ARE an experimental emo-pop outfit from Sydney who deal in poignant
high and guitar gripped tightly. At age 20, she sings like she’s lived a generation, and picturesque soundscapes bellied with luminous strings and soaring guitars.
raw and rootsy and nothing short of riveting. Initially the brainchild of artcore trailblazer Matthew Gravolin (formerly of
Hellions and The Bride), Agnes Manners is now a fully fleshed-out band ready to
SHE SOUNDS LIKE the heart and soul of country’s greatest spun through bring the beauty and brutishness of Fantasia Famish to life.
a distinctly modern web. Her playing is bold and tight and feels emphatically
impassioned, and there’s genuine, palpable emotion in every line she roars THEY SOUND LIKE a night at the opera gone horribly, yet comically wrong,
into the mic. The rawness of her lead tone is subdued by crisp, contemporary where the resulting night of chaos and calamity takes place entirely within the
production – and that isn’t at all to its detriment; instead, it posits Siobhan as a theatre’s walls. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll have the time of your goddamn life.
choice to pioneer the future of Australian country.
YOU’LL DIG THEM IF YOU LIKE The National, Forgive Durden and Panic!
YOU’LL DIG HER IF YOU LIKE Kacey Musgraves, Lucinda Williams and At The Disco. Fans of Gravolin’s work in Hellions will feel especially at home, too –
Bruce Springsteen – ideally blast from the cassette deck in a beaten-up Jeep as it feels like this is what he was inching the band towards with their last two LPs
you barrel down the bushlands. If anyone’s gonna write the next A-tier outback in particular. Without the boundaries of Hellions’ established background,
anthem, it’s Cotchin. however, Gravolin is able to flesh his concept out to its full thematic potential.

YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT any of the ripping four singles Cotchin YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT the aforementioned debut album Fantasia
debuted with in 2020. Whether it’s the dry, dusty twang and heart-on-sleeve Famish, which takes listeners on a bewitching ride through mountainous
howls of “Tear Myself Apart”, the roaring leads and soulful harmonies of “The peaks and valleys of bliss and bleakness alike. The LP at every turn heady and
Fair-Weather Friend Blues”, the scene-stealing solo work on “Do You Know What heartfelt, Gravolin trades the volume and intensity of his former projects for
I Mean?” or the slick and simmering lull of “Just The Way It Is”, you’re bound to a smokier, more opaquely theatrical dynamic. Don’t take that to mean there
find something that’ll make your ears prick up. aren’t some skull-rattlingly hectic moments to be unearthed, though...

GOOD PASH Photo: April Josie

BLESSED Photo: @VisualsByRazak

THEY ARE five good mates from Sydney blending summery psych-rock and HE IS Australia’s answer to the monolithic rise of the emo-rap empire. Cutting his
blistering punk with a nice little sprinkle of sass and wit. They’ve been a staple of teeth with low-fi freestyles in the Western Sydney underground, the Ghana-born
the local pub scene since the good ol’ days of 2016; rumour has it that ever since luminary rapped as Miracle until rediscovering his childhood love for pop-punk,
then, scientists have been trying to find a single bad vibe in the air whenever a rebranding and carving out a new path as one of Australia’s most innovative and
song of theirs plays. Four years on and they still come up short every time. uncompromising musical forces to break out in the past decade.

THEY SOUND LIKE the “one more beer” that turns a casual Friday arvo out HE SOUNDS LIKE a genre-bending genius who should be jamming out his
into a bender worthy of the history books. A little scratchy and scuzzy but with anthems in sold-out arenas. It’s immediately hypnotising the way Blessed fuses dry,
a whole lot of spirit, Good Pash dole big, fist-in-the-air hooks aplenty. Pop their crunchy guitar lines with glittering hip-hop beats and warm, droning vocal runs.
tunes on whenever you need a lil’ midweek pick-me-up and you’ll never feel the
blues again. (Note: Australian Guitar takes no responsibility for any post-Good YOU’LL DIG HIM IF YOU LIKE Kid Cudi, Lil Peep and Khalid. He’s got
Pash bluesing. Terms and conditions may apply. Always read the label.) Cudi’s acerbic, soulful-yet-understated singing downpat, Peep’s knack for
grungy, overdriven guitar-led beats, and Khalid’s youthful spirit – and into it all,
YOU’LL DIG THEM IF YOU LIKE The White Stripes, Courtney Barnett, he injects a surge of his own inimitable flair, equally brooding and buoyant and
Violent Soho... Basically any band that could make you want to cut sick in the pit all-over banging.
and keep a giant smile on your dial the whole time. The quintet shine with their
infectious energy and infallible liveliness – not that you’d look at a band named YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT his fierce and forcible debut full-length,
Good Pash and think they’d take things super seriously to begin with, of course. Music Is The Medicine. Though billed strictly as a mixtape, the 12-tracker sounds
infallibly sharp and tight, and feels more authentically impactful than most
YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT the recent double A-side “Delete Me”/”Get proper albums released last year. Blessed also dropped over 30 loose singles
Your Mind On Other Things”. Or if you still haven’t shaken the holiday spirit, throughout 2020 – our suggestion is to throw them all in a playlist, sink into the
they even dropped a Christmas jam (“Fairytale Of New York”) last year! couch and spiral off on an hourlong journey of pure sonic power.

| www.guitarworld.com/australianguitar
 |7

Photo: Emerald
BERMUDA BAY GLOWING Photo: Christina Lauren (Massolino)

THEY ARE Adelaide’s most fiercely funky group of dancefloor deviants, with THEY ARE an Adelaidian alt-rock outfit with more raw, untamed power than
a red-hot swagger that simply commands your attention. They’ve been playing any golden-era Marvel hero would know what to do with.
together since age 14, and with two gloriously groovy, infinitely replayable EPs
under their belts (with plenty more tunes to come), it’s without a doubt they’ll THEY SOUND LIKE the musical equivalent of a Final Destination death
soon be taking stages by storm around the globe. scene: absolutely unhinged, but impossible to look away from. And then as soon
as it’s over (it being either a splatter of gore or one of Glowing’s riffs), you’re
THEY SOUND LIKE a three-day weekend you didn’t know about until already waiting impatiently for the next one.
the night before it started. It’s still over too soon (like any of Bermuda Bay’s
releases), but it’s still better than what you’re used to (like any of Bermuda YOU’LL DIG THEM IF YOU LIKE Jawbreaker, Sorority Noise, and their
Bay’s releases). You end it with a feeling of true appreciation (like... You get it). fellow SA-native pitlords in West Thebarton (or Teenage Joans, or Towns, or...
Actually come to think of it, Adelaide is just a great place to be a rock fan right
YOU’LL DIG THEM IF YOU LIKE Tame Impala, M83 and Last Dinosaurs. now). If you’re into mid-’00s emo-punk where angsty and earnest vocals ebb and
Their warm and warbly, ultra-danceable disco-pop gems spur visions of neon flow over punishing Telecaster juts and rhythm lines that feel more like they’re
lights, glittery bodypaint, and 24-hour kebab shops in perfect walking distance subliminally advertising overdrive pedals than rolling out actual notes – where
from the club you just spent six hours sweating up a storm in. Their tracks are a track can flicker from a sober lull to all-out hardcore chaos in the blink of an
instant mood-setters – pop one on when you’re getting ready for your next night eye – then you might just find your new favourite band in Glowing.
out and thank us later.
YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT the five-track frenzy of ruthless energy and
YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT the inescapably rousing Expectations EP, volcanic potency they’ve deceitfully dubbed No Fun. Bursting at the seams with
which landed at the tail end of 2020 with the perfect set of slick and suave jams thrashing riffs and rip-roaring solos, the foursome waste no time going full-on
to ring in the new year. Make sure to catch them live, too, where they crank the apeshit here. It runs just a shred over 15 minutes long, but expect to enjoy
vibes up to 11 and get a dancefloor raging like a pack of dogs in a butcher’s shop. hours upon hours of heartfelt headbanging with this mini-monster.

Photo: Iana Borodinskaia

AZIM ZAIN AND HIS LOVELY BONES RELIQA Photo: Kangiten Productions

HE IS a Malaysian-born, Canberra-based rock dog with a keen ear for melody THEY ARE a genre-bending band of misfits from the NSW Central Coast, where
and a heartache he wears proudly on his sleeves. Equal parts catchy, charismatic the emphatic howls of frontwoman Monique Pym dance delicately over a bed of
and chaotic, his painfully underrated pop-punk anthems feel like instant classics garish and guttural riffs from shredhead Brandon Lloyd and basslord Miles Knox.
upon first listen, effortlessly powerful and authentic. He’s well overdue for a
mainstream breakthrough – get this man a headlining theatre tour, pronto! THEY SOUND LIKE a billion-volt jolt to the eardrums that you’ll never stop
craving once you feel it. There’s a base layer of prog-metal to their overarching
HE SOUNDS LIKE the kind of stuff you’d blast through your car speakers at sound, but they don’t seem to follow any particular stylistic formula. One
a truly unsafe volume while you zoom down the highway, trees blurring by as moment, they’ll be neck deep in a thrashing riptide of down-tuned math licks
you scream along at the top of your lungs. You’re not necessarily sad, but you and ear-splitting blastbeats, and the next they’ll be cantering along with a sliver
need to feel something – day or night, Zain is there to help you with that. of almost balladesque beauty.

YOU’LL DIG HIM IF YOU LIKE Modern Baseball, Waxahatchee and The YOU’LL DIG THEM IF YOU LIKE Northlane, The Beautiful Monument and
Dangerous Summer. There’s a folky twinge to some of the mellower and more My Chemical Romance. But if you’re looking for a band that sounds exactly like
melancholic passages that Zain occasionally heads down, but for the most part them (or anything else, for that matter), jog on – Reliqa are truly one of a kind.
it’s all about those big, boomy sadcore hooks that make you wanna spin-kick
strangers in mosh pits and hug them at the same time. YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT their sole release of 2020, “Mr. Magic”. In just
over four minutes, the band cram in an album’s worth of punishing metal riffs,
YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT the massively melodic, jam-heavy emotional keys, strings and layered vocal harmonies, one heck of a breakdown, some dips in
gut-punch that is Zain’s long-awaited debut album, Be Good. The ten-track epic pace and detours into stylistic territories that shouldn’t work but immediately do,
plays out like the culmination of a lifetime’s highs and lows, from the volatile and even a cool little chant-along bit. And yet, it never feels rushed or convoluted.
buoyancy of “Passenger Seat” and “Holiday Home” to the big, beautiful eruption It’s some crazy black magic they’ve probably made a deal with the devil to pull
of passion and catharsis in the seven-minute scorcher “Playing Pretend”. off... And if we may say so ourselves: totally worth the eternal damnation.
8 | SPOTLIGHT

Photo: Ophelia Symons

MATT STEVENS + PAUL MUSOLINO

HAILS FROM MELBOURNE, VIC
PLAYS IN THE GLOOM IN THE CORNER
SOUNDS LIKE MIND-MELTING MATHCORE CHAOS
LATEST DROP ULTIMA PLUVIA (EP OUT NOW INDEPENDENTLY)
Photo: Alex Radelich

What’s your current go-to guitar?

Matt: I love my Fender Player Stratocaster HSS. I remember wanting a JARRYD JAMES
Stratocaster for a couple years, so one day I just walked into East Gate Music and
played as many as I could. I also really liked a Japanese Stratocaster I played, but HAILS FROM BRISBANE, QLD
was astonished to find that the Player Series Stratocaster was a quarter of the PLAYS SOLO
price! It was a no-brainer for me to purchase that guitar – I love how the neck SOUNDS LIKE SLICK, SOULFUL CLUB ANTHEMS
feels, along with the versatility or the humbucker and single-coil pickups. LATEST DROP P.M. (LP OUT JANUARY 22ND VIA UNIVERSAL)

How did you initially fall in love with the instrument? What’s your current go-to guitar?
Paul: I just remember watching the music video for Metallica’s “One” – as soon as My favourite guitar at the moment is actually a bass – it’s a 1978 Fender
the solo started, I thought, “I want to do that one day,” and it went from there. My Musicmaster. I bought it a few years ago from Southside Guitars in
first ever guitar was a cheap SX Les Paul copy in Tobacco Burst, which came in a Williamsburg, and ever since I got it, I’ve taken it to pretty much every session
pack. It wasn’t great, but that guitar travelled with me from rock to metal, and even I’ve been in. I find it to be a great tool to get ideas started – it’s just so easy to
deathcore. It’s since been destroyed and sent to the dump though, unfortunately. handle; it’s basically a guitar with bass strings on it.

What inspires you as a player? How did you initially fall in love with the instrument?
Paul: I personally draw so much influence from so many different styles of My very first guitar was one that belonged to my father. I never met him, and
guitar playing. At the moment, pretty much anything that The Acacia Strain and he died when I was quite young – around two-years-old – and when I was in
Meshuggah do tends to stay on repeat. That constant inspiration definitely bleeds high school, it was given to me by his mother. It’s an old Ibanez dreadnought
into my songwriting as I push to write more heavy and chaotic music. acoustic, and along with it I also inherited one of those original Pignose amps.
Those are really cool little things.
Are you much of a gear nerd?
Matt: Paul definitely is – I’d say he’s double the guitar nerd I’ll ever be so I What inspires you as a player?
usually run anything gear-related by him before I think for myself [laughs]. I like I grew up listening to Bob Dylan, so naturally figured out how to fingerpick as
to keep things simple with my live setup – my favourite part of it is my Kemper. soon as possible. My mum also had a lot of Leo Kottke albums that grabbed my
It’s such a versatile piece of equipment, and I’m constantly finding new sounds ear. David Gilmour is one of my all-time favourites, and in more modern times I’d
that inspire me to write in an entirely different way. have to say Rivers Cuomo of Weezer for his perfectly simple and melodic solos.

Do you have any ‘white whales’? Are you much of a gear nerd?
Matt: A seven-string Ernie Ball Music Man baritone, so that I can comfortably I’m the opposite of a gear nerd – I have really simple needs and tastes. I have
use an Ernie Ball guitar when I play live with Gloom. We love our guitars in low a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tweed, it’s a newer one but for some reason it came
tunings – our main tuning is drop F on a seven-string. I own a John Pettruci with a vintage Jensen Alnico speaker in it, which I think is quite unusual.
BFR seven-string which I love absolutely everything about, so I’d be all about Other than that, I don’t own a lot of pedals – just a couple Boss delays and
anything similar to that with a baritone scale. tremolo. When I record, I mostly use plugins for effects.

What would your signature model look like? Do you have any ‘white whales’?
Paul: I would love an all-black Gibson Explorer shape with a massive baritone I’d really love to find an old Martin D-28 someday. So expensive though!
scale; seven strings, ebony fretboard, and some passive pickups. I’ve always
idolised the Explorer, but unfortunately none have matched the specs I require. I What would your signature model look like?
basically want something James Hetfield would love and hate at the same time. I’m only half serious when I say this, but it would be a left-handed Fender
Strat, flipped Hendrix-style back into a right-hander, and then road-worn, but
If you could jam with any guitarist, dead or alive... not too much. I have a Fender Jazz Bass that I did the same thing to – I bought
Matt: AJ Rebollo. I’d just love to improvise or write a track with him. I really it off my friend George McCardle, who used to play in Little River Band, and
enjoy his ability to make riffs bounce along with section that relies heavily on customised it so I could use it.
playing chords with melody in-between. I took a lot of influence from AJ when I
played in my previous band, as I was the only guitarist and we didn’t sample any If you could jam with any guitarist, dead or alive...
guitar parts. In this way I was constricted by writing guitar parts that offered I’ll say D’Angelo for this, and I reckon it would be fun to just jam random stuff
melodic and chordal elements. with him – maybe a little 12-bar blues action.

| www.guitarworld.com/australianguitar
 |9

Photo: Britt Andrews

KELLY JANSCH
HAILS FROM WOLLONGONG, NSW
Photo: Ruby Boland
PLAYS IN TOTTY
SOUNDS LIKE POP-PUNK MADE BY A SENTIENT SKATEBOARD
WHO LIVES ON A DIET OF MOUNTAIN DEW AND WEED
MADDY JANE LATEST DROP GARDEN (EP OUT NOW VIA RATBAG/BMG)

HAILS FROM BRUNY ISLAND, TAS What’s your current go-to guitar?
PLAYS SOLO (WITH A KILLER BACKING BAND) I pretty much always reach for my Fender Powercaster. I got it as a present for
SOUNDS LIKE HIGH-ENERGY ALT-ROCK WITH A FOLK EDGE my birthday last year (thanks Simon!). I’d never seen one before – I think they
LATEST DROP “YOU’RE NOT MINE” (SINGLE OUT NOW VIA SONY) were pretty new at the time – but I love the size of it. It’s really lightweight too,
which is great when you’ve got the back problems of an 80-year-old. I think part
What’s your current go-to guitar? of why I love it so much is because it’s sentimental, and it wasn’t something I
I’m pretty much always playing my 2015/16 Japanese (MIJ) Classic ‘60s Tele knew I wanted until I got it. It’s really versatile with the bridge humbucker and
Custom – it’s a Candy Apple red, double-bound beauty that I saved from being P-90 style pickup in the neck.
stuck at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. I nagged the guy in the shop to
sell me this Tele – he said he was selling it to the Uni, but I went in every day How did you initially fall in love with the instrument?
and nagged until he made the right decision and let me have it. I love it for all I grew up surrounded by music – my two older brothers and my dad always
the reasons: it’s perfect for my sound, my small hands and my playing style! played the guitar. I’ve always played flute, so I honestly didn’t gravitate towards
the guitar until I was around 17 and I started looking up basic chords on Ultimate
How did you initially fall in love with the instrument? Guitar. I was just playing along to songs I liked at the time, and I bought my own
My first guitar was a pretty cheap acoustic that I stuck shells on with guitar when I was 19 – it was a white Squire Telecaster Deluxe. I was living and
Blu-Tack! I fell in love with the guitar because once I’d learned just a few working in Brisbane with no friends and heaps of spare time. I was looking at
things from my music teacher in high school, I found that there was so much a specific shop online and had zero knowledge of what I was buying, but it was
to explore. I loved it because it was the perfect instrument to allow me to actually a sick guitar! It’s got two Fender Wide Range humbuckers, which make
back myself singing. I started writing songs as soon as I knew a few chords it sound so crisp.
and could work things out to express my little self.
What inspires you as a player?
What inspires you as a player? Honestly, I look up to the people closest to me, my mates in bands and my
Ranging from Courtney Barnett to Paul Kelly to Danielle Haim – those are the brothers. Their influence is what pushes me to become better, expand my
kinds of guitarists I channel when playing, but there are so many guitarists I knowledge and develop my own styles. It feels funny to call myself a guitarist!
admire for soundcraft in general, and that I take from when arranging songs
or writing guitar lines. I’m no solo shredder, so I maybe don’t channel them Are you much of a gear nerd?
as much live, but I think I favour a couple of guitarist teams because my I try to get deep into that world, but my knowledge isn’t huge. I think I’m more
lead guitarist, James Hunt, is so much a part of how we work out the guitar in it by association, because our drummer Chris is a big gear nerd. My favourite
together. I usually write lines for him to play on top of what I’m playing to get amp is a JCM800, mainly because I want to be like J Mascis, but also because
what I’m hearing in the two guitars. playing through that with a Fender Twin next to it is just sick. Huge, thick tones.
In terms of pedals, I love my Boss DS-1, and I just started playing with a Way
Are you much of a gear nerd? Huge Green Rhino for my overdrive. I like to keep things pretty simple.
I’m a wannabe gear nerd, I suppose? I love the magic of sound more than the
technicalities, but do really nerd out at Telecasters; chorus, overdrive and Do you have any ‘white whales’?
delay pedals; and pretty much anything vintage. I actually have this overdrive I’ve always wanted a Fender Jag HH. There’s also this guitar that I once saw
pedal that was custom-made for me by Red Sun Music. I got to make my own on vintage resale Instagram shop. It was a Jazzmaster, but it had F holes and
sound and I picked out all the frequencies! a squared-off body and sides. It was sparkly pink with a matching headstock.
I wish I could remember the name of the shop... I saw it go live and definitely
Do you have any ‘white whales’? couldn’t afford it at the time, but I still see it in my dreams!
I really want a baritone guitar!
What would your signature model look like?
What would your signature model look like? I reckon I’d just want it to be my Powercaster, but with a light pink body and
Look, probably just like the one I own [laughs]. But maybe it would be pink matching headstock, and a black pickguard with purple binding around the
or orange. I love anything vintage looking, so if I did a custom model it outside. Very specific colours, but with the same specs as the Powercaster.
would look super vintage with all the old knobs and bells, with a Tele or That guitar is my true love.
Les Paul kind of body so it’s not too big. It would also need to have a scale
length of 24.75-inches for my little hands, and a slim ‘60s-style neck! If you could jam with any guitarist, dead or alive...
I would give anything to play with Frank Zappa. I don’t know how well I’d keep
If you could jam with any guitarist, dead or alive... up with his mastery, but he is hands-down the first person I’d choose to play
Danielle Haim. I would love to jam with all three HAIM sisters, but I just love with if I had the chance. It would be so sick to sit down with a guitar and tap
Danielle’s playing, hooks and riffs. She is one of my biggest inspirations. into the brain of J Mascis, too.
10 | HOT GEAR

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 | 11

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 BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG NOVA TWINS
No Fun Mondays Who Are The Girls?
REPRISE / WARNER 333 WRECKORDS CREW
It’s rare for an album With the bite of Ecca
of covers to rival any Vandal, the energy
great artist’s own of WAAX and the grit
work. But the effort of DZ Deathrays, we
Billie Joe Armstrong admittedly thought
put into his 2020 the Nova Twins were
lockdown project Aussies at first. We’re
can’t be understated. bummed to learn
No matter how they aren’t, because
disparate the source we’d do anything to
material, Armstrong ties each track together with catch the cuts on this rip-roaring debut – raw, spry and

POWDERFINGER
his big, soaring singalong voice and loveably gritty intense – in the flesh right now. Fans of our local punk
fretwork. You can hear how much fun he had dipping output will adore this punchy and impassioned set of
Unreleased (1998-2010) into his new-wave edge on “Kids In America”; when devilish dance-punk, from the speaker-throttling
he hits the chorus on “Corpus Christi”, you can “Bullet” and mosh-ready “Play Fair” to the outright
UNIVERSAL tell how strongly he envisioned howling it out to a hypnotising “Ivory Tower”. Equally as poignant as
jam-packed stadium. Perhaps most importantly, the barbed vocal quips that Amy Love and Georgia
T hough dreams
of a proper,
full-fat comeback still
though, Armstrong doesn’t merely emulate his
heroes on this tirelessly spirited love letter to them –
South trade is the former’s fretwork, grungy and
punchy and almost dubstep-esque, each riff belted
he makes each song entirely his own, keeping the out with more energy than most hardcore bands
aren’t likely to come
integrity of each intact while spinning them all could muster. It’s hard not to envision a huge future
true anytime soon,
through his own jammy and jovial punkabilly lens. ahead for these up-and-coming rippers.
Powderfinger have
finally sauntered back HACHIKU PINEGROVE
out into the spotlight –
their first time as a
I’ll Probably Be Asleep Amperland, NY
MILK! / REMOTE CONTROL ROUGH TRADE / REMOTE CONTROL
full, well-oiled unit
in ten viciously long There’s a gorgeous Showcasing all the
years – holding in tow undercurrent of best parts of the
(as a follow-up to the instantly iconic One Night Lonely ethereality that band’s idiosyncratic
livestream) almost 40 minutes of previously unheard ripples through spirit, Amperland,
gold from across their 12-year stint as Australia’s most Hachiku’s endearing NY works equally
charismatically crushing rock titans. and dynamic (if a great as an entry
In more than a few ways, the simply titled Unreleased tad on the short point for potential
compilation may be more lucrative to longtime ‘Finger side) debut. But it’s new ‘pinenuts’ as it
fans than any new set of tunes ever could be; here the crucial, here, not to does the soundtrack
band don’t have to emulate the good ol’ days, because, mistake delicateness to Pinegrove’s titular
well, these are the good ol’ days – fully intact is the for simplicity: the soundscapes on display swell and high-concept arthouse film. The charmingly analogue
emphatically youthful prickliness in Bernard Fanning’s soar with mountainous highs and harrowing lows – affair re-appropriates 22 of the emo-country icons’
singing, the dry, unpolished grit in his voice carrying a the focal point is always Anika Ostendorf’s honeyed greatest and most emotionally stirring gems, adding
wallop of character with every earnest line he belts.
and heartfelt vocal melodies, but peer beyond and to them deeper and more fleshed-out arrangements,
The interplay between his and Darren Middleton’s rugged
you’ll see a forest of bustling musical foliage. Guitars a greater sense of cinematic opulence, and a perfectly
and rough shredding feels beautifully authentic –
because it is. Especially on the earlier cuts showcased, simmer along with a warbly psych-rock warmth that struck balance between the rough, low-fi edginess of
when the band were far more concerned with jamming beautifully accompanies the bright, glittery keys in the their early recordings and the crisp, polished shimmer
out and playing rockstar than writing hits (and actually foreground; they’re understated, but play their role of 2020’s Marigold LP. The earliest cuts obviously
being rockstars), you can really hear when a riff came perfectly. The chemistry can feel a bit kitschy at times, benefit most from this, but the record as a whole
about in the spur of the moment, or when there’s a tinge but that’s part of the charm to Hachiku’s vibe: it’s sounds resoundingly tight and calculated. And for
of improv being weaved into a solo. It’s not all squeaky supposed to be a little jagged around the edges, like a those already deep in the band’s lore, there are plenty
clean or overly tight – it’s fun. And that’s what defined diamond necklace with a rusted chain. of little flourishes abound to make these cuts feel fresh.
Powderfinger at their strongest points: the unapologetic
sprightliness and raw zeal they shone with. JOE BONAMASSA STUMPS
As we wind deeper down the rabbithole into Royal Tea All Out Friends
Powderfinger’s mid-‘00s peak, we’re treated to some of J&R ADVENTURES COOKING VINYL
their sharpest and most emotionally rousing songwriting For solo album #14, Driven by slick
efforts: the punchy Tele juts and trickling synth on “Rule Joe Bonamassa and summery,
Of Thumb” make clear how far the band came in writing looks far beyond the ultra-jangly guitar
songs aimed to get stadiums full of fans thrashing about; boundaries of the leads, shimmery
the stiff and searing poetry on closer “Wrecking Ball” blues and taps into a synths and soulful
shows Fanning at his most determined to get a sea of much statelier, more vocal hooks that
lighters waved around, the understated keys and vocal overtly theatrical well belt far beyond the
harmonies adding a wonderful touch to the almost of inspiration. Strings foreground, Stumps
country-esque guitars that whistle and warble on. bubble and brew have rung a dismal
It’s absolutely mind-boggling to think Powderfinger alongside the rich year out with a
were just going to let these gems rot away in the vault. and reverberant howl of his electric leads; big, roaring well-earned dose of over-the-top ebullience. Even
They claim the tracks weren’t unearthed until now because solos and viciously fat jam sections (where we come in its most reflective points (like the aptly gloomy
they had “no place” on earlier releases, yet they offer about as close as we will to hearing Bonamassa’s take “2020”), the Sydney trio make it hard not to have
some of the band’s catchiest, liveliest and most all-out on heavy metal) are met with drum passages and toes tapping or shoulders swaying – and when they
rockin’ material. It feels like a ‘greatest hits’ CD from a backing lines nothing short of epic. It’s impressive, too, kick into full force on power-pop epics like “I’ve Had
parallel universe where these were all platinum-selling the way he leaps from style to style – in the opening Enough” and “Daffodils”, dancing in your seat like
singles in their own rights – a breathtaking barrel down cut alone, we get everything from orchestral grandeur a total maniac is absolutely mandatory. Of course,
Powderfinger’s stylistic hall of fame, from their loose to blistering rock ‘n’ roll, twangy southern soul and we’d be remiss not to note how candidly earnest the
and livid halcyon days to their opulent final breaths. An folk balladry. This is, without a doubt, the best we’ve record is beneath its bouncy, bombastic veneer – All
essential grab for any level of fan. heard from the New York virtuoso in at least a decade Our Friends is a retro-tinged indie-rock epic with equal
. WORDS: MATT DORIA – we anxiously await its inevitable live reproduction. parts heart and spirit, and plenty of both to share.

| www.guitarworld.com/australianguitar
 | 15
Well, like how you donated all the profits
from your last two records to charities
around the UK – I have to give you props for
being dedicated to doing good with your
success as an artist.
Y’know, I never thought I would be successful like
this. I think with any type of fame or popularity, you
get to the point where it’s just the sensible thing
to do to be a good guy and give back a little bit –
wherever you can.

So the tracklisting for this record is doubled

and mirrored, with an acoustic version of the
entire album playing out in reverse order
after the main affair is done. Where did that
idea come from?
I don’t know. Funnily, we were going to start the
record off with “London In The Spring”, but we
ended up finishing with it. It probably sprung from
the idea of myself being like, “Well, I still kind of like
[‘London In The Spring’] as an opening track – maybe
we could do that with the acoustic version.” And
then that idea would have spun into someone saying,

ANOTHER
“Well, why don’t we just mirror the whole tracklist?”
I also think that if people are listening to the record
on a streaming platform, it would be kind of weird
to listen to the album once and then have the same
album play again in an acoustic format – it just felt

SHOT OF GOLD
like a nice little twist, I suppose.

What kind of guitars were you swinging

around in the studio for this record?
For the most part I played my Gibson
Hummingbird, which is not particularly old or sexy,
but it’s just got a really sweet tone. For the last
MODERN-DAY FOLK LORD PASSENGER DOESN’T QUITE couple of records, I’ve been playing a really old
Gibson that I bought in Japan a few years ago for
UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF A ‘BREAK’, HAVING JUST RELEASED quite a lot of money. It’s a pretty special guitar – it’s
HIS EIGHTH ALBUM IN EIGHT YEARS. ON THIS ONE, HE PLUNGES old and Japanese and lovely – but I just really love
RIGHT INTO THE DEEPEST, MOST EMO DEPTHS OF HIS HEART. the tone of the Hummingbird. I think it’s softer, a
little warmer, and it requires a lot less space. And
WORDS BY MATT DORIA. PHOTO BY ZAKARY WALTERS. it blends in with the other instruments a lot better.
Because mate, my records aren’t about my guitar
playing, much of the time – y’know, there are some

D
espite being one of the most heavily being “populated by drunk and moments where I want to let it shine, whenever
streamed artists of all time (his 2012 hit brokenhearted characters” with the bar there’s a nice melody or whatever, and I think I’m an
“Let Her Go” racking up over a billion plays as a recurring motif. How did you want to okay player, but it’s never really the essence of it.
of its own), with tens of millions of albums sold and convey that on a musical wavelength? My parts just need to kind of sit and bubble away a
more arenas packed with diehard fans than you I think with all of my records, I try to maintain lot of the time. Whereas Benny Edgar, who’s the
could fit typed out on this whole page, Passenger a healthy balance of different feelings. I’m a lead player on this album, he’s incredible – I’m very
(or to his mates and mum, Mike Rosenberg) is massive fan of bands like The Smiths, who always lucky to have him playing on the record.
almost scarily down-to-earth. He answers our Zoom put those quite sad and weird lyrics to really
call from his lowkey Brighton living room, dressed jangly, upbeat and catchy guitar lines. I think How did you get around the Hummingbird?
in favourite footy team’s jersey and sipping gently there’s a couple of moments on this record that My first real ‘nice’ guitar was a J-45 – in fact I
on a cup of tea, winding down from a long day of remind me of that, especially with the title track bought it from the Gladesville Guitar Factory
waxing lyrical about his 13th album. and “What You’re Waiting For” – I feel like they along Parramatta Road in Sydney. It was way
As implied by the title Songs For The Drunk And have that toe-tappy vibe for the first couple of before “Let Her Go” happened – I was busking
Brokenhearted, the record is distinctly deep and listens, and then when you kind of hone in on the in Australia and the guitar I had at the time was
melancholic, its narratively focussed ten tracks lyrics, you might realise that there’s a slightly f***ed, so I was like, “Okay, it’s time to buy a
being written at a particularly tumultuous point darker undercurrent at play. nice guitar.” It was like $2,000 Aussie dollars or
in Rosenberg’s life. But he’s quick to note that in something ridiculous like that, and it was like an
pouring his soul into song, Rosenberg is able to The rollout for this album is very optimistic, enormous investment – I remember ringing my
liberate himself from the sadness that surrounds though, like how you’ve partnered with manager and being like, “F***, man, should I!?”
the record – for him, the disc is proof of how far Ecologi and The Eden Project to plant a tree But I ended up grabbing it, and I played that
he’s come since hitting the low that inspired it. for every copy sold. J-45 for years. And then I got a Hummingbird,
And he’s champing at the bit of an opportunity I think we’ve been pretty environmentally just because it sounded lovely, but it’s actually
to hit the road and embrace the record, in all conscious for a while. I think if you’re making any not that good on the road. The J-45s are just
its grey and gloom, with crowds full of similarly kind of physical product nowadays, the onus is workhorses: you can smash them about, you
brokenhearted punters. on you to come up with a way of offsetting the can give them hell, and they’ll never quit on
Until such a time comes, Rosenberg is content environmental damage that causes. It’s not going to you. And they’ve got a lovely, warm bottom-end,
spending his nights chatting about the little jams he save the planet, but at least it’s a step in the right so when it’s just me onstage, it really fills the
writes in his bedroom with a Gibson Hummingbird direction. We looked into biodegradable shrink- room. Whereas the Hummingbirds, I think in the
on his lap – like he does here for Australian Guitar! wrap and all of this other stuff for the albums studio they’re beautiful, but on the road they’re
themselves, too – it alleviates a little bit of the guilt, a little more temperamental and a bit more
Thematically, you’ve described this LP as I suppose [laughs]. precious about things.
16 | FEATURE

INHUMAN NATURE
BRING ME THE HORIZON CONTINUE TO REINVENT THE CORE FOUNDATIONS OF
HEAVY MUSIC WITH ANOTHER KALEIDOSCOPIC ONSLAUGHT OF BEATS AND BREAKDOWNS.
WORDS BY MATT DORIA. PHOTO BY YULIA SHUR.

F
ew bands have done as much to revolutionise be shorter, but with this one it just kind of made sense be like, “Okay, this is the tracklisting!” And then we’ll
the heavy music landscape as Bring Me The to keep writing and making songs. We really got into a completely change our minds, over and over, right up
Horizon. The little Sheffield shredders that flow with our songwriting, so we just carried on after we until the last minute. Because until you can sit back
could have come a long way since the summery days finished those first five songs. But I think it also helps listen through it all as a whole thing, you can’t quite
of ’06, when they’d fill basements to the brim with that we’re calling these releases EP, because the next get your head around what order it should be in. But
mosh-hungry maniacs keen to get their teeth elbowed one might be five songs and 20 minutes long – we’re not with this CD, the first song and the last song were
in to a soundtrack of garish, ghastly deathcore. They going to do ‘albums’ anymore, because I feel like you’ve obvious from the get-go, because they sound like what
now reign with a frenzied fusion of post-rock riffs and gotta commit to at least ten songs on an album. The EP a first song and a last song should sound like.
underground electro beats, their sixth (and supposedly format just gives you a bit more freedom.
final) album Amo bringing them to an artistic peak most Did it feel good to get back into shredder
other genre-bending creatives could only dream of. How did the COVID pandemic shape how you mode on “Dear Diary”?
Since eschewing the traditional album campaign approached this record as an artist? Yeah man, it was cool. It didn’t have the solo
in favour of loose, off-the-cuff single and EP releases, Just working from home, the difference has been there at first – Jordan [Fish, keys] actually recorded
Bring Me The Horizon have truly embraced their massive. We’ve always written songs together, even himself screaming down a microphone, like,
freedom in the music industry: their fans range from if it’s just been two or three of us at a time – we’ve “Nee-are-wee-ah-wow!” And he said, “Can you do
bonafide steel-crunching metalheads to dancefloor always kind of gone somewhere, and for our last something like this on this section?” So I was just
deviants in flower crowns – they can do whatever the album, Amo, we’d built a room where we went every like, “Yeah, alright.” I wanted to go as Slayer as
f*** they want, knowing full well that a sea of kids will day and worked on it like a nine-to-five job. To just I possibly could – I really tried to channel what I
swarm at their knees to eat it up. And on their new suddenly have to do it all from home, it’s so different. imagine they’d do for a crazy ten-second thrash solo.
nine-tracker Post Human: Survival Horror – the first in a I did all my parts with my home setup – it’s all DIs and Yeah, it felt cool. I ended up using this super old
four-part series of mini–LPs set to culminate in an epic through a computer. So it was a very different way guitar that I’d used to record Count Your Blessings
new era for 2022 – the quintet truly push the limits of of working, but it turned out sounding really good. with, because it was the only guitar I had left with
their artistic boundaries. Luckily there’s a plugin that I have all my amp sounds a whammy bar on it. It was cool to do something
From drum ’n’ bass beatdowns to stadium-rock on anyway, so I still had all my own tones on tap. that we wouldn’t have done for the last, like, three
choruses, slithers of j-pop and industrial metal, there’s albums. It would have seemed so out of place on a
a whole world of erratic and explosive flourishes Especially over the last few records, BMTH record like Amo, but for some reason it just made
sandwiched between the frantic hardcore blasts of have blurred the lines between heavy music sense to do it now.
“Dear Diary” and the ethereal balladry of “Butterflies”. and pop in ways that a lot of us wouldn’t have
But according to guitarist Lee Malia, the record wasn’t ever thought to be possible. And on this Can you tell us more about the guitars you
some insanely convoluted practise in experimentation record in particular, it feels like you’ve really used on this record?
– in fact, it was one of their most lowkey, straight-to-the- mastered the ebb and flow between those I actually did a lot of the main riffs on a PRS
punch record-making stints to date. very contrasting sounds and styles. Was that baritone – it’s a hollowbody one with P-90s, and it
something you were especially conscious of almost sounds like a bass when you put the gain on it.
So you guys are calling this an EP, but at nine in the creative process? It just sounds really heavy, which was honestly a bit
tracks over 35 minutes, it’s a pretty weighty We always knew “Dear Diary” was going to be surprising – I thought that since it’s a hollowbody with
release. Is there a distinction you wanted to the opener. There are a lot of those little bits on the P-90s, it might sound weird, but it actually sounded
make between this as its own thing versus CD where they almost sound like throwbacks to the really good. And then if I doubled stuff, I was using a
what you’d consider to be a BMTH ‘album’? way we used to do riffs, but they’re done in a more solidbody ES-335 that I’ve got – a 1970s model. And
I guess we didn’t think it would be as long as it ended tasteful way – they’re woven in and out throughout then I used the Ibanez for all the shreddy bits.
up – we were only thinking about doing four or five the songs, rather than jammed in there as five-minute
songs, so that’s why we called it an EP in the first place. breakdowns and diminished scales. But the order of With how experimental BMTH is at its core,
The idea is to do four of these [Post Human] releases the CD always comes together near the end of the do you often find yourself throwing a whole
over the next year or so, and the next releases might process, because it keeps changing. One minute we’ll bunch of shit at the wall to see what sticks?
I guess less so on this record – I think it’s got a much
more consistent sound than Amo did – that record
was definitely where I lost my mind a bit, going mad
with pedals and effects and weird stuff. In the studio
it was just chains and chains of pedals, recreating
synthesiser sounds and inventing totally new sounds.
But this one is a lot more reined in, sound-wise. A lot
of the core sound is just the tones I’ve used for ages,
but when they’re mixed in with Jordan’s stuff and all
the extra bits and pieces on the CD, it sounds like one
big, solid in-your-face kind of sound.

Was that because you had a clearer vision of

what you were looking for?
It just worked, combined with everything else that’s
going on in the tracks. Because the synths are kind
of bassy anyway, and there’s a lot of synths playing
along with the riffs, if you get what I mean – they’re
the same notes, just played a different way. They’re all
gained-up synths with distortion on them, too, so with
the baritone tuned super low it all just kind of fades
into one sound. And that worked really well, so we
decided to go with it for the whole CD.
 | 17

YUNGBLUD

OVER ENGLAND – NEXT UP, THE WORLD.

WORDS BY MATT DORIA. PHOTO BY HARIS NUKEM.

