Strings ‘n Things #21- Matters

Let’s not even bother with the COVID-19 jokes. Your favourite blog on the Bham scene is back on your screen- and this week we’ve got one of the city’s most forward-thinking guitarists to spill his techy, midi-synced secrets- Stuart of Matters.

Due to generally being people about town, there was a fair bit of buzz around Matters before they even started. I vividly remember standing on the stairs of The Sunflower Lounge for one of their very earliest shows- it was the kind of ‘holy shit’ moment that stuck to the sides of your skull past their last note, past closing time, past the hazy taxi ride home, past the slurred recounting of their brilliance endured by my girlfriend before bed, past the hangover the next morning. In fact the moment never really passed at all- a few years on and they’re still incessantly vital feeling- a real shot in the arm for Birmingham’s independent music scene. And the reason why- they’re not simply yet another a guitar band. They make art that is best experienced in their multi-media live set- combining their head-expanding electronica with a visual show that transforms any toilet venue stage into a raving feast for the senses. Stuart’s approach is more akin to that of sound designer than riff merchant- weaving dissonant & distorted between the bludgeoning bass and wild LFO oscillations of Brid’s monstrous Moog Sub 37 (often supplemented by any number of other synth devices all synced up to the same clock source). There’s something dystopian to their sound- an unsettling urgency that reminds us we can’t outrun what we’ve got coming our way. Anyway, enough doomsday prophecies; let’s get electric!

Talk us through your guitar history from your first to your most recent.

“I started on an old acoustic. Following that I borrowed an electro acoustic, plus a small amplifier. I have no idea what make/model, but I accidentally discovered overdrive with those. From there I had a Squier Stratocaster and a solid state Peavy Bandit. I still have the Bandit! As I had no one to guide me, and the internet didn’t exist, I was sucked in by numerous terrible guitars – an Ibanez with a floating tremolo, a Les Paul-shaped Stagg, some Dean thing, and generally a whole bunch of stuff that never stayed in tune. I went to an older Squier Telecaster Custom for Das Bastard – it did a great job. In Them Wolves I used an Eastwood Airline Map, and then for Matters I moved to an Eastwood 3P before finally ending up on my Revelation RJT-60 bass VI.”

Who inspired you to pick up guitar, and who inspires you to keep on playing today?

“I really can’t say that anyone inspired me to pick up the guitar in the first place. It was an accident. I wanted to play an instrument, and as we had this old two-tier organ in the house I started organ lessons. Obviously I was the coolest child in my primary school! After a few years a kid from the next street attempted to smash my skull in with a rock, but I protected my head with my right hand and he smashed that instead. That put a stop to my organ lessons and I was granted access to the aforementioned acoustic in the loft- seeing as I could just about hold a plectrum. 
When we started Matters we were inspired by Suuns, Holy Fuck and The Field– especially the aforementioned’ s live set up. I’m always really impressed by Daniel Fox of Girl Band. Jamming with Brid (synths) inspires me to keep pushing myself.”

 
Tell us about your music, and how you approach your guitar playing within the context of it.
“We make, for the most part, instrumental electronic music. We sit on the dance/electronic side of things. I would have hated the idea of this band when I was a thrash metal loving teenager! When Matters started I was approaching it very differently to how I am now- for the first release or so it was much more ‘rock’ guitars with synths, but since switching to the bass VI, the music has shifted. Our single ‘Hannah’, was the start of that. I will always find it a challenge to be a guitarist playing techno/trance/dance, especially when it comes to not repeating myself or sticking to a formula. I enjoy that though.”

What setup are you currently running, amp and pedal wise? 

“It’s a lot of Boss, and I’m not sorry! GLX bass EQ> Boss SD-1 > EHX Attack Decay > TC Electronic Sub ‘n Up > EHX Blurst > Boss MD-500 > Boss DD-500 > Boss RV-500.
My modulation, reverb and delay are all midi clocked to Brid’s synths. 
My amp is a Roland JC120. Big and clean. It copes with the highs and lows of the VI really well.”

What’s the one pedal that you couldn’t live without?

“The Boss DD-500. I know that are other pedals out there that offer midi connection, and the ability to write patches using pedal to computer hook up – but this is the one I use. It has never failed me.” 

What’s your current main guitar, and why so?

“My main guitar is my bass VI, which is a Revelation RJT60-B. I’ve had it for a good few years, and initially started using it just to double up on some of my regular guitar parts in the studio. After those first couple of releases we wanted to take the band in a different direction, and I found that using only the VI gave me the sonic shift I was looking for. It is a cheap guitar- £140 at the time. The intonation isn’t great – but we feel that helps us keep the organic sound we have. It sits really well with Brid’s synths. I wouldn’t swap it with anything.”

Photo probably by Sam Wood!

Are there any other local guitarists you particularly admire?

“Anyone that is creating their own style and place has my admiration, and there are many in Birmingham- Anna and Meesh from Dorcha to Adam and Thomas from Hoopla Blue, Kaila from Youth Man/Pretty Grim/Blue Ruth. We are soon releasing a track that features Kaila.  I spent years standing opposite Greg Coates when we were in Das Bastard and Them Wolves – big sound and great riffs.”

If you could play any venue anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would it be and why?

“Given the current situation, I would be very happy to play The Hare and Hounds tomorrow!”

 
Where can we find your music?

“We put a lot of effort into making our own videos, so it’s always nice when people find us through our Youtube channel.
Other than that it’s all the usual– bandcamp and Spotify.“

Strings ‘n Things #20- The New Righteous Mood

After what feels like an eternity away, we’re back in the saddle with another unmissable edition of the world’s premier blog for all things ever. And it is with unbridled joy and furious anticipation that we welcome one of Birmingham’s most charming new groups- the slacker-rock-worshipping doll faces of The New Righteous Mood

The faces in TNRM should be familiar to anyone who has been kicking the shit around our most beloved indie venues for a while now- with guitarist/vocalist (and visual artist) Tommy Greaves causing all kind of ruckus with the briefly-burning-bright wonderboys Wide Eyed & Gleam, and even adding a touch of class to The Twang for a short while. Drummer George is a multi-instru-mentalist, previously providing lush ambience as guitarist in the late Prayers, whilst guitarist/vocalist Huw was also the tub-hitter in the aforementioned Gleam. My how these guys get around- but despite their musical promiscuity, they all seem to have really hit their strides in TNRM. Drawing their primary inspiration from the post 9/11 NYC bloom of notably looser indie rock, you can place their sound firmly in the camp of The Strokes, Parquet Courts, Vivian Girls et al. Melodious and gleefully free of most technicalities, the likes of ‘Sleep Walker’ may not be earth-shatteringly complex, but they’ve been crafted with a nose for hooks and soothing, sonic satisfaction. Like chocolate fudge cake. Their debut EP A Few Righteous Tunes is out now, so wolf it down ever so quick and then join us as we float away on the river of riffs.

Talk us through your guitar history from your first to your most recent.

