My guitar rig is really pretty simple. I’ve got a preamp, a processor, and a power amp. The audio processing (modulation/delay/reverb effects, equalization, filtering, etc) is all handled by one smart black box – a TC Electronics GForce. The technical specifications on this device are impressive. It has a 24-bit 128x oversampling processor with over 105 dB of dynamic range, 20 Hz – 20kHz frequency response and 0.005% THD. I ordered my unit before the first shipments had even left Denmark. I had used TC Electronics gear in the studio and knew the company’s reputation for high quality, so when they announced the release of a new guitar-centric processor, it was an easy decision. It replaced a fairly expensive multi-effect unit that I was reasonably satisfied with, but I knew that the GForce would have that legendary TC reverb and chorus. From the first day I received it I was delighted with the audio quality and lush effects. I’m 100% satisfied with it, and no other piece of equipment in my rig can make that claim.
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I’ve long been one of those mad scientist musicians who modifies equipment to improve sound or extend functionality. Whenever I get some new piece of gear, it’s just a matter of time before I fire up my soldering iron. My main Stratocaster is a mid-1990s “Ultra” model, which came equipped with a set of Seymour Duncan pickups installed. It sounded good but I suspected it was possible to squeeze a little extra mojo out of that great guitar by installing a set of Fralin pickups. Lindy Fralin custom-manufactures some of the very best (and therefore expensive) electric guitar pickups available. His approach to pickup making is to recreate the most desirable tonal characteristics of vintage models, using the same materials and construction techniques, but by applying much tighter quality control. The result is a newly built pickup that sounds like an ideal vintage model.
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Jah Wobble (real name John Wardle) is a bassist whose music origins are intertwined with longtime friend Jonny Rotten of the Sex Pistols. In 1980, Sid Vicious lent him a bass, and two months later Jah Wobble landed a gig with his pal Johnny Rotten (now John Lydon) in the newly formed band Public Image Limited (PiL). After three years he moved on to pursue solo projects which have have been all over the musical style map. Given the punk sensibilities of his youth, it’s interesting that he developed a world-fusion style of playing that draws heavily on reggae and dub.
While there are several noteworthy CDs in his catalog, my favorite of his releases is “Take Me To God”, infused with multiple world music styles. The high point of the CD is “The Sun Does Rise”, featuring Dolores O’Riordan (The Cranberries). Every so often you hear a song that makes your heart soar. This one does it for me every time.
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One of my bands is Ants Invasion. It’s a dead-on tribute to Adam and the Ants. I was a huge fan of that band in the 80s and saw them perform live. It’s been a lot of fun to learn these guitar parts and perform the music live. And my fellow musicians in this band are a pleasure to work with. They’ve become some of my closest friends, and we’ve had a lot of great adventures together over the years.
In Ants Invasion we do our best to recreate the studio versions of the original songs. For me, this has involved creating painstakingly detailed transcriptions of the multi-tracked guitar parts and then condensing them into something that I can perform on stage. Most of the time I manage to cover two of the parts simultaneously, which is usually enough to recreate the original sound.
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Bill Laswell is a prolific, multi-talented musician and producer. I always find his projects fascinating, and many of his CDs are brilliant multi-ethnic style collisions. One of his recurring projects is called Material. This particular recording features Laswell along with musical luminaries Nicky Skopelitis, Wayne Shorter, Bernie Worrell, Bootsy Collins, Shankar, Sly Dunbar, Jonas Hellborg, Zakir Hussain, and Trilok Gurtu. I’m especially drawn to the track “Mantra”.You’ll also find a spoken-word contribution from William S. Burroughs, excerpted from his longer work Words of Advice for Young People. Burroughs is something of an acquired taste for most people, although I had found some of his writing to interesting.
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One of my favorite bassists is Mick Karn, formerly of the band Japan. He is a complete musical stylist, and his playing is unmistakably unique. This musical project is a collaboration with vocalist Peter Murphy (Bauhaus) and Paul Vincent Lawford (credited with “rhythm construction”).
The music on this CD has a spellbinding atmosphere. It’s nonspecific in terms of cultural style with elements of goth, Arabic/Greek/Turkish music, and alt-pop. The overall effect is beautiful and dreamlike. I am a big Bauhaus fan, and also a big Mick Karn fan. This is my favorite CD. There are arguably better releases from the artists involved, but this collaboration captures the musical essence of two brilliant artists emerging from their former bands to embark on solo careers.
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This continues to be a summer of musical reunions. Several members of Jumbalassy got together to play shows, and judging by our collective enjoyment of these gigs I’m guessing that we’ll be doing this more often. Most of the lineup is intact, with a few additions. I’d say our summer shows have been pretty good, and the audience reaction has been positive. Our first summer gig was at the “Bite of Seattle”, which is a weekend-long festival at Seattle Center. We played on the Mural Amphitheater Stage, which is very familiar ground to this band. Over the years of our existence, I would estimate we have performed on this stage at least 25 times. The same stage crew and support personnel are always there. It’s like a reunion with them too.
We also played a corporate event in August, which was my favorite show of the summer. We were hired by Starbucks to perform for employees. The band sounded great and had a wonderful time playing together.
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Music,
My Bands
I recently discovered Improv Everywhere and it’s currently one of my favorite web sites. The basic notion is that a bunch of bored geeks in NYC set up strange events for social amusement. Their most current exploits are listed on the web site. I was delighted to find out that a friend of mine from high school is involved.