I
f there’s just one story in music worthy of the every colour, shape and size, every personality and
Netflix biopic treatment, it’s the evolution of sexuality, that I’ve had the privilege to meet, and the
punk. From the brash and gaudy uprising of way they’ve influenced my life.
the Sex Pistols and Ramones to the right-wing’s
worst nightmare of bands like NOFX, Against Me! I suppose that ties into the cover art, too,
and Anti-Flag, all the way to the modern-day rise doesn’t it? All those dissonant versions of
of mosh-starved maniacs like PUP, Turnstile and you, they represent…
Knocked Loose. Me! Every single one of us has seven different
But just like the culture itself, punk as a genre personalities at any given moment, y’know? We
has bounced around and bled into all different all have multiple different sides, we’re so three- I love that you’re doing what you’re doing
corners of the sonic spectrum – nowadays we have dimensional, and these seven people make up who as someone who’s managed to crack the
punk bands with violins, punk bands with horn and what we are. I just wanted to radiate the idea mainstream, because you’re really
sections, all-synth punk bands and solo punks that that you can embrace that and you can be proud challenging the ill-established – often
play acoustically. There is no one ‘type’ of punk of that – be proud of every single shade of you and conservative – notion of what’s
sound out there – which is kind of the point, when every different colour, and just rock out with them. “acceptable” for a Top 40 artist. Do you
you really think about it. feel like you have the power to spark a
Capitalising on this is 23-year-old Yorkshire hellion It’s interesting as a journo, because this revolution in the pop sphere?
Dominic Harrison, better known to his legion of record challenges everything I’ve learned At the end of the day, I would love to. I think
teeth-cutting anti-fascist rascals as Yungblud. With about the music industry. Usually in the there’s a revolution going on in our generation
his ultra-catchy hooks and head-turning aesthetic case of an artist like yourself, you’ll have the anyway. There’s a revolution going on in sexuality
(both of which following just one rule: if it isn’t first record be what it is, and then following and gender. There’s a revolution going on in
garishly over-the-top or sure to make conservative the trajectory you’ve been on, LP2 will be racial equality. There’s a revolution going on in
pundits on Twitter shit their dacks, it’s nowhere near very radio-friendly, playing it all as safe as environmentalism. We might as well be talking
good enough), Harrison has fast become an unlikely possible. But you’ve gone in the complete about all that in our music, right, instead of hiding
mainstream icon – a poster boy for edginess in a sea oppiosite direction – this album is punkier, behind our f***ing Mercedes and a bottle of
of safe-playing popstars. edgier, more guitar-heavy… Was that champagne. It’s like what I was saying about how
With his second full-length effort – the bold something you had to fight for? there’s so much music with an agenda right now –
and booming, plot-twist-heavy Weird! – Harrison 100 percent. So many people were pushing me we want to sever the head off the f***ing agenda,
wants to make it abundantly clear that he’s not to do this f***ing Tik Tok rap, and I was like, “…F*** and keep it in our fridge.
here to make a hit, rack up millions or stuff off!” Yungblud isn’t a f***ing hit machine. There’s
his arms full of industry awards. If he has one so much music with an agenda right now – so much Annihilate the binary!
ambition, it’s to start a revolution: one of defiant music with a f***ing motive. I wanted to write music F*** yeah, man! At the end of the day, I have
self-love and acceptance, of eschewing the status not for a motive, but for a reason. Because all I give three things I ask myself before I put a song out: Is
quo and embracing that no two people are a shit about is my fanbase. And I love that you were it telling the truth? Could anybody else sing it? And
the same – that conservatism in 2021 is simply honest with me about how this album f***s with you do I f***ing mean it? And if I answer those three
embarrassing, binaries are meant to be smashed as a journalist, because that’s exactly what I wanted questions correctly, I’ll put it out. And now I have
and conventions are meant to be challenged. to do. I want to break the rules – that’s the fun bit. an album of those songs. I think it’s going to stick
The new age of punk is here, and as Australian When I have something to kick against, I’m at my with people for a long time. Because that’s the thing:
Guitar learns first-hand, Yungblud is ecstatic to be best. I’ve got hits that didn’t make it onto this record, music does have such a shelf life right now. It’s done
pioneering it. which could have been international smashes – but and then it’s gone – nobody actually goes, “Yeah
they weren’t telling the truth. man, I’m going to put this album on for the next five
What’s the vibe you wanted to capture on Why, by f***ing some miracle, have I gotten this far? years.” And with guitar music right now, you really
this absolute beast of an album? It’s because of my my fanbase and my community – need to push the boundaries – rock music sounds
This record is so much more emotional than the they know I’m telling the truth to them, and I ain’t different to the way it did last time, in the way that it
first one – it’s a lot bigger, a lot louder, a lot more gonna leave them behind. All I give a shit about is sounded different to the way it did before last time,
dynamic. There’s a lot of Queen in there, y’know? I growing this little club, person by person – I’m never and the way before last time’s last time.
was listening to a f***ing lot of Queen. And I don’t going to go, “Alright, cool, it’s time for a f***ing hit
know, my first album was so f***ing angry, y’know? on the radio now.” Because by doing that, I’d lose my I find that trends in rock music tend to be
I was this beautifully na±ve, angry kid, who just felt credibility – I’d lose my connection to my fans. And f*** cyclical, but every cycle comes with its
misunderstood. I think a lot of people have loved me that! I remember Grammy week, some geezer comes own innovations.
throughout my life, but they didn’t understand me up to me wearing a f***ing canapé on his blazer – you That’s exactly it – it’s always cyclical, and it always
– and I think there’s a massive difference between know exactly what kind of dickhead I’m taking about – comes from inspiration and a place we’ve been
being loved and being understood. So the first and he’s like, “What’s the formula, man?” And I’m like, before – because obviously, as a musician, you’ve
album was a callout – is there anyone out there like “…What?” He’s like, “How do you do it? What’s the been inspired by something that already exists. But
me? And it turned out there were a lot of people formula to your success?” As if this isn’t a real f***ing it’s never quite the same, right? And that’s what I’m
out there like me! This next album is about those thing – that I’m just playing some f***ing character! My buzzing about – I want to do something different and
people – it’s about every kid from every continent, of formula is to tell the f***ing truth, mate! naughty and spicy; something new!
18 | FEATURE

UNDER
LOCKE
AND KEY
FIVE YEARS IN THE MAKING, THE
NEW ALBUM FROM MELBOURNE’S
INDIE-ROCK QUEEN JESS LOCKE
IS EVERY BIT AS SILVERY AND
SPECIAL AS ONE COULD DREAM.
WORDS BY MATT DORIA.
PHOTO BY IAN LAIDLAW.

A
t face value, Jess Locke’s music may seem and then worry about playing it live later. It’s quite things apart a bit more than I usually would have – he
rather cozy and quaint. But just as the diverse – mainly because I didn’t really plan the songs challenged us to really improve the songs, rather than
Melbourne-native strummer is typically out before I started writing them. And then as I was just sort of rocking up and being like, “Well, you’ve
mellow and reserved until you get to know her writing them, I’d be like, “Oh, this would make a really got the songs, let’s put them down.”
(at which point she erupts into a luminous blur good buzzy grunge song – let’s go in that direction!” It was a lot more collaborative than it’s been in the
of liveliness and laughter), her art is secretly rich There’s some folky, Neil Young-ish kind of vibes in past. I’ve always had a tendency to double my vocals,
with polychromatic poignancy, shades of light and there. We’ll see what people think, I suppose, but I which is just, like, a stylistic thing that I’d gotten used
dark, sugar and acid twisting and twining around think it made for a really interesting record with lots to doing – I think it sounds cool, but it also becomes
soundscapes far more intricate than they imply – you of opposing ideas. a bit of a crutch at the same time. So Rob was very
just need to pay a little closer attention to scratch passionate about not doing that as a crutch – he’s not
beneath the initial coat of indie-pop tweeness. Do you think the record feels tighter than totally against it, but he encouraged me to be a lot
Since the 2017 release of her sophomore solo normal as a result of how contained the more confident with my singing.
effort Universe, Locke has only dug her heels deeper writing process was?
into the world of louder and more chaotic rock ’n’ I think it does. I don’t know how much that will So his studio is connected to the Clingan
roll aesthetics: she joined The Smith Street Band, come across to the listener, but it definitely makes Guitar Tone shop – were you able to take
first in their touring pack as a backup vocalist and me think of where I was when I was writing the record advantage of that and get your hands on a
tambourinist, and then as a full-time guitarist and – and thematically, it all kind of fits together. In the bunch of wicked gear?
co-songwriter on 2020’s Don’t Waste Your Anger LP. past, a lot of my songs were more introspective – I I can’t remember if we actually ended up using
She thinned out her own band’s touring schedule, think they still are, but there’s definitely more of any of them on the record, but I know we were
which led to her personal songwriting efforts an outward sort of vibe as well. I mean, the world having a go with a few basses when we came in. It
spinning off in a whirlwind of wacky directions is insane at the moment – I feel like I couldn’t help was pretty amazing, being able to just walk through
– without bassist Jim Morris and drummer Chris but just absorb everything! So it’s very much more the shop and be like, “Oh, maybe we should chuck
Rawsthorne to ground her ambitions, Locke began outward looking, and there’s a lot more societal that on the record!” There was this one Flying V
to explore creative avenues that weren’t bound by commentary. But of course, it’s all still on a very that had a little speaker inside of it, and I was like,
what’s possible to play on a stage. personal level. “Oh man, this would be sick!” I don’t think that
Which leads us to solo album #3: the gauzy, specifically ended up on there, but we did make use
glittery and overall ginormous Don’t Ask Yourself Were you excited to explore some new areas of some of the stuff – we borrowed a Mellotron off
Why. Pieced together in key slivers of creative of your expertise as a guitarist on this record? Ross, who was working with Jeremy [Clingan, shop
intensity across the five years since she dropped Yeah! There’s definitely a bit more of a mix, for owner] at the time. There’s heaps of Mellotron synth
Universe, it’s effortlessly Locke’s most adventurous sure. I used quite a bit of a nylon-string guitar – a mix parts on the record, so that was awesome. Jeremy
and ambitious body of work. Stylistically, Locke of nylon-stringed acoustics and some electric guitar, set up all my guitars, too. It was definitely awesome
herself puts it best: “it’s rock, it’s pop, it’s folk, it’s and I guess that was a bit different to the last record, to have all of that stuff at our disposal.
ambient, and just a teensy bit goth.” which was pretty electric guitar-driven. I suppose it’s
In effort to unearth some of the secrets behind a bit of a throwback to how I played when I started What guitars were you jamming out most on
what makes Don’t Ask Yourself Why so goddamn out – I was a bit more folk-oriented and acoustic for this record?
brilliant, we gave Locke herself a call… guitar-based, and then I went in a more indie-rock I used my Mustang, which is what I play live most
direction later on. There’s a couple of piano-based of the time – I absolutely love that guitar, so that
How did you want this album to build upon songs as well, which kind of harkens back to my definitely features heavily. And then it’s a bit of a
what you’d established creatively with your childhood, when I had a few piano lessons and then mix – there’s quite a few songs that have Rob’s
first two? gave them up because I was never very disciplined. nylon-string on it, and a custom-made guitar that
I definitely tried not to put any restrictions I’m always trying to put my fingers in a million he had built by T-Guitars in Bowral.
on myself when I was writing. It’s also the first different pots [laughs].
record I’ve written in a contained period of time, What is it about the Mustang that makes it
as opposed to the previous ones which were like a How did his Rob Muinos’ influence as a so special for you?
collection of these songs we’d been playing live as a producer rub off on this album? It’s got character. It’s been around. It’s a ’95
band for years. We weren’t playing as many shows The first record I made was very DIY, just kind of Japanese-made model, and I bought it off another
last year, and then obviously no shows this year, so recorded in houses and venues and thrown together guy who was a touring musician, so it was all bashed
it was very much a ‘written’ record, where we’re now at the end. And it was a similar process with the last up and worn-in. I don’t know, I just feel like it’s got
going to have to find ways to recreate it live instead one, Fitzy and I slapping together all the resources a lot of character, and it feels good. I’m not a huge
of vice versa. we had and being like, “Okay, these are the songs!” gear nerd, so I’m not constantly buying new guitars or
I guess that process affected how it sounds, So working with Rob was great because it was a upgrading – if I get something and it works, I’m like,
too – it’s pretty expansive in terms of layers and very comfortable and kind of homely vibe; he’s just “This is good. This is me. I’m happy with this.” So until
sounds, and how we wanted to make the record first super knowledgeable and professional. He also took something goes wrong, I’ll be playing that guitar.
 | 19

BACK TOP
ourselves?” We’ve got Line 6 Helix guitar modellers

ON
now, so we did one song like that as an experiment,
Andre gave us some production notes and Darren
Cordeaux gave us a few pointers, and then we got
it mixed and we were like, “That sounds great!” So
it was full steam ahead from there, the idea being
that we wanted it to be a bit more casual… And then
WITH ALL THE ODDS STACKED AGAINST THEM, LUCA BRASI lockdown happened, so we had no choice anyways!
POWERED THROUGH A NOTABLY ROUGH ALBUM CYCLE AND A
Having complete control over this record, do
GLOBAL HEALTH CRISIS BACK-TO-BACK, COMING OUT THE OTHER SIDE you feel more attached to it, or would you
WITH THEIR STRONGEST AND MOST UPBEAT SET OF TUNES YET. WE say it’s more authentic to what Luca Brasi is
KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING: HOW THE F*** DID THEY DO IT!? at a core level?
Yeah, definitely. I think it absolutely is more
authentic, and I think there was a freedom in just
WORDS BY MATT DORIA. PHOTO BY NICK GREEN.
kind of being the masters of our own destiny.
Because there are times when you work with

T
he last time Australian Guitar caught up with fireworks going off again? producers where you’re like, “I kind of want to try
Luca Brasi was in the winter of 2018, as the At first it did feel like a bit of a chore. I was like, this” and they’re like, “Nup, we should do it like
Tassie pub-rockers were gearing up to release “Ah f***, do we really have to write new songs?” But this.” But when I’m by myself, I can do whatever
their career-defining fourth album, Stay. To call it a luckily we had some riffs kicking around that were I want – and if the idea sucks, I haven’t wasted
monumental release would be an understatement: pretty cool – I had the music for “Tangled; Content”, anyone else’s time. We all really enjoyed the
after the cracking the mainstream with their 2016 which literally missed out on being a Stay song by freedom, and I think it is definitely more authentic
record, If This Is All We’re Going To Be, all eyes were four weeks, and Pat [Marshall, rhythm guitar] had to who we are and what we wanted to portray,
planted firmly on the foursome, desperate to see the music for “This Selfish Love”. So we were like, musically, this time around.
how they’d one-up themselves with a narrative- “Right, let’s just f***ing get back to work.” But
heavy epic co-produced with Aussie punk legend burnout was a good call: personally, I was belted Were you excited to really push yourself as
Darren Cordeaux (ex-Kisschasy). Understandably, the after we finished Stay. I don’t know if it was because a player on this record, too?
boys were nervous – but there was more to it than of outside factors, personal life, uni stress and all Absolutely! There are habits that every guitar
that. of that… I remember being very, very stressed, player falls into. [Everything Is Tenuous] isn’t really
Behind the scenes, Luca Brasi was struggling, and nervous and anxious about the whole ordeal. a complicated record – it’s probably our most
hard. They’d suddenly catapulted from local dive “Everyone’s going to hate it, this is shit, I’m shit…” straightforward one, actually, but we really pushed
bars to capital city theatres, and were copping more So getting back into it for album number five, I was ourselves to try different things. On the first track,
media attention per week than they typically would like, “Ah f***, here we go again…” there’s a little guitar part that comes in the second
in a year. Not to mention, the writing and recording But after a few days it was just like, “Oh, we’re verse – we were like, “Alright we need a second
processes for Stay were long and arduous, fraught just hanging out with each other, playing some riff,” so I scratched up a part and went, “Yeah, that
with scheduling issues, pressure to succeed both guitars, going to Pat’s house to sing some songs… sounds good, that fits.” But then I went back to it
internal and external, and severe lapses in mental This is actually fun!” I think we actually made a later on, I was like, “I… Have literally done this exact
health. Off the record, shredder Tom Busby admitted conscious effort to put heaps less pressure on part a million times.” It’s a little Blink-182-esque
he was severely burnt out on songwriting; frontman ourselves. I was just like, “Ah yeah, here’s a song, picking thing, and I was like, “No. Come on, man!”
Tyler Richardson made it clear that a fifth Luca Brasi I wrote it in four minutes,” and the next thing you I had to step back and ask myself, “What do I want
record was anything but guaranteed. know, Ty goes, “That’s really cool, man, I’ve already to do here? What would a country musician play?”
And yet, somehow the band pushed through to written the chorus!” We were really just f***ing That’s literally what I thought to myself – I’m a
make 2020 their most creatively gratifying year around together – whereas with Stay, it was like, massive fan of Davey Lane and what he does in You
to date – ironically so, given how dire everything “Oh my God, every tiny little note and chord has to Am I, and especially on Deliverance he’s got some
else in the world had been. Album #5 may be be absolutely perfect, neer, neer, neer!” This time real country-sounding licks in there. So I was like,
titled Everything Is Tenuous, but as far as the band it was like, “Yep, this is a G chord, that’s a C chord, “Alright, what would Davey Lane do?” And it doesn’t
themselves go, spirits have never been higher. When there’s a song, you beauty!” It was heaps more sound like a country song at all, but the idea stuck
we link up with Busby to chat about the record, he relaxed, and we had a lot more fun making it. that I just wanted to do something different to what
looks almost surprisingly well-slept, and he’s quick I normally would.
to wax lyrical on how excited he is to be heading into What was it like doing this album almost The guitar solos are back, too! We’ve got one on
a new album cycle. entirely in-house? “Dying To Feel Alive” – I sent a rough idea to Pat and I
So what the hell happened!? How did Luca Brasi We did “Tangled” and “Selfish Love” with Andrei was like, “Can we do this? Is this an okay thing to do?”
buck the odds and come roaring back in tip-top Eremin in Melbourne, who was a gun and had And he was like, “F*** yeah, man! Get it!” Because
shape – especially since the Stay era was anything great ideas – we sent him the demos and he’d be we’d recently had a discussion about ‘90s guitar
but lowkey? Well, according to Busby, all it took was like, “Try changing this little bit.” So we’d try it pop – we love the Goo Goo Dolls, the Gin Blossoms
a few good riffs, a few cold beers and a few and immediately go, “Oh! How did we not think of and all of that shit, and that was a major inspiration
jam sessions that reminded them just that!?” We discussed doing a few songs at a time so for the record. I was like, “Man, all these
how fun it can be to rock out with your we didn’t have to be in a studio for three weeks, ‘90s pop songs all had guitar solos.”
best mates. get there after work at six o’clock and be there ’til Even mainstream songs, like “When
two in the morning – Pat and Danny [Flood, drums] You’re Gone” by Bryan Adams and
What brought you out of that have two kids each now, so it’s just Mel C – there’s like a f***ing 16-bar
post-Stay slump? Do not an option to do that anymore. guitar solo in the middle of it! This
you remember what And then Pat was the genius massive radio hit! So I was
lit the spark that that said, “Why don’t we record like, “Why the f*** are
led to those the drums where we rehearse, there no guitar solos
creative and then record everything else anymore!?”
20 | FEATURE

FREE WISHES
THE METALCORE GODS MUST BE FEELING MIGHTY GENEROUS THIS YEAR, KICKING IT OFF
WITH A FRESH AND FIERY NEW EPIC FROM THE LUMINOUS LEGENDS IN ARCHITECTS.
WORDS BY MATT DORIA. PHOTO BY ED MASON.

A
sk any metalcore diehard which bands are need to be trying something new – use your creative This is the second Architects record to be
best serving the genre today, and they’ll liberties and things like that. made entirely in-house, with production
almost certainly respond with… Well, from duties split between Dan [Searle, drums] and
experience, a bunch of weird, niche acts their What did that mean for you as a guitarist Josh [Middleton, lead guitar]. Do you find that
housemates’ cousins and such play in, who barely in particular? such a setup allows you to be more flexible or
have a fanbase outside their hometown. But they’ll All the guitar stuff is quite a bit more simple, I experimental with your songwriting?
throw in some big names too – and one of those would say. Some of our earlier records were a lot I think it just depends on the band, right?
is virtually guaranteed to be Architects. Thanks to more technical, and the band’s changed quite a lot Some bands really benefit from having an outside
their eight universally adored albums and a touring over the years. It’s been a lot more about just serving perspective. But I feel like we’re quite proficient
regimen that’s seen them smash out approximately the songs and things like that. There are a lot more with what we do. At this stage in your career, for the
two bazillion shows in the past decade, the electronic elements involved and there’s a lot more most part you’d hope you’d have worked out a lot
UK-native shredlords have built a community of going on sonically, so it’s more about moving with of the kinks as far as what works and what doesn’t
fans as devoted as they are determined; if there’s those sonic differences than it is about playing. We work, and what you want to achieve with your art.
just one thing that goes harder than the band’s experimented with some different octave effects. Having it DIY, so to speak, you can really just do
tunes, it’s their mosh pits. what you want, and flesh out your own vision for a
With album number nine on the horizon, fears It feels like you’re using the guitar more as a song. Not to say that it’s not beneficial to work with
of the quintet running out of steam are admittedly tool to set an emotion than just riff out and go a producer – we just feel comfortable not needing
justified – how long, after all, can the one band crazy. It’s sounds very cinematic. one at this stage in our career.
stay thrashing out to their hearts’ content on just a We’ve had that element going on for quite a while –
consistent basis before they hit a ruinous burnout? probably since 2012, I would say – but it gets more Does that translate much to how you operate
Yet somehow, Architects are as sharp as they’ve expanded upon with every record. We definitely all as a full unit?
ever been – For Those That Wish To Exist features really dig things like film scores and take a lot of Generally, yeah. Obviously this year has been
some of the band’s most exciting and ambitious inspiration from artists like Hans Zimmer. We try to very different – making this record was quite a
music to date, lacquering onto their time-tested use the guitar more as a complimentary instrument fragmented process for us. Earlier on in our career,
base of punishing breakdowns and red-hot solos in some cases, as opposed to the main instrument. when we were younger and before the technology
a mountain of cinematic strings, crunchy synths, Because obviously, the double-edged sword of having to record independently was so accessible, it was
blistering drum beats and soul-stirring keys. It’s a lot of elements in the one song is that you have to all about getting together in a room and hashing
balls-to-the-wall heavy, as you’d expect, but it’s leave space for things. If there’s this big string section things out as a group. But now everyone’s got
also nuanced and layered in such a way that proves and we’ve got a lot of electronics, there’s not a lot of their own recording rig at home, so you can kind
Architects are still earnestly devoted to refining room left for us to really shred out. You have to find a of patch things together and pass ideas back and
their craft, no matter how perfect it already may place for the guitar to sit – it can’t just barge through forth remotely. But it was certainly a very different
have been. the mix all the time. process this time, just because of the pandemic
Before the band kick off what’s sure to be situation – there were times where we wanted to
one of their most intense and exciting eras yet, It’s cool to see how many bands are really be in the studio together but we just couldn’t, and
Australian Guitar sat down with rhythm guitarist pushing the boundaries of metalcore and we had to adjust how we’d work together in some
Adam Christianson to learn a bit more about how breathing new life into the genre right now. interesting ways.
Architects brewed up the beast that is For Those Why do you think it is that metalcore is
That Wish To Exist. currently going through this sort of reboot, How did you feel about the new recording
or revolutionary period? setup as a creative?
So this is easily one of the most experimental To a degree, certain genres of music – especially I definitely miss the togetherness – because that’s a
Architects records to date. Were you guys the heavier types – have a bit of a glass ceiling, as big part of it, right? Even if songs were not necessarily
keen to really flex your creative muscles on to what you can do with the sound. It’s always a written together, or whatever the situation was, part
this one? balancing act because if you go too far out of your of the experience is being together in the studio when
For sure – mainly because the last three records lane, you get criticised for that, but if you’re not you’re tracking things or listening back to mixes –
were like a bit of a trilogy, cataloging what we were different enough, people go, “Oh, it’s just more of the being together and listening to things for the first
going through collectively as a band. We kind of same.” I think it’s just about wanting to breathe new time in a fleshed-out sense… That’s such an important
wanted to start fresh and try some new things. And life into the genre and expand what it can be, rather part of the experience. But y’know, we did the best we
as well, when you’re on your ninth record, you kind of than be ‘just a metalcore band’ or whatever. could to make it work for us!
 | 21

THE SPIKE IN THE PUNCH

earliest little ideas I put down in Logic ended up
making it to the final mix.

How did that dynamic translate to your role

A MOLOTOV COCKTAIL OF ROCK AND POP SET TO IGNITE THE as a guitarist?
Well, when we were writing “MAKEMEFEELALIVE”,
SCENE LIKE NEVER BEFORE, THE LATEST EFFORT FROM YOU ME AT I was in a spot in my life where I felt a lot of anger
SIX IS EASILY THEIR MOST AMBITIOUS, IF NOT THEIR OUTRIGHT BEST. and a bit of a rebellious attitude; I was listening
to stuff like The Prodigy and Marilyn Manson, and
WORDS BY MATT DORIA. PHOTO BY DANIEL HARRIS.
kind of going back to my older, heavier roots – you
don’t forget where you come from, y’know? And

F
or pop-rock titans You Me At Six, the road and I, we’ve gotten a lot more into production I kind of wanted to bring that back to You Me At
to Suckapunch has been long and winding, and making music from home, using different Six, knowing that for some of our fanbase, their
fraught with potholes and speed-bumps tools to create our songs. favourite records are Sinners Never Sleep and Take
aplenty. But now, on the cusp of the album’s hotly I spend a lot of time making music on a Mac Off Your Colours, which have a lot of aggression and
anticipated release (after a handful of COVID- now, whereas two or three records ago I would anger to them. But also, working with Dan on the
related delays, of course), rhythm guitarist Max have to write a song on the guitar and hope production level we’d started exploring, we said to
Helyer looks back on it all with a sigh of relief and for the best; I’d go, “Right, I’ve got this song ourselves, “Let’s not make it all just super angry
a slight chuckle. It took him and his bandmates idea… But, uh, I need everybody here to show rock riffs – let’s try to bring some breakbeat into it.
almost two decades to reach the level they’re at – you.” But now, Dan and I can build songs on our Let’s play with some flavours that our band hasn’t
the level they’ve always strived to reach, but never laptops to a state that showcases a fully formed touched on before.” We wanted to make it more
quite knew how to climb – and now that they’ve direction and aesthetic. We have more control exciting for ourselves. Because if the artists aren’t
finally made it, there’s nothing but good vibes. over, and ownership of, how the songs sound excited when they’re making the song, that’s going
Helyer describes Suckapunch as the definitive and the directions we can take them in. And we to come through in the song itself.
You Me At Six album, and such is certainly can be as big and brave and bold as we want to
palpable when listening to it – from the glittery be, because y’know, if an idea doesn’t work out, I know you’re still big on using an analogue
and lowkey “What’s It Like” to the absolutely we can always just go back and change things signal chain for your guitar parts. Why have
mental “MAKEMEFEELALIVE”, LP7 showcases the around in the files. you remained so staunch on that?
band at their absolute most daring, unafraid to I love the challenge. Every day is a new challenge
subvert traditional pop tropes with gritty punk What’s your philosophy towards how you when you’re working with analogue equipment.
attitudes, bassy electro-driven soundscapes and build a demo in that virtual space? Every scenario you go into, your amps are going
fiery rock ’n’ roll riffs. To achieve such a diverse The best way to describe how I write a song is to sound different. Different rooms are going to
and dynamic set of musical gems, the band took that I look at it as though I’m a painter – you start change the tone of what I’m playing, just by virtue of
it upon themselves to spread far and wide outside off with a blank canvas, which I’d look at as the the acoustics. Our guitar tech turned around to me
their comfort zones; in Helyer’s case, that meant production, and you have a palate of colours. And recently and went, “Man, I forgot how much of an
putting down the guitar and exploring the world of being able to add or subtract as many different amazing setup you have.” That’s something I’ve been
digital audio workstations. colours as you want, it allows you to really dive working on since 2013, I’ve really been honing in on
down the rabbithole and explore what’s possible. my live sound and what I use to accomplish it. It’s
Was the idea to push yourselves as hard as I love being adventurous and creative, and that’s become somewhat like my baby, y’know? It’s a part
you could on a creative wavelength? why I’m a musician – it’s the way I express myself. of who I am as a human being! It also compliments
Definitely. I mean, when you look at our band And some of the mistakes that happen in the what the other guys do as well.
and the catalogue we’ve got, I think we always try production turn out to be some of the greatest
to push ourselves forward with each new record. things that can happen to a song. When we got What are the crown jewels of your gear
We want it to challenge the listener, y’know? We into the studio with Dan Austin, I showed him setup at the moment?
don’t want to keep repeating the same formulas some of the ideas I’d been working on, and was There’s this company called Audio Kitchen –
over and over again, because we feel like that would he like, “Oh, that’s really cool and that’s really they’re a boutique amp company from the UK,
be copping our fans out of something fresh and cool,” and he was picking out all these different and the guy behind it, Steve Crow, is an amazing
exciting. But also for ourselves, as creatives, it’s stems that he liked. I thought they would all be designer; I can’t speak highly enough of him!
important to stay on your toes. Dan [Flint, drums] erased out or not used at all, but some of the Whatever he does in his studio, making these
chipboards and getting his amps to sound the way
they sound… I basically hunted him down after I
saw the amps he’d made for some people. I think
it was Yannis [Philippakis] from Foals, he was
using this pedal called the Big Trees – it’s like a
tube distortion pedal, which was really cool, and I
was really interested in buying one; and Steve had
made custom guitar heads for the Foo Fighters,
Queens Of The Stone Ages, the Arctic Monkeys, The
Cure… So I was just like, “This guy must be doing
something amazing.” So I hit him up and said,
“Hey, can you do something up for me?”
That was in 2013, and he’s been a very good
friend of mine since. And I’ve noticed that a lot
more people around the world now know about
his products. Even when I was at Abbey Road for
our Amazon Original session, one of the engineers
was like, “Ah, I see you’ve got a Little Chopper! I’d
love to get one of them!” That’s a guy at Abbey
Road, y’know? And Steve is just a guy who makes
amps and pedals in a little suburban garage in
London. When you’ve got an engineer working at a
historical recording studio like Abbey Road saying,
“Oh, I’ve heard about these amps, I’ve heard
they’re amazing,” that’s when you know you’re
onto something!
22 | FEATURE

MUCH MORE
THAN LITTLE
THE NEW YEAR HAS ONLY JUST
BEGUN, BUT IF 2021 HAS UP ITS
SLEEVES AN INDIE-ROCK ALBUM
MORE EMPHATIC OR ETHEREAL
THAN JULIEN BAKER’S LATEST,
WE’LL EAT OUR DAMN HATS.
WORDS BY MATT DORIA.
PHOTO BY KYLE REINFORD.

W
ith her road-worn, off-white Tele in deliberately set out to make a pop record. I know made a score, and it was pretty minimal and
hand and her scratchy, sugar-sweetened there are some songs on the record that, to me, electronically based. It was the experience of having
ruminations on millennial angst, broken sound like old 2000s emo bands, and that’s definitely the thought, like, “I could make a Jackson Pollock! A
love and stormy inner crises, Julien Baker makes what I wanted to be channeling there. But they must two-year-old could make a Jackson Pollock!” But then
a theatre full of twenty-somethings feel like one have totally different analogues in other people’s going and trying to do it, and realising how actually
incredibly gigantic, overly sweaty family reunion. It mental discographies, y’know? hard and deliberate the process is… Nothing about
beggars belief how such simple indie-rock songs can it is really haphazard – even the stuff that sounds
burst through the barriers of emotional reclusivity; Did that present much of a challenge for intentionally low-fi, or intentionally minimalist, is
no matter how deep your feelings are buried, Julien you as a songwriter, having all these new actually very calculated.
wields the power to unearth them with no more than elements to work with and stylistic
three chords and a sharp hook. And, like she does techniques to embrace? What did your guitar rig look like for LP3?
her own over three earnest and urgent studio albums, I guess it depends on whether you’re talking about It’s always interesting talking to guitar magazines
she encourages you to embrace those feelings. the practise of songwriting encompassing production because I was never a guitar buff. For the longest
The latest of her studio output is Little Oblivions: and arrangement, along with lyricism. Because I time, I used an Ibanez Artcore, and then I got a
an album that builds on Baker’s typically sparse had all the songs written in my head and I knew Mexican Tele that I used for quite a while, and now
and subdued soundscapes with a headphone-filling how I wanted them all to sound in 2019, and then what I’m playing is a solid maple American Standard
avalanche of luscious full-band instrumentation, we recorded the majority of them, the new tracks Tele with a Lollard soapbar in the neck. I never quite
daring thematic bombshells, and stylistic detours and overdubs and things, throughout that year and liked the three-pickup Tex-Mex sound, and I never
that show just how strong Baker’s creative palate into 2020. It’s funny because not a tonne about my quite liked dual-bucker Deluxe Teles because they
has grown in the five years since releasing 2017’s songwriting process changed, but a lot about the were always just too aggressive for me. But I’m also
Turn Out The Lights. It’s an album as powerful as it is recording process did – and how much time I would finding out that that was probably just because I’d
personal, and one certainly poised to launch Baker spend on songs. When I write a song by myself in put way too high-powered a speaker into my amp
to enormous new heights. my room, with whatever instruments are available as a child, and I thought every guitar was way too
Before the record bumps her right up from theatres to me, that’s the purest version of the song – that’s aggressive for me. But y’know, that’s learning where
to arenas, Baker sat down to run Australian Guitar its most stripped and vulnerable version. But I distortion comes from, what pickup distortion and
through all its kaleidoscopic peaks and valleys. started to open myself up more to the idea of using overdrive and pedal distortion are, and how amps
percussive elements and synths, and bizarre noises process all of that. But yeah, I was jamming mostly
So first of all, this album sounds absolutely and overdriven guitars. that American Standard Tele.
beautiful. And that’s not to say your first two It was pretty challenging. I mean, it was mostly
records don’t, but where those shine more for challenging because I’m not good at drums – I What’s kept you faithful to the Telecaster?
their sparseness and rawness, this album is have a basic understanding of how drums work, I As a child, I never had much breadth of knowledge
beautiful more for how rich and dense – guess. The person who plays drums with me live about guitars. I got an SG, and I didn’t really like
almost poppy – it sounds in parts. is Matthew Gilliam, who was in Forrister, and he’s my SG because the neck was too thick. Then I had
It’s interesting, because I feel like there’s two incredible at drums! But I wanted the drums on an Ibanez Artcore, which I got because I wanted a
aspects there to talk about. There’s the idea of this record to have an “un-drummerly” sound on hollowbody Gretsch or ES-335 but I couldn’t afford
moving to a full-band sound, which isn’t actually what purpose, y’know? And it’s funny because when one. And I mean, no shame on Ibanez! They have
we did. I played most of the drums and all the other I think of “un-drummerly” sounds, I always find some great guitars, but that one just didn’t have
instruments on the record, and then Calvin [Lauber], myself referencing Jason McGerr’s drums. He’s a particularly good hardware, so I replaced it with
who helped me engineer the record, plays drums professional drummer – he drums in Death Cab For a Telecaster – and that was, like, the Goldilocks
on one song and a synth on a couple of things. It’s Cutie and he played drums on The Con by Tegan & zone. But it’s interesting because it’s like proximity
very much an individual-with-one-other-person kind Sara – but those drums are so… I don’t know, they’re breeding complacency – I know a Telecaster, I know
of collaboration, but it does sound like a full-band so much different than a solo drummer, or a metal how a Telecaster is supposed to sound and how it’s
thing. And that’s new! I mean, we’ve been doing live drummer who has rudiments down to 30-second supposed to work, and I’ve always just felt like there’s
sessions and trying to make the studio versions of the notes. And that’s kind of the sound I wanted to go not much I couldn’t accomplish with it.
songs translate to a live setting for a while, but as far for. I thought, “Well, if I play drums badly, it might I remember my dad saying to me when I was a
as the record itself goes, that was very new. sound like Jason McGerr’s actual genius.” And it kid, “You ever see rock bands where they switch
And then there’s that notion of it being a pop- doesn’t [laughs]. guitars every song? Well when you watch AC/DC,
centric record, and yeah, man, that’s something that [Angus Young] is just playing one guitar!” I don’t know
more than one interviewer has said to me! Maybe It’s “abstract”. how true that is – I’ve never seen AC/DC play – but I
that was a subconscious influence on this record, Yeah, there we go! Exactly! But y’know, I feel like somehow internalised that as though I should only
which I maybe didn’t even realise. Because I didn’t that would almost be oversimplifying it. I recently have one guitar that just does the job, y’know?
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 | 25

A CRUSHING CLASH to put them. It was so much fun to collaborate with

him, because he’s almost like a teacher.

OF CULTURES
How does this project allow you to expand
your horizons as a guitarist?
When I play in Mary’s Blood, there are three
other girls who are more into things like j-pop;
they’re not into heavy metal as much, so I can’t
play as hard as I do in Amahiru. Mary’s Blood is
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PAIR AN ICON OF EUROPEAN selling internationally, but mainly we think about
METAL WITH THE UNDEFEATED QUEEN OF JAPANESE POST-ROCK? our Japanese customers, and it’s hard to find a
YOU GET AMAHIRU: ONE OF THE MOST JAW-DROPPINGLY balance between the pop things and the heavy
metal things as a member. Then for Amahiru,
BADASS BANDS IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW. we’re able to play in more hard-rock and heavy
WORDS BY MATT DORIA. PHOTO BY TAKUMI NAKAJIMA. metal styles. I’m playing a lot more aggressive
than I do in Mary’s Blood. And Fred is a very
good guitarist – I didn’t know that he could play

I
t’s often said that music is the one truly universal is really popular here in Japan, so they were like so well, honestly. I went to see him play with
language – perhaps the only human creation saying, “You’re friends with Fred? What do you Sinsaenum, his other band with Joey Jordison, and
capable of transcending literally any cultural think about inviting him to play on the album?” I he was doing the death metal – I was so surprised
or political barrier. For those of us lucky enough to thought that was a good idea, so I convinced him that he could play like that! Normally people know
have experienced live music in a land foreign to our to join the album for a couple of songs. But it was him as a bassist in Dragonforce, so I was like,
own, such a claim is instantly agreeable – there’s no so fun to work with him and we both had a lot of “How does he do that?” I kept being defeated by
feeling quite as homely as standing arm in arm with ideas, so we decided to make Amahiru as its own him because he’s a very serious guitarist, and I
a fellow metalhead in the middle of a mosh pit, even project. And then one day Fred called me and usually play a lot more pop-style songs. So yeah, I
if you have clue at all what they’re saying to you said, “I had a dream that I signed a contract with try really hard to play heavier in Amahiru.
in-between songs. our band name, and it was Amahiru.” That’s how
For musicians themselves, too, it’s a powerful we decided on the name [laughs]. What can you tell us about your infamous
experience to explore the intrinsic cultural ties red-and-gold Killer Fascist?
bound to various forms of music. Especially in the Did the direction of music itself change when So the guitarist from a metal band called
modern day, we’re seeing more and more artists it pivoted from a solo project into a band? Loudness, Akira Takasaki, he made the Killer
fuse ethnically traditional tunes with contemporary It started off that I wrote the songs, but Fred Guitars brand. It was about ten years ago, their
genres; the most obvious example, for heavy metal also sent me some songs over email. At first, president found me at some shows – I forget the
fans at least, might be Sepultura’s 1996 tribal-thrash I didn’t think about bringing any traditional exact details, but I was already playing a Killer
masterpiece Roots. Japanese styles to the album – but Fred said it had guitar, and their president said, “What do you
Though it’s undoubtedly Western pop music meaning to be there, and it would sound really think about signing to Killer Guitars so we can
that’s penetrated the most international markets, cool to have the European style from him and the support you?” So I signed a sponsorship deal
metal is probably the genre most communities Japanese style from me, and bring those together. with them, and I’ve been using their Fascist model
can embrace on a core cultural level. There are So I wrote some more using the Japanese scales, since then. It’s a seven-string guitar, but it’s a little
types of metal totally unique to, or that thrive and we changed some little bits. Then last year, bit cleaner than a normal seven-string guitar. My
especially well in, pretty much every continent – he came to Japan and we put everything together hand is so little, so they made it custom for me.
from Australia’s hardcore-influenced underground here, so we picked and finished writing all the Killer Guitars are mainly built for heavy metal
to the deep and doomy sounds of Europe, to the songs together. guitarists, so they have a very strong mid sound,
USA’s love for southern thrash and the Asian boom which I like. I asked them to make me a guitar
in glitchy electronicore.

European heavy metal.

solos, balls-to-the-wall break

Australian Guitar

new project?
26 | FEATURE

BACK TO THE FUTURE

FOR MOST ARTISTS WITH OVER 50 ALBUMS TO THEIR NAME, THE IDEA OF BREAKING NEW GROUND MIGHT
SEEM OUTLANDISH, IF NOT OUTRIGHT IMPOSSIBLE. FOR PROG GOD STEVEN WILSON, THOUGH? WELL,
IT’S A GODDAMN PIECE OF CAKE.
WORDS BY MATT DORIA. PHOTO BY HAJO MUELLER.