Tommy: “My first guitar was a Hohner classical, acoustic but my first proper electric was a Musicman Axis Sport which I still have. I’ve bought and sold so many that it’s hard to keep track, but a few of my current favourites are my American Professional Jazzmaster, Jazzmaster 60’s Roadworn, a 90’s Rickenbacker 330 and my trusted modded (and pretty abused) Classic Player Jaguar.”

Huw: “I started with a really rubbish Argos classical guitar when I was 10 but a few years later got myself a Fender 50’s ri Telecaster which began my love of all things Fender. These days I play a Telecaster Custom– can’t beat that bridge pickup twang.”

Who inspired you to pick up guitar, and who inspires you to keep on playing today?

T: “I started playing when my Mom and Dad wanted me to get a hobby as a kid- as I didn’t play any sports and just drew on my own most of the time. When I first started I pretty much exclusively listened to Hip-Hop, so playing definitely opened up my musical tastes. Favourite players growing up were Marr and Shields. Lately I love Max Kakacek’s playing in Whitney, and the sounds the guys in Fontaines D.C get.”

H: “Probably play guitar because of my Mom- she’d play Beatles songs to my sister and I as kids and we’d try to play/sing along. I was obsessed with Johnny Marr and Peter Buck growing up, but recently I’ve been inspired by Bill Ryder Jones and Buck Meek.”

Tommy with Huw’s Tele.

Tell us about your music, and how you approach your guitar playing within the context of it.

T: “I tend not to think about it too much within my own art. Generally when I try and do something like a certain artist I like I end up getting a bit stuck. My Bloody Valentine definitely inspired me to use pedals to create sounds a guitar isn’t usually responsible for.”

H: “TNRM is a pretty guitar driven band, we formed with a love of bands like Guided By Voices and The Strokes– both bands whose sound relies on two interweaving guitarists. Tommy and I are both pretty busy players, so finding a way to compliment each other’s contributions is always fun to figure out.”

What setup are you currently running, amp and pedal wise?

T: “Guitar: Fender AP Jazzmaster , Fender Roadworn Jazzmaster

Amp: Fender Blues Jr with a Celestion Vintage 30

Pedals: Colorsound Fuzz Box, MXR Sugardrive, Maxon TS, EHX Hog, Boss DM3, Earthquaker Devices Rainbow Machine, EQD Transmisser, Boss RV5.”

H: “Guitar: Fender Telecaster Custom

Amp: Marshall Origin 20 or an Orange TH30

Pedals: EHX Soul Food, Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive, Death By Audio Fuzz War (revoltingly fun), Boss DM-3, EHX Holy Grail.”

What’s the one pedal that you couldn’t live without?

T: “If I could only take one pedal to a show it would definitely be a DM-3.”

H: “That Boss DM-3 is nearly always providing some slapback.”

What’s your current main guitar, and why so?

T: “Both my Jazzmasters. After playing a Jaguar for so long I thought that was the guitar for me, but after playing JM’s long enough I found myself far more at home on them.”

H: “The Fender Telecaster Custom I bought off Tommy. The mix of the wide range humbucker in the neck and the twang of a Tele bridge pickup really does it for me. I’m in the market for a short scale like a Mustang or a Lead II next.” 

Huw with Tommy’s Tele. Not confusing at all.

Are there any other local guitarists you particularly admire?

T: “I’d say Aaron Buckell who plays for the also very talented Robert Craig Oulton, and James Attwood of Hunger Moon. Both are very tasteful guitarists who makes it look effortless.”

H: “I really enjoyed watching the guys from Brain Food when we played with them. Some serious guitar chops in that band!”

Where can we find your music and see you play next?  

H: “Fuck knows.”

T: “Our music is up on all major streaming platforms. Best place to check it out is Spotify so we can appease the algorithm. As for lives shows, that’s a touchy subject!”

Strings ‘n Things #19- Victories at Sea

It’s a Friday and that can only mean two things here at The Little Guitar Shop- #1 Rob’s 4-day weekend is already underway and #2 it’s time for another Brum strummer to give up the goods on the cutlery they use when dining at the table of rock.

Anyone who’s more than a passing ghost in the Birmingham muso world will have undoubtedly have been serenaded by JP at some point- he is not only an infinitely supportive champion of local up and coming bands as part of promoters This Is Tmrw, but has also been pulling on the strings of our blackened hearts for nearly a decade now with the much-lauded Victories At Sea. They’re cinematic, panoramic, gothic, fantastique! Fittingly, JP’s sound is a dense, swirling, modulated mass of arpeggios and ocean-sized chords- a beautiful union of the shoegaze and post-punk influences that have stirred him since those halcyon days of the 90’s. And it’s clearly hitting the mark both at home and abroad- the band have toured Europe with the likes of Editors and recently released their 2nd LP through Gentleman Records to deserved acclaim. Lose yourself in ‘Follow You’ below and then dive in with us.

Talk us through your guitar history from your first to your most recent.

“Around 11 years old I was lucky enough to be bought my first guitar, a Tanglewood acoustic- nothing fancy but it’s still a treasured possession that fires out a heavy output of my ideas, guess it’s my ‘go to guitar’ still for getting what’s in my head late at night onto paper. Couple years later I made the classic purchase of a Rockwood Strat copy in glorious sunburst with a Laney amp. No idea why I bought a Strat copy as I’ve always hated the shape (take that Clapton), but it was cheapish and I could pay it off monthly like a positive debt. That did me much good service in my first couple of college bands before I smashed it up at a gig in Aberystwyth in my wannabe JJ72 days- pretty sad I did that now. After that I went through a many terrible purchases (Epiphone Riviera, couple of Epi Les Pauls) but I’ll cut to the king: The Fender Telecaster Custom ’72ri, all black and absolutely my favourite guitar ever! That did me good for a few years until it was stolen in London after a soundcheck, which I’m still mourning. I’ve never been one for replacing like for like- it was like losing a cat and replacing the poor sod with another- the personality was lost. It was also uninsured, but luckily in the preceding months I’d acquired a white Fender Telecaster Deluxe as a back up. I never took to it much until VAS began in 2010 when it really fitted and has since become my number one (though on occasion it does get bullied out the way by my Gretsch G5420T, which is a lovely problem to have). Other than that, there’s a Fender Jaguar Special HH which is pretty spikey when it wants to behave, and an Olympic White Fender Mustang.”

Who inspired you to pick up guitar, and who inspires you to keep on playing today?

“I’ve no shame in admitting watching a video of Def Leppard live and seeing Steve Clark rock out ‘Switch 625‘ pretty much sealed my wish to play guitar before I owned one or knew how to play. Him and Angus Young- guess that’s what happens when you’re 9 years old. After the Nirvana years, and Oasis phase, 1997 was probably my key year in developing some real direction to build a style of my own. Radiohead/Blur/The Verve is my kinda gig- those three bands that year meant a lot. Been a few years since all that but Greenwood/Coxon/McCabe are my primary triangle of magical influences, add in Bunnymen’s Will Sergeant, and more recently Bill Ryder-Jones.”

Tell us about your music, and how you approach your guitar playing within the context of it.

“I suppose it’s ‘hopeful misery at the smalltown disco’ soundscapes we make- the odd pop song, odd Mogwai moment, odd acoustic moment of brittle anxiety. I have a terrible live-guitarist-ability dampener which is having to sing at the same time. It’s been an ongoing battle for years- repeatedly it’s challenged whether I actually enjoy playing guitar live as I’m simply not proficient enough to play blind. It pulls me in directions of absolute hit-and-miss, as I’m equally precious of delivering the songs vocally. But I like to think there’s an edge in bending the truth and sometimes it can be very rewarding just to hammer the thing and not worry about precision, after all no one I’ve really ever admired played perfectly. So I approach live playing as a release, and no one’s significantly told me off yet. “Flukey” is probably a better word but, there’s heart there. Recording though- sit me down, let me explore, get it right, take time, try it out, then fall in love with it. The last album writing/recording cycle was so so good for that- I fell in love with playing guitar again.”

What setup are you currently running, amp and pedal wise?

“In VAS at the start I was ridiculously blasting a stereo signal out via a Marshall JCM900 4×12 and Fender DeVille in front of 20 people- what a pain to commute those were in days without being in a van! But now I am perfectly happy just with the DeVille- when it heats up and the Tele goes in it’s the warmest brick I’ve used, heavy when it needs to be and tidy as much as it needs in the gentle times. Recording the record though, we threw a load of amps together, albeit mainly our producer’s not my own! Blackstar, Ampeg bass amp, Fender Twin- that was a glorious week. Pedal-wise I admit I’m not hugely adventurous. I reckon there’s guitarists out there who would grimace at my simplicity but I seriously have no qualms with mainly using BOSS- they are solid and in the chain are as fun as anything (though I do have a shopping list for Death By Audio and EHX when I get the finance together). It’s all about reverbs and delays and fuzz, the RV5, DD3, DD6, BD2 and (though borrowed) CE5. There’s an EHX Holy Stain in there for extra reverb out of the delays for the ‘Exit’ moments and a tremelo option and a RAT which has made a return after years of neglect to boost the choruses. I’d love an original silver/black EHX Micro Synth in there if I could find one that was functioning at less than half a grand- that would probably see a return of the Marshall though, for dynamics.”

What’s the one pedal that you couldn’t live without?

“I don’t believe anyone who says otherwise but it’s the TU3 or equivalent digital tuner. I’m the worst ‘by ear’ tuner’ going- I shiver to think about early bands when I didn’t have one! I can probably at worst cope doing a show with the minimum of a TU3, DD3 and RV5 if some baggage handler decided to chuck my board onto the wrong flight.”

What’s your current main guitar, and why so?

“Fender Telecaster Deluxe- it survives being thrown at the ground for the most part, great tone and loud, it’s a joy to play and looks kinda nice.”

Are there any other local guitarists you particularly admire?

“Stuart Tovey of MATTERS, James Brown of Mutes is a brutal guitarist, Ben and Mike of Boat To Row interplay really well, Thomas Edward of God Damn, and Thomas Hewson of Hoopla Blue.” 

Where can we find your music and see you play next? 

“We released our second album Everybody’s Lost And All I Want Is To Leave six months ago on Netherlands’ based Gentlemen Records, pre-that there’s our debut album and two EPs out on Static Caravan. There’s a few vinyl knocking about out there but all pretty much gone, so Spotify it, YouTube, all the rest! As for playing live, in these times who knows! Our Euro shows have all been postponed until at very least Spring next year ,which would be effectively a year since the album came out! It’s all crazy but it’s important we get through this time together in well and working order- so for now it’s writing and writing at home remotely, maybe a gig before the end of this year if the pandemic allows, it’s hard to plan but we’ll do something somewhere sometime and we sure won’t take any of it for granted ever again.” 

Strings ‘n Things #17- The Devil & Saint Joseph

Whilst we’re some way off of post #666, we’re still bringing you the devil and the details today, as six-string-sinners-in-arms Joseph Frascina and Billy Beale bear the stains on their souls from the cold comforts of Warstone Lane Cemetery.

There’s being ‘committed’ and then there’s being committed. Even in his days screaming the slaughterhouse-blues with dearly-missed quintet The Hungry Ghosts it was clear that Joseph Frascina does not do things by halves- a prolific visual artist , compelling weaver of stories, and a damn fine dresser, Frascina’s music is the soundtrack to some reality of his creation- a morally bankrupt and bloodthirsty America where killer is king. There’s a vicious undercurrent to The Devil & Saint Joseph’s material that calls to mind the unrelenting violence of a McCarthy novel- but with an apocalyptic bent that suggests barren highways and endless horizon distorted by the cruel heat of a getaway Summer. The interplay between Frascina & Beale is architectured with a murderous purpose- bedraggled bass and snaking leads skirmish against the hauntological heartbeat of an old drum machine, whilst the trio remain coolly-detached from their myth-making behind aviator shades. With both guitarists being firm devotees of vintage and rare gear, you can bet there’s some drool-worthy pieces being packed here. You’ll have to wait until live shows return to get the full picture- right now the group are just tidying up their first release. But that’s enough from me- let’s pass the proverbial microphone over to the criminals in question.

Talk us through your guitar history from your first to your most recent.

Joseph Frascina: “The very first one was a very cheap classical guitar, a 3/4 sized that I had when I was 7 years old.”

Billy Beale: “Was that like an Argos job?”

J: “Yeah, from a catalogue.”

B: “Classic”

J: “I switched to an Epiphone Les Paul and then an old Danelectro U2, then a 60’s Silvertone 1448. That’s the one with the amp in the case. Then another 60’s Silvertone, a 1487 which is my current main one. It has a built-in speaker and was designed so that it could be plugged into an amplifier and played like a “normal” guitar (which is how I use it), or you could use the internal battery-powered amplifier. It has an incredible sounding gold foil pickup. I’ve also found an old 60’s Kay parlour guitar that is black with a white scratchplate with a musical note design, and a 1937 Kay Kraft resonator with a Schireson Brothers cone. It’s a National “lawsuit” guitar where they were making necks for National, but they branded them “Kay Kraft” and sold them under their own name. So it’s basically a National Havana but branded as “Kay Kraft”.”

B: “Joe there, showing off his knowledge of old American brands! My first one, my parents got me a cheap DeArmond M65 from Sound Control in Brum. Not a great guitar, it was really heavy and sounded bad. Luckily my Dad had nicer guitars so I was always playing his ’94 American Strat whenever I could. I had an Epiphone SG when I was a teenager, then got into Teles and now my main ones are my Firebird and my parts Tele. Those are the ones I play out. I’ve been lucky to have a few cool sixties guitars sort of fall into my lap, mostly thanks to my proximity to The Little Guitar Shop. Like the ’66 Mustang I used to have, my ’66 Epi Caballero and this ’65 Firebird. There was a cheap Vintage-brand 12 string acoustic I played a lot when I was younger. That’s at my folks’ so my younger brother’s playing it lately. And I’ve got my Grandad’s old resonator that’s only really good for bottleneck slide, but it’s a bit mysterious. I need Joe to research the manufacturing history for that one.”