T
hough he’s best known as one of the most I love that you’re learning all these new example, “Personal Shopper” or “Eminent Sleaze”,
revolutionary string-splitters in prog-rock techniques from artists born decades after they’re very angular – they’re quite abstract, and
history (thanks in no short part to his you started making music. they’re more about the sound design than the notes.
tenure fronting Porcupine Tree), Steven Wilson When you’re young, you’re always listening to I think the beautiful thing about the guitar is
has his headstocks dipped deep in a myriad of music made by people that are much older than you. that it is an endlessly adaptable instrument. It’s
genre-disparate pots. Take for example his sixth But as you get older, you inevitably end up listening a shame that you don’t hear a lot of guitar in
solo album – The Future Bites, hot off the presses to music made by people much younger than you. modern pop music. If I do hear a guitar, it’s been
via Universal – which blends with Wilson’s signature I’m 53 now, so a lot of the music I listen to is made so processed, quantised, sampled, beat-detected
serpentine fretwork an array of glitchy and glittery by people that are younger than me. And y’know, and glitched up that it doesn’t sound like a guitar
synths, keyboard solos and dance beats. one of the most magical things about music is its anymore – but I still believe in the possibilities
In many ways, The Future Bites is a highly ability to constantly evolve and constantly reinvent of the guitar. So I approached it in a different
conceptual effort. Sonically, it explores a realm of itself – and that is predominantly the domain of context – a more electronic context – finding a way
contemporary pop music sometimes minimalist, and younger people, who perhaps don’t have the weight to incorporate the guitar into that very different
sometimes absolutely bursting at the seams with of knowledge; they don’t know or care about all the musical vocabulary by using different processing
captivatingly convoluted disarray. Thematically, it history of rock music. Sometimes I wish I didn’t have techniques. I’m really proud of what I’ve done with
explores how technology has both benefitted and that, because it’s very easy to end up pastiching the guitar on this record.
hindered the progression of modern society – it invites things that you love, or wear your influences too
us on a critical journey through, as a press release obviously on your sleeves. How do you find that sweet spot where
informs us, a world where “ongoing, very public So on this album, it was a question of trying the guitar has a place in the song, but still
experiments with nascent technology on our lives take to get out of my comfort zone, listening to music allows those other elements to shine?
place constantly; where clicks and Tiks have become that I wouldn’t normally listen to, made by much It’s about thinking more of the guitar as a sound
more important that human interaction.” younger musicians – music that didn’t have any sort source, which is there to be processed – it’s not a
It’s a major stylistic departure for Wilson – for of commonality between my own music, and music sacred thing. You can take a guitar and you can f***
starters, guitars are often not the focal point of that could make me think about what I could be it up, you can put it through plugins and you can
a song, but rather ancillary to these twisting and doing in different ways. My comfort zone is down put it through pedals and you can reverse it, slow it
twining labyrinths of synthetic melody – but one the that sort of conceptual rock rabbithole, post-Pink down, speed it up – I’ve done all of those things on
53-year-old Londonite was ecstatic to dive into. Floyd, whatever it is. I’ve done that for most of my this record! I fed it through synthesisers and used
Ironically, given the album’s themes, Wilson caught career – and I’ve made a lot of records that I’m MIDI plugins to modulate the sound of my guitars – in
up with Australian Guitar to talk about The Future Bites very proud of, but I think I was getting a bit too a way, it’s bringing that electronic sensibility to the
via… Believe it or not… Technology! A Zoom call, of all complacent towards the end of the last decade. I guitar. It’s no different to a keyboard in that respect,
things! What’s next – telepathically sending us emoji needed to trying making something that felt more in terms of what you can do with the instrument. And
over 5G wavelengths!? SAY IT AIN’T SO, STEVEN! edgy, more contemporary, and could stand in its own I really believe that if the guitar is going to prevail as
right as a record made in 2020. we go further into the 21st century, that’s what guitar
How did you want to flex your creative players need to start doing a bit more.
muscles on this record?

Erase.
To The Bone
 | 27

DOWN
TO EARTH
AFTER BEING FORCED TO PAUSE THEIR TYPICALLY
ULTRA-TURBULENT SCHEDULE, TASH SULTANA
DECIDED – AGAINST ALL PLAUSIBLE ODDS – THAT
THEY ACTUALLY APPRECIATED MOVING AT A
CRUISER, MORE EASYGOING PACE. THE PRODUCT
OF THAT? AN ALBUM OF PURE SONIC EUPHORIA.

WORDS BY MATT DORIA. PHOTO BY GIULIA MCGAURAN.

S
ince the days when they’d stream keep trying to find where that validation is, and that’s and technique and all of that. So I would just be like,
bedroom-set jam sessions on YouTube, we at been my journey this year. That’s a lot of what the “Monday is piano, Tuesday is trumpet, Wednesday is
Australian Guitar have spouted nothing but album is about, and how it ended up the way that it guitar, Thursday is drums, blah, blah, blah…” And I
love for Tash Sultana. But it’d be a lie to imply their did. But I’m not nervous at all. An album is just an practised entirely new rudiments and scales.
chaotic energy was any shade of easy to work with: extension of yourself as an artist; every time you
mania defines the multi-instrumentalist, hectic make a new song, you’re just further extending your Speaking of the guitars themselves, what
schedules, last-minute plot twists and spontaneous capabilities as an artist. Y’know how people always say gear went into making this record?
hops to foreign lands all the norm for an artist things like, “Oh yeah, their fourth album is shit,” or, “I I pretty much used only three electric guitars. I used
whose life moves at about 35 times the speed of the liked their other stuff”? I think that’s a bad attitude to my 1960 Fender Custom – it’s like a heavy relic in this
average human’s. Do they even sleep? (We’ve asked have towards music, because it’s just art, y’know? It crazy light blue finish. I’ve swapped out the pickups in
that, half-jokingly: the answer is “some nights”). can go in whatever which way, and that’s the cool thing all of my guitars, and that one has a DiMarzio single-coil
Scoring the rare interview with Sultana means about it. And if you’re ever stuck, just get into the studio on the back. That guitar made it onto the majority of
being extra flexible, since they almost always and co-write with people, try new stuff out, reinvent the record, and then I actually used a Gretsch for all of
call early and refuse to wait around – and being yourself! I don’t see why it has to be so f***ing serious. the warmer, thicker sounding rhythm parts. I has 11-52
especially choosy with questions, since they don’t gauge strings on that one; usually I go for the nines, but
have the time to f*** around with any small-talk. So the phrase Terra Firma obviously refers to for that guitar I keep it nice and thick. And then the last
At least, that’s how things were a few years the Earth – “firm land” in Latin if we’re being guitar I used was my signature Stratocaster.
ago. Since hopping off the touring cycle for their totally literal. How is that title reflected on
explosively successful Flow State album, Sultana the album itself? Which just hit shelves! Congratulations! What
made the unconventional decision to hide away for I’ve been living a really fast-paced life for quite a was it like getting down to the nitty-gritty
a bit before kicking off their second album era. A while, but when I got home at the end of last year, I with Fender?
well-earned break led the 23-year-old rocker to a had a handful of shows to wrap things up and that was It took a little bit of time, hey. That guitar took about
poignant epiphany: things don’t always have to be it. Everything stopped. All the tours were cancelled, all 18 months to make, from the first prototype to the
so excessively frenetic. It’s okay – crucial, even – to the holidays were cancelled… The world hit a pause. production kit – which ended up being totally different
stop and take a deep breath every once in a while, Everyone was just waiting for me to snap and lose my to the guitar we had at the start. The first prototype
look around and feel the ground beneath your feet. mind, because I’m just naturally so wild. I can’t sit still, was a really deep brown and had a rosewood body. But
Cue: Terra Firma, the long awaited follow-up to I get bored super easy, I have really bad ADHD and you’re not allowed to manufacture guitars in rosewood
Flow State and a journey not just into new sonic all that – but I was just really chill. I was really mellow anymore, that was a new law that passed recently, so
territories that Sultana had never before thought throughout the whole thing, and I enjoyed every lesson we had to change our course of direction. But I had
to explore, but too some intensely transformative that I learned about it all. And in that time, I wrote this really, really nice American Pro Series Strat, and
and mindset-altering bouts of self-actualisation and an album that coincided with the realisations I was I thought, “Man, this is a nice guitar!” I’d used that
reckoning. It’s an album that only could exist with having within myself, which was that I’m at a really a lot on the first record and on tour, and I realised:
Sultana forced to hit the brakes on a trailblazing stint nice place at 25, I’m really thankful for everything that people are really fond of these because it’s kind of like
that had no end in sight – partially at the hand of I’ve learned and I’m really thankful for all the people a new-age Strat where it’s got the technology of today,
the last year’s world-halting Coronavirus pandemic, around me. I just felt super grounded. but it’s also incorporated the sound of the Strats from
but mostly Sultana’s own realisation that if they the ‘50s and the ‘60s.
didn’t take a second to chill out soon, the inevitable Did you find yourself wanting to explore any So it’s basically an American Pro Series Strat with
burnout would’ve been impossible to recover from. new approaches to the guitar on this record? a few little custom changes, like a single-coil tap and
Before they duck back out for another whirlwind Yeah, I did. It’s all I did – every day was just practise, Yosemite pickups. We gave it this really bold Cherry Red
bout of world domination, we caught up with practise, practise! I’ve got a little Sunday-to-Saturday coat – it’s actually a stain that Fender has never used
Sultana to riff on why Terra Firma will go down as whiteboard schedule; I have to write everything down before, and they won’t use again. I’m a massive fan of
perhaps their most essential body of work… to stay focussed, and that’s been a total livesaver. gold hardware, too, so we chucked that bling all over
So on a Monday I would practise piano scales, for the guitar. It used to have a different scratchplate – it
What’s the vibe like as you gear up for this example, and I’d do vocal warmups every day just to was tortoiseshell, but I swapped it out for the pearl
new era? Are you as nervous or excited as keep my voice nice and strong. Because singing is kind because it made the red pop much more. And I just
you were the first time around, or have of like running a marathon: you can’t just get up and wanted it to be an affordable Stratocaster that young
you almost gotten used to the hype? run a marathon and expect to not do any damage – players of any gender could appreciate. It’s custom
I don’t know about the hype, man, I’ve been you’ve gotta keep training. And you’ve got to do the made by me, but it’s for everybody else. I even put my
feeling pretty invisible this year. I think we all same with your voice and your playing, otherwise your logo on the back, because I didn’t want that to deter
have – the lack of a normal world can make you talents start to wither away. There’s no shows on, but somebody away from the guitar if they’re not a fan of
feel a little bit miserable. But you’ve just got to there’s plenty of time to get really deep into theory mine; they don’t have to flash my logo around.
28 | FEATURE

LIVE
AND/OR
LET LIVE
ON HER FIRST SOLO RELEASE IN OVER A DECADE, AGAINST ME! FRONTWOMAN LAURA JANE GRACE
SEARCHES FOR BEAUTY AND BELONGING IN AN ERA DEFINED BY ISOLATION AND DESPAIR.
WORDS BY MATT DORIA. PHOTO BY ALEXA VISCIUS.

I
f there’s one fanbase out there who truly knows record I do that isn’t with Against Me!, I want it to be of us and we have to record the songs this way, and
the definition of patience, it’s that of Floridian punk billed as my ‘very first debut solo record’ [laughs]. everyone has to have a part to play.” We were having
band Against Me!. In the four years since releasing trouble with that in the studio, and I was reaching a
their fantastic seventh album, Shape Shift With Me, How quickly did these songs come together? point of frustration because it’s like, I can sing, I can
we’ve come annoyingly close to receiving a follow- Are they very spur-of-the-moment in that play guitar, I can write the songs… “Everyone else,
up – first in 2018, before the material was scrapped you’d have the idea, tuck it away and move you’ve gotta do your own thing.” If we’re not lining
in favour of Bought To Rot, an album by frontwoman on to the next? up in the moment and it’s all feeling forced, then
Laura Jane Grace with her side-project The Devouring Well these songs were written over a two, f*** it, y’know? Let’s just walk away from it. When a
Mothers; and again in 2020, before the Coronavirus three-year period of time, and they had taken on a pandemic basically is telling you, “Walk away from it
pandemic forced them to cancel a touring stint that bunch of different forms – there’s full-band versions for a second,” then you have to walk away from it.
would’ve led directly into a month of studio time. of all of them, and those full-band versions are much
Promises of a demo compilation – sneakily released more fleshed-out with all the intros and re-intros and I was going to ask if it felt like you’d come
under the pseudonym Angela Baker to avoid label bridges and stuff that are more instrumental-based. full-circle in a way, given how the early
dramas – were also cut when Grace decided instead to So when I decided to do [the record] this way, it was Against Me! stuff was all acoustic.
focus on recording a solo album in isolation. Thankfully about stripping all those parts off and getting back to 100 percent! And consciously, too. Especially in
however, that album – the 14-track Stay Alive, surprise- what the core of what the song was at the start. And feeling like, “Alright, look – this time sucks. It sucks
released online last October, with physical copies fresh that was just acoustic guitar and vocals. I had fleshed for everyone.” And there have been so many times
on shelves – is fantastic. It’s bright, dry and narrative- out every possible angle a song could head in, tried over my career when fans have come up to me and
focussed, almost every track comprised of Grace and it every different way, and then just pulled back to been like, “Hey, I’d love to hear you do a record like
her acoustic guitar unfettered, all kinks and cracks laid the bare basics of it. But in preparation for going into [Reinventing Axl Rose] again!” Or even with Heart
bare as she sings and strums her heart out. the studio with Steve, I was very focussed. I timed it Burns, people being like, “I’d love to hear you do
Stay Alive is the product of panic attacks, existential with the moon – I was like, “Alright, it’s a full moon another thing like Heart Burns.” So if there was ever
crises and isolation, frustration towards the music tonight, so starting tomorrow, I’m going to practise a time to just flay myself out to the fans and go,
industry in toto and a defiant desire to rebel against these songs every single day. I’m going to run “F*** it, sure,” it’s now, right? I’m just like, “Sure, if it
the notion that art shouldn’t exist in a time when its through them at least once, every day for the next would make you happy, I’ll do it. That would make me
profitability isn’t optimal. It’s a record steeped in anger, complete moon cycle, until the next full moon.” happy, to make you happy.” Because f*** it, dude, we
and yet, it is truly beautiful. And so we caught up with need some fan-service shit going on right now.
Grace – via Zoom, much to her chagrin against the Hypothetically, will we eventually get
platform – to discuss how she was able to imbue such full-band performances of these songs? Speaking of which, we should talk about
beauty in a scenario so ugly. Well to me, there’s no reason why we can’t do that. guitars! What were you playing on this LP?
With what we were just saying about how songs can I recorded this whole album on my Australian
This is your first proper “solo album”, but die, it was just that I needed to get these songs out Maton guitar! I brought three different acoustics into
you did have the Heart Burns EP all the way now, in whatever form I could. And y’know, going back the studio with me – I brought in a Gibson, a Yamaha
back in 2008 – had you tried to do another through the history of Against Me!, that’s the way and a Maton, and I was thinking I would do it with
solo record since then, or has your mind just the band started – I would write songs, record them the Gibson, but the Maton just sounded the best. And
always been elsewhere? as acoustic demos, and then we’d flesh them out as that’s the guitar on the whole record. I bought it when
I guess I don’t necessarily approach it like that a band. That’s what the majority of Reinventing Axl I was touring Australia with Chuck Regan in 2008.
mentally, y’know? The categorisation that happens Rose is: different, more full-band versions of songs There’s not even a DI – it was just strictly, like, a ribbon
to stuff after the fact, to me, is usually pretty that were already recorded in a much more stripped- microphone on the guitar and a mic on my vocal, and
inconsequential. And if we were having a private down element. So in looking at it that way, there’s no that was it.
conversation, I would just be like, “I don’t give a reason why we can’t come back and [play songs from
f***.” It doesn’t matter to me. Band record, solo Stay Alive as Against Me!] if we want to.” After this Is that your go-to for when you’re having a
record, side-project… Call it what you want, y’know? pandemic shit plays out, if we want to come out of the casual strum at home as well?
It doesn’t make a difference to me, because the gates swinging and go on tour immediately as Against I have this new Yamaha – I think it’s a CSF or
process is always the same – I start out writing songs Me! before we put out a new record, well, we still have something like that – and that’s been my at-home
on my guitar in my office, and then I’ll bring them to new songs that we’ll be able to play. guitar for a while. But I’m non-monogamous when
the band if I feel like it needs to be a band record… It’s just about not putting any limits on things. it comes to my guitar relationships. I get wrapped
But it’s all about finding what feels good for the songs Because that’s where everything was getting stuck up into deep affairs with them that last for extended
in the end, and the way that everything lined up for with [the eighth Against Me! album] before we had periods of time, but I love guitars and I have a lot of
this record was inarguably what felt good for the to pack it up – thinking, like, “Oh it has to be this guitars, and I’ll switch back and forth depending on
songs. But I don’t know… I think from hereon out, any one way.” Going, “We’re Against Me! – there’s four the mood.

| www.guitarworld.com/australianguitar
 | 29

A WAVE
WORTH
SURFING
WITH ALBUM #2, THE GOTH-POP HELLIONS
IN PALE WAVES SET THEIR SIGHTS ON
WORLD DOMINATION. AS FOR HOW
THEY’LL ACHIEVE IT? WELL, THEY’VE
GOT TWO OF THE MOST INESCAPABLE
DRAWCARDS IN THEIR CLUTCH:
NOSTALGIA, AND EXISTENTIAL CRISES.
WORDS BY MATT DORIA. PHOTO BY NIALL LEA.

D
on’t let their mercilessly over-the-top, that’s when I knew that I needed to work on Having really cut your teeth on the live
crusty goth-punk shell steer you off – Pale myself and realign my priorities. I had a bit of a circuit over the past few years, did you find
Waves are all about spreading good vibes, meltdown, like, “Who am I? What is it that I want yourselves approaching this record more
bold and buoyant pop-rock jams and memories to leave this earth with?” And I wrote that song, with the stage in mind?
that’ll last a lifetime. Like their mentors, the fellow “Who Am I?”, when we were on tour with Halsey As an artist, I don’t ever really think about that.
Dirty Hit upstarts and binary-bending deviants in Europe. I just sort of fell into this really huge I probably should, definitely – people do say that
in The 1975, the aesthetic-heavy quartet first slump – I tend to go into depressive states, but I you should really take in mind what songs go down
chiselled out a passionate UK following – and hadn’t fallen this low in quite a while. It sort of hit well live. I think with the next bit of material that we
now, on the cusp of releasing their second album, me all at once, and I just went into the bathroom come out with, I really will bear that in mind more,
are ready to make one hell of a splash on the and wrote “Who Am I?” And that really sums up because I feel like I was self-indulging, in a way, on
international scene. That album in question is the album, because it’s all about me, like, yearning these last two record – I just went into the studio
the aptly experiential Who Am I? – a piercingly to understand who I am. and was like, “I want to record these sort of songs!
peppery set of chords, keys and quips that’ll stick I want to do this for me!” I’m sure it’s going to be so
to your brain like gum in freshly washed hair. I love that you were able to turn your fun and people are going to really enjoy it, but yeah.
The band declare Who Am I? to stand as personal crisis into art. The next time around, I want to write songs that
the official Pale Waves manifesto, “inspiring That’s the beauty of music, isn’t it!? sound like Courtney Love – like a Hole cover band
inclusivity, self-discovery, and the notion of being – way more grungy and nasty and guitar-driven!
whoever the hell you want to be.” And as its Was there anything you learned from doing That’s the sort of vibe I want to go for next, and I
grungy, washed-out cover art would imply, the the first record that you were excited to think that’s what goes down so well. So I’m doing
record sounds like a freshly unearthed relic from bring over to this one? the complete opposite next time around.
the peak of emo-pop circa 2006. Which makes Yeah! I feel like I’ve become more aware about
sense – as frontwoman Heather Baron-Gracie tells what it is I want to say. I’d spent a lot more time What were you jamming out on for this one?
Australian Guitar, she and her bandmates were listening to different genres of music. On the first I had my 12-string Vox that I used a lot. I like
bitten quite hard by the nostalgia bug when it album, I was really boxed in – I had boxed myself using 12-string guitars because it’s very Cure-like,
came to bashing out these bangers. in with certain genres, but with this one, I’ve really y’know? It’s very Robert Smith, and I do love The
branched out. It sounds very, like, 2000s, late Cure – they were a massive influence on our first
I always love when an album title asks a ‘90s – and that’s because I’ve been listening to way album. I think I just like the natural chorus that you
question! Is this one rhetorical, or something more music from those eras, and I’ve really found get from a 12-string. You don’t need to cram a bunch
you wanted to explore thematically across what types of music I like. I have much more of an of pedals into it or anything – it just has this really
the record itself? inner love for country music right now – every night magic charm to it. And then Rich [Costey, producer]
I feel like this album is a journey through my when I cook, I listen to country music! had this acoustic, which isn’t from a known brand
emotional growth as a person across the past I’ve just expanded my vision on so many or anything – his next door neighbour literally made
year. I came to the realisation that I really needed different things. I’ve travelled the world and I’ve it for him – and it sounded amazing. It was kind of
to grow up. Because when you’re on tour, and met so many people, and that’s really helped me similar to a Gibson with the body shape and the
you do the same day – the same routine around become more aware of the message I want to overall feel, but it had this really unique tone to it.
the same people – over and over again. You’re deliver as an artist. Whereas on the first album, I And then Hugo [Silvani, lead guitar] went
constantly being babied, too: “Okay, you’re here was like, “Oh my God, I don’t know what I want to through a bunch of shitದhe’s the typical gear nerd
at this time and then you’re doing this – is there say!” It was cool, but I was overwhelmed, because in the band, y’know, he likes to trial out everything.
anything I can do? Oh, your bags are already in I didn’t feel confident or comfortable sharing a I’m more like, “I know how to play this guitar and I
the hotel.” It’s strange – it’s totally amazing, but lot of myself with other people. I tried my best, like how it sounds, I’m just going to stick with this.”
it does get a bit odd if you actually think about it. and I feel like I did on certain tracks like “Noises” We did have this Strat that Rich brought in – I’m not
It’s not the most natural job. and “Drive”, but at the same time I was really sure what year it was, but that sounded unreal. You
So I sort of took a step back, and I finally felt reserved, and I can really see that now after didn’t need to manipulate it or anything – the raw
like I had the space to breathe for a second – and having written this second album. sort of sound of it was incredible.
30 | FEATURE

the amount of time I originally set aside for

myself – which was a huge blessing, because I
spent way more time trying different things and
tweaking arrangements, to the point where at
this stage, I’m really happy with everything on
the record. I don’t think has ever fully happened
before, so that was cool.

As a self-taught guitarist as well, do you

feel like in the few years between the
Sunhead EP and now, you’ve picked up any
new techniques?
I think there’s definitely a bunch of styles
I hadn’t really done before, in terms of the
guitarists I’ve been listening to for the last couple
of years, who I sort of borrow things from in my
own playing. And there are some tonal things
which are a little bit different. It’s kind of hard
to say, I guess, because the songs are different –
when a certain song is a certain way or sounds like
it should have a certain type of guitar playing on
it, you don’t really think about what isn’t on it. So
I guess with this album, there’s some parts that
are more weird, jazz-fusion-y sort of things which
I’d never done before. I’m playing my own version

THE VOICE OF REASON

of what my favourite fusion players would sound
like, if that makes sense. It’s still me, but there’s
a bunch of new shit – which may or may not be
pleasant for the listener.

IRONICALLY, VERY LITTLE OF THE MATERIAL ON IMPULSE VOICES – THE I get the impression there’s a little more
LONG-AWAITED SECOND ALBUM FROM SCENE-LEADING PROG-ROCKER improvisational sort of stuff on this one.
In some of it, mostly just in the early stages.
PLINI – CAME FROM IMPULSE. INSTEAD A RESULT OF LONG, A few of the solos were improvised when I first
INTROSPECTIVE STRETCHES OF TIME OFF-TOUR, THE ALBUM SHOWS A made the demos, and a couple of [the songs on
WHOLE NEW SIDE OF THE SYDNEY-BASED INSTRUMENTALIST. the album] are virtually demos that I learned to
play better – because I’m really not much of an
WORDS BY MATT DORIA. PHOTO BY CHAD DAO. improviser in the way I record; I like things to
sound like the most perfect possible version of
them, so if in the first take there was a bend that

I
f all went according to plan, now would be around on electro-acoustic harp, and additional production wasn’t quite right or something, I’d re-practise the
the time Plini finished up his first trek touring the from Devesh Dayal and Aleksandra Djelmash].” whole solo until I could play it perfectly. So yeah,
world in support of his second full-length effort, Before heading off on what’s certain to be his most the ideas were improvised, but the performances
Impulse Voices. Instead, the Sydney-based prog lord jam-packed touring cycle yet, Plini sat down with were very tightly curated.
is gearing up for his first stint back on stages since a Australian Guitar to walk us through some of the finer
curtailed US run in February 2020. Fingers crossed, details of Impulse Voices. I know you’re still all about your
that is, granted no more COVID-related hiccups force .strandberg* signature guitar – how’s
him to postpone. Were you inspired much creatively by what you that been holding up for you?
The original goal to was to have LP2 hit shelves were seeing and taking in around Sydney? Really well, man! I got a prototype for a
in the first half of last year. But when the world I would like to think so! I really have no idea, but neck-thru model about a year ago, and we’ve been
hit pause and Plini’s future suddenly became my theory when it comes to gathering inspiration is developing some signature pickups as well. So
anything but certain, he decided not to sweat the that the more stuff in life that you can do, the more I’ve got the next iteration of the signature model
deadlines – in fact, most of what ended up making inspiration will come to you when you go to play your ready to go, basically – it isn’t out yet, but it will be
the cut for Impulse Voices came together well instrument. Because I think if I just stayed home and soon-ish, I think. I thought I had my dream guitar
after its projected release date. The 28-year-old played the guitar all day, I wouldn’t be covering any already, but it turns out it could be improved! So
embraced the mellowness of life at home, spending new ground. I’d very quickly run out of good ideas, in now I have my dream guitar plus.
his days exploring the intricacies of Sydney and its terms of, like, the emotions and feelings that go into
surroundings, catching up on podcasts and expanding a song. But I think if I go and do stuff, see things and What was the design process like between
his own musical horizons, then chipping away on meet people, those little day-to-day experiences turn yourself and the team at Strandberg? Was
tracks whenever he felt a strike of inspiration. into something for my creative mind to express. That’s there a sort of “anything goes” kind of vibe
As Plini explained in a press release, “It was an just my little theory, though – I’ll see if I still have to the process?
extremely fun, rewarding and explorative process – any ideas in, like, 20 years. But at least it gives me Yeah – within the restraints of what they’re
the closest I’ve felt to the free-spiritedness I had something to do for now! already doing with the guitar, of course. I’m not
when I first started writing music (way before going to ask them for a headstock or a Les Paul
ever releasing it), but informed by everything I’ve Did you find as well that being at home and not body shape, because I don’t think that would end
learnt and experienced in the last few years of having the pressures of touring or any hectic very well. But in terms of the electronics and the
tours and travel. To make an analogy, I feel like schedules to stick by, you were able to timbers and all that, it’s kind of up to me to figure
I designed a pretty cool house for the listener to experiment with things a little more? out what I think I’d like best, and then more or
inhabit with these songs, but it was made truly Yeah, definitely! I planned to have the album less just ask them for it. And then they usually go,
special by the masterfully-crafted furnishings and finished around May or June so I could go on tour in “Yeah, we think this is a terrible idea, how about
decorations added by Chris [Allison, drums], Simon the European summer and then cover the rest of the this?” [Laughs]. It’s a good dynamic! It is mostly
[Grove, bassist and co-producer] and the rest of world throughout the rest of the year. But then it got based on the production models they make, just
the musicians involved [Dave Mackay on piano and to June and I think I had sent maybe two demos to with a couple of little personal tweaks, like the
synthesisers, John Waugh on saxophone, Amy Turk my drummer. So the whole thing took about twice lack of a tone knob.

| www.guitarworld.com/australianguitar
 | 31

PUTTING THE ‘O’ IN ‘HERO’

ON HER FIRST SOLO ALBUM IN SIX YEARS, ORIANTHI TAPS INTO A WICKED WORLD OF NEW INSPIRATION.
WORDS BY MATT DORIA. PHOTO BY JOSEPH LLANES.

N
ot many of us can say we spent our been working so hard on all these different projects like gnats. And we’ve become programmed that
formative years shredding out alongside – I’ve been working with a lot of Japanese artists and way because of how technology has evolved. We
such virtuosic legends as Steve Vai, Alice people like Sebastian Bach and Richie Sambora, I’m want something immediately, and then we’re over
Cooper and Carlos Santana. Adelaidian rock queen doing a lot of session work, collaborating with and it, onto the next thing. So y’know, you just kind
Orianthi can, though – hell, her very first time on a writing songs for other people, and working on an of want to make something for yourself – make
stage outside the walls of her Anglican high school animated movie. I was also working on a hip-hop yourself feel something first, and then hopefully it
were with Mr. Vai, wailing out on her six-string as album with P. Diddy’s camp, believe it or not – a makes other people feel something too. And then
though she’d been doing it for decades (despite guitar-and-beat kind of situation, y’know? And that you keep on creating…
being just 15 years old herself). And in the 20 years record still exists!
since that faithful night, Orianthi’s hunger to kick I actually have a couple of albums in the works: How did that apply to your creative approach
down the barriers of the music industry and riff her I have a pop record, I have the hip-hop record… I as a guitarist?
way to the top has only intensified. definitely went down some different rabbitholes, I really wanted to go with what was right for the
On the outset, things may not look so hectic: she and tried a lot of different things. But then I song, rather than, “Let’s just do a balls-to-the-wall
released her third solo album, Heaven In This Hell, sort of felt like, “Y’know what? I don’t want to solo with the sound that I usually have.” It was like,
in the early months of 2013, followed by a casual travel around with a guy and a computer, I want “Let’s put it through the Kemper and my Orange,
stint of world touring and a few lowkey side-projects to travel around with a band!” So I said to Marti let’s try a fuzz here, and let’s f*** with it a bit more
like BeMyBand and a run playing alongside Dave [Frederiksen, producer], “Hey, do you want to come afterwards…” Because sometimes you put down
Stewart. In 2017, she teamed up with Richie Sambora and work on my new solo album?” And he was like, a solo and it’s like, “Okay, that’s cool” – it sounds
to debut the collaborative RSO project, which apexed “Absolutely! Let’s do it!” And he came back from good and everything, but it doesn’t sound like
in the 2018 album Radio Free America. But aside Vegas – because he was working with Aerosmith anything new or exciting. I wanted to really mess
from those occasional blasts of off-kilter creativity, there – and we just jumped into the studio straight with sounds and try new stuff. And Marti was great
Orianthi has been almost alarmingly quiet. away. And yeah, it was a lot of fun! So I didn’t take with that, we spent a lot of time putting different
Behind close doors, however, that’s not at all the a seven-year break, but it felt like now was the effects on things together. But I predominantly
case. The LA-based songwriting gun has packed right time to put out my next solo record. And I’m used my Orange Rockerverb Mk III amp, which I
her last few years to the brim and beyond with working on another one right now, so there’s lots absolutely love, and then we just sort of messed
artistic endeavours, collaborating with dozens of more music to come. with stuff on the computer afterwards. Because I’m
fellow musos ranging from venerable rock legends not a big pedal user – I have my guitar, my amp and
to up-and-coming pop luminaries, teaming up with Was there anything you took on from all a wah pedal, and that’s basically my setup.
Hollywood’s finest to work on various projects for TV those other projects that you were able to
and film, and even toying around with some lucrative bring over to this new solo record? In other exciting news, you have a signature
non-musical business ideas. She also has at least Yeah! Working on a hip-hop record and a pop model Gibson J-200 coming out! What can
three other albums in the pipeline, not including her record with all these producers that use computers you tell us about that?
monolithic solo comeback, O. and beats and stuff, I learned a lot of new Well, I am beyond honoured that I got approached
Taking in elements from all her wild techniques when it came to working with samples. by the heads of Gibson to collaborate on something
experiences over the past seven I had beats that I would come up with on Logic they’d never done before, which is a hybrid acoustic.
years, O is much more than your and bring over to Marti, and then Marti I went down to Montana with a
stock-standard rock ’n’ roll album: would make them sound better and rep from out here [in Los
though it’s packed from cover spice them up, and then we’d bring real Angeles], Ray – we went
to cover with red-hot riffs and drums in and flesh it all out with a real down and met up with
soaring solos, there are slivers band. You can definitely hear a little Robi Johns, who is one of
of grunge, sprinkles of pop bit of an experimental sound on this the most incredible acoustic
and some truly unexpected album, and some guitar tones that guitar creators; he really
(yet entirely welcome) I’d never tried before. I really brings dreams to life, y’know? I
hints of EDM to unearth stepped out of the box. sat down with him for lunch and
throughout its dense and Because you I said, “This is kind of what I’m thinking”
dynamic ten tracks. can’t be – I’m a huge Elvis fan, I grew up listening to
Keen to vibe on chasing players like him and Johnny Cash, and they all had
everything about her J-200s, right? That was the ‘thing’ – that was the
new LP – as well as grand prize Gibson for me, y’know? The holy grail.
all the other exciting And the guys at Gibson were like, “Isn’t that a little
projects she has big for you?” And I went, “It is!” It’s a f***ing big
kicking around, her guitar, but the sound is unmatchable to any other
newfound appreciation after acoustic. It has such a projection and depth to it
for digital production, something that – but the neck is so boat-like; it’s so hard to
and her soon-to-launch superficial – play leads on it. So I asked, “Can we put an ES-345
signature acoustic with you can’t be neck on a J-200 body?” And they were down!
Gibson – Orianthi treated chasing a hit, you’ve It was actually so funny, I grabbed Bradley
Australian Guitar to a got to chase after Cooper’s guitar that he used for A Star Is Born – I
grand ol’ yarn. a sound and a was playing that and I was like, “Y’know what?
feeling. I think This neck is great – let’s fit this on the body of the
Why did it take you that’s what J-200!” And they were like, “Well, we’ve never done
this long to make really works something like that before, but… Sure!” And I’ve
another solo these days, gotta tell you, the new model is hands-down one
album? more than anything of the best acoustics I’ve ever played. I’m beyond
Y’know, it’s just else, because people’s honoured that I had a part in making it, and I can’t
a timing thing. I’ve attention spans are wait for people to have it in their own hands!
32 | FEATURE

SMASHING DOWN
up to the challenge of the production. But if we don’t
have great songs, then we’re not interested enough to
bother. We don’t want to make cool-sounding records

A NEW DOOR
that have shit songs, like a lot of bands do. It’s a fine
business model, but it’s not our business model.

So would you say this is the strongest the

Pumpkins have been as a creative unit?
TO LEAP FORWARD INTO A BOLD AND BRAVE NEW CHAPTER, THE I think we’re probably the most “on the same page”
that we’ve been since Machina. But that’s also when
SMASHING PUMPKINS HEAD RIGHT BACK TO SQUARE ONE. James [Iha, guitars and bass] left, so I don’t know… We’ve
always been able to run with the mentality that one
WORDS BY MATT DORIA. PHOTO BY JONATHAN WEINER.
plus one plus one equals more than three – which our
former bandmate had a critical role in, but wasn’t as
involved in the musical decision-making as us three guys

I
n an age of fractured attention spans and a did that inspiration come from? were. I think it’s an interesting dynamic in that James
ghastly over-reliance on nostalgia porn, The I wanted to make some modern music, and that and I really connected on a core set of groups like The
Smashing Pumpkins dare to be defiant with their was the closest thing to it that I was interested in. Jeff Smiths and The Cure, but then Jimmy and I very much
unapologetically erratic and experimental new album: [Schroder, guitars and keys] said it was almost like we connected over our love for classic rock – Deep Purple,
the 72-minute long, synthpop-inspired Cyr. Its 20 went back to the early days of the band, but instead Led Zeppelin, Rush… And then of course through time
tracks are bold and brooding and just the right tinge of going right into grunge, we took a hard left into and through cross-pollination, that expanded, but that’s
of buoyant – simplistic at first glance but structured goth and synthpop – and I think that’s a very accurate the core foundation of how we were – James brings a
like the perfect French pastry with layer upon layer way to put it. It seems to line up well with some of the little bit more style and some stardust to what we do,
of deep and dense artistic flair when you dig just a more modern types of production, with the way people and Jimmy is able to translate the language of rock and
little deeper. Fans of the Pumpkins’ ripping and raging are making records right now. I don’t think anybody’s new-wave into emotion and power. It’s a really weird
grunge-rock anthems will almost certainly turn their really solved the riddle of how to make guitar music dynamic, and I can’t think of many other bands like
noses up at Cyr – but Billy Corgan doesn’t give a shit. in the way that we make guitar music, other than just that – but it works! And when it works, it’s quite
When we caught up with the 53-year-old father, cranking the guitars up and having a wall of sound beautiful; it engenders in me an emotional response
musical multi-hyphenate and pro wrestling obsessive, – which we were obviously doing 25 years ago. So I that I wouldn’t otherwise have on my own.
one thing became immediately clear: though he’s still was just trying to say something new, I think, and this
emphatically outspoken, Corgan’s appetite to reign at sound is just where I landed in doing so. What did your guitarsenal look like for Cyr?
the top of the rock ’n’ roll food chain has all but fizzled I played my Reverend signature model a lot, and
out entirely. He notes that he couldn’t be happier In going back to the Pumpkins’ roots, did you I also had a 1962 Gibson 335. There was one Gibson
with where he’s at on his creative timeline, and even feel there was a more youthful, or factory out in Detroit that made the same 335s that
if the critics at large and his army of obsessives hate collaborative energy between the four of you? Eric Clapton and Ritchie Blackmore played – there’s
Cyr with a passion, he’ll still hold the double-disc epic No – but it’s never been that way, y’know? Generally a certain series of 335s that only came from that one
close to his heart. speaking, the way we work is that I’ll go off on some factory, and they’re hotter than the other 335s. It’s
Because at the end of the day, LP11 is authentic convoluted tangent, I’ll explain it to my bandmates, one of those, and it’s honestly one of the best guitars
to what Corgan and his bandmates were excited to and they’ll look at me and go, “…Okay. I mean, cool, if I’ve ever bought – it’s ridiculous. It sounds like early
explore on their own creative wavelengths. It’s not that’s what you want to do…” They’ve always been very Cream. It’s just got that attack to it, y’know?
some half-assed attempt to dominate the airwaves or supportive, but I do think they think I’m a bit crazy.
sell out of cheaply slapped-together vinyl boxsets – And then we just get into it, y’know? We just kind of Are you much of a slut for pedals?
Corgan’s got enough cash as it is, and he’s ecstatic that navigate where we can take the songs from there. And Not so much anymore. I have a crazy vintage
he no longer has to worry about the financial validity I think that where we work best is where I’m very clear collection, so y’know… I love all the boutique pedals
of his artistic ambitions. about what I want, and then they’re very clear about that are coming out right now, but most of them are
Speaking of which: let’s find out exactly what they how they can contribute to that. But the songs have to recreations of pedals that I already own the originals
are in 2021, shall we? be great. Even though we’re known for our production, of – I don’t know if I really need the clone of the clone
we’re really a ‘song band’ first. People overlook that of the $1,200 pedal I already have. Although I do have
There’s an almost ‘80s synthpop, club music sometimes, that we have great songs, but that’s all that some clone pedals that are really, really good – there’s
kind of vibe going on with this record. Where ever matters. If we have great songs, we can always rise a Klon Centaur clone that I bought off eBay for like $25
which I used a lot on this album.