Who inspired you to pick up guitar, and who inspires you to keep on playing today?

J: “I can’t remember exactly who inspired me to pick up the guitar, although I’ve always been around the big sixties/seventies record collection of my parents, which also contained a lot of blues and country, so definitely some music of that era inspired me. Robby Krieger’s playing on The Doors’ records which were constantly being played at home made a big impression as did the hypnotic, expansive, world-devouring fingerstyle playing of John Fahey and James Williamson’s wild guitar on The Stooges’ Raw Power which cuts like a chainsaw through that beautifully erratically mixed album which would always get me moving as a child, high on sugary treats. What really cemented it for me was Jack White, in particular the ‘Fell In Love With A Girl’ video on MTV. The Lego video. That clicked with me immediately and that made me want to make all of the music that I’ve made since. I very vividly remember watching that at an impressionable young age and thinking “this is incredible, this is the sound”. It’s the combination of unpolished rawness and pop immediacy that I love in music.”

B: “The person that inspired me to pick up the guitar most was the person that gave me a guitar, my Dad. The stuff that I was into early on was mainly Nirvana, but Dad being a big Clapton fan got me into blues, deeper into the different players, styles and subgenres. My uncle Paddy was always fronting bands around Brum when he was younger. If anyone remembers The Velvet Texas Cannonball, that was Pad on the mic. Nowadays, I’m a bit obsessed with Ty Segall, and the acts associated with him. He seems to make music with the same alchemical elements that I would draw from, but I lack the inspiration, talent and work ethic.  I love Nile Rodgers’ playing, I’d love to be able to play like Nile Rodgers but… I can’t! He’s too good. I can do a good Dick Dale impression, though. That comes in handy.”

J: “I think you and I both are very influenced by old American blues and R&B artists in our playing and listening choices. That’s something we both share.”

B: “Yeah, we’re both trying to attack that music in a way where you can clearly see the influence, but it’s coming at it from somewhere new.”

Tell us about your music, and how you approach your guitar playing within the context of it.

J: “The inventiveness of the writing in our band arose from a situation of compromise which necessitated me needing to fulfil the twin roles of rhythm guitar and bass guitar in the band, so I restrung my Silvertone 1487 with heavy gauge baritone strings and tuned it down to B. The signal is split between a guitar amp with heavy tremolo and reverb, and also shifted down an octave into a bass amp. It’s kind of a Spaghetti Western baritone/bass sound. The writing, from a guitar perspective, has emerged from essentially bass lines, which is different from previous approaches in other musical projects. That’s the basis of most of the tunes.”

B: “It gives the songs an uncanny feeling where the sound is kind of familiar-yet-unfamiliar at once, because it’s this thing that’s not guitar nor bass nor even a baritone, really. It’s its own thing. Although stylistically, I am predominantly a sort-of blues player, I see the guitar as broadly textural. It’s about choosing when to play melodically, or rhythmically, or just noisily, or some combination. Just trying to make the best sound for the song, the best noise for a given situation.”

J: “We should say something about the music.”

B: “Cinematic.”

J: “Country noir. Very influenced by everything from Ennio Morricone’s Spaghetti Western soundtracks to Angelo Badalamenti’s work for David Lynch mixed with the dark electronic drum machine driven sound of Suicide and The Kills. The songwriting itself is quite “pop” in terms of structure and delivery. Gothic Americana, really.”

B: “It’s soaked in old surf rock and psychedelia. There’s a lot going on in there!”

What setup are you currently running, amp and pedal wise?

B: “Pedals – fuzz, wah, something wobbly like phaser or univibe, overdrive, delay

Amp – “I’m lucky to have found a ’73 Fender Vibrolux from TLGS and an old seventies Traynor YGM-3, and it’s lucky I know Johnny Brelliot to keep them running. He is an absolute wizard with amps and he’s taught me a lot about them.”

J: “Pedals –  I use a Zvex Super Hard On  to split my guitar signal between a guitar amp and bass amp. On the guitar side I use a Catalinbread Valcoder tremolo pedal and JHS Superbolt which are on most of the time to get that vintage Supro tone and a JHS Angry Charlie or Russian Muff for distortion and fuzz. On the bass side I use an old big box Electro Harmonix Octave Multiplexer which has a really cool wonky synth tone. And also – not for guitar, but it’s cool – I use a Death By Audio Echo Master for vocal delay.”

Amps – for guitar either a 1975 Vox AC 120, which is so heavy it makes you cry even to look at it, or an old tweed Fender Blues Deville although I’m looking for something lighter, more portable and a Wem Bass Dominator.”

What’s the one pedal that you couldn’t live without?

B: “I’m not married to any given pedal, I’m always changing them up. I love a good fuzz, I always like to have a fuzz under my foot. Most recent favourite is a one-knob silicon fuzz face variant from Brelliot.”

J: “Similarly, my setup has changed radically over time.”

B: “Your favourite is that tremolo.”

J: “Mine is the tremolo. It’s on continuously. It’s a Catlinbread Valcoder, it replicates the Valco tube tremolo. And also the old Octave Multiplexer to get more low-end from the bass amp.”

B: “That’s my answer. Joe’s octave pedal.”

What’s your current main guitar, and why so?

B: “The ’65 Firebird because it’s light, it’s got a nice neck and it sounds really good.”

J: “Mine currently is the Silvertone 1487. The only person I’ve seen with one is Howlin Wolf in a photograph, which is fine by me! I think it’s from 1965. That’s strung as a baritone. But for regular guitar playing it’s the Silvertone 1448 which has the original case with a built-in valve amp. I love how it was made with such a sense of thrift – using excess stock from other departments of the Sears and Roebuck catalogue that it was originally sold through in the 60s – using bathroom sealant for the binding, tabletop formica for the scratchplate and lipstick tubes for the pickups which give it such an incredible sound – the name Silvertone seems almost poetic to me as the tone has a shimmering, silvery quality. It’s black with a sparkle finish to boot so it glistens like the night sky.”

Are there any other local guitarists you particularly admire?

B: “Joe from The Devil & Saint Joseph.”

J: “Mine has to be Billy from The Devil & Saint Joseph.”

Where can we find your music and see you play next?

J: “Well we’re in the process of making a record but in terms of shows – who can say in these strange times that we find ourselves in.”

B: “Shoot a flaming arrow into the sky at 3:03am and we’ll come play.”

Strings ‘n Things #16- Robert Craig Oulton

This week on the blog everybody loves to love- we’re whipping out our capo and strumming ourselves silly with rootsy wonder-kid, Robert Craig Oulton.