So how were you processing those guitar parts

in tandem with all the new synthesisers and
electronic elements?
I don’t use computers for guitar. I don’t like
plugins or any of that stuff – I’m a firm believer
that the distortion signatures of a guitar need to be
organic. I certainly hear stuff that is attractive
about digitally manipulated guitars, like the
way you’re able to move a part forward in
the mix and stuff like that, but personally
I don’t give a f***. I grew up on Black
Sabbath and Queen and Jimmy Page,
y’know? I want power. I don’t want
any bullshit. I just want that pure, raw
energy – which is why I’m willing to buy
expensive vintage guitars and great
amps. We also work with a lot of density –
some of the tracks on Cyr have, like, nine
synthesisers playing at the same time,
on top of an analogue bass and some
guitar work. In order for those guitars to
cut through the mix, you have to have an
analogue signal path.
34 | COVER STORY
| 35
36 | COVER STORY

L
ike all of us, Angus Young compounded by the fact that, just prior to the You mentioned that many of the songs on
has been spending a lot of release of Rock Or Bust, longtime drummer Phil Power Up have their origins in riffs you and
time at home lately. “It’s a bit Rudd, who had played with the band on and off Malcolm came up with together. Do you have
different,” the 65-year-old AC/ since 1975, became mired in legal troubles and was a stockpile that you can just tap into
DC guitarist admits about life replaced by a former drummer, Chris Slade. whenever you’re writing music?
in the time of quarantining and Toward the end of the Rock Or Bust tour, I have lots of ideas the two of us worked on
social distancing. Although meanwhile, singer Brian Johnson was forced to pretty much through the years. Even when we were
in some ways, he adds, not exit the band as a result of hearing loss, with his in studios and recording rooms there were always
so much. “I guess I’m used to slot assumed, in a move no one could have seen ideas that we would put down. It’s just something
being tucked away somewhere coming, by Axl Rose. To put a final punctuation where, the two of us together, we always seemed to
in a room and just putting together ideas and mark on events, by the time the tour wrapped in be playing back and forth and coming up with stuff.
songs,” he says with a laugh. September 2016, bassist Cliff Williams announced From the beginning that was always a part of us.
As it turns out, Young has indeed spent a fair his retirement from AC/DC after four decades with
amount of time these last few years “tucked away the band. Which meant that, just two years after Do you also write on your own? Or do you
somewhere in a room and putting together ideas the release of Rock Or Bust, only two members – prefer having someone to bounce ideas off?
and songs.” Which is how we’ve wound up, rather Angus and Stevie – remained from the lineup that I’ve done it both ways. You get an idea and if you
unexpectedly but certainly quite happily, with had recorded the album. have a tape recorder you try to put it down. And if
Power Up, AC/DC’s 16th (or, if we’re counting in So what did Angus do? What Angus always you haven’t got a tape recorder you do your best
Australian, 17th) full-length effort. does – he wrote. And while he didn’t have his to try and remember it. But then when Malcolm
As for what makes it unexpected? For starters, brother next to him physically during this time, and myself would get together it would be a case
the band recorded it under a complete media he did still have his riffs. According to Angus, the of rolling through the ideas and seeing what we
blackout – traditional, social or otherwise. Aside majority of the material on Power Up, as with Rock believed was material for AC/DC. And the material
from a few rumours – kicked off by surreptitious Or Bust, was constructed from songs and ideas you’re hearing is stuff that we did that was always
photos that surfaced in 2018 of various band he and Malcolm had logged over the years. “They for AC/DC. We would try to separate what we had.
members, coffee cups in hand, trolling alleyways were things that we knew were good, and so we You know, we could have 100 things, and out of
around Vancouver’s Warehouse Studio, where put them aside and said, ‘We should get them that hundred here are 20 good, strong AC/DC
they’ve recorded their last few efforts – things down on record at some point,’ ” Angus says. “And I ideas. And we’d put them to the side.
have been radio silent in the AC/DC camp for thought, well, maybe now’s the time to go through
several years. and pick out all those ideas.” 100 things? How many ideas do you think
More significantly, of course, there’s the fact When it came to getting them down on tape, you have?
that since the end of the Rock Or Bust world tour Angus called up a few friends. In fact, amazingly, If I had to estimate? [Laughs] That’d be hard. But
there has been the looming question of just who, or Power Up finds the Rock Or Bust-era lineup – Angus, all I can say is I’ve got boxes full of stuff the two of
even what, AC/DC is anymore. The tour itself was, Stevie, Phil Rudd, Cliff Williams and, in a welcome us have done over the days.
like every AC/DC jaunt for decades now, a massive return, Brian Johnson – back together and ready, to
success – and maybe their most massive yet. It borrow a Rock Or Bust song title, to play ball. For Power Up, you guys worked with
kicked off with a headlining stint in front of a crowd The result is an album that is 100 percent Brendan O’Brien, who also produced your
of more than 100,000 at, of all places, Coachella, pure and unrefined AC/DC (and with this band, last two records. What does he bring to your
and then over the next year-and-a-half proceeded is it ever not?). From the power-chord slam and sound as opposed to other producers you’ve
to sell out arenas and stadiums from Brisbane to “Thunderstruck”-like Angus single-note figure that had, like Harry Vanda and your brother
Buffalo, racking up ticket sales of more than $200 kicks off the opening track, “Realize”, to the mid- George, or “Mutt” Lange?
million in the process. tempo stomp of “Wild Reputation” and “Rejection”, Well, Brendan… I always say the role of your
Internally, however, things weren’t running so the “Shake A Leg”-style boogie of “Demon Fire” producer is pretty much that he’s your audience.
smoothly. AC/DC is not a band immune to trial and the deep-in-the-pocket grooves and big chorus He’s the man that’s sitting there hearing the
and tragedy – the death hooks of first single “Shot whole picture, the outside ear that’s listening to
of inimitable frontman in the Dark”, Power Up finds everything. And he’ll tell you, “I think this is AC/
the venerable lads in very
“I ALWAYS GO POSITIVE
Bon Scott in 1980, and DC,” or, “That bit there, I don’t know...” That’s the
the band’s subsequent fine – if not absolutely top role he plays in order to get the best performance
resurrection with Back In
Black, is a permanent part
WITH SONG IDEAS. AND – form.
Elsewhere, the new
from you. And Brendan’s very talented. He knows
his music. So if we get stuck somewhere, maybe if
of rock lore – but even by WITH AC/DC, WE NEVER album is littered with
all of the original band’s
we say, “Oh, do we do a break here?,” he’ll sit down
their standards the Rock Or and we can have it out together and he’ll help us
Bust era was exceedingly GET TOO SERIOUS ABOUT beloved calling cards – Brian come up with a good idea to try.
challenging.
It began with the WHAT WE’RE DOING. Johnson’s gravel-soaked
shrieks and growls, Phil On first listen, my early impression of
pronouncement that the
band’s co-founder, stalwart
WE DON’T TRY TO PUT Rudd’s impossibly solid and
swinging drum wallop and,
Power Up is that it’s a bit darker in tone
than Rock Or Bust.
rhythm guitar player and, IN, YOU KNOW, A REAL of course, Angus’ monolithic A lot of it’s down to the songs and what you’re
in many ways, musical riffs and explosive solos – working on. But when we’re doing a song, I always
and ideological rock ‘STATEMENT’ THAT MEANS while throwing in a subtle think… I never go negative. I always go positive
(not to mention Angus’
older brother), Malcolm SOMETHING.” curveball or two here and
there.
with song ideas. And with AC/DC, we never get too
serious about what we’re doing. We don’t try to
Young, was battling severe Witness, for example, put in, you know, a real “statement” that means
dementia and stepping the twangy guitar lick that something. It’s just, that’s the mood when you
away from the group. Malcolm co-wrote the songs punctuates the verses in “Kick You When You’re wrote the song and then you bring it to the track.
on Rock Or Bust, but his parts on the recording, as Down” or, more conspicuously, the honeyed Angus
well as his spot on the stage, were assumed by his guitar line and ultra-melodic major-key chorus that If there’s any song on the record that sticks
and Angus’ nephew, Stevie Young. Malcolm passed highlights the (gasp!) almost ballad-like “Through out as a slight departure from the standard
away in November 2017 at age 64; just three weeks The Mists Of Time”… AC/DC approach it’s “Through The Mists Of
earlier, he and Angus’ older brother, George, who But as far as Angus is concerned, at the end of Time”. It has more of a major-key sound,
had helped guide AC/DC to success, as well as the day it’s all just AC/DC. “I treat everything as and you also weave an incredibly melodic
co-produced several of their albums from their 1975 a song and I hear it as a song,” he says. “I’m not guitar line through it.
debut, High Voltage, to 2000’s Stiff Upper Lip, died on some sort of mission.” Angus laughs. “That Yeah.
at age 70. might not be the right word. But I just look at
Experiencing this sort of deep loss would be everything on the musical side and then I say, Did that one feel a bit different to you?
difficult enough on its own. In AC/DC land, it was ‘Does it attract me?’” Um… no [laughs]. As I said earlier, I treat it as
| 37
38 | COVER STORY

a song and I hear it as a song. You know, my older “We’re on our way…” very powerful. Simple. Direct. Or you could go
brother George used to always tell me that chances It’s something a little ominous [laughs]. the other way and say it’s very Frankenstein,
are when you come up with an idea, you come up you know? Almost like creating a monster.
with an image. And he said, “You might even come As far as titles are concerned, I want to ask
up with a singin’ line, and it might not fit the track about the name Power Up. It’s not too often AC/DC has obviously experienced a lot of
at that time but it sets the mood in what you do. that an AC/DC record isn’t titled after one of turmoil over the past few years. After
So jot that down. If there’s birds twittering in the the songs on the tracklist. Is there any you came off the Rock Or Bust tour and it
background, just write, “birds twittering”. Call it that, special significance here? was just you and Stevie remaining from
even just to get you started.” [Laughs] Obviously, Well, the significant side of it was I just wanted the lineup that recorded the album, was
you’re not going to write a song called “Birds something that meant something to the band, there ever a moment where you felt,
Twittering”, but you just want to get something that’s and especially to my brother. I always thought his “This could be it”?
going to fit in that melody line, if that makes sense. whole thing with AC/DC was it had to be powerful At that point you’re at the great unknown.
as a band. So I wanted something that called up We didn’t know what would happen. You’re in a
Did that happen with any of these new what we do and that sums up what AC/DC is. And bit of a case of limbo. But at the time you just
tracks? Was there one where you wrote down also, being guitarists, whenever I would plug in go, “I’m committed to getting through this, and
a phrase like “birds twittering” and it turned the guitar I always felt I was plugged into the “big then after that I’ll concentrate on what comes.”
into a song? electrical grid” [laughs]. So Power Up just sounded
Well, I came up with a lot of titles. Malcolm Could you ever envision a life without
would call them “hook titles”. And I’ve always done AC/DC in it?
that. The two of us from the beginning always Well, I’ve been doing this most of my life,
did that. So especially with titles and things, I’ve since I was in my teens. So it’s very hard to
written down a lot over the years and I would just
go through some of the books and mark out ones
“MY OLDER BROTHER think of something other than that when it
comes to making music. I’ve always said if I do
I liked and then sometimes bring singin’ lines. Or GEORGE ALWAYS USED anything music-wise, I can only do it the AC/DC
sometimes I might see a title and go, “That’s a way. Even if I wasn’t in AC/DC, I think it would
great title.” And then I say, “Ah, I’ve got some great TO TELL ME THAT probably still sound like AC/DC [laughs].
riffs here that’ll work with that.”
CHANCES ARE WHEN After Brian Johnson exited so abruptly I
A good example of that might be something
like “Hells Bells”, where the title is so
YOU COME UP WITH AN think a lot of fans questioned whether he
would ever return to the band. How did he
evocative and the music really sounds like the IDEA, YOU COME UP come back into the picture for Power Up?
name of the song. He was getting a lot of help with his
Yeah. And that’s what you aim for. Or something WITH AN IMAGE.” hearing. And he kept up with it and kept
like “Highway To Hell” – you hear those opening trying various things to see how he could
chords and you go, “Uh oh… what’s coming?” improve. Then he wanted to do something to
test it out, so I think he did a few prep runs
 | 39

to see how it would go. And the people who very generous and he helped us out to get What gear were you using this time out?
look after us, our management, they were through our touring side at a difficult spot. He Well, the guitar that I use and that I
all wanting to know, “When are you going to had contacted us and said he could help if it consistently use has always been the same
do an album?” So it was a case of seeing who didn’t interfere with his own commitments of guitar, the Gibson SG. And everyone always
wanted to be on board. And everyone was what he was doing. He wanted to come in and asks me what year it is. You know, I’ve heard
happy and wished to participate. So it was try songs that he himself liked, and he was somebody say, “Oh, it’s a 1970s Gibson.” And
good. And Brian felt, yeah, he would come in suggesting songs I hadn’t played in a long time. then other people say, “No, it’s a bit earlier
and try and see how he would do. I’m definitely grateful that he volunteered and than that.” I don’t really know what year it
that he helped us finish off our commitment. But is but all I know is it couldn’t have been past
Was it in Vancouver that the five he has his own life. 1970, because that’s when I got it! [Laughs] So
members – you, Stevie, Brian, Phil and I used that a lot, and then I’ve got a few other
Cliff – first got back together and played On the guitar side of things, how did you guitars. One is a black SG, I think there’s a
as a full unit? and Stevie work together on this record? photo of it from Back In Black. And then I have
Yeah. And if you’re in a recording studio Stevie is a bit like… Even when he was another SG that’s maybe a ’68 or ’69, that I
you’ve got a different environment to, say, if starting off with us he picked up on what used on Highway To Hell.
you’re playing live. You’ve got more control on Malcolm did rhythm-wise. I mean, Stevie can
the hearing side of things. You can isolate to do solos and stuff like that too, but he went the So there are three guitars on the record,
very good listening levels. route a bit like Malcolm. It’s the rhythm that he and they’re all SGs.
enjoyed doing best and that’s how he applied Yeah. But the main, most consistent one is
What was the first thing you played himself. And you know, Stevie had filled in for the one I’ve always had. It’s got, like, lightning
together as a band? Malcolm in the past, in the ‘80s [when Malcolm bolts on the fretboard that, I don’t know, it
If you’re in a studio, you always try out some left the Blow Up Your Video tour in 1988 to was getting repaired and some guy put them
things even just to get your sounds together. So battle alcohol dependency]. in. I said, “What the hell is that?” And I didn’t
you play a little “Back In Black” or something. So for me it was, I’m looking at somebody I have time to go, “Can you put it back the way it
know is dependable and who can also do that was?” [Laughs].
Following the end of the Rock Or Bust role. And I mean, nothing could ever replace
tour, there had been rumours that you Malcolm, because Malcolm is the founder and How about amps?
were going to continue on with Axl in the he set the whole style. But Stevie certainly can Marshall. They’re 100 watts. But they’re all
singer slot. Was there any consideration do the role. He knows how it should be. So it’s older, going back to the ‘70s. And the cabinets
about doing a record together? just a case of the two of us sitting down and have the older-style Celestions.
That never really came up. Axl was really making sure we’re in sync.
How do you approach your solos? Do you
work them out in advance or are you just
going for it on the spot?
Well, if you go to a song that’s dependent on
following a lead line, you’d best get your lead
lines sorted out. And it also depends on how
prominent it is and how long you’re gonna go –
“Okay, am I going to do a long piece here or a
rhythmic piece?” So it’s always track by track
what you do. Like on Back In Black, the track
“Shoot To Thrill”? If you listen to where you
would say, “Here comes the guitar solo…,”
it’s actually more rhythmic playing. It’s got a
little bit of a guitar bite to it but it’s more of a
rhythmic thing.
And it’s only really at the later part of the
song, after a little breakdown piece, that the
guitar – what you would call lead lines and
phrases – picks up more. So what I’m trying to
say is, it’s really down to the song itself and
how you hear it. Because one note can be a hell
of a lot better than 50 notes, you know?

You clearly have this guitar thing figured

out. Even so, does Angus Young ever sit at
home and just practise?
Oh yeah! All the time.

What do you practise?

Sometimes I just sit and doodle. I’ll maybe
play a bit of blues or I’ll try and get my fingers
moving and see if I can come up with any
different phrases. Experiment a little bit. So
yeah, I do practise. But I mean, I don’t sit there…
even when I was younger, I didn’t sort of say,
“It’s two o’clock – I’d better practise now!” I
played when I felt good about playing. I’d pick up
the guitar and start playing and then, you know,
you end up going, “Oh geez, I’ve been sitting
here now for hours!” [Laughs] You don’t know
where the time goes.
40 | FEATURE

AMPED UP
just want blood!” You looked out and it was just like
murderers’ row, and the look on their faces is like,
“Send us the little guy in the shorts!”

Is it true that Malcolm once had to ‘assist’ you

in getting on stage?
Yeah. Suddenly I just felt a boot and I was on. And
there’s this deathly silence. All you can do is play –
and pray! You put your head down and hope a bottle
IN THE WAKE OF AC/DC’S 17TH STUDIO ALBUM, POWER UP, WE doesn’t come your way. That became part of my
stage act. I learnt to duck and keep moving.
LOOK BACK ON THE LONG AND LUCRATIVE JOURNEY AUSTRALIA’S
ROCK ’N’ ROLL HEROES HAVE BEEN TREKKING ON SINCE 1973 – STILL When Bon Scott became AC/DC’s singer in
WITH NO END IN SIGHT, OF COURSE. SOLE FOUNDING MEMBER AND 1974, he’d already been around the block a
few times with various bands, and had a taste
GUITARIST EXTRAORDINAIRE ANGUS YOUNG TALKS US THROUGH for the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle. What did you
WHAT MADE AC/DC ROCK’S ULTIMATE FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH. make of him back then?
Bon joined us pretty late in his life, but that
WORDS BY PAUL ELLIOT. guy had more youth in him than people half his
age. That was how he thought, and I learned from
him. Bon used to say to me, “Whatever I do, you

A
ngus Young is a rock ’n’ roll legend, but not nineteen year-old bus driver from Florida, there don’t.” Oh, I had a few wild nights over the years,
a man to take himself too seriously. As he would be an element of humour in it, and that’s but most of the time everyone else was having them
once said of his art: “You don’t go to the what I’ve always loved. for me. Because of the schoolboy uniform, some
butcher for brain surgery.” Born on March 31st, 1955 I’ve never been a great lover of the real sad women have tried to mother me – they think I’m
in Glasgow, the youngest of eight children, Angus element of the blues. There are some great sad cute because I’m so short. But playing has always
was just eight years old when his family emigrated songs, but I prefer the happier side. And the been the thing for me.
to Australia, and it was in Sydney, in 1973, that he grammar in blues music is fantastic. Some of the I never really looked beyond the next gig. In the
and his older brother Malcolm, rhythm guitarist, things that Muddy would sing: “I just love them pretty early days, all my mates used to say to me, “You
formed AC/DC. womens, I’ll kill for them young pretty things.” They’d must be meeting loads of girls…” Well yeah, I used to
The band went on to sell more than 200 million sing ‘whummen’ instead of ‘women’, and ‘choo’ meet plenty of girls, but none of them used to want
albums worldwide, including 50 million of Back In instead of ‘you’. But you get what they mean. to go home with me. Some women would come up
Black. The death of Malcolm Young on November and make, er, bold statements, but I don’t know why.
18, 2017 left Angus as the last remaining founder When you and Malcolm formed AC/DC with There’s nothing sexy about a schoolboy, is there?
member of AC/DC. But it was Malcolm’s wish that the Dave Evans as the singer, did you have rather
band carried on, banging out loud, raw rock ’n’ roll, big ambitions for it? In the summer of 1976, when the band first
just as they always did. And as Angus said: “I enjoy Early on, we always thought we’d be lucky if we got played in the UK, it was during a performance
playing. That’s what keeps me going.” past the first week! at the Reading Festival that you first treated
an audience to something that would become
What first turned you on to rock ’n’ roll? There was a defining moment in April 1974 a tradition – a little on-stage striptease. What
The sound of Chuck Berry’s guitar. It’s everything when AC/DC appeared at an open-air prompted you to do this at Reading?
rolled into one: it’s blues, it’s rock and roll, and it’s concert in Sydney’s Victoria Park, and you Some blonde girl walked real slow across
got that hard edge to it. To me, that’s pure rock ’n’ wore your old school uniform on stage for the photo pit right in front of the stage and
roll. It’s not clean – it’s nasty. the first time… thirty thousand eyes went with her. It was a real
That was the most frightened I’ve ever been on showstopper. Malcolm said to me, “You gotta do
Did playing guitar come easily to you? stage, but thank God, I had no time to think. I just something to get the crowd’s attention back!” So, I
As a kid, I was never one for the tennis racket. I went straight out there. The crowd’s first reaction dropped my trousers.
was more interested in getting my fingers round the to the shorts and stuff was like a bunch of fish at
guitar neck, because when I was little – I’m little now, feeding time – all mouths open. I had just one thing And ever since, you’ve had AC/DC audiences
but I was ‘little’ little – getting a hand around the neck on my mind: I didn’t want to be a target for blokes singing “Get ’em off!”
was a big thing. That was the hardest part. throwing bottles. I thought if I stand still I’m a target. I always thought they were singing, “Get ’im off!”
So I never stopped moving. I reckoned if I stood still
What do you remember of those early days, I’d be dead. Malcolm said that it was Bon’s voice, and his
when you were just a regular schoolboy like witty lyrics, that gave the band its ‘flavour’.
all the others? The band played on the Aussie pub circuit, Bon called himself a ‘toilet wall graffitist’. He was
I didn’t go to school much. I was prize truant. When where audiences were notoriously tough. How full of compliments about himself! But he could
I went in it was like, “Welcome, Mr. Young! A year is a scary was it? conjure a story from anything. She’s Got Balls was
long holiday, you know?” The first day I went to that Some of the places we played were worse than about his first wife. And he did say he wrote Problem
school, we all went to assembly and the headmaster toilets, let me tell you, and there was that much Child for me, but you now, I never owned a knife like
dragged all the boys who’d been caught smoking up scrapping going on, you were behind the amps! When it says in the song. My dad took my knife off me when
on the stage in front of the whole school. Of course I was at school and there was a dance with a band, it I was four. Just having a guitar was bad enough, I
Malcolm was one of them. was always a band like Van Halen, with the guy with suppose. But yeah, Bon summed me up in two words!
the long blonde hair wiggling his hips.
So, you were always a naughty boy then? In the pubs we played in, in front of that hot, He could have used one word…
I got into a lot of trouble when I was young. sweaty, beer-swilling crowd, you couldn’t even hope That’s right [laughs]. With four letters!
I wouldn’t say I was a budding bank-robber or to do that. This was the kind of audience you couldn’t
anything, but I was a bit of a juvenile delinquent. even tune your guitar to. If you bust a string, that On April 30th, 1978, AC/DC played at the
was it. Sometimes you finished with just two strings, Apollo theatre in Glasgow, the city where you
You also got into blues music at an early age. because there was no way they were going to put up and Malcolm were born. And from that came
What did you love about it? with a couple of minutes of you fixing the guitar. one of the greatest live albums ever made: If
It’s the emotion in those old blues records. I remember one night I said to the rest of the band, You Want Blood You’ve Got It.
I’ve never really been into the depression stuff. “I’m not going out there.” The police couldn’t get in It was the magic show. One night, guitars out of
I’ve always liked the happy sort of blues music, the place. There was some madman running around tune, feedback, singer farting, whatever…
like Muddy Waters. Even though he might have inside the hall with a meat cleaver, chopping into the
been singing about his woman running off with a people! And the front row was all bikers. I said, “They In 1979, the band had its first million selling
 | 41

Hell” and “Back In Black”. Every song we write has

got to stand up. Most of our stuff is just about sex,
as is most rock music. It’s pretty hard to write a song
about your dog.
But I’ve never really found a sexual thing in
music. I’ve never found anything sexy that was
meant to be sexy. Now, that’s a good Freudian thing.
But if you go back to the blues, that’s the standard
tempo in most of the strip joints, and that’s what we
rely on too. It has to be earthy.”

Have you kept up with modern music?

Nah. When I get in a car, the first thing that goes
in is a Muddy Waters tape, even though I’ve played
in four hundred times. I love that and Chuck Berry.
Nowadays everything sounds so nice – buzz-free,
hiss-free. I like that hiss! I like to hear the valves on
the amplifier warming up. It’s pure energy.
I still spend hours sitting and listening to the
sound Chuck Berry’s guitar makes. There’s not a day
that goes by when I don’t pick up a guitar. And I’m
getting there – I’ve got two fingers going now!

What you learnt the hard way in the early

‘70s – to go on stage and keep moving – is
something you’ve done ever since. How do
you keep it up?
After a show I just wind down for a couple of
hours. I try to hide, just in case somebody grabs me
and says, “Hey, you didn’t play this song tonight!” I
need time to relax. I wouldn’t like to be the ‘Angus
Young on stage’ all the time. I’d be burnt out inside a
week. On one American tour my weight went down
album with Highway To Hell. Bon was irreplaceable? to 94 pounds, and I was a hundred and nine pounds
That was the album that broke us in America. Well, when we auditioned singers, they’d say, when we started.
“How am I supposed to sing over all this volume?”
But the album’s title provoked outrage We said, “We don’t want you to sing – we want you Do you still get nervous before a show?
among America’s so-called ‘moral majority’ – to scream!’” Sometimes it is frightening. But you’ve got to
as did the cover, on which you were pictured psych yourself up a bit, give yourself a good kick up
with devil horns and a forked tail. What did You certainly found the right man for the job the ass. Usually, once I’ve got the uniform on, I’m
you make of the controversy? in Brian Johnson. okay. I’m on edge, nervous, but I’m not in a panic. At
As soon as we called the album Highway To Yeah. I always said he sounds like somebody least I don’t have to put on make-up. I sport my own
Hell, the American record company immediately dropped a truck on his foot. And, like Bon, Brian had pimples. And some nights I’m in stitches when I’m
went into a panic. With religious things, I thought a good sense of humour. trying to be The Schoolboy.
everywhere was like Australia. There, they call But because of nerves, I’ve tripped over and even
them Bible-thumpers, and it’s a limited species, On the simplest level, Back In Black was a forgotten to do my zipper up a few times. I go for
very limited! great rock ’n’ roll record. But on a deeper a pee and forget. Last thing before I go on stage, I
Christianity was never a popular movement. level it was, as you described it, a memorial. always go for a piss and then have a cigarette. If you
It’s that convict background! But in America, you The whole Back In Black album was our dedication ever see my shorts smoking, you know I didn’t put
had guys in bed sheets and placards with prayers to Bon. That’s why the album cover was pure it out right!
on, picketing the gigs. I said, “Who are they here black, and why the album starts with a bell ringing,
for?” And they said, “You!” And we had that thing something sombre and different to anything else How do you feel when you’re up there
– that if you play the record backwards you get we’d done. onstage in front of a crowd?
these Satanic messages. I’m on my own little cloud. Adrenaline takes
F***ing hell, why play it backwards? It says it right Was this album also Brian’s finest hour? over. It’s like when you take off in an airplane. It’s
up front: Highway To Hell! Brian has recorded a lot of strong stuff with exhilarating. When you’re firing well, it’s the best
the band – the Back In Black album especially, feeling in the world. And when it goes wrong, it’s like
After the Highway To Hell tour, you, Malcolm and For Those About To Rock, which still gives me someone’s shoved a red-hot poker up your backside.
and Bon got together in London to begin goosebumps. But for me, the shows go so quick. You’re on and
working on the album that would become you’re off, and then you have to go back to how
Back In Black. How much of it was written After all that this band has been through, you are as a person. That’s the hard part, because
with Bon? can you explain its longevity? once you go into being The Schoolboy it’s pretty
Bon wrote a little of the stuff, a week before he People have said we’ve hung around long enough! hard to come off it. I’m like two different people –
died. We started writing the music with Bon on But some bands fade when they try to adapt to sometimes three!
drums. He was a drummer originally. He’d bang what’s current. We play rock music. It’s a little
away while me and Malcolm worked out the riffs. bit late for us to do a ballad. Rock is what we do Who’s the third?
best. Sometimes I’m asked if I want to play music That’s what I’m trying to figure out! I’ve been
When Bon died in February 1980, after one other than AC/DC. Sure, at home I play a little blues, up there playing and thinking, what are those feet
too many drunken nights, had you feared but after five minutes I’m like, “Sod this!” And I’m doing? I’m watching them to see which way they
that his life might end that way? playing hard rock again. want to go. That’s all I ever do, follow the feet and
As a person, Bon stared death in the face a lot. the guitar. The duckwalk comes naturally.
The way he said it was, “One day you gotta go. You From the start, you’ve played it simple,
gotta be a stiff.” straight-up hard rock ’n’ roll, nothing fancy… And it’s still the best feeling in the world?
It’s a challenge to keep coming up with songs Yeah. When I put the uniform on, and the legs
Did you feel, as most AC/DC fans did, that of the calibre of “Let There Be Rock”, “Highway To start shaking... I’m ready.
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2021
GUITAR
NEW YEAR, NEW YOU? HOW ABOUT NEW
YEAR, NEW GROOVE! IF ONE OF YOUR
RESOLUTIONS IS TO IMPROVE YOUR PLAYING,
YOU’RE IN LUCK – TG’S NEW WORKOUT PLAN IS
HERE TO HELP!

GUITARS & BACKING

CHARLIE GRIFFITHS
WORDS
CHARLIE GRIFFITHS, CHRIS BIRD

W
hether it’s
fingerpicking or
sweep picking,
fretting focus or
strumming stamina,
we’d all like to be a bit more consistent
and confident with our playing, right? So,
as we enter the new decade, what better
time than now to work on some of the
everyday techniques us guitar players try
to stay on top of as we work towards
mastering this fine instrument? For many
of you, a number of these lessons will be
well-trodden ground, but sometimes
revisiting even the simplest of exercises
helps us notice shortcuts and
inconsistences in our playing that can be
improved. Follow each lesson slowly,
example by example, and see if you notice
a difference over time.
 46 | WORKOUT

01 CHORD CHANGE CHALLENGE…

Start your workout with some essential chord changes

S
ay ‘open chords’ and most guitarists Well, we’d argue that you can. With so many ways size fits all’ method, but these three exercises will
will quickly identify the easiest shapes – to play our favourite instrument, different styles, get you started. Try out the easier first and
C, A, G and so on. Does that mean you techniques and so on, even the simplest changes second tab examples before building up to the
can’t improve this area of your playing? can throw up a challenge here. There’s no ‘one final challenge.

LEVEL #1: FOLK-EMON

q = 80
C G7

.. ˙ œ œ Play 4 times
..
œœ œœ
˙ œ œ
. 0
1
1
0
1
0 .
. 0
2
3
0
0
2
0
0
2
.
3 3

Think this folk style C-G7 chord change is easy? Try fretting one or both
shapes with your second, third and fourth fingers – it’s a challenge that
will help you improve your dexterity.

LEVEL #2: BEATLE JUICE

q =100
C7 G7

.. b œœ œœ œ œœ ..
Play 4 times
46 ‰ ‰ n œœ ‰ œ ‰
œœ œœ
œ œ
. 0
1
0
1
1
0
1
0 .
. 3
2
3
3
2
3
0
0
2
0
0
2
.
3 3
ANYONE CAN PLAY GUITAR
Practise moving between
chord shapes to help your The challenge here is keeping your guitar quiet in the gaps. It’s harder than
fingers learn their place it sounds because the open strings tend to ring. Rest your strumming hand
on the strings after each stab.

60-90 BPM 90-120 BPM 120-150 BPM

Steady As You Go Chopping and Changing Shape Shifter
GE
CHALLEN This is a chord change exercise, so If the rhythm’s too tough, simplify 150 beats per minute not a

S T R UM
slowly practise the chord changes, your strumming so you can focus problem? Rewrite the exercise and
er, obviously! on the chord changes. include a few finger-twister chords.
T I ME ! Here in this rapid rhythm, you have to play the chords in quick succession while fretting every note as cleanly as you can. With the
exception of the C to D7 change, which share a first finger C note on the second string, each chord requires a brand new fingering
each time. Practise slowly to identify any fluffed notes.

q = 120
G Csus 2 C D7 Csus 2 Bb7 G D G C G
Play 4 times

˙
.. b ˙ ..
bn ˙
. 3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
0
1 3
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
2
3
2
3
2
3
2
3
3
0
3
0
3
0
0
1
3
0 .
. 0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2 3
0
0
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
3
0
0
3
3
1
3
1
1
3
1
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0 0
2
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
2
3
0
0
2
.
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
 | 47

02 ARPEGGIOS FOR RHYTHM GUITAR…

Aim for shimmering cleans and tighter picking with these arpeggio exercises

Y
ou probably know what arpeggios theory. In practice, arpeggios can be fiercely Take a listen to Radiohead’s “Street Spirit (Fade
are –it’s when you play chords one difficult to play due to rapid-fire string-jumping – Out)” or Tool’s “Invincible” and you’ll hear how
note at a time instead of strumming. you’ll often play just one note on a string before relentless it can be. Follow our tab exercises
Simple right? Well, yes, at least in having to move to another… over and again. and hone your skills.

LEVEL #1: SWEEPING STATEMENT

CHORD BREAK
q.= 80 Use arpeggios to write riffs
Cadd 9 C Play 4 times around the chords you
.. .. already know

let ring throughout

. 3 1 .
. 3
2
0 0
2
3
2
0 0
2 .
≥ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≤
For a flowing arpeggio, hold each shape and play three downstrokes then
three upstrokes in a smooth sweeping motion. It takes time to learn to
pick like this but your control will improve.

LEVEL #2: EVERY PICK YOU TAKE

q = 110
Aadd 9 Play 4 times

.. .. 47
PM throughout

. 2 .
. 0
2
4
2
4 4
2 .
1 ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥
An all-downstrokes approach here makes it easier to settle into the rhythm
– but take care to place your pick hand near the bridge for this Andy
Summers style dry-sounding palm-mute effect.

60-90 BPM 90-120 BPM 120-150 BPM

One note at a time! Mid-Riffer Arpeggio Artiste
GE
CHALLEN Practise the chord changes first, A medium tempo might reveal If this speed isn’t testing you,
T ER
B L A C K WA
then take a look at picking the errors in your picking technique. switch to down-up style alternate
relevant strings. Slow down again if so. picking for an extra challenge.
P I CK This Mikael Akerfeldt-style riff is a step up compared to our shorter examples. We’ve notated a picking approach that takes the
shortest route from string to string. A pure ‘down-up’ style may feel easier and it may even make your timing more regimented.
However, the notated picking approach (known as economy picking) is a more efficient way to tackle passages like this.

q =120
Am add 9 Adim/E b Dsus 4 G 5/C # Bm7/G # E
Play 4 times

.. # ..
b # #
let ring throughout

. 0
0
0 0 .
. 0
7
5 5
7
6
7
5
5
7
0
4
0
0
0
0
2
1
.
≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤
4 0
 48 | WORKOUT

03 ARPEGGIOS FOR SOLOS…

Take your technique to the next level with our lead guitar workout

W
ait, more arpeggios? Well, yes! aiming for a melodic vibe with a tight delivery, as far as creativity and blazing solos are
Arpeggios aren’t just for chord- whereby the strings don’t ring out. And, because concerned, but it does also represent a bit of a
based rhythm parts – you can solo you’re moving beyond basic chords, you’ll be challenge. Our licks will take you through essential
with them too. Generally, you’ll be covering more of the fretboard. This is good news shapes which you can apply to your own solos.

LEVEL #1: BEN’S SON

˙~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
q =100
Cmaj 7
.. ..
Play 4 times

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
. 8
7 8
.
. 10 9
.
≥ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥
These notes come from a Cmaj7 chord. So what? Well, solo with the notes of
the chord you’re playing over and you’re guaranteed to be in key. It’s an idea
you can apply to any chord progression you play over.

LEVEL #2: SKIP THE PICK

q.=120 Play 4 times

48 .. ..

. 8 12 8 8
.
. 10 9 12 12 9
10
9 12
.
PICK ME...
When playing arpeggios,
your picking technique is
just as important as your This string-skipped arpeggio shape is much-used by shred legend Paul
fretting shapes Gilbert. Slowly practise the hammer-ons with your first and fourth fingers
and focus on the three-notes-per-beat timing.

60-90 BPM 90-120 BPM 120-150 BPM

Slow And Steady Level Up! Melody Master
GE
CHALLEN At this tempo it’s pretty easy to It’s starting to get serious now! Our lick tests both picking and
OF
K N I GH T S
pick up on the shapes we’ve used. Try your best not to let any notes fretting, so expect slow, gradual
ring out together. progress to reach these speeds.
A
A RP E GG I This Matt Bellamy-style part uses arpeggios to outline the chord sequence. Practise by playing the shapes first as chords,
then as arpeggios. Major and minor sounds are essential for all music, so try to memorise the Am and C arpeggios.
Diminished shapes aren’t so commonplace. Either use alternate picking or follow the directions below the tab.

q =120
Am Bdim C Fdim G # dim Play 4 times

b b #
.. ..

. 12 13 14 12 13 14 12 13 13
15
13
15
13
15
12
13
15 12
13 15 15
13
.
. 16 16 12 12
14 15
13 16 13 16
.
≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥
 | 49

04 STRUMMED RHYTHMS…
Strum down. Strum up. Can there really be any more to this basic technique?

W
ell, yes, as it turns out! While be mastered with strumming. The idea is to there will be familiar with strumming, but even
alternating between down- and synchronise your downstrokes with the strongest the most experienced players have to practise.
upstrokes is obviously the core of rhythmic pulse of the music – your upstrokes Take a look at the basics and build up to our
the technique, there is still a craft to should fall in between. Of course, most of you out challenge riff.

LEVEL #1: STRUM-DER WALL

q = 80
Em7 A 7sus 4 Play 4 times

.. ..

. 3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3 .
. 0
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
.
0 0 0 0 0 0
≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≤
Famously used in Oasis’ ‘90s Britpop banger “Wonderwall”, this rhythm
showcases 16th-note strumming. That means there are theoretically up to
four strums in every beat (though only three are played in our riff).

LEVEL #2: UP, UP AND AWAY

q =120
D E/D

.. œœœ œœ # œœ œœ œœ œœ
Play 4 times

..
œœ œ œ œ œ 49
œ œ œ œ œ

. 2
3
2
3
4
5
4
5
4
5 .
. 2
0
2
0
4
0
4
0
4
0 .
≥ ≤ ≤ ≤ ≤ JOE STRUMMER
Strumming movements
This rhythm starts on the downbeat, then focuses on offbeats. should come mainly
For a consistent strumming technique, simply match your downstrokes from your wrist
with downbeats and upstrokes with offbeats.

60-90 BPM 90-120 BPM 120-150 BPM

Ups and Downs Strummer Of 69 Rhythm King
GE
CHALLEN Focus on each one-beat grouping Increase your tempo and things The chord changes are easy, so
T OM
so that you understand the should start to sound more you can really push the tempo high
underlying rhythms. musical than a slow run-through. for a serious strumming challenge.
S T R UM With some basics covered, take a look at this challenging Pete Townshend-inspired part which combines the strumming patterns
of the previous examples with a couple of other rhythms. Had a go at our Oasis riff? Bar #1 mixes up those rhythms, opening on a
‘down-down-up’ instead of a ‘down-up-down’.

q = 120
Dsus 4 D Dsus 2 D Dsus 4 D C G C D
Play 4 times

œœ œ œ
.. œœ n ‰ œœ ‰ œœœœ ‰ œœ ..
n œ
œ œ
. 332 332 332 3
3
3
3
2
3
2
3
2
3
2
3
2
3
2
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
2
3
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
2
3
2
3
2
3
2
3
2
3
0
1
0
1
3
0
0
1
2
3 .
.0 0 0 2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
0
2
0
2
3
2
0 .
≥ ≥≤ ≤≥ ≥≤≥ ≥ ≥≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥≤ ≤≥ ≥≤≥ ≥ ≥≤ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥
3
1
 50 | WORKOUT

05 LEGATO LEAD…
You know the basics, now take your technique to new heights

H
ammer-ons and pull-offs, some of the with a fretting finger without picking the string – ideas a step further by using a technique known
first techniques beginner lead guitarists it’s done by either ‘hammering’ down hard on the as legato – when you use a mixture of hammer-
learn, are among of the easiest. For the string or ‘pulling off’ to essentially re-pick it. ons and pull-offs one after the other. Try out
uninitiated, the idea is to sound a note Simple! Here we’re looking at ways to take these these exercises and hone your skills.

LEVEL #1: SPINAL HAMMER

ONE BY ONE q =125
Align your fingers B5 Play 4 times
one-per-fret to nail
those legato leads
.. 2
3
1
3
1
3
1
3
..
3 3 3 3

. 0 2 3 0 3 5 0 5 7 0 3 5 .
. .
≥ ≥ ≥ ≥
Kick off your legato workout with this triplet lick. If you struggle, just focus
on each three-note grouping one at a time – on their own, these groupings
are great beginner level legato licks.

LEVEL #2: GETCHA PULL-OFF

q =120
Am

..
4 3 # 1 4 b n n b 3 1 4
3
1 n b 4
3
Play 4 times
1 ..
50

. 8 7 5 7 5 5 .
. 8 8 7 8 7 5
.
≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≤
This Dimebag Darrell-style lick features pull-offs using the first, third
and fourth fingers. Flick out and down from the string with your
fretting fingers to effectively re-pick the string.