 

Anyone who attends local shows on a regular basis has often seen bands flourish and bloom- often from rocky, disjointed beginnings. What’s rarer is to find an artist who bolts out the gate from the get-go- and there’s few local songwriters that are coming on as strongly as Rob. He deals in classic, open-chord & open-heart songwriting- hammer and nail stuff. But where many self-styled troubadours come across as insincere and lacking in substance, Rob’s songs need no justification for existing beyond that fact that they are simply great songs- three dimensional and steeped in a kind of world-weariness that defies his age. Think Neil Young- not Frank Turner. This timeless quality to his tunes is matched by his simply exquisite use of effects- not laden on, but so fastidiously employed that they are a joy to behold (I can safely say that Rob, along with bandmate Aaron, have the best dialled-in live sound of any Birmingham band I have seen with my 2 eyes). The whole package is simply delicious, and judging by the live debuts of his forthcoming material, he’s only going to get even more irresistible. Feast your eyes on ‘Pretend I Was Dreaming’, and then join us at the table as we talk tone.

 

 

Talk us through your guitar history from your first to your most recent.

“My first guitar was a 3/4 sized nylon string acoustic. Shortly thereafter I got a black Strat copy to go with it, but I never bonded with it. I have actually solely played acoustic for the majority of my guitar-playing life, and the second acoustic I got was some second-hand Encore. Having a steel-stringed acoustic was a game changer- suddenly, I vaguely resembled the acoustics I heard on records! At around 16 I bought an inexpensive Martin dreadnought which I still have today, and a Fender Thinline Telecaster with p90s. The Tele didn’t last long and was replaced with an Arctic White, maple-board Fender Strat. Since then I’ve added a 1980 Fender Lead II, and a ’93 Japanese Squier Strat that I bought from The Little Guitar Shop. Of course, there’s been some others along the way. It’d be unfair not to mention the Dean ‘Dave Mustaine’ V I once owned!”

Who inspired you to pick up guitar, and who inspires you to keep on playing today?

“I can remember listening to my Mom’s Bon Jovi CD over and over as a kid, and that’s the first guitar-centric record I can remember hearing. So perhaps it was that which first inspired me. But even before that I was obsessed with music- literally anything I could get my hands on. These days I’m inspired by players like Richard Lloyd, Bill Frisell, Neil Young, Meg Duffy. Blake Mills!”
Tell us about your music, and how you approach your guitar playing within the context of it.

“When talking about my music I like the term “folk-adjacent”. Folk-adjacent indie rock. Emotive. From very early on guitar was more of a vehicle for my songwriting rather than something to master. Not much has changed. I do spend more time these days engaging in more “conventional” practice but it’s always ultimately in search of new ways to put across whatever the message is. Because of this I find myself 80% of the time just playing open position chords while also singing. One thing I like to do is use chord embellishments and try and pick out a melody within the chords.”

 

Photo by Jess Ingram

What setup are you currently running, amp and pedal wise?

“My live set-up is either the white Fender Strat or the 1980 Lead II, and for amps I use a Deluxe Reverb ’65ri. Right now I couldn’t see myself using any other amp live. Sure there’s other things I enjoy for different applications, but the DRRI is a one-stop shop. I know what it’s going to do. In regards to pedals, I guess at the “core” of it is a Wampler Tumnus and a Fairfield Circuitry Barbershop Overdrive. If my chain was a dish, they’re the oil and chopped onions. Everything else is used in much smaller doses- a song or two, or a part. Strymon Flint, a LM308 Rat clone from Hartman. Chorus and flanger on the odd occasion. I’ve been on a horrible journey with delay over the last few years, but through all that the Ibanez DE7 hasn’t left the board once.”

What’s the one pedal that you couldn’t live without?

“Although I could definitely get by without it, life without the Fairfield Circuitry Shallow Water would be a lot less fun. That thing is an instrument in itself, and I feel like I have merely scratched the surface of what it can do.”
What’s your current main guitar, and why so?

“My main guitar right now is the aforementioned Japanese Squier Strat! It’s been the only electric I’ve had around during lockdown, and I’ve enjoyed playing it. Readers might be interested to hear it was refinished by the guys at TLGS in a nitrocellulose Shoreline Gold. It’s a looker for sure. Over lockdown I have been experimenting with flatwound strings, which has been a thrilling ride!”

 

Are there any other local guitarists you particularly admire?

“I’ve read all of these blog posts and it seems that a lot of the same names pop up time and time again; which says a lot about the players mentioned and how inspiring their playing is. Joe and Ian of Outlander are mind-blowing players. When using the sounds and textures that they do, every voicing and every part matters. Another local guitarist I admire is Michael Wagstaff of Chartreuse. His guitar playing is beautifully melodic, and he rips on keys also. All four of them in Chartreuse are monsters, in fact. What a band they are.”
Where can we find your music and see you play next?  

“You can find all of my music in the usual places you listen to it- such as Spotify, and follow me on Facebook. As for live dates, who knows! We’ve got some shows booked for 2021, we’ll have to see if there will be anything sooner. We’re about to make another record and there’s other things on their way that are long overdue. Hold on to your hats.”

Strings ‘n Things #15- Hannah & Matt (Tremorsž)

We’ve gone with another double-trouble feature for our 15th post. Hang onto your butts- it’s Hannah & Matt from Tremorsž

 

Collaboration is always the sign of a creatively kickin’ scene, so it’s particularly nice to be doing a few of these two-headed posts- even moreso in the wake of this season of self-isolation. Hannah, an accomplished and locally renown visual artist in her own right, has just added another string to her bow by joining the gargantuan God Damn on keys, as well as usually tripping out with local psych queens Mount Pleasant. Anyone who’s met Matt aka Uncle Dad knows he’s a force to behold, and is yet another multidisciplinary artist. If you’ve come to this post expecting Strats, Dumbles and transparent tones then be gone, goon- this is all about the dirt. Singles ‘Dog Song’ and ‘Taghut’ are only the start- but they bleed through your buds with a both a claustrophobic intensity and knowing sense of self-deprecation, as though the BJM and Butthole Surfers had a big, gross, preemptive acid-casualty of a baby whose first word was a dirty one.  Anyway, shake off the dust with some Tremorsž and then let’s get gnarly.

 

Talk us through your guitar history from your first to your most recent.

Hannah: “I started learning guitar on this really old crappy acoustic Kay with a flowery scratch plate and the kind of action only a Mother could love. When I realised that I was never going to progress on a guitar with a warped neck I treated myself to a Seagull folk-sized acoustic. I kind of fell into playing guitar in a band and inevitably needed an electric, so just used Jakob’s random old 60’s Teisco guitars that are dotted around the flat for a while. For my birthday Jakob surprised me with a beautiful pale blue Revelation 12-string which I use for my other band Mount Pleasant. More recently for Tremorsž I’ve obtained the pseudo holy grail of drone basses- an 8-string Hagstrom H8-II (more on that later).“

Matt: “My first guitar  was a gnarly gloss black Stagg SG with a Bigsby on it. When I was a young whipper snapper I was absolutely obsessed with AC/DC and would regularly lock myself away slamming out riffs through headphones. Following this I ended up getting an amazing Hofner Galaxie reissue which ended up being my main guitar for a good few years, and around that sort of time I got into pedals and a whole host of shoegaze bands. At the time my dream guitar was a Fender Jaguar, which  inevitably I got- like everyone else in a band in Birmingham at the time! I still have this guitar to this day and it’s had a few changes to it- such as swapping the tuners out for some vintage white-button ones and getting some custom, Burns-esque Tri-Sonic pickups handmade by the lovely people at Creamery Pickups. It is still undeniably may favourite guitar as it’s the guitar that made me want to take this stuff seriously! My guitars used in  Tremorsž are: Gibson SG Special fitted with a Dusenberg Les Trem II, an Ed O’Brien signature Strat fitted with a sustainer pickup for sweet, sweet dive bombs, and more recently an ESP Bill Kelliher Sparrowhawk.”
Who inspired you to pick up guitar, and who inspires you to keep on playing today?

Matt: “First and foremost my wonderful dad, Alan. I have very fond memories of watching him playing guitar when I was younger and then trying to replicate it by scraping my fist on the strings (well I got there in the end didn’t I, Alan!?!). Following this I would say a good blend of Angus Young, the big bois from Korn and, worryingly to some people, a whole host of Metalcore/Emo bands around at that time (not naming names, don’t make me).

The people who inspire me to play guitar today however are pretty much my mates who are really f**king good at slamming the strings; best buds Liam and Jakob from Brain Food and Connor from Bad Girlfriend. All really really satisfying to watch and listen to, go check them out!”

Hannah: “For me my first flirtation with wanting to play the guitar was through my old housemate, Joanna of Yassassin. She used to shred loads while we lived together- she just has crazy amounts of dedication and she just looks so happy when she does it. Another inspiration that springs to mind is my old bandmate Corey Bowen– he played really pretty jazz chords and psych pop stuff that I really loved.

The local riffdogs that wanna make me play today and are forever keeping me on my toes:

Dianne, Sofa King, is my musical soul mate. Whenever we write together we just don’t stop laughing, and most of the time I’m laughing at how much of a genius she is // Jakob (Tremorsž/ Brain Food)- he is the person that switched that light on for me and made me want to really get better at guitar. I really admire his attention to detail and his tone // Kristina Grigaite is a very, very creative and beautiful player- she gives me butterflies watching her // Liv (Monastery/ Mount Pleasant) is such a shredder- she inspires me constantly and she showed me how fun it is to just make everything L O W and chunky // Matt (Tremorsž, SPCBYS)- I am just in complete awe of he just knows everything. And he taught me about stanky notes // Thom (God Damn) is insane- he is like the little devil on your shoulder that’s just like go on I dare you, but with music. I also feel like he should enter some kind of riff contest?”

 

Tell us about your music, and how you approach your guitar playing within the context of it.

Both: “Our current band Tremorsž started off as a bit of fun, we pined to be in an OTT Stoner/Doom band, ala Bongzilla, Bongripper, Sleep… but it ended up being so much more. We feel that we’ve refined the sound now and would like to be known as a ‘poser metal’ band. We take influences from the likes of Electric Wizard, Thee Oh Sees, Acid King, OM and, erm, Korn?”

Matt: “I’m all bass and mids, baby. I want you dirty people to feel sludgy grunts in an audible format from my guitar, the thicker the grunt, the better. Like homemade custard or gravy when you put twice the recommended amount of granules in.”

Hannah: “Matt and Jakob told me to tell you that I have a really unique style and it’s hard to put into words.”
What setup are you currently running, amp and pedal wise?

Matt: “I’m currently running:

Korg Pitchblack mini > Dunlop 105Q Bass Wah > Keeley Fuzz Bender (can’t beat that sweet sweet 15dB bass boost) > Earthquaker Devices Tone Job > Earthquaker Devices Grand Orbiter > Death By Audio Micro Dream > Keeley Mag Echo– all into the front end of an Eganter Tweaker 40 head with a big ol’ dirty Marshall 4×12.”

Hannah: “I’m currently running:

Korg Pitchblack > Electro Harmonix Bass Soul Food > Electro Harmonix Russian Big Muff reissue > TC Electronics Tailspin vibrato, all into an old Trace Elliot head and Ampeg 4×10 Cab.”
What’s the one pedal that you couldn’t live without?

Matt: “EARTHQUAKER DEVICES TONE JOB!!!! It makes everything you play sound good. This was the end of the line in trying a load of console preamp/ boost style pedals, and it left me with a big hefty grin on my face. High gain? Low gain? No gain? Makes it all sound good. Please get one, you won’t regret it.”

Hannah: “The TC Electronic Tailspin vibrato. I have had this pedal for ages and it’s so cheap, but it just sounds unreal on bass! I have only just added it in to my bass rig, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to use it for everything now.”
What’s your current main guitar, and why so?

Matt: “My main guitar and possibly one of my nicest guitars is my newest purchase for Tremlords- the ESP Bill Kelliher Sparrowhawk in a gorgeous Khakiburst. It’s pretty much a spooky reverse Firebird kitted out with Bill’s signature Lace Sensor pickups, (all passive baby, no EMGs), that seriously punches your preamp section. It’s big bodied and ready for big shreds with a neck to die for!”

Hannah: “A few months ago I was shopping on Reverb.com and eBay, looking to get a really old school metal looking bass, and I ended up on the darker side of the musical instrument internet. So I ended up buying a Hagstrom 8-string bass to compliment the 12-string Burns that Jakob uses in our band. There’s something about the octave-drone sound it produces that just really sings through fuzz pedals, and aside from that it looks so beautiful, and I really wanted something short scale to make the transition from guitar to bass easier.”

 

Photo by Sam Wood- again!

Are there any other local guitarists you particularly admire?

Matt: “There’s this guy that busks in town with an African-stringed instrument who sings stuff to people like “I hope you have a good day”, “You’ve put a smile on my face” etc. This one time he was singing “Hello pretty lady” and accidentally said it to me as (I assume) he thought I was a pretty lady. That’s when I knew I’d reached my prime.”

Hannah: “Baby Tyler (Clark our drummer’s baby). He can’t play anything yet, but check him out in a few years!”
Where can we find your music and see you play next?  

Both: “You can find us on Spotify at TREMORSŽ we’ve recently re-released a rework of our first recording ‘Dog Song’ and it’s the poser metal anthem no one asked for- crank your speakers up and give it a whirl!”

Strings ‘n Things #13- The Novus

It’s probably fair to say that a lot of us are missing live music right now- audience and performers alike. And there’s fewer Birmingham bands that were tearing it up with as much unbridled ferocity than The Novus.