60-90 BPM 90-120 BPM 120-150 BPM

Novice Noodler Level Up! Hammer Time! Melody Master, Legato Legend
GE
CHALLEN It’s a weaving, windy lick, so, at this Hammer-ons and pull-offs are When playing at such fearsome
H I NG
DIMINI S
gentle tempo, make it your aim to actually easier played at some speeds just make sure not to let
memorise the notes. speed. Find a moderate sweet spot. your accuracy slip.
R E T UR N S This smooth Allan Holdsworth-inspired line uses both hammer-ons and pull-offs to create a seamless flow of notes.
It looks pretty scary, but there’s a shortcut! Learn the first eight notes, then shift up a semitone and repeat the
same pattern again. This repeats all the way up to the third string, before the final first-string lick.

q =110
4 b ~~~~~~~~
.
b
3
Adim
b
1
Play 4 times
.. ..
4 3 4

b b n b
2 2 1

b
1 1
1 3 4
2 4 2 1
4 3 4 1
4 1 2 2 1 1
3
~~~~~~~~
1

. 8 10 11
.
. 5 6 8 6 5 6 8 9
6 7 9 7 6 7 9 10
7 8 10 8 7 8 10 11
.
5 7 8
©2020 Fender Musicial Instruments Corporation. FENDER, FENDER in script, STRATOCASTER, and the distinctive headstock commonly found on Fender Guitars and Basses are registered trademarks of FMIC. Yosemite is a trademark of FMIC. All rights reserved.
 | 53

06 ALTERNATE PICKING…
Master this and watch your playing become faster and more effortless

J
ust like strumming, alternate picking has playing one string at a time. Okay, this might not strumming – synchronise your downstrokes with
down- and upstrokes at its core. Unlike sound overly exciting but bear with. How you pick the musical pulse and place your upstrokes in
strumming, this is more of a lead guitar massively affects your playing; get it right and between. Follow our exercises to see
technique, so we’re talking mainly about your solos will soar! In truth, it’s much like improvements in both speed and timing.

LEVEL #1: PICKERSLAVE

q =120
Play 4 times
Em
.. ..
3 3 3 3

. .
. 14 16 17 14 17 16 14 16 17
14 16 17
.
≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ cont. sim.
Here we have two different six-note patterns on the middle two strings,
each played with a sequence of alternating down- and upstrokes.
Notice how the second grouping begins on an upstroke.

LEVEL #2: PICK LABEL

q =120
F#m
4 n 1 3 4 1 3
Play 4 times

.. ..
3 1 3 3 1 3
1 1 1 1

. .
. 17 14
16 14
16 14
16 14
17 14
16 14
16 14
16 14 .
≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ cont. sim. CLOSE TO ME
This Zakk Wylde-style lick has a two-note-per-string picking pattern. Aid your alt picking
It’s quicker than the previous lick but each grouping begins on by keeping your picking
a downstroke, which can make it feel more natural. hand close to the bridge

60-90 BPM 90-120 BPM 120-150 BPM

Raw Recruit Keen Picks-man Prince Of Picking
GE
CHALLEN Just remember: ‘down-up, The middle tempos are If you’re alternate picking cleanly

FL AT T S
down-up’. Don’t veer from important. You should start at this tempo, well, let’s just say
these picking directions. to ‘feel’ the music now. we’re envious!
P I C K I NG This bluegrass-style lick will have you moving about from string to string – quite the challenge when you’re using strict alternate
picking. Practise slowly and learn four or eight notes at a time, keeping your pick moving ‘down-up’ throughout. Try flicking your pick
away from the strings on the upstrokes to lessen the chance of hitting the wrong string on the downstroke.

q =120
C G C
.. b n b
Play 4 times
.. w
b n b n b n w
. 1 3 1 4
0
1 1 . 1
. 3
0 2
0 2 0
2
0 0 2 0
1 2
2 3 0
3 1 2
3 1 0 1 2
. 0
2
3

≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ cont. sim. 3
 54 | WORKOUT

07 FUNK-STYLE STRING MUTING…

Get your groove on with TG’s rhythmic riffing workout

I
f you’ve just been following our alternate kind, typically have alternate picking at their specifically at string-muting – using muted
picking workout, well, boy, have we got heart – so the tab examples here are a great strings to give a funky, percussive bite to your
a surprise for you: more picking! Joking opportunity to further develop your abilities. music. Combine the two techniques and you’ll get
aside, funk riffs, especially the single-note What’s different? Well, here we’re looking more the funk in before you know it.

LEVEL #1: PICKING IN THE NAME

SPOTLIGHT q = 90
Lift your fretting finger to Dm Play 4 times
create funky muted
notes. Easy!
.. ..

. ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ .
. 7 7 7 7 7
.
≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ cont. sim.
Listen carefully to hear this funky, muted line played over our heavy Rage
Against The Machine-style riff. Use alternate picking and press/relax your
fretting finger to generate the notes and mutes.

LEVEL #2: TOE TO TOE

q.=110
Dm Play 4 times
.. ..
54

. .
. 5 ¿ ¿ 3 5 ¿ 5 ¿ 3 3
.
5 5
≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
Keep your picking hand moving down and up, accenting every three notes
here in our Steve Lukather-inspired riff. Listen closely! Several of the
upstrokes should be emphasised.

60-90 BPM 90-120 BPM 120-150 BPM

Up all night to get plucky! Cissy Struttin’ Disco Demon
GE
CHALLEN While the tempo is slow, focus your Emphasise the muted notes. Move over Nile Rodgers!

CHI C T O
energy on memorising the lick in full. The medium tempo should feel There’s a new disco diva in town.
more natural than playing slowly.
CHI C
Timing is key here in this Nile Rodgers-style riff, so tap your foot or count to four to keep, time and use strict alternate picking
throughout to lock in with the music. You can really make a meal of the muted notes here, so pick firmly and let the strings
‘pop’ back against the fretboard. Use a compressor pedal if you have one – it’ll help those funky mutes stand out.

q =100
Dm7 Dm6 Dm7 Dm6 Dm7 Dm6 Dm7 Dm6
Play 4 times
.. ..

.7¿57¿ ¿57¿¿7¿ 5 ¿57¿ ¿57¿57¿67 ¿57¿ ¿57¿¿7¿ 6

¿¿7675¿¿7675.
. 5 7 7
7
5 7
7
5 7 7
5 7 7 5
.
1
≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ cont. sim.
 | 55

08 FINGERSTYLE…
Using a pick isn’t the only way to hone your chops

W
hether you’re a regular steel string chops down. It’s a great way to reinvent tired challenging yourself by playing faster or by
strummer or an occasional acoustic chord progressions with depth and detail. Here reworking the fingerstyle pattern for some new
maestro, every guitarist should you can take a look at some basics or level up chords. If you struggle, take it slowly and work on
have at least a few fingerstyle with our more challenging part. If it’s easy, try one short phrase at a time.

LEVEL #1: LEN AND CO

q.= 70
C Am

.. ‰ œ. œ. ..
Play 4 times

˙. ˙.
let ring throughout

. 1 1 .
. 3
2
0
0
2
2
.
p i m a p i m a

Start with this easy line and pick: thumb (p), index (i), middle (m) then ring
finger (a). Already a seasoned fingerstylist? Use the riff as a speed test
by gradually increasing the tempo you play at.

LEVEL #2: RULE OF THUMB

q =70
Csus 2 G 5/D Play 4 times

.. ..
‰ œ œ œ œ œ
let ring throughout
. 3 3 3 3 .
. 0
3
0 0
3
0 0
0
0 0
0
0
. FEELIN’ PLUCKY,
m i p i m i p i PUNK!?
Get to know which finger
Step up your workout with this more challenging line which requires you to should pluck which string
move your thumb from string to string. Break it down into bite-sized for more efficient playing
phrases if you struggle.

60-90 BPM 90-120 BPM 120-150 BPM

Fingers And Thumbs Easy As PIMA Finger-pickin’ Good!
GE
CHALLEN There’s a lot to learn, so keep it Start to apply the fingerpicking At these tempos, you’re
G
P L UC K I N
slow and practise the chord patterns and gradually increase a fingerpicker extraordinaire!
changes first. your tempo.
OU T L OUD This Ed Sheeran-style riff uses a combination of single-note fingerstyle playing and two-note shapes. You can experiment
with which fingers feel comfortable for you, but remember to check the notation for the downward stems, as these are
played with the thumb.

q = 90
Gsus 2 D 5/A D Dsus 2 Bm11 Gsus 2 D 5/A D Play 4 times

.. ‰ .. œœ .. œœ .
‰ ‰ ‰ œ .
. ˙ ˙ . ˙ ˙
œ . ˙ œ . ˙
. 3 3
2
3
0
3
0
3 3 3
2
3 3
2
3 .
. 0
2
0
0
2
0 0
2
2
0
2
0
2
0
0
2
0 0
2 2
0
2
.
3 3 3 3
p i a p p i a p p i a a m p p a p i a p p i a p p i a m i p i a
m m m m m m m m
i
 56 | WORKOUT

09 STRING BENDING…
Channel your inner guitar hero with this easy soloing tip

F
rom BB to Bonamassa, Slash to Slayer, you that! A humble technique it may be, but Basically, it’s a matter of developing a feel for
pretty much every rock, metal and blues it’s also a tricky one. Even something as simple as how far to bend, all the while keeping your ear
guitarist who ever played a solo uses replacing your strings with a lighter- or heavier- attuned to tell you when you hit the sweet spot.
string bends – you don’t need us to tell gauge set can be enough to affect how you bend.

LEVEL #1: BEND IT LIKE BERRY

=
3
j
q = 90

A5
.. œ œ œ œ œ Play 4 times
..

. BU 5 BU 5 BU 5 BU
.
. 7 (9) 7 (9) 7 (9) 7 (9)
.

This blues-tinged rock ’n’ roll lick is a great way to hone your bends – simply
bend the third string up by two frets. It should be the same pitch as the
fretted note on the second string.

LEVEL #2: NOISEGARDEN

q = 80
E5

.. b ..
Play 4 times

56 n œœ
b
. .
. .
BU BD
7 (8) (7) 5 9
7 5 BU BD 7
5 (6) (5) 3 0
PITCH-SHIFTER
Three fingers are better
than one when it This sludgy rock riff uses semitone bends in a ‘pull-down’ motion.
comes to string bends! Fret the fourth string and turn your wrist to lever the string towards
the floor. It’s much the same when you reach the sixth string.

60-90 BPM 90-120 BPM 120-150 BPM

Round The Bend Steady String Slinger Pitch Perfect!
GE
CHALLEN Keep the tempo slow and practise Start to piece the lick together and Once you’ve mastered the lick,
R
SYNYS TE
each short phrase on its own. build speed as you gain confidence. try playing just a little bit faster
to challenge yourself.
BE ND S
Build up your bending skills with a mix of techniques here in our Avenged Sevenfold-inspired lick. In the opening bar, aim to time
your bends strictly with an eighth-note pulse. Bar #2 is more vocal and expressive, while Bars #3 and #4 feature similar phrasing to
our second tab – just remember not to bend downwards every time!

q =120
5
√E
œ œ~~~~
. œ œ œ.
.. œ œ œ œ

BU
RP
BD BU ~~~~ BU( BU BD

. BU BD BU BD BU BD
15 (17) 17 (15) 12
14 (15 ) 15 17) 17 (19)(17) 15
17 15
. 14 (16 ) (14) (16) (14) (16) (14) 12
 | 57

10 WHAMMY BAR…
Let’s end our workout with a look at the techniques of Steve Vai, EVH and more

I
f your guitar’s equipped with a whammy three other techniques, too. First, the scoop: there’s the more challenging note-change
bar, you sure as hell should learn to use it quickly dip the bar down and release it back to technique where you use your bar to target
– and crikey can it be tricky! A little vibrato pitch as you play a note. Doops are similar, but specific notes. Once again, break our riffs down
here and there is simple, but there are you dip the bar after you play the note. Finally, phrase by phrase and you’ll see improvements.

LEVEL #1: SCOOPERMAN

q =70
Play 4 times TIME AT THE BAR!
E5 Scoop Scoop Scoop Scoop Scoop Scoop Scoop
Whammy bar techniques
.. .. are hard, but can be a lot
of fun when mastered

Scoop Scoop Scoop Scoop Scoop Scoop Scoop

. .
. 7 5 7 5 7 5 7 5
.
≥
Use hammer-ons and pull-offs to alternate between the fifth and seventh
frets, and dip your whammy bar before each note in order to scoop in from
below. You don’t need to bend to a specific pitch here, just do whatever
sounds good.

LEVEL #2: HAN VALEN

q =100
E5
√
Doop Scoop Doop Scoop ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
w/bar Play 4 times

.. œ œ. .. 57

Doop Scoop Doop Scoop

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
w/bar

. 15 12
15 12 .
. 14 12
.
This one’s not hard, as such… It’s just tough to remember exactly where to
scoop or doop. Practise super slowly one note (or whammy bar move) at
a time until you get a feel for it.

60-90 BPM 90-120 BPM 120-150 BPM

Trem Trembler Van scalin’ up Whammy Bar Whizz
GE
CHALLEN Work on the basics and don’t You should be getting an ear for it. Push the tempo higher and try to
O
VA I-BR AT
worry too much about small Now nail those note changes. stay accurate with every dip of
errors. the bar.

We’re stepping up the difficulty level here – aside from the doop in Bar #2, every whammy bar bend is targeting a specific note.
That means you need to check the tab for the relevant notes and listen closely as you adjust the bar. If your whammy bar
only lowers the pitch (doesn’t bend upwards), try targeting the 16th, 14th and 12th frets in Bars #1 and #2.

q.= 80
# # #
Badd 11
√ Bmaj 7 11 Badd

n # n ~~~~œ .
w/bar w/bar
~~~~œ . ~~~~
w/bar w/bar
w/bar w/bar