The best bands create their own worlds and dare you to pay a visit- and its this relentless pursuit of being ‘the whole package’ that have made The Novus one of the most dropped-names at various venue bars around town since 2019. Everything about them is unashamedly theatrical, boisterous, and charged with a dystopian electricity that only the depths of the second city could nurture. From hosting wild, over-capacity shows in secret locations to getting spins from the taste-maker Steve Lamacq, this is a band that is gleefully growing at an alarming pace- all the while driven by the song-serving principles of guitarist Thomas Rhodes. Knowing when to pummel on a fat, dirty riff or instead when to pull back and let frontman Connor take centre-stage is crucial to the dynamic of the band- it’s what makes their relentless rock and roll so damn irresistible. So strap in and sit tight whilst Tom takes us on a ride to tone-town.

 

 

Talk us through your guitar history from your first to your most recent.

“I’m a self-certified guitar addict so over time I’ve had loads come and go. My first ever electric guitar was a little Epiphone Dot ES-335 in sunburst- which was a great guitar but as a young 11/12 year old lad, the neck was huge on it, so I sold it and traded it for a Mexican HSS Fender Strat and that’s my most played guitar to this day. Then there was a period where I bought a bunch of real crappy guitars, took them apart, wrecked them and left them alone, like old Chinese copies and Yamaha Strat rip-offs. But my second proper guitar my parents bought me for my 18th birthday. I found a local luthier called Jamie Davey who makes guitars for Status Quo amongst others, who custom built me a Telecaster-type guitar which is just amazing! I adore it and has got the most amazing flame maple neck. Since then I’ve picked up a Gretsch Electromatic Jet with a Bigsby, and just recently found myself a Hofner Galaxie in a cherry red which I’m playing a lot at the moment- it sounds really great fuzzed up.”

Who inspired you to pick up guitar, and who inspires you to keep on playing today?

“Initially my parents brought me a little classic guitar when I was about 7, and I just couldn’t hack the science of a guitar- my hands and brain couldn’t compute which was a deterrent for quite some time! But couldn’t help still gravitating towards the guitar through my sheer love of music, so I kept at it. Eventually I had the most amazing guitar teacher, who was a great blues player and Beatles addict. From thereon he was the drive for me to be able to play like him, which carried through until getting in my first bands from age 11. These days I do it because it’s the best way to express myself,- to convey my ideas and thoughts to the world through song. I’m also a huge Hendrix and Frusciante fan, so learning Hendrix and RHCP songs regularly carries me through when the guitar loses its little bit of shine.”

 

 

Tell us about your music, and how you approach your guitar playing within the context of it.

“The music that we play in The Novus has two different approaches from a guitar point of view- its either hugely riff-based, wherein the riffs are the primary focus of the song, or vocally-leaded wherein the guitar doesn’t feature so prominently . Riffs are my favourite- there’s nothing more liberating being in a punk band and bashing out a riff where you can see people physically feel the motion of the sound through their bodies! But in regards to “vocal” songs, I play more atmospherically with effects to enhance the vocals as best as I can.”

What setup are you currently running, amp and pedal wise?

“I’m fortunate enough to be endorsed by Blackstar, so currently I play a HT Club 40 Mkii, which has an amazing Vox-like jangle, but a bit more low end and beef that I always found that AC15s lacked. In regards to pedals, first always straight into a Korg tuner, the most important thing! Then from there, an Electro Harmonix Mono Synth, into a Dunlop Cry Baby Mini, into a Boss DS-1, into a TC Electronics Spark boost. Then I have a Russian Big Muff copy, into an old Akai Flanger, Electro Harmonix Nano Clone which is great. Then I use two delays- a Dr Green Waiting Room set to a constant slapback, into a cheap little Tone City Tape machine, and it all ends with a Electro Harmonix Holy Grail reverb.”

What’s the one pedal that you couldn’t live without?

“Either the Spark, which is always on pedal and works as an amazing preamp, or the Dr Green Waiting Room which is also always on- I love the way a constant slapback delay just slightly thickens out my sound and makes me sound like a Tarantino film.”

What’s your current main guitar, and why so?

“I go between two. My Stratocaster is my #1 because it’s so reliable, and I can chuck it about and beat it up. It thrives under those conditions and has never failed me. But then there’s my Telecaster- which is a gentle soul and needs love and care, and I would never dream of throwing it around the way I throw the strat around- but it cuts through a live mix so well. I always record with my telecaster, but I try to be more considerate about how often I play with it live .”

 

 

Are there any other local guitarists you particularly admire?

“There are multiple amazing players in Birmingham who all deserve credit! But I really admire Daragh from The Pagans SOH, the way he plays funk is insane and I’m very jealous of how talented he is. I also love Leo from Flares, he’s a good mate of mine and has no right to be so good at such a young age. I admire our producer Gavin Monaghan from The Magic Garden studio endlessly- he’s not necessarily just a guitarist because he seems to play everything insanely well, but he has played a bunch of guitar bits on our new stuff. But that’s just a few people, we’re a lucky city to have an abundance of talent.”

Where can we find your music and see you play next? 

“You can find us everywhere, Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube mainly. We have got an insane project in the works at the moment but I can’t say too much, just know there is a possibility that there will be some big news soon!”

It seems the band may be gearing up for a secret show in September, so keep ’em peeled and join their mailing list

String ‘n Things #12- Conor Boyle

Our dozenth post in the quintessential blog for all things strummy and Brummy sees us get our teeth into vintage Fenders and fuzz with the garage-rock prince of B-town, Conor Boyle of The Cosmics.

 

‘Punk’ is an interesting term, and often thrown  often with with abandon- both as a complement and a take-down. It it used to describe an aesthetic, a sound, a principle and a practice. Poptimism? That’s punk! Barely able to string 3 chords together? So punk. Getting your arse out at the BRIT awards? Punk AF. And so it’s become a generic, often self-appointed term, in an attempt to secure some validation & credibility from fence-sitters, or shut-down detractors. I think ‘punk’ is a mindset- it’s that bloody single-mindedness that drives one to do things their way and no-one elses. Not even wasting energy on giving the finger. Not justifying the outside world with a response. Complete self-absorption in the creative process. And when you see Conor play, you see just this. The boy becomes otherwordly, manic- electrifying mess of flailing limbs, contorted face, sweat-drenched hair and bare feet. So it’s no wonder The Cosmics have become one of Birmingham’s most talked-about live bands- their energy is something interstellar. You can’t help but think “Wow, they are really into what they’re doing”- and that’s pretty punk, I’d say. Get your fill with the video below, and then let’s become acquainted with Conor and his weapons of choice.

 

 

Talk us through your guitar history from your first to your most recent.

“The first guitar I ever bought myself was a second-hand cherry red Epiphone SG when I was 8 or 9 years old. Then I went on to a sunburst Epiphone Les Paul a year or two later and played that for years until I snapped it in half when I was 16, walking out of school one day. After that I went onto an Epiphone Sheraton, then a Mexican Strat HSS for a very short period of time. When I was 19 I bought a Fender Duo Sonic HS which I played for about a year or two – it was my first short scale guitar which really suited me. From then on, I was incredibly intrigued by short scale fender offsets and one day in July 2018 I spotted a 1978 Fender Bronco in The Little Guitar Shop and looked at it for a few months whilst I sold things to pay for it. Along the way I also picked up a ‘64 Hofner Colorama.”