.. Œ . œ.
œ. Doop
NH

w/bar
~~~~
w/bar
w/bar
~~~~
w/bar
w/bar
~~~~
w/bar

.
Doop
18 (19 ) (18 ) 16 (18 ) (16 ) 14 (16 ) (14) [14 ] 0 5
.
58 | WOMEN IN LUTHERIE

OUTSIDE THE BOX

INNOVATION, ARTISTRY AND ELBOW GREASE – HOW WOMEN IN LUTHERIE ARE
REWRITING THE RULEBOOK. WORDS BY ADAM BRADBURY.

W
hat connects Paul Simon, Carlos Santana and Milton offs such as the 42-string Pikasso for Pat Metheny – Manzer’s oeuvre
Nascimento? Answer: they all own guitars made by the and impact are all the more remarkable when you consider she’s
same pair of hands. Well into her fifth decade building done what she’s done in a business that might at times appear to
guitars, Linda Manzer is one of the most esteemed luthiers of have operated a ‘no girls’ rule.
modern times. So, what makes Manzer – and other luthiers who chose to ignore
A pioneer and inspiration to generations of other guitar makers, that rule – tick? Boutique builders from North America and Europe
she creates instruments that command ardent fans, decent money reveal their inspirations, signature models, choice of materials
and the occasional museum plinth. Convention-defying flat-tops, and thoughts on working in a world where women are still out-
archtops, sopranos, baritones, sitar guitars and jaw-dropping one- numbered, though not outdone.
 | 59

sensibilities and, more importantly, the sound and time to start that would be right now, as the best
feel of the guitars I make. The secret sauce is the woods are 100-plus years old.
passion you put into it.
I think those who ‘get’ my guitars sense a ‘feel’ What challenges, if any, have you faced as
I try to get into each guitar. Each guitar has a little a woman in lutherie?
bit of me in it. Technically, I match the woods as When I began building guitars there were no
best I can so they work as a team. For me, the most women in the field at all to my knowledge. Being
important aspects are: how the instrument sounds, the only one meant I was the icebreaker at the front
how it feels to play, and finally how it looks – in of the ship. It was exhilarating and tiring. I cut my
that order. It’s also really important to listen to the own path in a very welcoming field.
person you are building for. Ultimately, it’s their I still occasionally have to prove myself when I
guitar, so I try to listen and bring their musical go into an unknown hardware store and have to
dream to life. convince them I know what I’m talking about. But at
the last hardware store I went into there were more
How did you work out how to make women working there than men. That kind of blew
extraordinary instruments such as the my mind in a good way.
Pikasso you made for Pat Metheny? The challenges can be subtle, though. When I
Through experimentation and boldly going where started out there were many bumps in the road
no guitar maker had gone before? [Laughs] Luckily, and they potentially added up to say: “You’re not
I was a bit na±ve about the complexity of what I welcome.” Luckily, I had two older brothers. The big
was undertaking and therefore undaunted. I had eye-opener was when I was about eight and I wasn’t
an incredibly willing partner to work with in Pat allowed in the tree fort because my brothers had
Metheny. I am forever grateful for his inspiration a ‘no girl’ rule. I fought my way up the ladder and
and support. once I was in the tree fort I realised they actually
liked having me there. That’s when I realised ‘girls’

LINDA MANZER
MANZER GUITARS
What are your main considerations when
choosing tonewoods?
I listen to each piece of wood with my eyes
could do anything. Yes, there would be issues in
front of me – for instance, I don’t have the strength
most men have, but I work smart. I discovered a
closed – tapping it. I’m looking for sensitivity and thing called ‘leverage’. Very handy for lifting heavy
It all started when… responsiveness. And stability. I know the woods are shit. Problems usually have solutions.
I went to the Mariposa Folk Festival, late ‘60s, going to be thinned and then have braces added. There are definitely fewer women than men in
and saw Joni Mitchell playing a dulcimer and You have to intuit what it can and will become. I this field, but the numbers of women grow each
went to buy one at the local folklore centre in read that Michelangelo said he was just chipping year. I think it’s less intimidating than when I
Toronto – and it was too expensive. The fellow there away stone to reveal the statue inside, and I started. For years I was the only woman working
suggested I buy a kit for half the price and make sometimes feel I’m doing something similar with at Larriv«e. But the men I worked with in the
one myself, which I did. That’s when the bug bit. the wood. mid-‘70s never made an issue of my gender and,
I continued to art college in Halifax, Nova Scotia, When I began building guitars there were no in fact, probably became slightly protective about
where I kept finding myself making dulcimers. endangered wood species. I have enough aged me, because they saw some of the stuff I was
I realised that making musical instruments – wood to last a lifetime, but I am very concerned experiencing. These same fellows, the original six
specifically guitars – combined my love of art, about what the future holds for next generations apprentices of Jean-Claude Larriv«e and Larriv«e
woodworking and music. I heard about Jean-Claude of builders. I am glad for CITES [Convention himself, are my dearest friends and inspiration.
Larriv«e in Toronto. After spending a couple of on International Trade in Endangered Species] We are better if everyone can enter the field they
months trying to persuade him to hire me, he designations of woods. And it’s great to see people excel at or have passion in. This works both ways.
eventually did. using locally sourced woods, recycled materials and Society should also welcome men doing traditional
I learned how to make steel-string and classical windfall. But I think there will have to be controlled female jobs. We are all stronger if these artificial
guitars with Larriv«e from 1974 to 1978. During forestation of musical-instrument wood. And the walls come down.
my apprenticeship we made over 1,500 guitars. As
his small company grew, I realised I preferred to
work in a more solo environment. I felt it served
the resulting guitar better as it would have one
set of hands guiding its path. I studied with James
D’Aquisto in 1983 to ’84 in his shop in Long Island,
New York; I learned how to build archtop guitars
from him. He had studied with John D’Angelico, so
I was immersed in a workshop rich in history and
tradition. It was a huge honour to work alongside
him. From him I learned to trust my intuition.

What do you hope other guitar makers will

learn from you?
I have been told that people like my design

worldwide. Scroll through trade association websites up the pencil and power tools.
KEY CHANGE
How the gender-balance tide is
and luthier podcasts, and you sense that perhaps
three in every 100 luthiers are women.
For guitar buyers, greater diversity at the
workbench could mean greater design variety.
turning in the music world This may all be changing. Certainly, there are The American Kathy Wingert has said she got
women working as designers and builders within into guitar making because she couldn’t find a

I
t’s no secret that women are under-represented, majors such as Gibson and Taylor, there are big-sounding guitar that suited her relatively
numerically, in all corners of the music industry. female directors such as Maton’s Linda Kitchen small stature. Models and data sets behind most
From audio production to leadership, studies in Australia, and there are teams of female staff product design – think crash-test dummies and
repeatedly find that women can face barriers to running things at the likes of PRS. And with the smartphones – take an average man as the norm.
getting in and on that men don’t. One estimate puts example of pioneers such as Linda Manzer rolling Change the designer and your data set, and you
the number of female luthiers as low as 50 to 100 on, there’s a sense that more women are picking start to change more than the mood music.
60 | WOMEN IN LUTHERIE

KATHY WINGERT
WINGERT GUITARS
of things in construction. And how to be really, really
snooty about wood.
If you count the first instrument that I built,
got bigger – whether because men got interested,
or if the fashion for larger instruments made it less
appealing to women, I don’t know.
though, it was in high school. If you count all the
It all started when… years I bought, fixed and flipped guitars, that was Will more women in lutherie change the norm
I needed a life change and a career direction. I all through my 20s. As for when I hung a shingle of ‘designed by men for men’?
loved playing guitar, but I was a terrible performer. and started selling guitars as a career choice? That I assume so. But there’s a funny thing about girls
A few life events ended with me standing in the was 1996. with guitars. Have you ever noticed that when a
middle of the library wondering what I was going to woman takes the stage with a guitar, it’s likely to
do. Some soul-searching and a card catalogue lead What sets your guitars apart? be big and well worn? I think women often feel that
to books on guitar making and repair. The book was It’s hard to stand out for fit, finish, aesthetics and if they show up with a ‘girly-looking’ guitar, they have
pretty awful, but it planted a good seed. originality, because there are so many truly fine just increased the barrier to credibility.
The journey to my first guitar meandered through builders doing perfect work. There are a lot of us For years I would go to concerts and search the
the search for suppliers and tools, a class at a junior who stand shoulder to shoulder about the things backup band for a woman ‘sideman’. Women could
college and a job at a workshop that specialised in that mean the buyer will get a guitar that is worth be stars, or they could be an all-girl band, but outside
high-level instrument restoration and repair. The what they pay. of orchestras it appeared a woman couldn’t just have
owner was an expert in violin family instruments. He What sets mine apart, I believe, is the time I take a job playing guitar. Then I chained myself to the
didn’t teach me methods but how to see and how to to voice the tops, and the voice I’m going for – as workbench and didn’t come up for air. When I finally
listen, how to do a really good setup, and a handful dark as possible while being fully articulate. I’ve been did, I found the world had finally changed.

ROSIE use different woods for bracing to emphasise tonal

characteristics that a species excels at – walnut

HEYDENRYCH
TURNSTONE GUITAR COMPANY
for warmth, padauk for clear treble, mahogany for
crispness. I have become very interested in the use of
English timbers.

F
inding out about Linda Manzer, among other Does it matter that there are so few women in
female luthiers, encouraged Rosie Heydenrych, lutherie?
in her mid-20s, to sign up for a guitar-making Lack of diversity in any industry is a shame.
class at London Metropolitan University. She followed Things are changing, but when I was at school I
up with a two-year was the only girl in my year to take woodworking.
internship with a local I think to this day it still breeds an undercurrent of
maker, and volunteered insecurity. I worried about what friends and family
with repairer Celine might think when I told them I was interested in
Camerlynck in London’s working with hand tools, machines and glues. One
Denmark Street, before of the first things I did was research if there were
starting the Turnstone any female guitar makers, and I found out about
Guitar Company in 2015. Kathy Wingert, Linda Manzer and Judy Threet. It
gave me the courage to walk through the door of
What sets your that evening class.
guitars apart? I see so many small women who are swamped by a
I’d like to say tone dreadnought-size guitar. I don’t think women [guitar
and playability, but players] want anything that’s aesthetically different,
that is for the player but they do sometimes have different physical
to identify. It’s exciting requirements. It comes down to wanting a better
to use new woods, feel playing experience, so for women I think in terms of
their differences in my smaller guitar bodies, less weight in the instrument
hands and anticipate and easy playability on the neck.
the contribution they Being a custom maker I can help spec a guitar that
will make to a finished caters physically to a person’s requirements. That
instrument. I like to goes for men and women.
 | 61

CLAUDIA
PAGELLI
PAGELLI GUITARS

C
laudia Pagelli designs guitars and
husband Claudio builds them. Together,
the Pagellis have been described as not
so much top of their league but in a league
of their own. Asymmetrical acoustics, open
headstocks, even a stone soundboard – the committed to guitar history, and I didn’t know
wife-and-husband team long ago threw the how a guitar was constructed. So I have no
rulebook out of the window. limits when drawing or thinking of the end
“My apprenticeship as a decorative product. There is really no reason why a
designer and graphic artist, my time at art woman can’t work as a luthier. Their work
school, and my various jobs in the creative has to be good and authentic, of course. Our
field were an advantage when it came to experience is that women are very welcome
guitar design,” says Claudia, a co-founder of in lutherie. A new male luthier has a harder
the Luthiers Beyond Limits group. “I wasn’t time gaining a foothold.”

MARTINA
BARTKOVA
& ZUZANA
JARJABKOVA
DOWINA

M
y grandad was a carpenter and
as a kid I spent a lot of time in
his workshop, so I always liked
manual work, being creative and making
something of great utility,” says Martina
Bartkova who has worked on binding,
sanding, frets, dovetails and laser-cutting for
Dowina in Slovakia. “This is dirty work. There
is a lot of glue, wood dust. I like my work,
but I think not a lot of women are inclined to
do this. Guys didn’t believe in me; I needed
to show them each day I was capable.”
Currently working on necks and
backplate design, Martina’s colleague
Zuzana Jarjabkova aims to move on to
design complete guitars. “Guitar making
is still considered a man’s work. I don’t

changed, for sure.”

“I don’t think design depends on gender.”

But Bartkova thinks so: “Women have a
different aesthetic sense,” she offers.
62 | WOMEN IN LUTHERIE

Park worked at Larriv

JOSHIA DE JONGE
JOSHIA DE JONGE GUITARS

W
hen I first started, I think I knew less
than five female builders. That’s
beginning to change, but we’re still in
the minority. People would assume my father was
the builder, and later my husband.”
Celebrated classical guitar maker Joshia de Jonge
has been steeped in lutherie since childhood. Her
father, and teacher, is the luthier Sergei de Jonge,
and sibling rivalry spurred her on, aged 13: “My
younger brother started building a guitar and I was
jealous and wanted to build one as well, so I did.”
She cites Linda Manzer and Grit Laskin among her
inspirations, and credits renowned American luthier
Eric Sahlin for the subtle twist she likes to plane
into the neck for a comfortable playing position.
“All in all, the guitar making-world has been a really
positive atmosphere for me,” says de Jonge. Her
handmade instruments, also notable for her mosaic
rosette, top bracing pattern and French polish,

WALTNER GUITARS

W
hen I started, I was very exotic as a
woman building guitars,” Angela
Waltner, whose classical instruments
sell worldwide, tells us from her base in Berlin.

is still dominated by men, but there are signs that

characterise my instruments.

suppliers offer beautiful local woods that work very well.”

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 | 65

The
Great
Blues
Boom
LET’S TAKE AN
IN-DEPTH LOOK
AT THE MUSIC
THAT LAUNCHED
THE BLUES TO
POPULARITY,
AND THE ICONIC
BLUES GUITARISTS
WHO BIRTHED
THE ORIGINAL
ROCKSTAR
PERSONA.

obert Johnson, Son House, Lead also for the hard lives they led, which were more these older figures over the classic blues-rock
Belly, Memphis Minnie, Charley often than not painted into their music. These explosion crowd of the 1960s, because they’re
Patton, John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ legends of blues plied their craft during one of more authentic and raw. Nirvana effectively turned
Wolf… History has a way of the ugliest periods of racial strife and economic the MTV generation on to Delta blues with their
deifying names such as these, disparity in America. Alcohol, drugs, crime and cover of Lead Belly’s “In the Pines”/“Where Did You
ensuring that they’re spoken about poverty were among the hardships that informed Sleep Last Night?”
in awed, reverent tones because of their music. Lead Belly was a convicted murderer, But an artist like Lead Belly wasn’t trying to be
their innovative musical inspiration. In one respect, Robert Johnson a serial womaniser. Son House was restrained or virtuous. He was just working with
this reverence is completely justified. These blues a hard-drinking ex-con, and boozy Memphis Minnie the tools he had – that sparser sound he and his
guitarists are among the founders of rock ’n’ roll, was known to hold her own in a fight. Only a fool peers honed in the days before Marshall stacks and
and of popular music as a whole. Without them would mess with any of them. Fender Strats. If Robert Johnson or Blind Lemon
there would be no Chuck Berry, Keith Richards, The music itself often gets the hagiography Jefferson had had access to an electric guitar,
Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Duane Allman, treatment too, in a way that smooths its legacy and there’s every chance he would have cranked it all
Samantha Fish or Gary Clark Jr, to name a few of the ignores the circumstances that bred it. The likes of the way to 11, like the rock ‘n’ roll stars who were
guitarists influenced by their music. Lead Belly have been embraced as folk heroes by to come. And that’s what the men and women on
And so they are revered, not only for their artists such as Bob Dylan, and by the most recent the next few pages were: the pioneers of blues and
music, guitar talents or songwriting abilities, but crop of new blues-rock bands, who have favoured rock ‘n’ roll, yes – but also the first rockstars.
66 | BLUES

Lead Belly
Lead Belly was born Huddie Ledbetter in 1885
in Mooringsport, Louisiana, close to Caddo Lake,
a tranquil spot far removed from the bright city
lights of Shreveport, the nearest big town. His
parents were farmers, and by all accounts Huddie
was a tough kid who was able to pick more cotton
than anyone else. Born in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, in 1915, Tharpe
He quickly came to like women, corn liquor
and trouble in about equal proportions. He liked
hanging out in Shreveport’s red-light district, and
Sister began performing as a four-year-old under
the name Little Rosetta Nubin. Her mother, an
evangelist preacher and musician, was a great
by the age of 16 had not only gained an enviable
reputation for his sexual prowess, but also heard
the barrel-house piano players, whose walking-
Rosetta source of encouragement, and by the time
Tharpe was six, the two were on the church-
based Gospel Highway touring circuit together.
bass figures would become a trademark of his own
powerful rhythmic style.
By the age of 33, Lead Belly had mastered the
Tharpe In her 20s, Tharpe moved to New York City and
signed to Decca Records, where the increasingly
secular nature of her music – and especially her
12-string guitar, met up with Blind Lemon Jefferson The annals of guitar-hero history are guitar playing – would cause her to fall out of
and become a regular performer at local dances dominated by familiar names like Jimi Hendrix, favour with the gospel audience.
and fish fries. But he soon ran into serious trouble. Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Chuck Berry, Without Sister Rosetta Tharpe, rock music
After an assault conviction, he spent a year on a but Sister Rosetta Tharpe – the godmother of as we know it today may never have happened.
chain gang, from which he escaped. He subsequently rock ‘n’ roll – was tearing up the live circuit Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Little
adopted the name Walter Boyd. before any of them. And yet she was scarcely Richard and other stars of the first wave of rock
At about the same time that the United States recognised as a guitarist until years after her ‘n’ roll were all indebted to her. Those figures
entered the First World War, Walter Boyd was death, aged 58, from a stroke, in 1973. Her were subsequently hero-worshipped by the
with two friends on his way to a dance. After an New York Times obituary called her a “Top kids who would go on to form the Beatles, Led
altercation over a girl, one of the men drew a pistol, Gospel Singer” but the newspaper made scant Zeppelin, Queen, the Who, the Rolling Stones and
but Boyd shot him in the head before he could use it. reference to her guitar playing. basically every major act in 1960s rock ‘n’ roll.
Six months later, in 1918, he was sent to Shaw State As a gospel singer, Sister Rosetta inspired “It was at the Home of the Blues record
Prison with a 30-year sentence. the virtuoso likes of Aretha Franklin, but as a shop where I bought my first recording of
In a remarkable streak of luck – something that six-stringer her legacy is just as profound. She Sister Rosetta Tharpe singing those great
seemed to characterise his entire life – Lead Belly, as was one of the first players to intentionally gospel songs,” Johnny Cash said when he was
he was now known, charmed his way out of prison distort her electric guitar, and Clapton, Beck inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
after serving only seven years by writing a song and Page have all acknowledged the impact in 1992. “Some of the earlier songs I wrote
about the prison governor, Pat Neff. of her 1963 performance on Blues and Gospel were influenced by people like Sister Rosetta
But Lead Belly’s temper soon got the better of Train, a 1964 concert presented and broadcast Tharpe.” Tharpe herself wouldn’t be inducted
him again, and by 1930 he was behind bars once in Britain. until 2007, 34 years after her death.
more, this time in Louisiana’s Angola prison, for
attempted murder. Incredibly, history would quickly
repeat itself. In 1933, John Lomax arrived at Angola
looking to record the songs of the inmates for the
Library of Congress. Once again, Lead Belly sang a
suitably ingratiating song he’d composed about the
Skip James
governor, and the next year he was released. Skip James’ first recordings were released just as the
He lived a colourful life, but Lead Belly’s real Great Depression hit. Had it not been for unfortunate
claim to a place in rock history is his repertoire of timing, the singer/guitarist and early pioneer of haunting
songs, from cowboy ballads like “Out on the Western open-D-minor guitar tuning might have become known to
Plain” (covered by Rory Gallagher) to his takes on record buyers much sooner. As it was, he remained under
the old English ballad “Gallows Pole” (immortalised the radar until the 1960s, when his music, along with that
by Led Zeppelin), “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” of fellow Delta trailblazer Son House, was unearthed by
(covered by Nirvana) and “Black Betty” (adopted by blues enthusiasts, arguably kick-starting the decade’s blues
Ram Jam). His final performance was a concert at music revival. Over time, James has become a popular
Carnegie Hall in 1949. He died that year, aged 61. name to drop in blues and rock circles.

TOP TRACK: “IN THE PINES” TOP TRACK: “DEVIL GOT MY WOMAN”
 | 67

Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson’s masterful guitar technique is the stuff of legend, and his
haunting vocal delivery was once described by Eric Clapton as “the most
powerful cry that I think you can find in the human voice.”
“I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom”, “Sweet Home Chicago”, “Terraplane Blues”,
“Love In Vain Blues”, “Hellhound On My Trail” and “Traveling Riverside Blues”
are just a few of his songs that have become classic rock standards, covered by
Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, the Rolling Stones, Clapton, Lucinda Williams and
Larkin Poe, to name a few.
Such covers would receive far more attention than their creator did in his
short lifetime – he was born in 1911 and died at age 27 – but Johnson’s originals
are conserved in the seminal 1990 compilation The Complete Recordings, the
ground zero of recorded Delta blues.
“Robert Johnson was an incredible guitar player and singer,” blues guitarist
Walter Trout says. “On these songs, he sounds like three guys, because he’s
playing a bass line, a rhythm and slide leads, all at the same time. There are
guys who can nail it note for note, but it’s lacking the spark of creativity.
“But to me, the reason he’s considered in a league of his own – among all
those other guys like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Willie McTell, Charley Patton
and Blind Willie Johnson – is because of his songs. They’re universal and they’re
lasting and they’re classic.
“In the canon of the blues, his songs are really top of the heap. My favourite
is ‘Love in Vain Blues.’ That one makes me weep. It tears me up. ‘Cross Road
Blues’ is incredible too – the guitar playing and the singing. That whole thing
about going to the crossroads and selling your soul to the devil. If you ever
talked to B.B. King, he’d say, ‘No, that’s bullshit. The blues is beautiful, and
beauty doesn’t come from the devil.’
“These songs were unknowingly instrumental in the creation of rock ‘n’
roll. But one thing that’s kind of mind blowing when you hear Clapton and
the Stones and all these people doing these unbelievable songs, is that the
guy never made a dime. He was paid a total of 38 dollars. That’s what he
made off these songs. Hopefully his family is receiving royalties. He’s another
in a long line of originators of blues music who died basically penniless.”
[Johnson allegedly died after being poisoned by the husband of one of his
sexual conquests].
Willie Dixon
“So that’s a real travesty about this music. Its impact worldwide is monumental, Ever browsed through Willie Dixon’s songwriting credits? It’s a sobering
but the guys who originated it never, ever received what they were due. And experience, a Rosetta Stone of popular music crammed with hits that
they died having no idea that their music was going to become immortal.” anyone with half a grasp of blues, soul, rock, pop and even punk will
recognize: “You Shook Me”, “I Just Want to Make Love to You”, “Hoochie
TOP TRACK: “CROSS ROAD BLUES” Coochie Man”, “Bring It On Home”, “Talk To Me Baby”, “You Need Love”
(which Jimmy Page adapted for Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”), “I
Can’t Quit You Baby”, “Evil”, “Back Door Man”… They are songs that
have been immortalised by Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Muddy Waters,
Etta James, the Doors, Canned Heat, UFO, Grateful Dead, Johnny
Thunders, Tom Petty, New York Dolls and many others.
Arguably, it was the Rolling Stones who turned the wider world
on to Dixon’s most pivotal song. On November 20, 1964, the Stones
appeared on the British TV pop music show Ready Steady Go! to
perform their ninth single, “Little Red Rooster”. In what has since
become an iconic clip, Mick Jagger stalks the stage, alternately
mouthing lyrics and blowing his harp while Brian Jones minces a
sideways glance into the camera as he hits the song’s slide lick on his
teardrop-shaped Vox Mark III guitar.
A bassist, producer and the blues’ most prolific songwriter, Dixon
was accustomed to his songs achieving a higher profile than him. For
years he’d been spinning gold for Chicago blues artists like Muddy
Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Bo Diddley and others. He’d also played bass on
many of the Chicago blues sides we now cherish. And in an electric-
blues obsessed 1960s Britain, his tunes would fatten up the set lists of
just about every R&B band.
You might suppose that the Stones and other English groups lifted
Dixon songs from imported Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and Little
Walter 45s. That did happen, but as Dixon revealed in his essential
1990 biography, I Am the Blues, he made tapes of his music to help
players like Brian, Mick and Keith in their studies. “Kids would come
and say they liked our music and want to sing our music,” Dixon said.
“Sometimes I’d write it out for ’em. Sometimes I’d put it on a tape. That’s
how the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds got their songs.”
The great man died of heart failure in California on January 29, 1992.
He never did become as recognisable as the artists he helped to break
through, but everyone knows his songs.

TOP TRACK: “EVIL”

68 | BLUES

Blind Lemon Jefferson

Born lemon Henry to sharecroppers in the 1880s, the father of Texas Blues
started out as a street musician, recognisable for his shrill, clear voice and
distinctive guitar style. Jefferson was blind, but that didn’t stop him from
gambling and drinking heavily with Lead Belly as they toured the barrel-
house circuit of saloons and gin mills in the 1900s. After years of performing
on street corners, he became one of the first black musicians to enjoy a
successful recording career.

Memphis those men were largely forgotten,

Minnie was still drawing audiences TOP TRACK: “MATCHBOX BLUES”

Minnie in clubs and still making records.

Her professional career in blues is
matched by no other female musician,
You can’t talk about the leading
lights of blues without mentioning
Memphis Minnie. An extremely prolific,
and by very few men.
How she managed that is clear
on the 2016 compilation Keep On
Muddy Waters
confessional recording artist and a Going: 1930–1953. Listen to her Muddy was a kingpin of Chicago in the 1950s. Born McKinley Morganfield
no-bullshit character, Minnie had a intricate guitar duets with McCoy in Mississippi, the young bluesman was recorded for the first time in 1941
tough life, which she skilfully poured from the early ’30s; the small-band and rode the confidence from that pressing into a move north, to Chicago.
into her music. Noted American blues tracks from the later part of that Brought aboard the nascent Chess Records label, and backed by a band
guitar slide master Homesick James, decade; her plugged-in 1941 that included blues harp player Little Walter and piano man Otis Spann, in
“She chewed tobacco all the time, even recordings with next-husband Ernest the early ’50s Muddy fired off the songs that remain standards, including
while singing or playing the guitar, and ‘Little Son Joe’ Lawlars, such as her “Mannish Boy” and “Got My Mojo Workin’”.
always had a cup at hand in case she hit “Me And My Chauffeur Blues”; and
wanted to spit.” the still punchy music she made in TOP TRACK: “MANNISH BOY”
Born Lizzie Douglas, in Louisiana the ’50s such as “Kissing In The Dark”
in 1897, she ran away while in her and “Broken Heart”.
teens to Memphis, where she played What Minnie had was adaptability.
guitar and sang on street corners, Like Big Bill Broonzy – who recalled
supplementing her income with her beating him in a cutting contest
prostitution when she had to. For a in a Chicago nightclub in 1933 – she
stint from 1916 to 1920, she toured heard how the sounds and themes of
the South with the Ringling Brothers the blues were changing with the times
Circus. But it was when she started and she kept pace with them. Johnson,
performing with her first husband, Joe House and James were greats, but this
McCoy, in 1929, that her career took off. kind of musical re-invention would
Columbia Records snapped the couple have been beyond them.
up and renamed them Kansas Joe and During the ’60s, Minnie reaped
Memphis Minnie, which is how they the benefits of the young generation’s
performed until their divorce in 1935. renewed interest in blues, with the
By then, Minnie was an established new wave of players and enthusiasts
figure on the tour scene, one who recognising her role in laying crucial
could comfortably hold her own, and foundations of the genre. In 1971, Led
so she began experimenting with Zeppelin reworked her song “When
different styles. The Levee Breaks” into a bigger and
Minnie was 32 when she made her bolder version thanks in no small part
first recordings with McCoy. She was a to John Bonham’s huge drum sound.
contemporary of Delta blues guitarist But the grounding hoodoo at the
Tommy Johnson and just a few years heart of it was all Minnie.
older than Son House and Skip James.
More than 20 years later, when all TOP TRACK: “BUMBLE BEE”
 | 69

Howlin’ Wolf
With his booming voice, towering stature and
commanding presence, Howlin’ Wolf fired up
generations of blues and rock frontmen. Although
he passed away in 1976 at age 65, it’s impossible to
overstate his importance as one of the most influential
figures in the evolution of the blues and also in the
whole of 20th century popular music.
“If you think of the way Howlin’ Wolf made records,
you get the feeling there wasn’t a production manager
onsite, or a publicist having his say on how he should
sing the songs,” folk and blues guitarist M. Ward says.
“When you listen to his records, you feel like you’re
tapping into his voice.”
And as the late New York City rock guitarist Robert
Quine once noted of Wolf’s music, “Once you arrive at
the point that you understand it, the emotional factor is
darker than some of the saddest blues stuff.”
In Wolf’s case it’s not hard to see the source of that
darkness. Born 110 years ago, Chester Arthur Burnett
of White Station, Mississippi, earned the moniker Wolf
from his grandfather, who would tell him that the big,
bad wolf would get him if he misbehaved. Wolf’s mother
threw him out when he was still a child, forcing him to
hike barefoot over frozen ground to the home of his
great uncle, a man he once described as “the meanest
man between here and hell.”
Wolf eventually ran away to his father’s home, where
life was much happier. In his early 20s, Sonny Boy
Williamson II taught him how to play the harmonica,
and through the 1930s, alongside farm work, Wolf
befriended an enviable cast of Delta blues heroes,
playing juke joints with Son House, Johnny Shines,
Honeyboy Edwards and Willie Brown. Many bluesmen
claimed to have known and played with Robert Johnson.
But Howlin’ Wolf actually did.
Not until his father’s death in 1949 did he focus on
music, and by 1951 he’d met guitarist Ike Turner, his link
to Sam Philips at Sun Records. In 1952, Wolf relocated
to Chicago, where his from-the-depths howls and vein-
popping expressions saw him find favour with white
Son House with the earlier likes of Charley Patton, who
became something of a travel companion to
House, having seen him busking at a station
youths discovering the blues, and become one of the Of all the characters that feature in tales in Mississippi. But House was a remarkable
scene’s biggest stars. of blues from the early 1900s, singer and performer, with one of the most harrowing
guitarist Son House is one of those most voices in Mississippi. And he lived to document
TOP TRACK: “SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING” regularly cited by present-day enthusiasts. his legacy on record, setting a precedent for
In some ways he’s not an obvious choice. He what blues – and, in turn, rock ‘n’ roll – could be.
wasn’t the most skilled purveyor of this music, Eddie James ‘Son’ House Jr. was born in
or even the first, but he remains a quietly Mississippi in 1902. His father was a musician
popular touchstone. Jack White even named who played the tuba in a band. As a young
House’s sparse, bewitching acapella number man, Eddie worked as a manual labourer
“Grinnin’ In Your Face” as his favourite song. and preached on the side. At one point he
“By the time I was 18, somebody played me briefly became a full-time church pastor but
Son House,” White said in the 2008 rock music continued to be lured by whisky and women. It
documentary It Might Get Loud. “That was it for was a tension that would last throughout much
me. This spoke to me in a thousand different of his life: preaching and liquor, God and the
ways. I didn’t know that you could do that, devil, gospel and blues. Around 1927, he heard
just singing and clapping. It meant everything a slide guitar for the first time and decided to
about rock ‘n’ roll, expression, creativity and devote his life to blues music.
art. One man against the world, and one song. Like many other blues artists of the day,
It didn’t matter that he was clapping off-time, he suffered during the Great Depression,
it didn’t matter that it was no instruments during which time record sales plummeted
being played. All that mattered was the and he fell into relative obscurity. Son House
attitude of the song.” was not rediscovered until the 1960s. “Grinnin’
To a degree, Son House simply had In Your Face” was recorded and released in
longevity on his side. Indeed one of the things 1965, around the same time as his signature
that separates him from so many of his peers song “Death Letter Blues”. The latter track
is the fact that he didn’t die young. Passing was built on House’s earlier recording “My
away in October 1988, at the ripe old age of Black Mama, Part 2” from 1930. Thanks
86, he lived on to commit his memory to tape to televised and audio appearances in the
when so many other blues players didn’t. 1970s, his legacy was propelled into the next
He was not a guitarist of great technical generation, and beyond.
ability, or even an original pioneer of Delta
blues. That accolade sits more comfortably TOP TRACK: “DEATH LETTER BLUES”
70 | PEDALBOARDS

THE BOARD F
or guitarists, a well-stocked pedalboard is a
source of great pride. Each individual pedal has
been chosen specifically to elevate your sound,
helping create your own bespoke tone machine. Yet

BASICS
there’s more to a pedalboard than pedals, right? In
this guide, we’ll show you everything you need to
make the most of your setup. From those small-
but-important tools that make your life easier, right
through to gear that will allow you to play free from
your amp, we’ve got the lot. Let’s take a look.

PEDALBOARDS
IN THIS DEEP-DIVING SPECIAL FEATURE, WE’LL TEACH YOU WHAT The grimy floor of your
rehearsal room is no place
A GREAT PEDALBOARD NEEDS, THE BEST KIT YOU COULD START to store your prized pedals.
WITH, HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT, AND HOW TO WHACK IT Investing in a dedicated
ALL TOGETHER. FIRST OFF, LET’S LOOK AT THE BASIC COMPONENTS pedalboard elevates your
stompboxes, and gives them a place to call home.
NEEDED TO BUILD THE ULTIMATE PEDALBOARD. From simple-but-rugged metal boards to three
tier platform stands, a decent pedalboard is a
WORDS BY CHRIS CORFIELD.
worthwhile investment for any player. Look for neat
touches like integrated wire and cable routing, and
space to expand as your pedal collection grows.
Which it inevitably will. It’s quite common to see
pedalboards that double up as cases too, which
makes them doubly appealing for touring musicians.

PATCH CABLES
Setting up a pedalboard can be
not dissimilar to a game of Tetris,
as you try to balance the needs of your
signal chain with the space available
to you. Using regular guitar leads to
connect pedals is fine at a pinch, but for
serious pedal fans you’ll want to switch
to using dedicated patch cables. These
miniaturised cables – usually around
six inches in length – allow you to place
pedals closer together without having annoying
loose cables everywhere. Look for ‘pancake’ headers
too, which reduce the footprint even further.

DAISY CHAINS
The vast majority of guitar
pedals operate using a
nine-volt DC power supply
unit (PSU), yet as your
collection grows, you’ll find
locating multiple power
sources for more pedals is a chore. You could use
large extension cables or, if you’re clever, you’ll
switch to using nine-volt daisy chain cabling. The
premise is simple; you connect the first pedal in your
chain to the PSU, and then each subsequent pedal
connects to that same PSU using a special cable.
Typically, you can run up to five separate pedals using
this method, which further reduces the amount of
equipment (and hassle) if you’re out on the road.

PEDAL TUNERS
As perhaps the most unappreciated
component of a guitarists’ rig, the
humble tuner is arguably one of the
most important. Sure, you can opt
to use a headstock-mounted tuner,
but for simplicity and convenience
we’d recommend investing in a pedal
tuner. There are some great options
out there, from brands like Korg
and TC Electronic, and they’ll quite
happily sit at the start of your signal chain, giving
you confidence the audience is hearing exactly
what you want them to hear.
 | 71

BATTERY LIGHTS PEDAL AMPS MULTI-EFFECTS UNITS

While it won’t have any For certain shows, you For the signature parts
effect on your tone, or might not require the of your tone, you’ll likely
your playing, a small use of your large tube have found the perfect
battery powered light is amp. Step forward, single pedal, but adding
a super-helpful addition pedal amps. These tiny a small multi effects
to any pedalboard. This stompbox-sized amps pedal to your arsenal
is particularly useful pack enough punch gives you access to a
when playing live, as to power small speaker cabinets while some can world of tones which could be the missing pieces
stages can be dark output straight to the venue’s PA system. Pedal of the jigsaw. Most multi-effects units also double
places so having a little help to make sure you’re amps work well if your board already includes amp as a tuner, while many modern units also offer
tweaking the right settings is always a good modellers, while their tonally clean nature means looping functionality and the ability to connect
thing. Look for something small and unobtrusive, they allow your pedals to shine. There are plenty up to a computer via USB. Multi-effects units are
ideally with a gooseneck so you can angle the of options out there, including superb models perfect for practice and experimentation, and they
light exactly where it needs to be. It might not be from Electro-Harmonix and Orange, which will also offer up a reliable backup in case you have
particularly glamorous, but you can bet you’ll be significantly reduce the size of your performance rig. problems with your main ‘board.
glad you’ve got one.

LOOP PEDALS
Adding a loop pedal to your
rig opens up a whole new
world of creative potential.
As a practice tool, loop
pedals help you keep your
timing sharp and build up
your improvisational chops.
For the more experimental
players, the ability to
layer sounds on top of one
another, while retaining control over each layer,
offers up some wonderful possibilities. At the
entry-level end, you’ll find basic loop pedals which
allow you to record, play and overdub music, while
at the top end you’ll find loopers with multiple
channels and the ability to sync with certain
external gear using MIDI.

CASES
If you perform
music regularly,
you’ll know the
hassle involved with
packing up your
pedal collection REACH dividends once the venues re-open their doors.
Regardless of whether it’s your 50th or very

YOUR PEDAL
and all its cables, first attempt, here are some essential tweaks
transporting everything to the venue and then and upgrades you should consider to take your
having to reinstall it all. Pedals get scuffed, cables pedalboard to the next level.

POTENTIAL
get lost along the way and when the show’s done Some of the options require a little financial
you have to repeat that entire process to get them outlay, while others here are completely free. Try
home again. A pedalboard case is the perfect one of them, or all of them; it will only improve
answer, if all of that sounds familiar. Cases range the performance of your pedalboard.
from simple, soft versions right up to heavy-duty
JUST LIKE EVERY GUITARIST IS UNIQUE
IN HOW THEY EACH APPROACH THE

1
flight cases which could withstand all manner of INVEST IN YOUR POWER SUPPLY
abuse. It’s another unglamorous suggestion, but FRETBOARD, NO TWO PEDALBOARDS High-quality pedalboard power supplies
your pedals will thank you for it. ARE EVER REALLY THE SAME. HERE, WE’LL can be a bit of a hard sell. It’s not the
TEACH YOU SIX WAYS TO IMPROVE THE sexiest purchase compared with some of the cool
PEDAL TAPE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR PEDALBOARD, boutique effects you could buy with the same
If you’ve ever gone down the SO YOU CAN TRULY MAKE THE MOST cash. And surely if your $20 power supply from
route of using a dedicated OF YOUR NEW TOYBOX. Wish is doing the job, then who cares? Power is
pedalboard in the past, you’ll power, right? Not really. If you’re trying to take
know that one of the biggest WORDS BY CHRIS SCHWARTEN. control of your tone and keep it as consistent as
parts of the battle is keeping possible between home, rehearsals, and the stage,
the pedals from moving all investing in a quality isolated power supply is one

W
over the place. Most have ith the lack of live music and limited of the best things you can do.
some form of rubber on the rehearsal opportunities right now, If your power supply isn’t isolated, you leave the
bottom to help, but for a more permanent solution guitar players are stuck at home door open to uninvited visitors like buzz, hum, and
that will hold them in place you should consider getting to grips with projects that have probably hiss – or the noise from one pedal can enter the
using pedal tape. Pedal tape is simple, inexpensive been put off for too long. For some that might be signal path of another. If you use more than, say,
and allows you to secure your stomps onto the intonating a guitar or two – for others, it might five or six pedals – especially if they are particularly
board with ease. As a hook and loop style of tape, mean finally getting that pedalboard in order. noisy – this can really build up to intolerable levels
you also gain the freedom to move your pedals Whether you’re upgrading, expanding or of hiss. Using an isolated power supply will reduce
around at will to accommodate those new simplifying, taking the time to get your ‘board this unwanted noise dramatically.
additions to the rig. functioning more optimally and reliably will pay Secondly, most high-quality power supplies
72 | PEDALBOARDS

have different voltage options outside the standard there’s a rule of thumb that works for many players cables you can for your board and your guitar. It
nine-volt DC, which gives you the opportunity to and is a good place to start if you are getting to probably doesn’t need to be said, but there’s no
really optimise your pedals. Some overdrives can grips with your tone. A standard order from your point going to the effort of giving yourself the
operate at 12, 14 and even 18 volts for increased guitar to your amp is: perfect layout if you are just going to use unreliable
headroom. Conversely, a lot of fuzz pedals benefit • Tuner or cheap cables.
from voltage sag and running those as low at four • Wah

5
volts can be a way to get some interesting results. • Compressor PLAY AROUND WITH PEDAL SWITCHERS
Running certain pedals at different voltages is • Distortion/overdrive/fuzz If you are somebody who uses multiple effect
definitely one way you can enhance your sound, • Modulation (chorus, flanger, phaser) combinations (say, two or more pedals used
but you should always read your pedal’s manual • Delay simultaneously) and aren’t using a pedal switcher,
and understand its capabilities before attempting • Reverb then you really are missing out. Pedal switchers are
anything of the sort. By sticking to this order you should be able to basically like the footswitch you might use with your
keep a clear and consistent sound throughout your guitar amp, but instead, it’s connected to some or all

2
ADD A BUFFER PEDAL chain. It is all down to personal preference though. your pedals.
Again, nobody is getting excited at the For example, some guitarists swear by running a They give you total control over your effects and
prospect of buying a buffer pedal, but this wah pedal after their gain effects like distortion are one of the greatest additions you can make to
often-overlooked box can really help you get a and fuzz because they like the fatter sound this can your board. For example, with just one click you can
handle on your tone. After running a bunch of pedals create, while others find this too abrasive and less turn on your distortion, delay, and compressor, and
and cables from your guitar to your amp, your signal expressive. Volume pedals and pitch shifters can turn off your reverb, chorus and flanger – so there
is going to suffer in some way. The longer your chain, also slot in towards the end or start of your chain, is no more crazy tap dancing and fear of falling
the more your higher frequencies are being cut depending on what you are going for. Don’t be afraid over. While you will need to spend a little bit of time
before completing the circuit. to experiment to find the best order for your sound. programming a footswitch to optimise it for your
Essentially, buffer pedals help preserve the signal needs, the return you get from ease of use will make
it well worth spending the time. 

4
and overall frequencies going into the amp. How a MANAGE YOUR CABLES
buffer pedal is used, and where it is placed is really Whether you’re a touring musician or a

6
down to your own board and what your needs are, bedroom strummer, there are many benefits SPEND TIME WITH YOUR INDIVIDUAL
but one thing to keep in mind is that your signal will (both technical and functional) that come with PEDALS
be effectively restored following a buffer pedal, so effective cable management. If you are a gigging When you buy a new pedal, one of the most
placing it towards the end of your circuit is often a musician or travelling to rehearsals, having a well- exciting things to do is to get it on the board and see
good place to start. laid out pedalboard will help you get your gear how your brand new set up works. While you can
Buffer pedals also vary greatly in terms of together in a shorter amount of time. Ensuring that still do that, it really does pay to spend some time
sophistication (and price), going from incredibly every pedal is well mounted to your board, and has a with each of your pedals on their own, going through
advanced with a range of controls and functions, clear path for all its associated cables will go a long their settings. If you’re only using your pedals in
to some which have no controls at all. So finding way to doing that. a combination, you’re only really experiencing a
the right buffer pedal for you may require a little One of the most important elements of proper fraction of their capabilities. Getting to know what
bit of research. cable management is ensuring you don’t have extra each pedal is capable of individually will help you get
cables where you don’t need them, so using cut-to- the most out of them when they’re used together.

3
GET YOUR CHAIN ORDER IN THE length cables is a great solution to this problem. Your board is an extension of you as a player, so
RIGHT… ORDER Doing this means you are getting the cleanest it should be set up to meet all your playing needs.
This is probably the most important and possible layout – which will help you avoid tangles – While every guitarist has different requirements,
obvious one that comes with no extra cost. There and the cleanest possible sound if you lay your board having a functional and reliable board should be the
are countless threads dedicated to this subject, and to limit the crossover between your patch cables and main priority and taking the time to implement a
regardless of what anybody says there’s no right or your power cables. good cable and power system will go a long way to
wrong way to order your pedals. Having said that, On that note, invest in the best possible guitar achieving that.

THE ESSENTIAL SOUNDS

fans of the TC Electronic Polytune 3 Mini or the
Boss TU-3, but we also have to be honest and say
that our first two pedals were a Boss Metal Zone
and a Boss DD-6. We didn’t get a tuner until our
NOW THAT YOU KNOW WHAT MAKES THE PERFECT PEDALBOARD, bandmates started complaining.
So assuming you, like us, want to go for cool
LET’S LOOK AT THE ABSOLUTE MOST CRUCIAL PART OF IT: THE PEDALS sounds first, then our two recommendations are
THEMSELVES. THESE ARE THE BEST ALL-ROUNDER PEDALS ANY GUITARIST simple. The first step is to get a drive or distortion.
SHOULD BE PROUD TO OWN. If we could have our time again, we’d probably go
for a Big Muff or a ProCo RAT as we’ve always played
WORDS BY ALEX LYNHAM.
in heavier bands, aiming for the guitar sounds of
grunge bands like The Smashing Pumpkins, or

E
ven before the boutique pedal explosion of the way for you as a player to make an idea or riff really progressive metal groups like Tool or Porcupine Tree.
last few years, there was already a dizzying stand out. Some players become experts at sound If we were in a more low-gain, indie or blues group,
array of options for guitar players to explore design using pedals, and it’s an excellent half-way- we’d go for the Tube Screamer – though it’s worth
and use. As a newcomer to the instrument, this can house between the immediacy of a guitar and having saying that the RAT works really well at lower gain
be nothing short of overwhelming. What are they? the knowledge required to do sound design in a settings too, especially if you have a good amp.
Why do I need them? What are the best guitar pedals studio setting. Second, you’ll want a delay. Check out some clips
for beginners? All of that said, while it’s nice to have a brace of of the Ibanez Analogue Delay Mini and the Boss
Well, first off, it’s possible you might not even need cool FX on your pedalboard and loads of nice gear, DD-3T and decide which one suits your playing style
them. It’s worth reminding yourself that although some of the best music ever recorded was made with better. We tend to think that the versatility of a
it’s easy to feel like a kid in a candy store with all the cheap gear and few-to-no pedals, so always keep in digital delay is better for a beginner as it gives you
options available, that pedals are just tools. Just like mind that the song comes first. more options while you’re finding your feet and
guitars, they aren’t really anything until the player – your sound. Then again, perhaps you’re somebody
you – makes them into something. WHERE TO START who thrives when dealing with creative constraints,
Just as different guitars have different timbres and Sorry to do this, but our first recommendation in which case maybe the straightforwardness of an
tones, so do pedals – and using them effectively is a has to be a boring one – get a guitar tuner. We’re analogue delay would be right up your street.
 | 73

TYPES OF BROADLY SPEAKING, THERE ARE FOUR MAIN TYPES OF EFFECTS TO

FOCUS ON, ALTHOUGH THERE’S A LOT OF SUBTYPES THAT YOU
PEDALS CAN DELVE INTO AS YOUR TASTES AND NEEDS DEVELOP.

FUZZ OVERDRIVE DISTORTION DELAY

Generated by pushing Ushered in by the Essentially a more aggressive This effect which covers a The more that engineers
transistors into clipping, ground-breaking Ibanez overdrive, distortion pedals deceptively large spread of experimented, the more
this abrasive type of signal Tube Screamer, the goal of clipped the guitar signal more pedals. At its core, delay is effect types they created.
mangling defined the tones overdrives was simple – to heavily. Where overdrives like echo, and the first units in Digital delays were the
of early rock and psychedelia, emulate the distinctive sound the Tube Screamer or Boss this area did just that, using real game changer, as they
becoming synonymous with of clipping or saturation of the Blues Driver employed ‘soft tape loops. Pedals using simply recorded and looped
players like Jimi Hendrix. Over guitar signal caused by a tube clipping’ diodes to clip the bucket-brigade compact a buffer of audio – this in
time, more refined pedals amp. To some degree, this guitar signal, distortion pedals chips followed, and then turn led to not only the guitar
came out, like the Big Muff, a was achieved, but something tend to employ ‘hard clipping’ eventually a jump to digital looper pedal, but also the
pedal that promised smooth, else incredibly useful after their amplification chips occurred. pitch shifter. Today even the
‘violin-like’ sustain that was happened – by boosting the circuits, which chops up guitar The thing is, many other wildest, most out-there delay,
a far cry from the less- guitar signal so that it drove signals into something that types of effects were created glitch and looping pedals,
controlled sound of pedals a tube amp into distortion much more closely resembles by time-based manipulation from the Red Panda Particle
like the Superfuzz, Fuzz Face earlier, as well as making the a square wave. of signals; flanging was to the Montreal Assembly
and Tonebender. Ironically signal more mid-forward, the achieved in the early days by Count to Five can trace their
for a fuzz, the Big Muff has Tube Screamer also made running two tape machines origins back to being able to
more in common with most tube amps sound better too. and slowing one down; chorus digitally record and replay a
overdrives than fuzzes in was the same concept but buffer of audio.
terms of its circuit. with alternating speed.

From these categories you get distortion, delay, modulation and pitch shifting; what remains are mainly utility
pedals – EQs, line switchers, noise gates and tuners. For shaping your tone, you’re likely to always be relying on
some combination of distortion, modulation or delay and amp tone to zero in on the sound that’s in your head.

THE CREAM OF THE CROP PROS Youth’s “100%”; the Op Amp is more
• Unmistakable sound compressed, and the version that The
• Relatively affordable Smashing Pumpkins used on their
classic Siamese Dream LP; the Ram’s
CONS Head is closer to a Dinosaur Jr., type
• Doesn’t do low-gain well tone; the Triangle is more old-school, a
• Scoops the guitar mids bit smoother and more articulate than
the NYC to our ear.
Memorably described to us by one
guitarist as a ‘hoover’, the Big Muff has
been modded, cloned, reissued, rebuilt, IBANEZ TUBE
SCREAMER TS9
and redesigned more than almost
any other pedal in existence. With a
distinctive ‘scoop’ in the guitar mids, RRP: $199
the Muff can mean that you get lost
Type: Overdrive
in a band mix – it’s like the anti-Tube
Screamer in terms of EQ profile – but Bypass: Buffered
when it works, there’s little else that
has the same visceral impact. PROS
Very broadly speaking, there’s about • Classic sounds
five main versions – although, in total • EQ profile not just that it’s a versatile drive
there are over thirty versions by our with a wide range of operation that
count, with passionate fans of each – CONS allows it to be used for everything

ELECTRO-
and it’s on these that the current crop • Not true bypass from blues to metal. Its other
of EHX Big Muffs are based. • Overdrive isn’t to everyone’s taste strength is its EQ profile, which
HARMONIX BIG The most common is the NYC Muff, emphasises the guitar’s midrange
MUFF NANO FUZZ which is available as the Nano Big
Muff, while there’s also several others;
The original overdrive pedal, the Tube
Screamer and its descendants still
around one kilohertz, meaning it
suddenly ‘pops’ in a band mix, either
RRP: $209 the Ram’s Head, Triangle, Op Amp, and represent a significant percentage of live or in the studio.
Russian. We could go on about them the worldwide pedal market just on Moreover, if you turn the drive
Type: Fuzz
for days, but the lowdown is this – the their own. control down and the level up, it
Bypass: True Russian is more ‘woolly’, think Sonic There’s a reason for this, of course – functions as a boost, and it’s for
74 | PEDALBOARDS

this function that many guitarists The Cry Baby has become synonymous Digital delays are reliable and
acquire one. If you’re lucky enough with ‘wah pedal’ to the extent that produce pristine, accurate delays, but
to have a decent tube amp, or access most new players are probably best that might not be desirable. For some
to one, boosting a tube amp with a served by checking out this wah before types of music, a bit of darkness and
Tube Screamer is likely to be better any others, as it’s more than likely dirt can add character, and this is why
than almost any overdrive pedal on the pedal that’s been used on all your the technologies that preceded the
the market. favourite records. digital delay have never quite gone
There’s a difference between this, out of fashion.
the TS9, and the original TS808, but One of these was the tape delay,
for all the essays that have been exemplified by the Echoplex and
written on the subject they’re similar Roland Space Echo, but these vintage
enough that a recommendation for units are expensive and difficult to
one can be a recommendation for maintain. The other technology was
the other, nine times out of ten. If analogue delay. This relied on arrays
you’re looking to save some cash, the of capacitors to delay the sound,
Ibanez TS Mini Tube Screamer is worth and came with its own artefacts – a
looking at too. certain degree of grit, and roll-off of
higher frequencies. Not only do these
qualities have some aesthetic value,
but they’re also reasons that analogue
delays often bed better into a mix.
That said, it’s not without its However, because of the chips
BOSS DD-3T problems. It’s notorious for ‘tone
suck’ and the design is very long in
used being comparatively expensive,
analogue delays were for a while
RRP: $259 the tooth. Granted, there’s not a out of the reach of budget-conscious
huge amount of innovation possible players, whereas now there’s a variety
Type: Digital delay
in terms of core wah sounds other of options, like this great mini unit
Bypass: Buffered than frequency ranges, but there from Ibanez, or other pedals like the
are wah pedals with more options EHX Memory Toy. We’ve chosen this for
PROS and flexibility. the warm character of its repeats and
• Sounds fantastic great form factor.
• Versatile

CONS
PROCO RAT
• Quite expensive

RRP: $219 The Boss DD-3 has been the gold

standard for digital delays ever since
Type: Distortion
its introduction in 1986, and members
Bypass: True of the DD series have been used on
records by bands as diverse as The
PROS Cult, Melt Banana, Tool and Radiohead.
• Powerful, punchy distortion So many players have made the
• Good at low– and high-gain settings white-and-blue box their own that it’s
• Very affordable probably quicker to list the players
that haven’t owned a DD-series delay
CONS at some point.
• If you don’t like the timbre of the For a digital delay, the DD-3 has a
distortion very pleasant character, bedding down
well into a band mix while retaining
One of the first, and still most enough of that pristine, digital feel
recognisable distortions, the ProCo RAT that it ‘chimes’ in a way that analogue
got its unique distortion sound from its delays don’t, cutting through the top
LM308 op-amp internally clipping the end of a mix.
signal into a triangular shape. The DD-3T is the most modern
Though that’s the secret of the RAT’s incarnation of this classic pedal,
tone, most distortions that followed adding tap tempo to an already
emulated another part of the RAT’s formidable platform.
circuit – its two so-called ‘hard clipping’
IBANEZ DIGITECH
RHAMMY
diodes, which also distinguished the
harder, more punchy distortion pedals DUNLOP CRY BABY ANALOGUE
from softer overdrives like the Ibanez
Tube Screamer. RRP: $179 DELAY MINI RICOCHET
Rightly a classic, RATs are Type: Wah RRP: $229 RRP: $349
nevertheless not that expensive, and Bypass: Buffered Type: Pitch shifter
Type: Analogue delay
remain accessible to beginners that Bypass: True
want a huge, punchy distortion sound. Bypass: True
More than that, the RAT also works PROS
well at lower gain settings, especially • Classic wah tones PROS PROS
into tube amps that already have a bit • Comparatively inexpensive • Great analogue delay tones • Pitch shifting is the coolest
of dirt on the go. They’re a surprisingly • Tiny form factor • Relatively affordable
versatile distortion pedal and it’s hard CONS
to go too wrong. • Wah used badly can be cliché CONS CONS
• Some tone suck • Not as versatile as a digital delay • Doesn’t work for every genre
 | 75

BUILDING YOUR
BEST BOARD
WE’VE MADE IT TO THE HOME STRETCH: ACTUALLY
The Digitech Whammy was the EHX Electric Mistress, that can also PUTTING YOUR PEDALBOARD TOGETHER. HERE’S
original pitch shifter, and to our minds cover off a number of chorus-type HOW TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE WORKSTATION FOR
it’s still the best. This small, powerful sounds, making it a pretty versatile YOUR SHREDDING DREAMS TO COME TRUE!
unit boasts most of the features of first modulation. The reason we’re
its bigger brother, just without the specifically recommending this is WORDS BY CHRISTOPHER SCAPELLITI AND PAUL RIARIO.
rocking footswitch. In exchange, you twofold – its low price, and its tiny
get a ballistic control for the rise form factor. There’s other excellent

T
and fall speed that it hits the target budget flanger pedals available, but he more effect pedals you but fewer than ten, you’ll want to
interval and then returns to the very few are as compact or well-built. use, the more you need a consider a medium board. More
fundamental, with the bonus of both pedalboard. Even the most than ten and you should choose a
momentary and latching options. It’s basic unpowered board can provide large board.
inexpensive, endlessly inspiring and a useful platform to hold your If you have only five pedals now
will completely change the way you pedals securely, provide cable but plan to add another few in
play guitar. Can’t say fairer than that. management and keep everything the near future, it’s better to plan
from sliding around onstage. ahead and go for a larger board
Powered ‘boards have the added today. Remember, too, that pedals
function of supplying electrical with large footprints take up more
connections to all your pedals, real estate, and even a small set-up
thereby eliminating the need for consisting of a few oversized pedals
power strips and multiple wall warts may require a larger pedalboard
that can take up space and create a to prevent overcrowding. When
nest of dangerous wires around your planning, remember to leave
performance area. enough space between the pedals
For more complex or specialised to facilitate cabling and create
rigs, a custom pedalboard can meet a clean, uncluttered and easily
your specific switching requirements accessible layout.
and make performance headaches
a thing of the past. Unfortunately WHICH PEDALBOARD?
for those who have never had a Pedalboards can be purchased off
pedalboard, the prospect of building the shelf, custom-built to your specs,
or buying one can be overwhelming. or even built at home using readily
You have to determine not only what available building materials, cables
ELECTRO- size you’ll need for your setup, but and power supplies. Music stores

HARMONIX NANO
also make sure it matches the power carry a range of boards, including
requirements of your pedals, some bare unpowered platforms and
SMALL STONE of which might take require, 12, 16,
18 or 24 volts.
boards with built-in power supplies
and power strips.
RRP: $205 There’s also the matter of cables, Other possible features include
Type: Phaser of which you’ll need many, each cut cable compartments, wheels, cases,
Bypass: True to the minimum length to ensure heavy-duty corners and raised or
signal integrity and keep your layout pitched surfaces that make it easier
tidy. The confusion only gets worse to reach the pedals furthest away
PROS
MOOER E-LADY
once you go online and see the from you. Need something special?
• Tiny size plethora of pedalboard models and Many companies are available
• Classic sound options available to you. to build custom pedalboards to
RRP: $129
We wrote up this guide to your specs, using the materials,
Type: Flanger CONS make selecting and setting up a power supply, hardware, wire and
Bypass: True • None pedalboard easier. In this tutorial, cables of your choice. If you have
They might not be quite as small as we’ll walk you through every step specialised switching, looping
some of the tiny offerings from Mooer of the process, from choosing the or MIDI requirements, a custom
PROS and the like, but EHX’s Nano range are pedalboard, power supply and cables pedalboard can meet your specific
• Great flanger sounds certainly a far cry from the sometimes to laying out your pedals in the order needs, though at a greater cost than
• Tiny size comically large big-box versions that that works for you and making it all an off-the-shelf unit.
were knocking around when we were work to meet your needs. For this demonstration, I’m
CONS youngsters. using medium and large Pedaltrain
• Not as versatile as digital units Luckily, they’re still the same great WHAT SIZE? boards: the Pedaltrain 2 and
sounds, and the EHX Small Stone is The choice of a small, medium Pedaltrain Pro, respectively. I
There’s no love lost between Electro- the phaser against which we tend to or large pedalboard comes down like Pedaltrain boards for their
Harmonix and Mooer, especially after benchmark all others. Once upon a to one thing: the number and size lightweight frames and strong
the former successfully sued Mooer time it had so-called ‘tone sucking’ of the pedals you’ll need to use. construction. The ‘boards are slotted
for cloning their POG pedal. That’s issues, but the modern versions have If you use five or fewer standard- for easy management of cables and
probably why the Mooer ElecLady was resolved that, so you’ve got rock solid size pedals and don’t plan to add power supplies, all of which can fit
rebranded to the still-rather-obvious sounds and true bypass too. Stick a to your setup, a small pedalboard under the board and out of sight.
E-Lady model name. Big Muff in front of it, and take off for should suit your long-term needs. Slotted boards are especially nice
It’s a flanger, inspired by the classic another world. If you have more than five pedals in clubs, where spilled drinks can
76 | PEDALBOARDS

make a mess of your pedalboard; with exact length, and the kit even includes ordering of these categories to help pedals affect harmonic content by
a slotted board, spilled liquids drip off, a cable cutter. guide you along. enhancing overtones and compressing
unlike a solid board, which will allow peaks in the signal. Their purpose is
liquids to pool. The Pedaltrain boards LAYOUT FILTERS, PITCH SHIFTERS, to simulate the sound of a cranked
are also angled, which makes it easy Before you start Velcro-ing pedals HARMONISERS AND amp through a speaker cabinet. In the
to reach pedals that are furthest away to your pedalboard, take some time DYNAMIC PEDALS natural order of things, these pedals
from you without accidentally stepping to think about the most efficient and These pedals typically work best at go after filters and EQ, just like your
on other pedals or knocking their easy-to-navigate way in which to the front of the signal chain, where amp’s output and speakers.
control settings with your foot. arrange them. As a rule, you should lay they act upon the pure signal from They also follow the compression
them out left to right in order of how your guitar. pedal, whose purpose is to flatten
WHAT POWER SUPPLY? they connect together (more on this Filters include pedals such as wahs peaks and ensure the entire signal is
Whether you’re buying a ‘board below). But pedalboards are typically and low-pass filters. Pitch shifters “hotter.” Which brings us to another
with a power supply or choosing deep enough, from front to back, to and harmonisers also include the reason why you shouldn’t put a
a pedalboard power supply for an accommodate two and sometimes ever-popular Whammy pedal, all of compressor after a distortion pedal:
existing setup, be sure that it meets three rows of pedals, giving you yet which benefit from having a strong they can add volume to everything
your voltage requirements. Most another dimension to consider when and unaffected signal from your guitar that comes before them, including
pedals operate on nine volts of power, planning your layout. so that they can track your notes noise generated by effects like – you
but many require 12, 16, 18 and even It’s best to keep your most-used cleanly and accurately. Dynamic pedals guessed it – distortion, overdrive and
24 volts. Before purchasing a power pedals nearest to you, where they’ll include compressors, which “squeeze” fuzz pedals.
supply, check the power requirements be easiest to adjust and reach with a signal’s dynamic range – its quietest Most modern fuzz pedals work
of every pedal you’ll be using. your foot. Staggering the pedals to loudest values – by reducing signal very well after wah pedals, but the
Then, choose a power supply robust between the front and back edges of peaks as they occur. same isn’t true of some vintage fuzz
enough to deliver the voltages you the pedalboard will also make it easier Compressors typically feature units. If you have an older fuzz pedal
require and a sufficient number of to navigate your set up and avoid volume or make-up gain controls that that doesn’t sound good when placed
outputs for as many pedals as you’ll confusion in the heat of performance. let you boost the overall signal to after the wah, try moving it before
use. Also be sure to choose a supply compensate for the lower volume that the wah and see if it improves things.
that has isolated output sections to WHAT ORDER? results from compressing. For that If you use boost or EQ pedals to give
eliminate ground loops, hum and There’s an ideal way to lay out effect matter, auto-wahs/envelope filters your tone a kick for solos, try placing
undesirable interactions between pedals, and then there’s an individual are actually dynamic filters that allow them after the distortion, overdrive
your pedals. Some examples of power way to do it. The ideal way is based on a filter’s frequency cutoff to respond and fuzz pedals. This will help to raise
supplies include Voodoo Lab’s Pedal practical considerations, like placing to changes in signal response due to your overall level without having an
Power series, T-Rex Engineering’s Fuel a reverb pedal last in the chain rather variances in pick attack and volume. undue impact on the sound. As always,
Tank offerings, the MXR DC Brick power than in front of the distortion pedal, Bear in mind that you should be experiment to see what works best for
supply, the Modtone Power plant, and where it will muddy up your sound. careful of the effect order within these the pedals in your setup.
the Pedaltrain Powertrain 1250 multi- The individual way is all about how categories. For example, a compressor
output power supply. you make things work for you. Some placed after an EQ pedal will be more MODULATION EFFECTS
For this example, I’m using guitarists like to place their wah responsive to the frequencies that the These are tone modifiers and
Truetone/Visual Sound’s 1 Spot power before the distortion, while others EQ is boosting, because the compressor sweeteners, and they include effects
supply. The 1 Spot is a nine-volt put it after for a more pronounced seeks out the loudest part of the signal like chorus, phase, flange and vibrato.
adaptor that takes up just one power and dirty tone. While there is no right and reduces its volume. Traditionally, these can be noisy effects,
strip outlet, yet it can accommodate or wrong way to order your pedals, It’s probably better to place the and placing them before gain-increasing
up to 20 guitar pedals. It works with it helps to understand the basic compressor before the EQ, where it pedals like distortion or compression
more than 90 percent of the effect guidelines. In this section, I’ll show can respond to your guitar’s signal will tend to intensify their noise.
pedals on the market, including those you the most logical, efficient and rather than the frequencies boosted In addition, chorus, phasing and
that use popular adapters from Boss, least noisy way to chain together your by the EQ pedal. Conversely, placing flanging all introduce time delays
Danelectro, Dunlop, Korg and others. pedals. In the most general sense, a compressor before an auto-wah will and pitch fluctuations that create a
In addition, as you add more pedals pedals that amplify should go near the reduce the guitar signal’s dynamic sense of spatial movement similar to
to any setup, it’s possible to introduce front of the signal chain. range of the and thereby impede the what happens in the physical world.
noise and hum by having too many This includes filters (which can boost auto-wah’s expressiveness (auto-wahs Placing them after amplification-style
effects on the same power source. and cut frequencies), compressors thrive on dynamics). effects like distortions and overdrives
The 1 Spot makes it easy and (which reduce dynamic levels but can On the other hand, placing a produces results that are in keeping
affordable to expand your system and also boost the overall signal), and compressor before a wah pedal can with naturally occurring sound.
isolate noisier effects by placing them all types of distortion and overdrive help you control some of the guitar Plus, the extra boost a signal
on their own separate power supply. pedals. Tone modifiers such as chorus, signal’s inherent brightness that can gets from an overdrive pedal can
phase and flangers go next, followed by make some wahs sound shrill and help emphasise the oscillation of
WHAT CABLES? ambience effects, such as reverb, delay piercing at the top end of their range. modulation effects. Of course, plenty
There are two rules here: always use and echo. The effects in a signal chain Of course, some of these of players like to put modulation
cables with right-angle plugs, which are can be arranged and grouped into four considerations change if you raise your effects like Uni-Vibes and phasers
more compact than straight plugs, and general categories: compressor’s make-up gain to the point before distortion. Think Jimi Hendrix
keep your cable lengths to a minimum • Filters, pitch shifters, harmonisers that it’s actually increasing the signal (Uni-Vibe) and Eddie Van Halen (MXR
in order to cut down on clutter and and dynamic pedals (such as like a gain boost (see the next section Phase 90). Doing this delivers more
ensure the shortest and quietest signal compressors) on distortion and overdrive). harmonic content to the distortion box
path. For these reasons, I prefer to • Distortion, overdrive, fuzz, boost and On the subject of wah pedals, it’s and can result in more dramatic and
make my own cables, as this lets me EQ pedals worth noting that some guitarists animated effects.
choose the exact hardware and lengths • Modulation pedals (phaser, chorus prefer to place wahs after distortion
that I need. and flangers) pedals, where they can be driven hard TIME-BASED EFFECTS
Planet Waves’ Cable Station • Time-based effects (echo, delay, for a funkier sound. Again, none of this This one is pretty obvious. Reverb,
pedalboard kit is ideally suited for this. tremolo and reverb) is carved in stone. Set up your effects delay and echo are ambience effects
It features ten feet of low-capacitance For example, if your pedalboard as they work best for you, but try to be that imitate how sounds are affected
cable for signal transparency and ten consists of a distortion, a wah, a aware of the interactions that result within room environments. Naturally,
24k gold-plated right-angle plugs – compressor and a reverb pedal, from the order of pedal placement. they go at the end of the chain.
pretty much everything you need for you would probably connect them Tremolo, for that matter, is amplitude
the average pedalboard setup. The as follows: Wah > Compressor > DISTORTION, FUZZ, OVERDRIVE, modulation – amp on, amp off – and
plugs are solderless, so you can create Distortion > Reverb In the next section, BOOST AND EQ therefore goes at the end of the
a cable in seconds, anywhere, to the I’ll explain the rationale behind the Distortion, overdrive and fuzz signal chain.
 CAPTURE THE SOUND

INSIDE
AUST R A L I A’S
IND I E - R O C K
REVO L U T I O N
H KIAH GOSSNER
WIT

BROUGHT TO YOU BY ROAD-TESTED RECORDING TIPS

IK MULTIMEDIA Z-TONE USING VISUALISATION TO
BUFFER BOOST + DI MASTER A GUITAR SOLO +
A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO
PODCASTING LIKE A PRO
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 | 79

THE VALUE IN
VISUALISATION
NEED TO COME UP WITH A SOLO? PUT
DOWN THE GUITAR! SOMETIMES THE
KEY TO SWINGING OUT THE SEXIEST,
MOST SEARING GUITAR SOLO LIES
WITHIN – RATHER THAN WORRY ABOUT
THE STRINGS THEMSELVES, STEP BACK
AND FOCUS ON THE MENTAL SIDE OF IT.
BANGERS START IN THE BRAIN!

WORDS BY RON ZABROCKI.

S
ome sessions require me to be a mind then, figure out how to play it! Maybe you will find your next solo will enhance the song, your playing
reader. I am often asked to improvise a solo yourself imagining yourself playing a variation in and, quite possibly, your career. I’ve given this same
or fills in a song. Various types of directions rhythms or syncopation that you wouldn’t have advice to many of my students and bands that have
are usually given: “Play like Joe Walsh or Brent tried. Perhaps a sweep arpeggio is pictured into a come to me for production advice. Every one of them
Mason,” or, “Make it melodic.” Sometimes the slide. Maybe just a series of long, simple perfect suggested I share them.
directions are more vague: “Make it sound orange,” notes creating a new melody. But I can guarantee These tips work in every style. They work
or, ”Keep it organic.” you one thing: It will not be what you would have individually or all at once. But remember: no matter
I’m not a mind reader, so it’s important for me to played by just “going for it.” And you will keep what you play, it must be appropriate. You want to
be able to not only be flexible but to have an endless these licks as part of your new arsenal. lift, you want to wake up, you want to compliment
amount of creativity. It’s not unusual for me to give Here’s another way to look at it. Most of us have and transcend – but you don’t want to alienate.
clients several solos from which to choose. I know we seen School Of Rock. Think Jack Black! WWJBD:
all have our stock licks in our vocabulary, and I like What Would Jack Black Do? Pretty funny image, 1. CHANGE KEYS
to believe these make up our style. However, I don’t right? Well, it’s supposed to be. This is the Number One tip – the big one. Nothing
want to be a one-trick pony, so I have a cool way to You also can imagine yourself adding a will make a solo stand out like changing to a higher
tap into an endless source of ideas. completely different emotion into the solo that key. Even if you play the same chords from the verse,
Put down the guitar and use your brain. In other may just add something cohesive to the song! Is it it will sound like a new part in a new key and make
words, take the tool out of the equation! Many of us a love song? Play with a deep-felt emotion and long a solo jump out. Interval of choice? A minor third.
are guilty of playing the same pentatonic licks all the notes. A sad song? Make that solo cry like a baby. A That’s three frets higher. If you’re in E, go to G. Try it.
time. They might have a certain amount of emotion funny song? Be ridiculous! Notes that have emotion
but very little in terms of creativity. behind them are always going to touch the listener 2. CHANGE THE ATMOSPHERE
Hear me out! When we just play, we are able to put more than a stock, pentatonic-based “fingers doing Most of today’s pop, rock, blues or prog songs are
a ton of feeling in that typical whole-step bend from a the thinking” solo! Always! heavily produced. It’s time to add some space, some
G to an A on the B string, but how much thought goes And don’t stop here. Use your brain and the room. Lose the rhythm guitars. The heavy ones. Play
into it? None. You are simply letting your fingers do power of imagination for your rhythm parts and over a keyboard, an acoustic guitar or just drums and
the playing from muscle memory. Repetition. The last chord voicings and counter lines and your tone and bass. We’re talking about giving your solo some room
time I checked, there wasn’t one iota of brain matter overdrive and effects and… Okay, I think you get to be heard.
in our fingers! Our brain tells our fingers what to play. the point.
So let’s allow that to happen. 3. CHANGE THE FEEL
The next time you’re trying to figure out a solo, Break it down to half time. Or move to a funk
or are asked to take a solo, put the guitar down and FIVE WAYS TO MAKE YOUR groove from a straight rock groove. It’ll still be in time
do this: Sing a solo. Even if you can’t sing. Picture GUITAR SOLOS STAND OUT at the same tempo. Of course, you can dramatically
the solo you really want to take. Then, and only shift to a new tempo and a new groove like 6/8
from 4/4. But this might hurt the song’s commercial

W
e all want our guitar solos to stand appeal – proceed with caution.
RON ZABROCKI ON RON ZABROCKI out, to capture the attention of the
I’m a session guitarist from New York, now living in Connecticut. listener, to bring the song to a new level. 4. CHANGE MODES
I started playing at age 6, sight reading right off the bat. That’s However, most solos disappoint and merely make a Major to minor or vice versa is common. How
how I was taught, so I just believed everyone started that way! I song seem longer. The problem is not the notes you about taking your song from a minor rock to a major
could pretty much sight read anything within a few years, and that play, it’s what you are soloing over. How many times Lydian? Sharp that fourth note – instant Steve Vai! Or
aided me in becoming a session guy later in life. I took lessons from have you taken a solo over a verse or a chorus? This go to a harmonic minor – instant Yngwie!
anyone I could and was fortunate enough to have some wonderful is a common practice – and it needs to stop now.
instructors, including John Scofield, Joe Pass and Alan DeMausse. I’ve
played many jingle sessions, and even now I not only play them but
The basic problem is compositional. You’re playing 5. CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF NOTES
have written a few. I’ve “ghosted” for a few people that shall remain a bunch of notes over a part that has already been Fast song? Play long, slow emotional notes.
nameless, but they get the credit and I got the money! I’ve played repeated. Where’s the excitement? Slow song? Play short, fast bursts of notes. Think
sessions in every style, from pop to jazz. It’s time to add some ear candy. Use the following bluesy. It works quite well when executed with
steps and write a new part to solo over. If you do, taste and emotion.
80 | PRODUCER PROFILE

RECORDING TECHNIQUES
WITH KIAH GOSSNER
SPLITTING HIS TIME BETWEEN ADELAIDE AND SYDNEY, PRODUCER, ENGINEER AND SINGER-
SONGWRITER EXTRAORDINAIRE KIAH GOSSNER IS ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S LEADING FORCES
DRIVING THE INDIE-ROCK REVOLUTION. WE CAUGHT UP WITH HIM TO VIBE ON EVERYTHING
FROM HIS RECENT NOMINATION BY THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN MUSIC AWARDS TO THE
UNEXPECTED BENEFITS OF TRACKING WITH LOW-FI ANALOGUE GEAR.

WORDS BY MATT DORIA.

A
ustralia’s indie-rock scene has names in Australian music. So before nominated for an award. I find behind the console, you’re a pretty
never shone so brightly – with his schedule becomes truly chaotic awards in general a little bit of a seasoned musician yourself. Do
artists like Didirri, Timberwolf, with every last rocker in the country weird thing. But it is really nice to be you find that your creative skills
Lilac Cove and Oh Deliah constantly desperate to get their tunes in his acknowledged for the stuff that I’ve as a songwriter help to inform
making waves with their bewitching hands, Australian Guitar sat down with been working on, totally! your role as a producer when
beats and heart-melting hooks, it’s Gossner for a chat about how he makes you’re working with other artists?
undeniable that now is the best time his magic happen. Is there a pressure that comes Totally, man! I feel like I really
to be a fan of all things vibey. One with having the “award- came into this role as a producer
thing all four of those artists have in Congratulations on being nominated” or “award-winning” and engineer from being a session
common? They’ve all had their visions nominated for Best Studio distinction under your belt? musician first, coming up and
brought to life by Kiah Gossner, a multi- Engineer by the South Australian I’m just going to keep doing what being on tours with different acts
award winning producer, engineer, Music Awards! How does it feel to I do, and if people like it, that’s and being exposed to a heap of
mixer, songwriter, bassist, conductor… be recognised for such an honour? wonderful! I don’t feel any extra different styles of music. I went to
The Adelaidian maestro basically does It’s a funny one. It’s really nice to pressure from the normal day-to-day. the Conservatorium and studied
everything – and he does it all pretty be acknowledged for the work you It’s nice to get some kudos for the jazz, and that was kind of like my
damn well, if we may say so ourselves. do, but I don’t know – I know heaps stuff that I do – that gives me some foundation, but I was also brought up
Splitting his time between of great producers and engineers confidence that I can keep doing what I playing in folk bands and indie bands
Mixmasters Studio in Adelaide and doing a lot of cool things, and they do, and hopefully people keep liking it! and all that kind of stuff. And then I
Studios 301 in Sydney, Gossner is fast aren’t any less talented or worthy ended up working as a session player
becoming one of the most sought-after of acclaim because they weren’t On top of everything you do for just about every kind of genre

| www.guitarworld.com/australianguitar
 | 81

you could think of, and as a producer, where everyone’s like, “Oh, you’ve could be the thing that really makes the song is trying to portray.
that’s a been a huge gift. gotta find your voice!” But I think a song. And so you end up with a
My education started with being that coming from a really diverse session that’s full of ideas, and then Do you have any secret weapons in
a big music nerd, and I’m so grateful background, my voice is kind of this it’s about going, “Okay, which of these the studio?
that I’ve been able to follow that weird amalgamation of heaps of ideas are driving the narrative? What’s I’m a big analogue nerd – which
as I go deeper into my career. The different things. I don’t want to come supporting the story, and what’s the can be, like, dangerously expensive
other big thing is all the people you across as egotistical or anything, but best way to communicate that story?” [laughs]. I work between two studios –
meet in music – I’ve met a bunch of it’s quite versatile, because there’s The question we always come back if I’m in SA I’ll be working out of
really wonderful, interesting, creative just been heaps of different music in to is, “What’s the song’s best life?” Mixmasters, and if I’m in Sydney I’ll
human beings, whether they’ve been my life, ever since I was young. And And there are more questions within be working out of 301. They’re kind
collaborators or mentors or friends, sometimes it’s a curse! I’ll find myself that. What supports the song the of like my two homes, and I’m very
people to get beers with or people hitting my head against the wall over most? Is it the vocal, or is it not the lucky because they’re both very
to get cups of coffee with… That a record, going, “Why can’t I make this vocal? Is it the guitar that’s doing all well-equipped. But secret weapons…
pathway and that experience, I guess, work!?” And then I’ll just have to take the work here? Maybe it’s a string Anything that breaks up and gets
has been such a wonderful thing. a step back and go, “Okay, I’m being part – do we need to get some more distorted or saturated, or saturates
too broad, I need to focus in on this strings in to make it this really epic things. I’m a big fan of doing weird
Especially in recent times, you’ve particular thing and really make that Hollywood thing? What are we trying things with tape, like running drums
worked on everything from come out in the music.” to achieve with all these parts? What through a cassette or recording
electro-pop to acoustic rock. Do does the song need? For me, the guitars with a tape deck at 15 ips and
you feel comfortable working in If there’s one thing that stands process is to find those key things, getting things all smushed up.
basically any genre? out about your catalogue, it’s and then mix around them. Anything that’s saturating
If you asked me that question a how you build up these really Lilac Cove is a good example – that something or taming transience, or,
year or two ago, I would’ve said, spacious, sprawling soundscapes track [“Through The Walls”] has heaps giving some colour to a mix – that’s
“Yeah, I feel pretty comfortable in where there can be four or five and heaps of layers, and especially my entire vibe right there. I’m a big
any genre!” And that’s still somewhat instruments all taking up equal towards the end of the track, there’s fan of distortion and all that kind
true, but I just feel like my tastes space, but never overcrowding heaps of automation going on to kind of stuff, too. A lot of my catalogue
are refining a bit more and more. I the mix. How do you go about of move things out of the way and is pretty pop, indie and folk-heavy,
guess it is still quite varied – I mean, creating that feeling of roominess then bring them up. But when you which is funny because you don’t
I recently wrapped up a work that’s, in your recordings? listen to it, it doesn’t sound like all really think about distortion on pop
like, contemporary classical and avant- Well firstly, thank you, because those things are moving, it’s just that songs – but y’know, I don’t think
garde jazz, and I also wrapped up a that’s something I do really try to your attention shifts slightly. It’s kind I’ve ever put a bass down without
work with Didirri, who’s an folk-indie achieve. I hate things getting too busy, of like the camera moving around on distorting the heck out of it. Snares,
artist, and Timberwolf, who’s doing but I also love having lots of layers a set – when it pans out, you get a kicks, vocals… With a lot of vocals that
this slacker-rock/psyche thing – so in a song. It’s a fine line to walk, and broader image, and then it will narrow I put down, to get them to sit in front
it’s still varied, but I feel like I can you can very easily tip it over the in on something. I’m a very visual of the mix I’ll saturate them and push
definitely hear my own sounds shining edge. As a producer, I love exploring person like that, so I think having that them forward and do all that kind of
through within those different genres. all the ideas. I’m always like, “You’ve perspective in an audio sense is very stuff. I like to freak things out a bit
I guess when you first start got an idea? Cool, let’s take that in important. Microphones are cameras, and really push a piece of gear to its
producing, it’s this funny thing every direction we can!” Because that and they’re capturing the scene that limits, if I can.
82 | POD CASTING

READY, SET, CAST!

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO LAUNCHING YOUR FIRST PODCAST – FROM PODCASTING EQUIPMENT AND HOW
TO RECORD, TO WHERE TO HOST YOUR POD. WORDS BY CHRIS CORFIELD.

T
he phenomenal growth of podcasting has largely gone under the radar. know how to start a podcast?
Yet recent news that music-streaming platform Spotify has signed Joe The oft-used line is that it takes ten years to become an overnight success.
Rogan, the comedian, MMA commentator and podcaster, to an exclusive Thankfully, the relative simplicity of creating podcasts means with the right
deal which – depending on which figures you read – makes him the highest ideas, techniques and gear, anybody can do it. In this guide we’ll show you the
paid broadcaster in the world. This shows that podcasting is now a very steps to take, and offer some advice on how to start a podcast for yourself.
serious business. You’re probably familiar with podcasting already, but do you Best of all? It’s actually much easier than you might think…

GETTING STARTED
to fall flat. If anything, a podcast is the perfect place what will be covered. These need to be relevant
to go super niche. Pick a subject you know and to the show and its audience, and are mixed to be
are enthusiastic about and everything else is just quiet enough so they don’t distract from the speech.
technical detail, which can be learned along the way. In practice, music beds add a sense of rhythm and
CHOOSING A PODCAST TOPIC movement to the proceedings.
The first, and most important, part of starting CREATIVE ELEMENTS FOR YOUR PODCAST You’ll also want to consider the visual identity
a podcast doesn’t involve microphones, or catchy With your topic sorted, and a clear idea of the of your podcast. Although podcasting is a speech
jingles. Before you even draft your first script, you types of content you’re going to produce, you can and audio platform, your channel will be seen in a
need to start with one question; what is the big idea? start to think about the finer details. For the more visual sense before anybody hears a word of it, so
Podcasting is a speech-driven platform so, as with creative among us, this is the fun part. After all, a you will want to stand out. This takes the form of
any form of creative output, be that music, film, good podcast is about more than just the talking. logos, graphics, colours and fonts, so a degree of
television or writing, you need to have a clear grasp You’ll need to think about what music you’ll use aptitude with Photoshop will come in handy. Again,
on what it is you’ll talk about. We all have our own throughout, for example. This will tend to fall keep things on brand with your topic and audience,
specialist knowledge areas, so choose something you into two main parts; jingles and beds. Jingles are and try to visualise how it’ll appear in your social
know inside out. It could be Ukrainian folk music from the short, recurring musical ‘stabs’ that indicate media feeds.
the 1960s, or obscure wood carving techniques, or different elements of the podcast. You could have
even a place to read out that murder mystery novel a main jingle you play at the start of the show, and MAKING YOUR PODCAST SLICK
you’ve been writing since college. then another when you move between the different So, you’ve got your topic, and know roughly
Ask anybody in the media and they’ll tell you segments. Regular features might require different where the conversation will go. It’s time now
the importance of knowing your audience. This introductory signals, and jingles offer the perfect to nail down the smaller details. For this, we’d
means knowing the topics they want to explore, the way to set the tone. recommend creating a plan of sorts, or at least
questions they’d ask, the language they’d use and Music beds, on the other hand, are those a basic format for your show. A great place to
jokes they’d find funny. Starting off with a vague passages of audio that play quietly underneath the start is some kind of running order, listing out
notion of appealing to everybody is a sure-fire way speech, often when the presenter is introducing the topics you want to discuss and the amount of
 | 83

EQUIPMENT MIC SCREENS

If you’re recording in your kitchen or bedroom, you
are at the mercy of all those extra sounds a typical
MultiMix 8. It features four XLR microphone
inputs, and a further four standard jack inputs
for other audio sources, and also boasts USB
house will make. That could be doors shutting, or connectivity for recording direct to PC.
If reading this has convinced you to give podcasting the reverberation of a large room, or simply cars
a go, you’re likely wondering what kind of driving past while you’re recording. While noises of For professionals, we
podcasting equipment you’ll need to get started. this type can’t be completely mitigated against, you recommend the Rode
Clearly, the style of pod you’re aiming for will dictate can protect your sound by employing a portable RodeCaster Pro. For more
the types of gear you’ll need, but there are some vocal booth. These shut off the area around the advanced podcasters, the
sure-fire must-haves that everybody, from the microphone and make sure your recordings are Rode RodeCaster Pro is a
total beginners right up to the professionals, will clean and ready for processing. superb tool, combining a
have. Let’s take a look at some great options for number of podcast-specific
podcasting equipment. For beginners, we Rode Rodecaster Pro features like programmable
recommend the sE one-shot pads and onboard recording, with enough
PODCASTING MICROPHONES Electronics Reflexion mic inputs and faders to ensure your finished pods
Clearly, for a speech-driven form of media, you’re Filter X. It’s a cost-effective, sound great.
going to need a microphone. Mics come in all lightweight tool designed
different shapes and sizes, all offering slightly specifically for isolating RECORDING SOFTWARE
different possibilities. For podcasting, however, a vocal source from its If you’re recording into a PC, you’re going to need
we’d point you in the direction of a good quality, environment. We liked the a software tool to help you piece together the
well-made condenser mic. A popular option is to portable nature of it, and finished recordings. It’s also through software that
sE Electronics
use USB condensers, on account of their simplicity, Reflexion Filter X we’ve always found sE gear to you can add effects, or polish your audio to make
but professionals might prefer the flexibility of be well-made and reliable. it more professional. If you’re already the user of
dedicated broadcast microphones. a digital audio workstation (DAW) like Ableton Live
For professionals, we recommend the Aston or Cubase, then you’ll be familiar with the process.
For beginners, we recommend the Blue Yeti. Microphones Halo. The British brand is building Different software options will offer different tools,
Famous in online video streaming circles, the a great reputation for creating some of the best but the fundamentals are generally transferable
Blue Yeti microphone offers the ultimate in sounding condenser mics to reach the market from one to another.
USB plug-and-play simplicity, combined with a in ages. The Aston Halo continues this progress, Audacity
surprising amount of functionality like multiple with its unique shell-shaped designed and felt For beginners, we
pickup patterns which make it useful in a number surface doing a tremendous job at directing recommend Audacity.
of situations. We also liked the way it comes either speech to the right place while filtering out As a free, open-source
with a desk stand, or a desk-mounted arm, giving anything that’s not desired. audio production tool,
it that professional vibe. it’s hard to look beyond
MIXERS Audacity for beginners
For professionals, we If you’re using multiple audio sources, be that to learn their craft.
recommend the Shure microphones or music players, then you’ll need Audacity contains all the
SM7B. Larger setups a way to balance the audio to ensure it sounds tools you’ll need, and is intuitive enough that you
involving multiple guests the way you want it to. If you’re recording four can pick up the basics in no time at all.
will be better served mic sources, and one of them is noticeably louder
with better quality studio than the others, then unfortunately that is all your For professionals, we recommend Adobe
microphones. For us, it’s listeners will hear. A mixer solves this problem by Audition. While home studio users may be more
Shure SM7B
Microphone hard to look beyond the acting as the central hub in the studio. You feed all familiar firing up their existing DAW, as a tool for
Shure SM7B which, despite your different sources into it, mix them together editing broadcast-ready audio, Adobe Audition is
being a dynamic mic, has an amazingly rich, warm so the sound is balanced, and then output it to the clear winner. It offers plenty of specialist tools
sound which is perfect for speech. Look at many your recording software. that allow you to clean up noisy recordings, and
pro-level podcasters and you’ll see Shure SM7Bs its multi-track environment makes producing your
leading the way. For beginners, we recommend the Alexis shows a doddle.

time you want to allocate to each. You may or into your delivery, which listeners will notice. Be realistic about how much you can do; better to
may not want to script certain sections; this has Having guests is a great way to add variety and under-promise and over-deliver here.
the benefit of meaning you don’t lose your way, flavour to your show. Perhaps you invite people
but if you rely on scripts too much the audience on to be interviewed, or maybe you have regular THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
may find it slightly wooden. Writing down a set of co-presenters. This makes for a more enjoyable While a good podcast will allow the presenter
bullet points offers a good balance between two listen, as presenters will bounce off each other and relative freedom to explore a subject the way they
extremes, keeping you on point but also allowing take the conversation in different directions. Having want to, it does help to have some guidelines in
you to adlib when the situation calls for it. relevant in-jokes or recurring punchlines pays off in place. Rather than restricting the presenters, they
The length you decide on is purely personal, the long term too, as the community will come to offer some direction of certain things you don’t do.
and would be linked to your overall plan. Different recognise them and associate them with your show This could be something as simple as whether you
subjects require differing levels of detail, so but again, don’t make them too staged. permit swearing or cursing on the show, or any
certain topics would warrant a fast-paced If you’ve invited someone on to be interviewed, specific subject areas you want to steer clear of for
20-minute show while other, more complex areas, be sure to do your preparation beforehand. A list legal (or other) reasons. True crime podcasts, for
may warrant a deeper exploration. of suggested questions, with follow-ups, will bring example, may find themselves limited over things
The way in which you speak has a huge impact the best out of both sides although it’s a good idea they can and can’t talk about. Ongoing legal cases
on your podcast too. Listen to any professional to run through the questions with your interviewee are a strict no-go; you don’t want to find yourself in
broadcaster, newsreader or presenter and you’ll beforehand so they aren’t put on the spot. Unless, front of a judge charged with contempt of court for
notice there are certain techniques they use to of course, that’s what you’re going for… jeopardising an active case, after all…
ensure they are heard clearly, and that the audience Finally, the frequency you publish new episodes Another area to keep in mind is around the use
understands them. The pace, or cadence, of your is important. Aiming to publish a new podcast of copyrighted music; the simple advice is don’t,
speech is crucial, as is your intonation. Clearly, every week is great, but requires a certain level of unless you have an army of lawyers on hand to
some people have speaking voices which are better commitment, and your audience will expect you to clear samples. There’s plenty of high quality,
suited to broadcasting than others, but with a bit keep to it. That said, keeping a regular flow of new royalty-free audio available on the net. Audiojungle
of practice you can inject character and expression content is a sure-fire way to build a community. is a good place to start here.
84 | POD CASTING

INSPIRATIONS
HOSTING THE BEST MUSIC PODCASTS AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW

Fans of music production, recording and performing aren’t short of options when it
WHERE TO HOST comes to podcasts. From gear reviews and interviews, through to weekly shows from
YOUR PODCAST high profile professionals, there is plenty out there to get the creative juices flowing.
The cover the actual process of recording Here’s some of our favourites.
your podcast in greater detail below, but
once you have your finished audio file,
you’ll need to find a way to get it live on the
airwaves. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple
as saving your finished file and it appearing
magically on Spotify or iTunes. While those
services, and others like them, are the tools
your audience will use to listen to the show,
you’ll first need to find a place to host them.
It’s worth exploring which hosting platform
is right for you. There are plenty of options
here, ranging in price and capability. For
beginners, a simple free service would offer
you the ability to host your audio file, create
an RSS link so people can subscribe, and
offer enough bandwidth so listeners can
stream without any audio problems.
Once you start looking to paid hosting
platforms, your options increase significantly,
along with the capabilities.

Song Exploder: As far as podcasts go, Song Exploder has to be one of the best uses of the medium. Each episode
sees an established name take apart a track of theirs, bit by bit, explaining the stories of how they were conceived,
crafted and produced. A bit like having to stand up in the front of the class and explain yourself, only with the
biggest names in music talking about their best-known tracks. Genuinely fascinating for any music fan to hear.

• Buzzsprout is one of the best known,

offering a free service (with a few caveats, Pensado’s Place: Dave Home Studio Corner: This
notably that your files are deleted after Pensado is a Grammy-winning one is a more specialist
90 days) along with various tiers offering mix engineer who’s worked podcast, offering specific
extra functionality or the ability to store with the likes of Michael help and tips to improve your
more audio files. Jackson, Beyonce and Elton capability as a producer.
• Platforms like Captivate, PodBean and John, so his words carry some From breaking down
Libsyn are all trusted alternatives, and weight. His weekly show, individual techniques and
manage the entire process of publishing co-hosted with Herb Trawick, skills, to explaining step-by-
your shows on the big platforms so it’s covers what happens in the studios of the world’s step how to achieve certain
worth exploring the one that suits your best-known performers. From the types of equipment results, Home Studio Corner should be a mandatory
needs best. favoured at the top, through to hints and tips to subscription for home producers.
• Alternatively, the Spotify-owned Anchor achieving great sounds, Pensado’s Place is a must for
promises unlimited storage and a tonne producers of all levels. Punk Rock MBA: Our final
of premium features like one-click recommendation isn’t related
distribution, monetisation and analytics Unstoppable Recording to the actual production of
for free. Machine: We love the music, as such, but it does
Unstoppable Recording offer superb analysis and
Finally, as your podcast empire grows, Machine pod, presented by thoughts on the business
monetisation will become important. It Eyal Levi, because of the side of the music industry.
figures that if you’re creating this amazing depth it goes into. Eyal is a Presenter Finn McKenty
content, then you should take a slice of candid host, blending the offers great insight into
the advertising revenue that comes with right amount of questioning the inner-workings of being in a band, and his style
it, right? Each of the hosting platforms and curiosity with a desire to keep things interesting and format is perfectly suited to his audience. Pro
suggested above offer support for this for listeners. tip; Finn’s LinkedIn profile regularly breaks down
process, either through advertising revenue the process of making his pods, from choosing the
or through premium options – like paid-for, right artwork for your social posts to avoiding certain
subscription modelling. common pitfalls. Well worth investigating.

www.guitarworld.com/australianguitar
 | 85

RECORDING GUIDE
1. Setting The Scene
HOW TO RECORD A PODCAST The first task is to arrange the area that will act as your studio so you
have everything you need within arm’s reach. That means setting up
So you’ve got your big idea. You’ve planned it all out, have your laptop or recording device within eyeline, and then arranging your
your running order locked down and have a pile of shiny new microphones so they are in front of anyone who will be talking. Hook
your mics up to your mixer, and fire up the software you’ll be using to
recording equipment all ready to go. What now? Well, it’s capture the audio.
time to start recording. Here, we’ve detailed out the steps Now, it’s a case of fine-tuning. Have anybody who will be talking speak
you should take to take your ideas from the sketchpad and in their normal voice; a good trick here is to ease them in by starting a
completely unrelated conversation, and covertly using their responses
out of your head, and turn them into cold, hard audio files to tweak levels. Some people naturally talk louder than others, so be
you can share with the world in our guide to recording your sure to balance out levels and be mindful of clipping, where the sound is
louder than the microphone can handle, as this will result in recordings
first podcast.
which are nigh-on unusable.

2. Setting The Software which tracks you want to record, then hit the master Now you can start to import the other elements. In
With your hardware all set up, you’ll need to carry record button to start the process. Congratulations! the last example, you’ll see we have a short jingle
out the same housekeeping within your software. You’re now recording… on the second row, and then a music bed on the
Using Adobe Audition as the example, make sure you third row. The music bed has had its levels reduced
have your audio routing set the way your mixer, USB 3. Editing Your Podcast in the mixer, so it doesn’t compete with the main
microphones or audio interface require. With your audio hopefully now residing nicely speech track. Think of this part as musical building
within the software arrangement window, you can blocks; you simply drag the audio files into the
start the process of editing. Editing is the process arrangement window, and move them where you
of cleaning, or enhancing, audio using the tools need them. You can also chop, slice and rearrange
available within the software. If your recording here to your heart’s content.
features multiple voices, it’s good practice to either
lower the volume – or remove completely – parts
where a specific person isn’t talking as this removes
any background noise and allows the listener to focus
entirely on the subject.

In the example above, we’ve set Audition to use our

Presonus Studio audio interface, and have inputs
one and two receiving signals from two microphones
connected to the interface. For monitoring – listening To add a final coat of polish to the sound, we add
back to our recordings – we have the two outputs set compression and normalisation. In Audition, this
to send the audio to our studio monitors, and our is called Dynamics Processing, and the ‘Classic Soft
headphones for live monitoring when recording. Look for peaks in the wave file too; in the example Knee’ preset does the job we’re after perfectly. Be
above the audio clips slightly in the part we careful though; overusing compression makes your
highlighted. In Audition, you can lower the volume of voice sound like it’s coming from a goldfish bowl.
parts like this quickly and easily using the Clip Gain The final step is normalisation, which attempts
function, making it ideal for doctoring plosives or to level the sound across the whole track. Again,
sibilance. Be careful using this too liberally though; this can prove quite drastic so it’s always worth
the human voice is a dynamic thing and is naturally checking your entire mix once you’ve completed
quieter or louder depending on the context. Attacking the normalisation.
your audio file with too broad a brush can make for a
harrowing listening experience afterwards… 4. Exporting Your Podcast
So the audio is recorded, arranged and polished,
and you’re ready to export. This part is simple
enough; first tell the software to create a mixdown
of your multitrack session – as seen above – which
‘bounces’ all the individual files into one master
Now the audio routing is set up, you can ‘arm’ the file. Then simply hit export in the File menu and
individual tracks to record. Recording in most audio you’re good to go.
software applications is a two-step process; you tell Congratulations, you now have your very
the software which tracks arte receiving the audio by own podcast and are ready to take the world
arming them. Look for the little ‘R’ button to choose by storm! Good luck!
86 | REVIEWS

IK MULTIMEDIA Z-TONE PRICE: CHECK RETAILER

BUFFER BOOST + Z-TONE DI

STAGE AND STUDIO WIDGETS OFFERING VARIABLE PICKUP
LOADING FOR BETTER TONE. REVIEW BY TREVOR CURWEN.

L
ast year, IK Multimedia – maker of the AmpliTube The Z-Tone Buffer Boost will always function as a
amp and effects software – released the AXE buffer for your pedalboard but its footswitch offers
I/O, a USB audio interface specifically designed the preamp tonal shaping of the AXE I/O.Set it to
for guitar players.The unique aspect of that unit is Pure and you get the unadulterated signal.
that rather than just having a bog-standard hi-Z (high Meanwhile, JFET will give you a subtly different tone,
impedance) input as provided for guitar use on many nicely enhanced with a little extra top-end.It’s the mainly used as an interface that takes the sound from
interfaces, it offers a range of options.You can set it Z-Tone knob that makes the most tonal difference an instrument and outputs it via an XLR cable in a form
for either active or passive pickups, choose optional here, though, because it changes the impedance at the suitable for the balanced mic inputs on a mixing desk
JFET circuitry for the preamp and set the impedance to input. Fully left you get the most treble but advancing or audio interface.
best suit your pickups using the variable Z-Tone knob. the knob subdues the top-end and thickens things up. While anyone who gigs regularly with an electro-
The AXE I/O has now spawned two smaller utility The pedal could be used for ‘always on’ tonal acoustic guitar will be aware that it’s the thing they
units – the Z-Tone Buffer Boost and Z-Tone DI – which shaping but as a footswitchable ‘effect’ it can offer an have to plug into to get the sound into the PA, it’s also
may be ideal for guitarists who wish to take advantage instant alternative tone, with or without a boost, via a useful tool for recording electric guitar, especially as
of the enhanced gain-staging and tonal adjustment the Gain knob and/or the second footswitch, which a cleanly recorded direct signal is an asset that you can
offered by those three aforementioned features but can bring in up to 10dB of clean boost. Alternatively, later mould with amp sims.
don’t need the USB audio capability of the AXE I/O. set up a neutral sound and just use it as a boost. Extra With the facilities here you can tailor that clean
With features suitable for live work and recording, outputs endow real versatility – the Link to create a sound just so. The sensible belt-and-braces approach
the Z-Tone Buffer Boost’s stompbox form and parallel signal path and the balanced XLR for direct of recording both a clean dry signal as well as your
footswitching should see it slip easily into a pedalboard clean guitar recording. mic’d amp is easily carried out with this box first in the
slot, while the Z-Tone DI is a DI box with extra sauce. Dull, perhaps, but necessary, the humble DI box is chain, with its Link output feeding your amp.

VERDICT PROS CONS CONTACT

The Z-Tone has enhancements that would really benefit a guitarist’s Practical tools for studio and the stage. The Z-Tone Buffer Sound And Music
studio while the Z-Tone Buffer Boost packs a massive amount of utility Z-Tone DI has sensible routing for Boost has the outputs;
in one pedal. It’s an asset for your pedalboard with practical recording do you need the DI? Ph: (03) 9555 8081
belt-and-braces recording.
capabilities, too.
Decent array of outputs.
Web: sound-music.com

RRP: €269 (APPROX. $450 AUD)

OVERLOUD TH-U
FULLY FEATURED AMP, CAB, MIC AND EFFECTS SOFTWARE
WITH ALL KINDS OF CLEVER TRICKS!. REVIEW BY CHRIS GILL.

W
ith the introduction of its TH-U software, and more than 1,000 presets.
Overloud has delivered a product that Amp models include the usual
rivals the most sophisticated (and suspects (Fenders, Marshalls and
expensive) hardware units available today. In addition Mesa-Boogies, Hiwatt DR103, Roland
to providing a vast selection of guitar rigs comprising JC-120, Vox AC30, Dumble Overdrive Special and so authentic amp feel and response. Overdriven tones
the most-coveted classic, modern boutique and on) as well as authorised models of various Brunetti, will even clean up when the guitar’s volume control
obscure cult amps, a wide variety of speaker cabinet DV Mark, Randall and THD amps – plus uncommon, is backed down. The clean, slightly overdriven tones
options and a comprehensive selection of effects, but totally cool selections like the Mesa-Boogies .50 had rich body and a three-dimensional quality often
TH-U provides powerful modification capabilities that Caliber, Orange “Graphic” 120, Lab Series L5 and lacking from digital models.
include the ability to swap preamp and power tubes Polytone Mini Brute. Optional Rig Libraries allow Programming new presets is very simple thanks to
and adjust voltage with a virtual Variac. users to load hundreds to thousands of additional the graphic display and drag-and-drop functionality.
With the addition of the new Rig Player feature, amp rigs via the software’s Rig Player feature, too. Zoom in/out functions (25, 50, 75, 100, 150 and
which reproduces rig models profiled from real- Users can modify any of TH-U’s 89 amp models with 200) make it easy to view the entire setup or tweak
world setups, TH-U is one of the most powerful amp/ the Amp Tweaks feature. Preamp options include individual settings in detail.
effects modelling software packages available today. 12AX7/12AT7 tubes or silicon/germanium diodes, The presets comprise a wide variety of genres
While TH-U is available in genre-specific Metal, and power amp options include 6L6, 6V6, EL34, as well as specific well-known songs, which make
Rock and Funk/R&B packages that each contain EL84, KT88 or 5881 tubes, solid-state and Class A or a great starting point for users to find tones close
16 amps, 15 speaker cabs and 16 effects focused AB. The Amp Tweaks window also provides a virtual to what they’re looking for and further tweak to
on their respective musical styles, the TH-U Full Variac for adjusting the voltage from 60 to 110 volts. their preferences. The selection of speaker cabinets
package delivers considerably more bang for the The sound quality of THU’s amp models is and effects cover all the bases as well as a few
buck by providing 89 guitar amps, four bass amps, 52 stunning, capturing the entire tonal range of lesser-traveled paths for more adventurous sound
cabinets, 77 pedal and rack effects, 18 microphones their real-world counterparts and delivering designers.

VERDICT PROS CONS CONTACT

Between the provided models, the modification capabilities of the Comprehensive choice of classic and forgotten classic amps. None Overloud
Amp Tweaks feature and the impressive library of tones in the Superlative rendering of tube amp dynamics.
optional Rig Library, it’s hard to think of an amp tone that TH-U Web: overloud.com
Full can’t replicate. Amp Tweaks feature allows you to mod the amps.

| www.guitarworld.com/australianguitar
The EVOLVE 30M is designed to deliver a significant step up in all-around
performance for a column system in its size/price category – superior
Electro-Voice sound quality and flexible functionality combined in a very
compact package.

It is equipped with the most complete feature set in its class, including MIX YOUR SHOW LIKE A PRO
an eight-channel digital mixer, studio-quality onboard effects, and remote
control of all audio, effects and mix functions via the next-generation OPTIMIZE EVERY DETAIL OF YOUR SOUND
Electro-Voice QuickSmart Mobile application.
ROOM-FILLING COVERAGE
©2019 Bosch Security Systems, Inc.
SUPER-QUICK SETUP
SINGLE-TRIP PORTABILITY

Distributed by

www.jands.com.au
 | 89

RRP: $849 (JUNIOR) • $1,349 (SFX II)

FENDER ACOUSTIC
SFX-II + ACOUSTIC
JUNIOR AMPLIFIERS
FENDER UPDATE THEIR CLASSIC LINE
OF ACOUSTIC AMPS WITH SOME
ACE NEW TECH AND PRACTICAL
FEATURES. REVIEW BY ALEX WILSON.

T
hese recently announced amps are hot off The Acoustic line amps have two channels, either discuss. I love the phase-flip switch for the channels.
the presses and fresh off the factory floor, of which can be fed via an instrument cable or It’s a really great and simple way to avoid nasty sonic
right in rim for the post-Christmas shopping XLR cable. Both channels have matching controls: issues running close-proximity sources together
season. In a slick promo video a Fender rep says a three-band EQ, a volume knob, and two other (say and acoustic and vocal mic). I also really like
that they spoke with real acoustic guitarists and knobs to select and control the level of the various how both the channels have their own balanced
asked them what their ideal amplifier would be. effects. Both the SFX-II and the Junior sound good outputs built into the back of the amp. This means
In response to the feedback, the company has with an acoustic plugged in. Obviously, the former that any sound mixer or recordist can get your
delivered three models that are stylishly presented, has a bit more gain on tap, and size due to the instruments with the effects you choose on them.
heavy on digital processing and mixing capability stereo speakers. Yet both amps share the ability This leaves you to either mic the amp for some
and pretty damn light to boot. Spoiler warning: to transparently reproduce an acoustic’s sound extra mix possibilities, or just use it for monitoring.
these are good amps that deserve a serious look with generous headroom and volume ample for Other features shared by the amps include two XLR
from the guitar community’s strummers and busking and small gigs. The EQ is more functional outputs, a headphone output, an auxiliary input
pluckers. Let’s investigate why. than finicky, more suited for broad differentiations for external audio, a USB jack for audio recording.
The two amps in question are two-thirds of the between instruments than detailed tone-shaping. There’s even Bluetooth connectivity built in so you
full product line. The Acoustic Junior GO is the Effects-wise, you can select between the following can run your backing tracks off a phone or any other
same as the Acoustic Junior we have here, but it is presets: hall reverb, room reverb, slapback echo, suitable device. Love that.
a little heavier due to the inclusion of a portable, longer delay, chorus, vibe, delay and chorus, delay The final big pluses for me are the footswitch
rechargeable battery that delivers juice for five hours and reverb. None of the effects are going to blow and the onboard looper. Let’s take each in turn. The
of full-volume playing. The differences between the your mind like a boutique pedal might. Fender has footswitch is sold separately, but the way Fender
SFX-II and the Junior are confined to the chassis and chosen “neutral and unobtrusive” over “arresting have implemented it is pretty slick. Using their basic
speakers – the signal flow and channels are identical and unique”. However, I rarely wanted to turn them four-button generic controller, you can overlay a
(as far as this reviewer could tell). Anyway, the Junior off! Even in small amounts, they add the extra sense magnetic strip that marks out the switches for their
delivers 100 watts out of one eight-inch driver and of depth and space that a DI acoustic sound usually correct function. It’s great for adding that extra
weighs about 6.5 kilograms. Built into the base is a needs, ultimately making performances feel more level of control when using the digital effects or
little kickstand to prop the amp up. The bigger SFX-II musical and polished. The reverbs particularly stand the looper. The looper itself can record for up to 90
includes a tweeter and then a 6.5-inch side-radiating out in their versatility. seconds. It has plenty of a headroom, and doesn’t
speaker, weighing in at just under ten kilograms. Let’s come back to the two channels and talk about start clipping and crushing even when several tracks
Both speakers are 100 watts. It’s the side speaker performance situations. A busker with nary but an are built up. Cleverly, the effects are printed into
that makes the big difference, allowing the SFX-II to acoustic guitar and a voice full o’ feelings can really the looper’s recording channels. So this means you
output a stereo image. This really gives extra mojo to get some mileage out of these amps. Playing around can record, for example, chords with chorus on
the onboard effects. with the two channels, I really got a sense of the them, and then solo over the top using delay but
I want to commend Fender for differentiating the potential in these amps. Depending on the musical no chorus. For some musicians who rely on loopers
models based only on weight and chassis – and not situation you can definitely get away with plugging a as part of their performance, having one built into
foolishly nerfing any of the sound mixing or DSP bass, a mono keyboard line or a percussion mic into the amp will be a huge benefit. For the rest of us,
capabilities on the smaller Junior model. “Smaller” these channels in a pinch. Obviously electric guitars loopers are just a great feature to have. They’re
need not also mean “simpler”, “streamlined” don’t sound too bad either. What I’m getting at is that fun, for starters, and a great tool for creative and
or “limited” just so the bigger amp can look I think that while these amps are voiced for acoustics, songwriting purposes.
more impressive by comparison. Fender have there’s lots of potential here for many DIY duos to At the end of the day, these are certainly not the
wisely chosen to give all players the full benefit harness the onboard mixing capabilities with their cheapest acoustic amps out there. However, if they
of the technology they have developed while specific instruments. are within your budget then they really do deliver
allowing them to choose an amp with the physical plenty of great-sounding and practical features. In
dimensions that suit them. It’s a great move that PERK YOURSELF UP that sense, they are arguably good value for money,
shows respect for the player and payer. With the two independent channels and the cool and could ultimately be a better choice than a
DSP options, the Acoustic line is already looking cheaper amp with inferior sound and fewer features.
SOUND JUDGEMENT pretty good. But on top of that, there’s still the back Everything about these designs comes across as
So much for the differences between the amps. panel options and a few other sweet touches to well-considered and favourable to the player.

VERDICT PROS CONS CONTACT

While these amps are an update on previous acoustic Great tools for creative and songwriting Some players might be priced out. Fender
amps that Fender have released, they both have purposes.
enough in terms of new and modern functionality to
Ph: (02) 8198 1300
Effects are printed into the looper’s recording
justify their presence in the guitar market of 2021 channels.
Web: fender.com
and beyond.
Both amps sound impeccable.
90 | REVIEWS

roasted back then) and for various limited runs

over the years. Fender is playing catch-up a little
here because pine is quite popular in the modding
and DIY partscaster world, not to mention among
some elevated boutique makers. Fender tells us
that the timber offers a very focused bright tone
and that the roasting stabilises the wood and can
make it a little lighter.
We then get a raft of refinements to continue
the already refined Am Pro vibe. The contoured
heel, for example, is hardly new, but it knocks the
old square edge off the treble side of the heel,
something Leo would have probably done back
in the day had he realised there was money to be
made noodling around in those high-fret positions.
Fender has sensibly retained the Micro-Tilt neck
pitch adjustment here, too.
The other subtler changes are to the necks. Along
with a ‘smoother’ satin back finish – coined ‘Super-
Natural’ – and a rich but not overdone amber tint,
there’s a heavier rolling to the fingerboard edges.
The deep C profile of the Am Pro I is retained, but all
in, along with the narrow/tall wire on that everyman
241 millimetre (9.5-inch) radius, it’s hard to think how
Fender could have improved things further.
The range of models, at least the initial releases,
tick all the best-selling boxes, too: Strat, Tele, Strat
HSS, Tele Deluxe (now with a larger ‘70s Strat-style
headstock) and Jazzmaster. There’s no Strat HH
this time around; the launch range here seems very
focused on the big-hitters. And why not?

AMERICAN PRO II STRATOCASTER HSS

As with ash, which was only used on specific colours,
here pine is employed for the Sienna Sunburst and
Roasted Pine, which most of us would simply call
natural because Fender tells us the finish here is
basically just clear coats over a sanding sealer. The
roasting process clearly deepens the colour, creating
a very rustic furniture vibe that was all the rage
in some homes back in the ‘70s. We’re suckers for
heavier contours that enhance the sculptural beauty
of the best guitar design ever. Here, that top body
edge is a little thick.
As for hardware, it’s pretty much only the
staggered-height modern tuners that remain
completely untouched. The two-post bridge
RRP: $3,199 (STRAT HSS) • $3,099 (TELE) now boasts a cold-rolled steel block that, says
Fender, “increases sustain, clarity and high-end

FENDER AMERICAN
sparkle”. Fender’s Justin Norvell elaborates: “The
previous blocks were cast. These are usually resin

PROFESSIONAL II TELECASTER
impregnated, which makes it musically less like
a bell when you hit it. It’s got mass but doesn’t
have the same resonance or musicality. We were

& STRATOCASTER HSS actually using an improved style of cast block

that was copper-infused instead of resin, so it was
homogenous metal all the way through, but it
IT’S BARELY FOUR YEARS AGO THAT FENDER REPLACED ITS LONG- was still a sintered block. Here, we still have the
RUNNING AMERICAN STANDARD RANGE WITH THE AMERICAN chamfering for extra travel, but it’s milled out of
cold rolled steel, which has long been what the
PROFESSIONAL. NOW IT’S BEEN REFRESHED. SO, WHAT’S NEW? aftermarket people with their upgraded hardware
REVIEW BY DAVE BURRLUCK. PHOTOS BY NEIL GODWIN. use. It’s what we do on American Original and in the
Custom Shop: it’s the original recipe that Leo was

T
ime flies, and it only seems like yesterday Professional II is more like a firmware upgrade. using. So, again, it’s just another tweak that adds
we were writing about the new American Perhaps that’s a little harsh, though, because musicality and enhances tone.”
Professional guitars, a reimagined overhaul there are numerous features that differentiate II A major part of the first Am Pros were the
of the previous long-running American Standard from I. Obviously, there are different colours, some mixed-magnet V-Mod pickups (see Mods For Rockers,
that produced some of the best playing and of which might be quite polarising, particularly later in this feature). Here we have V-Mod IIs: the
sounding Fender guitars – which we’d not hesitate to those of us who’ve grown up with the classic “Stratocaster single-coil pickups are more articulate
to recommend to readers and friends alike. In some and custom colour hues. More fundamentally, than ever while retaining bell-like chime and
ways, then, it’s a bit of a surprise that Fender has now lightweight ash is now hard to source – certainly warmth”, says Fender. The DoubleTap humbucker –
replaced that line with these Mk II versions. in the quantities that Fender consumes – and is again upgraded to II status – first appeared on
If you’re expecting a completely new operating replaced by roasted pine as used right back at the American Performer range and the bridge
system, you’ll be disappointed: the American the start of the Fender story (although it wasn’t facing cream coil cleverly helps to ape the classic

| www.guitarworld.com/australianguitar
 | 91

three-single-coil look, at least from a distance. Each

Am Pro II also has a new-to-Fender push-push switch
on the tone control. Again, far from new, it switches
the full humbucker to its single-coil mode, although
it’s actually a little trickier than that.

AMERICAN PRO II TELECASTER

One of the new colours, Mercury, is shown off
here on this muted-down Silver Burst Tele over
its alder body – which pulls back the usual black
edge to a dark grey pewter hue. It certainly looks
very stage-aimed and showy. Again, this refresh
also includes a smattering of new hardware and
electronics. Most notably we have an updated
bridge that uses a bridge plate with cut-down side
walls. It can be top-loaded as well as through-
strung, while the outer two saddles are slightly
longer and have domed ‘bullet’ ends. The height
adjustment screws are nicely buried – a great
advantage of the Micro-Tilt – and the saddles are
compensated as before.
So, again, we have V-Mod II pickups. The bridge
has flush mount poles, while the push-push switch on
the tone control voices both pickups in series when
it is pushed up and when the three-way selector is in
middle position. Like the Strat we get the string tree
from the Ultra (a pretty minor point) and we have
dome-topped knurled knobs, not the flat-tops of the
previous series.
mode it’s well balanced and certainly not over
FEELS AND SOUNDS thick, a welcome gear change with a little more
Both guitars come in pretty similar weight wise, power. Again, pulling back the tone here smooths
neither feather-light nor far from heavy. The necks’ out the quite strident attack and while the treble
‘deep C’ profile is retained from the previous series, bleed circuits really keep things pristine, as you pull
spec’d at 0.820 inches (20.8mm) at the first fret and the volume back, many of us like that softening of
0.920 inches (23.4mm) by the 12th – pretty much a non-treble bleed. Like so many guitars, the key
the exact depths we measured. For the record, the here is to use those tone controls.
Tele’s neck is slab-sawn; the Strat’s one-piece maple Keeping things pretty clean, the Tele works its
neck/fingerboard is rift-sawn. It’s a very everyman magic, more strident and steely. The neck pickup is
shape, not too thin, not to thick, and along with that far from rounded or muted, though; it really isn’t a
standard radius and narrow/tall frets there’s little million miles away from the Strat’s neck in terms of
change over the previous models. voicing just with a subtler smoother attack. The highs
However, that increased fingerboard edge rolling do seem a little more rounded here and there’s no
is welcome and the radiusing seems slightly more shortage of midrange bite, which really pushes the
on the maple fingerboard face of the Strat than Tele-ness to the fore on the bridge pickup. The series
the separate rosewood fingerboard of the Tele. sound is certainly thicker – the biggest sound here –
Is this ‘Super-Natural’ finish to the neck back a and humbucker-like, with the well-voiced treble bleed
game-changer or even noticeably different from the on the volume. Pulling it back retains clarity but
original American Professional? No, but it does feel cleans things up, a sort of ‘home’ sound we’d suspect
super smooth – this is good craft. As is the setup, for many who need a deeper, wider voice than you’ll
which pairs 0.009s with string heights on both treble usually find on a Tele. Again, using both volume
and bass sides at the 12th fret of a shade over 1.5mm. and tone really pull out the guitar’s potential, even
First impressions of the Strat played clean is though, oddly, it took a while to settle, despite some
that there’s plenty of breathy crispness. There’s no pretty heavy string stretching.
doubt what you’re listening to, but we’re reaching The well tried-and-tested Strat vibrato has a
for the tones to pull them back whereas our light, responsive feel with a pretty standard range
reference Strats remain fully open. Not for the first of around a semitone up-bend on the high E and
time both tones here act like a ‘decade’ control: just over a tone on the G. Stability for light use is
fully open there’s that almost post-EQ zing; backed excellent, although as with any brand-new guitar
off we get to more of those classic ‘analogue’ there’s a sense that it all needs to settle in a little.
sounds. As you’d expect, there’s no shortage of The push-fit arm is a very snug fit, making subtle
fast attack and the voice is pretty vibrant. shimmers very responsive. The more we played this notching the saddles wouldn’t go amiss as the strings
The push-push switch voices the screw coil of the Strat, the more we liked it – and the Tele, too. can drift making the string spacing slightly uneven.
bridge humbucker, which matches the response Complaints? For all the effort that’s gone into the Mind you, we’ve put up with that for years. There’s
from the single coils rather well. In full ’bucker new Tele bridge, at setup or even post-purchase, very little not to like here.

VERDICT PROS CONS CONTACT

We’re big fans of the first American Pros and The Tele has a very neat new bridge. Notching those saddles on the Tele wouldn’t Fender
these II versions are simply nicely polished, very go amiss.
everyman instruments with colossal appeal to players
The push-push switch series pickup link is Ph: (02) 8198 1300
very welcome.
everywhere. A superb job. Web: fender.com
The Strat has superb neck feel and very
dialled-in setup.
92 | REVIEWS

RRP: $1,995

FAITH LYRA CUTAWAY

NYLON-STRING ACOUSTIC
NYLON-STRINGED ACOUSTIC/ELECTRIC GUITARS JUST GOT
SERIOUS. REVIEW BY STEVE HENDERSON.

T
he folks at Faith Guitars make steel-string open geared tuners, but gold plated with pearloid ever-so familiar. Also, there’s that buttery-
guitars. They make all kinds of steel-string buttons. All this is wrapped up in a faultless high smooth satin finish – it looks satin but feels
guitars: dreadnoughts, OMs, jumbos, parlours… gloss lacquer for the body and a very smooth semi-gloss, allowing for an ease of movement
Even a 12-fret, sloped-shoulder dreadnought! They satin finish for the neck. that is uncommon for a nylon-string guitar.
make steel-string guitars really, really well – they each The Lyra has an understated but classy And that bolt-on issue? It’s immediately
have their own unique feature that sets them apart soundhole rosette of Rosewood and Abalone. forgotten when you pick it up and feel the
from the crowd, and they are all great performing The neck joins the body at the 12th fret and, in substance of its construction, and then
guitars. So when Faith releases a nylon-string model, keeping with contemporary thinking, that joint start playing. The Lyra feels as solid as any
it’s worth taking a serious look to find out what makes is a bolt-on design. If you ever wondered how dovetailed instrument and this provides a
this new guitar worthy of our attention. The Lyra effective a bolt-on acoustic neck can be, here’s lot of confidence to the player (whether they
Cutaway is the company’s first ever shot at a nylon- the evidence. The fretboard is dot-free on the know it or not). Moving from steel strings
strung instrument, and it seems they are terribly face but there are dots on the side at frets five, to nylon suddenly becomes as easy as from
serious about it. seven and nine. To simplify the gig, the Lyra electric to acoustic.
The Faith Lyra Cutaway certainly has its own thing has a Fishman Sonitone system: a dedicated The Lyra is a delightful fingerstyle guitar.
happening. From a distance, it looks like a glossy nylon-string under-saddle pickup with a The treble notes have a snappy delivery and
version of other “serious” classical guitars. Up close, two-control preamp hidden away inside the an airy decay; the mids are warm without
it becomes apparent that some serious thought soundhole. Through my Fishman being muted; the bass is defined and
and experience has been involved in the design and Loudbox Artist, it sounded articulate. In fact, the delivery is more like the
manufacture of the Lyra. The materials are first class: mighty. Fishman gear is immediacy of a flamenco guitar, but without
a perfectly book-matched solid Red Cedar top, Solid brilliant, so the Sonitone the brassy attack and with much more
system is a great choice sustain. Generally, the tone is round and full,
for this guitar. with no latency in any frequency
But what really range. Notes bloom very
makes the Lyra quickly, whether played
Cutaway stand out is as single note lines or
the neck. The Lyra’s as chord clusters. This
neck is somewhere means that, whether
between a traditional played fast or slow, that
classical and a steel- broad tone is always there.
string acoustic. Officially, Playing chords fingerstyle
the nut width is 48 (arpeggiated) or strummed,
millimetres (that’s each string is clearly
three or four defined right along the
narrower than neck. Even above the
a standard seventh fret, there’s
classical) but more sustain than
that one expected and
dimension the treble notes
doesn’t tell don’t become
the whole muted through
story. It’s the lack of mass.
shape of the The impeccable
neck that is fretwork enables
so inviting. It’s much of this and, of
not deep and course, adds to the
doesn’t have heavy playing experience.
shoulders that most The Lyra Cutaway offers
Rosewood back and sides, a Mahogany neck topped classicals have, and it’s good bang-for-buck. The little
with a lightly figured Macassar Ebony fretboard a smooth D-shaped profile details, some unseen, also contribute
and a Rosewood headstock overlay, a nicely figured and feels more like a slightly wider to the value: a two-way truss rod, scalloped
Macassar Ebony bridge, Macassar Ebony body binding steel-string neck. In fact, it’s very similar to my old bracing, the neck joint integrity, the deep cutaway. It all
(front and back!), and an environmentally friendly Tusq Martin D-12-20 (which is a touch wider still). Basically, adds up to a considered approach to designing what is,
nut and saddle set. The machine heads are traditional there’s no girth to negotiate and the 25.5-inch scale is essentially, a new take on a traditional instrument.

VERDICT PROS CONS CONTACT

The Lyra Cutaway is both beautiful to look at Quality tones. None. CMC Music
and a pleasure to play. It seems that someone
has finally built a versatile nylon-string guitar
Super playable. Ph: (02) 9905 2511
for the modern player. Exceptional build values. Web: cmcmusic.com.au
Beautifully presented.

| www.guitarworld.com/australianguitar
 | 93

RRP: $1,595

originally designed for tube radios (the ancestor

of most guitar amps). This is a sub-miniature tube
that adds a lot of warmth to the tone and vibrancy
to the feel. Flavouring up the tone at the preamp
stage leaves the solid-state power amp to add the
required weight to the delivery.
The test gear included a custom Anderson Strat
(EMGs), a ’62 Strat, a Godin Summit, a mid-’60s Tele,
a Godin 5th Ave, and a White Falcon. Each guitar
has an inherent tone quality and these were never
disguised or masked by the Raw Dawg. The front
pickup sound of the Strat was woody and warm, and
positions 2 and 4 are absolutely superb; the Summit
displayed that LP-style front pickup roundness
and rear pickup bite and drive; the Tele’s bridge
twang was surprisingly traditional (given that we’re
using some solid-state technology here); and the
Falcon had all the chime and back pickup “grrrang”
that you could want. If you’re a jazzer, the Raw
Dawg reproduced the sweet roundness of the 5th
Ave (an ES-175-ish guitar) with gloriously detailed
articulation – the most complex of chords had
definition and body. It was quite surprising that the
Raw Dawg was so adaptable to the various guitars
because, with most other amps, there’s usually a
compromise – which means some degree of knob
tweaking for each guitar. Not this time.
The Raw Dawg is super pedal-friendly. In fact,

DV MARK ERIC GALES ‘RAW

that’s really the point of this amp. Its function is to
create a great clean tone and allow the player to

DAWG’ 60W AMP COMBO

dress it up with a choice of effects. I used an old
TS-9, an old DS-1, a Mesa Flux-Five, a Zendrive, and
a Suhr Riot. Every pedal has its own “thing” and the
OLD-SCHOOL SIMPLICITY MEETS MODERN TECHNOLOGY. Raw Dawg handled each without a hiccup, never
compressing the response or colouring the basic
REVIEW BY STEVE HENDERSON. character of each effector. This amp has a HiFi-style
attitude without the clinical top-end, so the clarity

D
V Mark has a reputation for punchy, fully- five knobs (vol, low, mid, high, and reverb) and an is exceptional. And not just gain-based effects.
tricked out heads and combos that serve on/off switch. How cool is that? There’s no clever DDLs have a crisp and clearly defined echo and
a player’s creative needs no matter what switching or chained circuitry or cascaded anything even my long-suffering CE-2, which just turned 40,
those needs might entail. The range has at times to confuse or distract. You just turn it on, dial up sounds young again.
been extensive, with a model for just about any your sound, and get to the business. The Raw Dawg is a superbly built amp and a super
situation imaginable. So it’s interesting to look at Having said that, the Raw Dawg has features that easy lug at around ten kilograms. The controls are
their website and see that these options have been those early, much loved Fender amps never had. straightforward, the tone stack has plenty of scope,
pared back to just seven electric guitar combos and There’s a highly efficient neodymium speaker – 150 and the built-in reverb is excellent. There’s even
none of them have a confusing battery of knobs watts of power handling, highly efficient, and super a headphone jack and an aux input for those still
and switches. I guess the folks at DV Mark have lightweight. And it sounds great. I plugged my 1963 working on their COVID lockdown blues.
recognised (before many others) that the whole Vibrolux into it and there it
“pedal thing” has returned with a vengeance, and was – that sweet, vintage
doesn’t look like easing up any time soon, and their tone. The Raw Dawg has an
50-watt Raw Dawg is a superb platform for our effects loop, which is great for
favourite gadgets. chorus, delay, reverb, etc.
The Raw Dawg 60 is Eric Gales signature combo, But it’s the Raw Dawg’s
and Gales loves pedals. With an obvious “simple delivery that’ll really grab
is better” philosophy, the Raw Dawg offers a you. There’s a punchy
50-watt, single 12-by-12 combo with an absolute roundness to the tone, and
minimum of knobs but plenty of what counts. This a sonic breadth that doesn’t
amp harkens back Fender’s glory days, when the emphasise any particular
amps were simply, straight foreword power packs: frequency range. The “secret
think Deluxe/Bassman/Princeton/Vibrolux combos ingredient” is, of course, the
– amps that produced big, clean tones. But the tube in the preamp stage:
Raw Dawg isn’t even that complicated. It has just a 6205 vacuum pentode,

VERDICT PROS CONS CONTACT

DV Mark have delivered a great, tube-driven combo Big sound. Only available in black. CMC Music
for all the pedal tragics (like me) out there. But,
even by itself, it’s an impressive amp: easy to use,
Plenty of power. Ph: (02) 9905 2511
plenty of power, and tone for days. Best of all, the Super simple layout. Web: cmcmusic.com.au
Raw Dawg presents a clarity that is both surprisingly High-quality build.
refreshing and musically satisfying.
94 | REVIEWS

RRP: $1,699 – $2,799

KRAMER ORIGINAL COLLECTION (2020 LINEUP)

THE ‘80S SHRED MACHINES MADE FAMOUS BY EDDIE VAN HALEN AND RICHIE SAMBORA ARE
BROUGHT INTO THE MODERN AGE UNDER GIBSON OWNERSHIP. REVIEW BY AMIT SHARMA.

T
hough the company dates back to the mid-‘70s guitars with equally loud looks. same kind of stripes seen on George Lynch’s 1986
when it was mainly specialising in aluminium It all came to an end in 1991 – flannel was in, signature. There is also a Pure White version for
neck basses, it was a chance encounter spandex was out. By the turn of the millennium, the those wanting something less outrageous.
between co-founder Dennis Berardi and Eddie Van brand had been sold out of bankruptcy to Gibson, In terms of pickups, this model rocks the classic
Halen’s management on a flight in 1981 that led to who have now once again revamped the range to Seymour Duncan JB/JN set. Turns out they’re still
the virtuoso teaming up with Kramer. ensure their ‘Made To Rock Hard’ legacy remains hard to beat for rock tones, and better still, each
It is rumoured that the guitarist promised to intact at a more affordable, Indonesian-produced volume control doubles up as series/parallel switch
make them the biggest name in the trade – if price point. for its pickup, and there’s a 002mf capacitor bleed
he didn’t succeed, he certainly came close. The While the Modern collection explores Kramer-style circuit to retain treble frequencies when volumes are
following decade led to some fruitful partnerships interpretations of traditional Gibson body shapes, down. There’s certainly a lot of tonal ground covered.
and a host of high-quality instruments renowned for such as the Les Paul and Flying V, the Originals are The pickup selector is a three-way mini-toggle
uncompromising playability. a bold resurrection of the ‘80s Superstrats that found beneath the bridge volume knob. For most,
By signing up the guitar players in bands like typified an era of thrilling guitar acrobatics. this will function well enough and makes for a
Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe and Whitesnake, in addition First up is the emphatically bold Pacer Vintage tidy front, but if you’re the kind of guitarist who
to Eddie’s endorsement for his first mass-produced model. You certainly won’t go unnoticed with this constantly switches back and forth, this particular
signature, Kramer became the go-to brand for loud hanging around your neck, decorated with the design makes the control slightly less accessible.

| www.guitarworld.com/australianguitar
 | 95

Then again, it’s worth remembering this is an

instrument aimed at rock players who mainly live on
the bridge, except for clean sections and solos high
up the neck.
Next up is the Jersey Star. This one is Richie
Sambora’s old signature model, and it continues to
be one of the best-selling Kramers out there. It’s easy
to see why, this is a Superstrat that feels more like
an actual Strat – the elliptical C-profile neck feels
meatier, there’s a five-way selector and the body is
made out of alder, which is more rounded than the
maple-bodied Pacers. The option to split two of the
humbuckers allows for true single-coil sizzle, whereas
options to tap into parallel usually result in a sound
somewhere in between.
While the other instruments in this round-up
have a flat 14-inch fingerboard radius, this
particular model is even flatter still at 16 inches –
which makes it incredibly playable. The addition of
gold hardware also works especially well against
this Alpine White finish.
The middle humbucker does tend to get in the way,
but to be fair, three humbuckers can often feel a bit at the Kramer factory and his original homemade Its deep warmth is offset by the snappiness of the
excessive – both visually and tonally. Here, however Frankenstrat with the angled Gibson PAF – it’s a ebony fingerboard.
it’s a most welcome addition. Dialling in more cleans thunderously uncomplicated workhorse. The Jersey Star is the most expensive offering in
and crunches than other 80s rock guitarists, clearly What are the advantages of a slanted bridge this line-up and with any group test we have to ask
Sambora needed something that could handle it all… pickup, then? Well, in most cases, clearer highs and ourselves, is it worth the extra money? In this case,
Moving on, we get the shred-worthy SM-1 model. more power from the thinner strings while retaining very much so. The alder body is noticeably louder
It’s the most metal axe in the Original Collection – the right kind of warmth for the higher gauges – unplugged and sounds fuller plugged in, with no
hell, it even comes in a finish called Maximum Steel. effectively giving you more note articulation across shortage of tonal options thanks to two independent
The tremolo is recessed which means you can pull the board. Typical for Strats and Teles though less coil split switches for the neck and bridge pickups.
more in pitch – you can get close by tilting the bridge common for humbuckers, the idea goes all the way This model also features no less than 13 stars and,
on a non-recessed guitar, but having less physical back to Leo Fender himself. thanks to the JS truss rod cover, will leave your friends
space to play with will always result in less range. So, we’ve glanced over four guitars each fantastic mistakenly wondering how you got your hands on an
And while we’re on the subject of range, you might in their own respects, but with some key differences incredibly rare Joe Satriani prototype!
have noticed 24 frets instead of 22. between each. When it comes to picking the one you It’s interesting how Kramer – a company that took
Introduced in 1986 when Kramer were upping should check out first, it comes down to a question of a sizeable chunk out of Les Paul sales over the ‘80s –
production, the pointy headstock is among their most preference rather than value. now find themselves being brought back to life by
classic – also appearing in the form of pearloid inlays. As far as build quality goes, there is very little Gibson. This latest collection is certainly worthy of the
The 14-degree angle is said to provide more pressure in difference between these models. They all feel brand’s heritage, with wild finishes and no options
at the nut for sustain, which – when you factor rugged and reliable, with the same dependable for fixed bridges. It is, after all, what Kramer were
in the all-mahogany neck-through body – makes this double-locking Floyd Rose system to ensure tuning famous for – and they still are, looking how much the
the thickest-sounding guitar of the collection. is held no matter how much use or abuse it receives. American-made originals go for secondhand.
While it’s a JB once again in the bridge, the All of these guitars are fitted with an allen key holder Perhaps it’s the sheer affordability of the Pacer
two Cool Rails bring a lot of power in the middle on the back of the headstock and come with Seymour Vintage that makes it such an enticing instrument.
and neck positions – arguably some of the most Duncans – so really it just boils down to which best You’d be hard-pressed to find a better Floyd-equipped
deceptive humbuckers ever made thanks to their suits your needs. Anyone needing a neck pickup will Superstrat at such an inviting entry point, especially
single-coil size. It also features a coil-split switch naturally rule out the Baretta Vintage, but there are considering the custom aesthetics of the tiger striped
and a five-way selector. plenty of rock players out there that will appreciate Orange Burst and the inclusion of real Seymours
Last up is the Baretta Vintage model. It features the simplicity of one angled humbucker in the instead of anything outsourced or ‘Duncan Designed’.
another striking headstock – very similar to the bridge. It’s also worth noting that for only a couple But the old Sambora signature really does
pointy headstock on the SM-1 but rounded at the end, hundred more, the Pacer Vintage benefits from two trump this round-up on sheer class alone, boasting
originally introduced in 1984 and commonly known humbuckers fitted with the treble-bleed mod. versatility and effortless playability. The Baretta
as the banana or hockey stick headstock. Hey, if it Interestingly, both of these models are made Vintage would be a great choice for rhythm players,
was good enough for Eddie... entirely out of maple – which, in conjunction with particularly those who deal in rock, punk and thrash.
Then there’s the one-angled humbucker, which Seymours, makes for bright tones with no shortage There’s an elegance to its simplicity and aesthetic
is also quite the statement. You may have already of attack to cut through. The mahogany body and – the Ruby Red finish is very easy on the eye. The
guessed what it is. As with the Pacer Vintage, neck through of the SM-1, however, is aimed at a SM-1 is, in many ways, the opposite – less attention-
pulling out the volume control offers a coil tap on more of a darker-sounding metallic shredder – with seeking and more suited to soloists and instrumental
the JB, so there is some tonal variety. Again, the higher output in the neck and a trem cavity. As we ultra-shredders, with tones galore thanks to the
Van Halen connection is strong here – much like expected, it is also considerably lighter – maple is a unbranded Cool Rails and JB. All in all, this relaunch
the single-pickup 5150 guitar he himself assembled much denser and harder tonewood by comparison. of the Kramer brand is a great move from Gibson.

VERDICT PROS CONS DISTRIBUTOR

With exceptional build quality, striking finishes The SM-1 is perfect for metal tones. They might not look as cool to newbies as they
did in the ‘80s. Australis Music Group
and state-of-the-art tech across the board – not The Pacer Vintage is a stunning Superstrat that
to mention the lowball price points, which are offers extreme value for money. Ph: (02) 9698 4444
very beginner-friendly given the pro specs They all feel rugged and reliable. Web: australismusic.com.au
offered – Gibson have done a 10/10 job of The double-locking Floyd Rose system is fantastic.
revitalising the Kramer brand.
BUT IS IT STILL VALID IN TODAY’S MARKET. REVIEW BY TREVOR CURWEN.

Z
oom was one of the pioneers of the Where some amp and effects modellers these days Zoom’s own creations, including some specifically
floorboard multi-effects processor, but seem to have a minimal amount of footswitches voiced for seven- and eight-string guitars and
it’s been several years since the company and mode-switching to use them, this Zoom dropped tunings, which may give a clue to where
released a new one. Now, building on what the floorboard offers 11 in an ergonomic layout that’s Zoom’s target audience lies.
previous G5n offered, it’s back with this brand-new presented for a very logical way of working, which A careful choice of the onboard IRs added to
G11, which is certainly feature-packed. will make immediate sense to anyone used to an the amp can add a useful touch of mic’d amp
It comes equipped with an intuitive touchscreen amp and effects setup. flavour, although the ability to load third-party
display, two banks of footswitches and a pedal In fact, the unit is laid out in three distinct IRs means that you can really tailor the degree
treadle. It has a stereo or dual mono effects sections from top to bottom. To the right of the of realism. A full patch with amp and speaker
loop for adding external pedals or for four-cable touchscreen you get your amp section with a simulation plus effects will give you a wide range
connection, and an input for an expression pedal. A standard six-knob array: Gain, Bass, Middle, Treble, of options for recording or direct into a PA or
USB connection allows operation as four-in/four-out Presence and Volume. The middle section is set out FRFR speaker system. Alternatively, you can set
24-bit audio interface as well as providing access like a row of five stompboxes, each with a chromed up patches that purely contain up to 10 effects,
to computer-based editing via the free Zoom Guitar footswitch, a window to show the name of the providing a range of fully loaded pedalboards for
Lab software, also accessible with an iOS/iPadOS effect and four parameter knobs for each effect – use with your own amp.
device by connecting a Zoom BTA-1 wireless adaptor. you just switch effects in and out and tweak them To this end, the range of effects is impressively
A looper that records up to five minutes in stereo at will. The final section has six red footswitches extensive. There are plenty of different types of
can be synchronised to the 68 onboard rhythm for more general tasks. There’s an up/down pair for dynamic and filter effects, modulations, delays
patterns, which are handy for playing along to for selecting patches, a similar pair for selecting banks, and reverbs. There are also some much-welcomed
a bit of silent practice using the headphone output. and a pair for horizontal scrolling whose main special effects to explore, such as the ‘hot spice’
There’s also a degree of MIDI capability with Program purpose is to move the colour-coded effects chain sitar simulation, and 28 effects in the drive category
Changes and Clock synchronisation supported. left or right so you can access them all. In addition, including models of well-known drive pedals and
As for its sounds, the G11 offers 240 onboard these footswitches can call up the tuner, operate even a decent-sounding acoustic simulator.
patch memories in 60 banks of four, each preset tap tempo and take care of looper functions. We also get some pedal effects, although
having a signal chain built from a linear array Running through the 100 factory programmed assigned to a footswitch like the rest, these can
of ten blocks (DSP permitting). An amplifier can presets, our first impressions weren’t exactly make use of the treadle to adjust one specific fixed
be assigned to one of the effect blocks as can positive. Many of them are not really ready for parameter. There’s the obvious volume pedal, wah
a cabinet model or IR. There are 24 cabinets any practical musical use straight out of the box or whammy-style pitch shifters, but you also get
matching the 24 modelled amps as well as 70 as they’re laden with exaggerated use of effects, options such as drive with pedal-adjustable gain, or
matching IRs, but there are also 130 memory odd EQ, inappropriate ambiences and so on. a rotary speaker with speed change via the treadle.
locations where you can load your own and third Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean the component A second added expression pedal can be assigned
parties’ impulse responses using a USB flash drive. sounds are bad. There’s plenty of good stuff among to another pedal effect.
The range of effects is pretty comprehensive, with the individual models; you simply need to get All of this works well as a closed effects system,
the everyday nestling next to the esoteric. tweaking or create your own from scratch. but for increased flexibility you can integrate
The G11 is slim and weighs only 2.8 kilograms, Fortunately, touchscreen editing is a breeze. your own pedals: the two mono or one stereo
so it’s easy to move around. That light weight is no Swiping to change effects order and adding effects effects loop can be anywhere in the signal chain,
doubt due to extensive use of plastic, but there’s to the chain is easy. The amps are a mixture of footswitchable from the G11, with positioning saved
nothing flimsy about it. vintage classics, more contemporary designs and with the patch.

VERDICT PROS CONS CONTACT

Get beyond the pretty naff presets and the G11 Lightweight. Could have better factory presets. Dynamic Music
provides a comprehensive set of facilities for home Good ergonomic footswitching arrangement. No parallel signal paths.
recording, practice and onstage use, where it can Ph: (02) 9939 1299
Instant amp and effect tweaks.
supply perhaps all the effects you’d need in a very Web: dynamicmusic.com.au
practical format. USB recording facility.
Rhythms for practice/songwriting.

| www.guitarworld.com/australianguitar
 | 97

VOX BOBCAT V90 + S66

VOX REVIVES AN OLD DESIGN FROM THE 1960S BUT WITH
PLAYABILITY AND FEEDBACK CONTROL IMPROVEMENTS FOR
TODAY’S PLAYERS. CAN THIS HIPPIE-ERA HOLDOVER HANG
WITH THE COOL KIDS? REVIEW BY PETER HODGSON.

T
hey may have the amp market stitched up coil pickups and the two volume/two tone setup instead of punished with high-pitched squealing.
but Vox isn’t the first name you think of when we all know from eight decades of electric guitar The S66 may, by design, miss some of the V90’s
you ponder great guitar brands.This despite manufacture. The S66 takes a different approach fatness – but it makes up for it with versatility and
Vox guitars being used on some pretty damn iconic though: its pickups are a trio of Stratocaster-like character. While the V90’s pickup settings sound like
recordings over the years. The company taps into that single coils, and although both guitars only offer variations on the same basic tone, the S66 offers a
legacy with its new Bobcat guitars, inspired by a pair a three-way pickup selector switch, the S66 has a lot more malleability across its voices. The bridge
of 1960s models (the Bobcat and Lynx) built for Vox by dedicated volume control for the always-on middle pickup has a dry, tight tone with a snappy attack
Italian company Eko. Each guitar is very reminiscent pickup. That way you can select pickups as you would while the neck pickup is nice and juicy in that ‘60s
of their 20th-century inspirado but they come with on a two-pickup guitar but then blend in as much or Strat kind of way. Add in the middle pickup and you
playability and construction improvements. as little of the middle pickup as you need, giving this can introduce a bit more detail to the neck pickup
guitar a huge amount of range when you include the or more body to the bridge. Turn the outer pickups
GETTING A SEMI individual volume controls for the bridge and neck all the way down and turn up only the middle one,
The semi-acoustic Bobcat’s two variants - the S66 pickups and the master tone control. and you’ll get a great all-round rhythm sound that
and the V90 - are essentially the same guitar, with On the construction side these guitars are almost is also handy for single-note lines when you don’t
the exception of the pickups and electronics. And the flawless. There seems to be a stain applied to the need the full bark of the bridge pickup. At one point
original guitars needed an update: early Bobcats were Indonesian ebony fingerboard on both guitars if the during testing I played both guitars along with a
well known for their uncontrollable feedback, and the residue left on my fingertips is any indication, but bunch of The Cure tracks and I found it was easy to
pickups weren’t exactly the cream of the crop. The this is pretty common on new guitars with ebony or dial in workable versions of all sorts of Cure eras and
new version is built around a weight-relieved spruce rosewood fingerboards and the phenomenon usually guitar tones. Then I put on some blues and found
centre block with a maple ply body (and remember, disappears after a few days of playing. some killer overdriven solo tones for that genre. Both
‘plywood body’ doesn’t mean the same thing in guitars love fuzz pedals too. And again, the resistance
acoustic-style instruments as the plywood used in HOLLOW THERE to feedback is a godsend for those who are into
cheapie solidbodies in days past). The neck is made of Plugging into various amps including a Marshall this type of vintage styling but with a more modern
mahogany with an Indonesian ebony fingerboard. DSL50 and a Marshall CODE 25, the two guitars approach to gain and effects.
Hardware includes a set of open-gear tuners made revealed their strengths immediately. These are no The playability is very easy, although the string
by Grover, a Tune-O-Matic style bridge and trapeze ‘fish around for your tone’ guitars. The V90 has that spacing at the nut is more forgiving of simple chords
tailpiece, and a pickguard with a definite ‘60s vibe. classic P-90 edge and warmth, where clean tones than complicated fingerpicking. Bends have a
Vox has used the same plastic hue as the originals, sound almost acoustic-like but distorted ones sound series of satisfying harmonic overtones that sound
and this attention to detail is also carried over to the both fat and edgy. And the feedback issues of the great with some overdrive, and the neck shape is
reproduction aluminium control knobs. The controls past are nowhere to be found with the Bobcat: I threw unobtrusive without being too thin. Overall it’s a very
themselves appear the same on both models but some pretty high levels of distortion at the guitar and pleasant playing experience that shouldn’t tax your
they’re not: the V90 has a pair of P-90-style single was rewarded with some beautifully vocal lead tones, shoulder or wrist over long periods.

VERDICT PROS CONS CONTACT

These feel like very high quality guitars, with the sound quality to Versatile controls. Close string spacing at nut. Yamaha Australia
match. Their sheer lightness is great news for players with sensitive Great playability.
backs, and their sonic versatility makes some other guitars seem Ph: (03) 9693 5111
Flawless paint work.
practically one-use. If you’re after something familiar yet different, Web: au.yamaha.com
either of these Bobcats can get you there.
98 | FINAL NOTE

WHAT TO
EXPECT WHEN
YOU START
LEARNING
THE GUITAR
FROM CALLOUSED FINGERS TO
FINALLY NAILING THAT FIRST SONG,
PLAYING THE GUITAR IS ONE OF THE
GREATEST JOURNEYS OF YOUR LIFE.

WORDS BY CHRIS CORFIELD.

Y
ou’ve decided to learn the guitar. cheap acoustic guitar with strings that sit an inch mechanic might watch motorsport looking for
Congratulations! You’ve taken the first from the fretboard. You’ve got two options here; different things than a regular fan, a musician
step on a journey that will provide you a get a new guitar that is easier to play or – our tends to listen to music differently to someone
lifetime of enjoyment. Providing you stick to it, preferred one – battle through the pain. who doesn’t play. If you’re a guitarist, that means
that is. Which you should! If you choose the latter, you’ll develop examining the players’ techniques, and looking at
When you start anything new, be that a hobby or hardened fingertips that will make a mockery the equipment they use.
a job, there are bound to be questions you’ll have of puny guitar strings. As you progress, you’ll The benefit you’ll get from all of this comes in
about how things will pan out, and what you can also find these newly calloused fingers will mean the form of inspiration. You’ll also develop the
expect. Here we’ll pool together some thoughts you don’t need to press down so hard on the ability to critically listen to music, so instead
we’ve had, and outline some of the things you can strings too, making it quicker to move around the of just asking “do I like this music”, you’ll start
expect when you start learning the guitar. fretboard. Pain now, progress later. appraising the technical proficiency, and the
production values, and the craft of writing
1. PROGRESS WILL BE SLOW 4. IT IS NOT AN INEXPENSIVE HOBBY memorable songs. Music will take on another
Unless you’re some kind of prodigious talent, Getting seriously into any hobby or pastime can level of detail, all of which will benefit you in the
the chances are that progress will be – at the prove costly eventually, but guitar-playing can be future.
start, at least – painfully slow. Painful being the seriously wallet-draining. It’s not just the guitars,
operative word. More on that later. Put simply, either. Factor in amplifiers, pedals, accessories, 7. BEING IN A BAND IS THE GREATEST FUN
there is no easy way to learn the guitar. There are more guitars, more effects, recording, and playing YOU’LL EVER HAVE
no shortcuts. Not only that, if you find something live, and you can see how it starts to add up. That’s There are many reasons people take up the
which does appear to be a shortcut, there’s every before you change musical direction completely in guitar, but whatever led you to the instrument,
chance it will sow the seeds of poor technique five years and need an entirely new rig. you can be sure one of the greatest rewards you’ll
which will hamper you later down the line. It is possible – indeed, advisable – to be thrifty, get comes from playing in a band. For us, the
The best advice here is to go easy on yourself. at least at the start. While you might want to simple act of getting a few friends and joining
Allow yourself to be a bit rubbish at the start. dive straight in with an American-made Fender forces musically to play songs together is one of
Film yourself playing now, and then in a year’s Stratocaster, there’s benefits to be had in working the purest forms of joy there is.
time record yourself again. You’ll be surprised your way up to that level. As you progress with From having like-minded people to talk about
how quickly things do start to fall in place once your playing, you’ll upgrade your gear over time your craft with, to that moment when you’re all
you’ve got over the first few hurdles. so that when you do unlock those top-tier items, jamming and you stumble on a chord progression
you’ll feel like you can fully get the most out of you all like. Playing solo is great, don’t get us
2. YOU WON’T SOUND LIKE YOUR HEROES them. Basically, your first few guitars don’t have wrong, but that shared experience of playing with
Maybe you’ve chosen the guitar because you like to be the only guitars you ever own so don’t fret other people is a truly wonderful thing indeed.
the sound of it. Or maybe some of your musical too much about it. Pun intended.
heroes were, or are, guitarists. If that’s the case, 8. A GUITAR IS A FRIEND FOR LIFE
great! Only you should be aware it will be a long, 5. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR PRACTISE Learning the guitar gives you many benefits.
long time before you play at their level. There’s an It’s that old ‘10,000 hours’ thing again. From developing a skill, to inspiring you creatively,
old theory that to master anything, you need to Unfortunately, it’s true. The only way you will to giving you common ground with other guitar
do it for 10,000 hours. A guitarist playing at the improve on the guitar is if you actually play the fans; it’s an amazing way to pass the time. It’s a
highest level will likely have lapped that particular thing. A lot. That doesn’t mean watching YouTube long-term venture too though. Put the hours in at
number many times over, so keep that in mind. If videos, or lusting over obscure pedals. No. If you the start, and you’ll have a skill for life.
the guitar was easy, everybody would play it right? want to get good, you need to put the hours in. Your musical tastes might change, and the
What you might find, however, is that as you That means nights sat with a metronome playing time you get to dedicate to it may dwindle as life
progress you spend less time wanting to emulate the same tricky lead lines over and over again takes hold, but nobody will ever be able to take
your guitar heroes and more time trying to find until you get them right. And then playing them away your ability to take that wooden machine
your own style, sound and techniques. This, over and over again some more until you can’t with the shiny metal strings, plug it into a guitar
you’ll find, is a much more fulfilling road in the get them wrong. There’s no secret to being a good amp and make it sing. And each and every time
long term. guitarist. You’ll get out of it whatever you put in. you do that, you’ll be glad you did. Glad you spent
all those hours learning pentatonic scales. Glad
3. YOUR FINGERS MIGHT HURT AT THE START 6. YOU MIGHT START LISTENING TO MUSIC you tried all those weird and wonderful amp and
It’s true, at the start at least you may experience IN A DIFFERENT WAY pedal combinations. And glad you took those
some discomfort. Particularly if you are playing a Interesting one, this. In the same way a car first baby steps.

| www.guitarworld.com/australianguitar
®
 • SUPERB ACOUSTIC TONES
• VOCAL MIC PREAMP

A DESKTOP AMP FOR ACOUSTIC PLAYERS • HI-FI STEREO SOUND

The Yamaha THR30IIA Wireless amplifier lets you experience the sound
of your acoustic-electric guitar as if it was being produced in a studio—
and vocals too, using the XLR microphone input. Offering a choice of
three authentic-sounding microphone models, a setting for nylon-string
9001

guitars, and a neutral flat setting, this 30-watt stereo desktop amplifier
with hi-fi speakers enables you to sound your best, whether practicing,
playing along with your favourite tracks, recording, or sharing your
performance online using the USB interface and bundled software.
Onboard effects, Bluetooth support, a built-in Line 6 wireless receiver,
and a rechargeable battery complete this compact package.

yamahamusicau
9000