 
Who inspired you to pick up guitar, and who inspires you to keep on playing today?

“I was gladly force-fed a lot of Bruce Springsteen when I was a young kid, so The Boss and his Telecaster inspired me the most to pick up a guitar. Then I started getting into  shredders like Scott Gorham & Gary Moore of Thin Lizzy, and Angus Young of AC/DC. When I was 12 I heard Raw Power by The Stooges for the first time- I instantly fell in love with that guitar sound and the energy of James Williamsons’ playing. Guitarists that have recently inspired me are Alan Duggan of Girl Band, Glenn Branca and his many collaborators, and Luciel of Drahla”

Tell us about your music, and how you approach your guitar playing within the context of it.

“Being the only guitarist in a three-piece means that I’m not tied down with playing either lead or rhythm, so I always try to do both at the same time. With The Cosmics I aim to make as much noise as possible – usually I’ll play open string solos with the open string acting as a drone, and disgusting feedback is always welcome on stage.”

 

Photo by Emilie Mauger

What setup are you currently running, amp and pedal wise?

“I currently use my 1978 Fender Bronco and run it through a Vox AC30C2 and a 1976 Fender Champ. I’ve had the Vox for about 8 years now and have recently just added the champ – it brings this extra saturation and a different texture, especially when I use copious amounts of fuzz and distortion, also it’s a really great amp for recording! I get my main gained out tone by cranking the champ to ten and pushing the Vox’s top boost channel to eleven.  Pedal-wise, I’ll just “draw” my pedal chain:

Korg Tuner -> Death By Audio Super Fuzz War -> Suhr Riot Distortion -> Boss FB-2 Feedbacker/boost pedal -> Earthquaker Devices Avalanche Run (with an exp pedal) -> Electro Harmonix Holy Grail -> Boss DD-3 -> an ABY with phase & ground switches.”
What’s your current main guitar, and why so?

“My current guitar is that 1978 Fender Bronco: it’s a small Fender with one mighty hot bridge pickup. The simplicity of it allows me to just pick up and play how I want to play, also it’s a short scale guitar for a short scale person.”

What’s the one pedal that you couldn’t live without?

“I couldn’t live without the Super Fuzz War, just because it has a great treble boost that I always have on, it does very little to my sound but when it’s on I feel like tearing down walls (in a good way), also the fuzz on it is ferocious!”

Are there any other local guitarists you particularly admire?

“Birmingham has a lot of great guitarists; I really admire Joe and Ian from Outlander – they create new worlds with their guitar playing. Also, Brandon and Liv from Exhaler are great, Brandon plays such wild and catchy riffs and Livs’ bass parts are a perfect accompaniment. Kaila from Youth Man is an insanely good guitarist, Aaron Buckell (fka ‘pedal bitch’ by my Mother) from Monday Club and the Robert Craig Oulton Rock Show is a virtuoso (Mr. Oulton also has chords falling out of him) and my fellow bandmate Erin’s guitar and bass playing really inspires me, she makes me a better guitarist for sure.”

Where can we find your music and see you play next?  

“You can find us on streaming platforms like Spotify, and our 12” EP is available on our Bandcamp. As for play next, that is a very good question. We had a couple tours that were cancelled because of the pandemic, but we’re hoping to reschedule for the end of the year or early 2021. We’ll see!”

Strings ‘n Things #11- Joshua Rochelle Bates

Welcome to the Strings ‘n Things blog- wherein we grab local musos for a chat regarding all things gear. Guitars, pedals, influences, here’s where we give our fellow Brummy six (and four) stringers a chance to splurge all about their formative and present-day times from the bedroom to the stage. In this week’s feature, we’re at a low point- sonically speaking, as we ditch the six-pack and beef things up with our first bass-player spotlight- Joshua Rochelle Bates

Without wishing to offend any of our contemporary 4-string folk, a good bass player is hard to find. Yes-sometimes a root note is all you need, but sometimes the very bones of a song must be more something more delectable – no point in putting lipstick on a pig. Josh is of an inquisitive nature-  on a journey to find his own voice as a musician through the assimilation of any ideas that perk his ears up. And this is why he is unashamedly comprehensive in his answers- a stimulating tonic for the slackerisms of Gen Z. Whilst his style may be rooted in the galloping, meandering style of Post-Punkers like Peter Hook,  Josh’s excursions into jazz lend his outfit The Taboo Club a sense of sophistication amongst the sleaze. Catch the live footage below, and then soundtrack our conversation with the group’s delicious new LP Debauched Times.

 

 

Talk us through your guitar history from your first to your most recent.

“Well I started playing when I was about 12/13, and I had a shitty China made P-bass, and then I moved onto a Washburn Taurus T-16 before I quit playing around the age of 16 as I had become sponsored for freestyle scooter riding and was all over the place doing competitions, tours and filming etc.

I then severely sprained my ankle about 4 or so years later, and after having some time to explore and listen to music without the context of me being a musician I developed a much wider perspective as to what I could play. All the bass players that I loved at the time used Jazz basses, so I decided to invest in a Mexican Fender Jazz Bass and that’s pretty much been my main since. I just love how versatile the sound is on them, and the growl that you can get from them whether it’s in a rock setting or in a jazz setting really accompanies how I play.

As I started to get into contemporary jazz a bit more I started to notice a bit of a resurgence in people sticking to P-basses, and although I could get quite a close approximation with my Jazz I always liked the idea of potentially having a thicker sounding and feeling bass in comparison to my more versatile and growly jazz.

So, I was on eBay and I came across a P-bass body that some guy in Poland had put together and engraved by hand, and I just remember looking at it and thinking I needed to make a guitar from it. So I got some Seymour Duncan pickups, a Fender Tele P-bass neck and some hardware and put it together with some help from The Little Guitar Shop.

My jazz is always gonna be my main guitar, but the P-bass definitely serves its purpose when needed and has such a delicious tone.”

Who inspired you to pick up guitar, and who inspires you to keep on playing today?

“Well originally it was because my brother played guitar and so did my dad. I remember my brother having MTV on and there was a music video on for ‘Rollercoaster of Love‘ by The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and my brother pointed out to me that Flea was playing a bass guitar and that it’s easier to play, so I pretty much got into it from that. At the time though I was just into whatever came on Kerrang, so I never really played anything at the time that would have infer I would develop the style I have today – except for ‘Californication‘ by RHCP maybe, I was always drawn to the melody of that song.

It was after I got back into bass at the age of 20 that I really started to think a bit more seriously about the instrument. I was super into Interpol at the time, and I remember picking my bass up for the first time and deciding to tune my musical ear into ‘Slow Hands‘, and I remember hearing how the bassline just flowed and drove the song whilst serving it and thinking that was how I would want to play. I was into Joy Division and other post-punk bands at the time, and although artists during the 80’s definitely explored where the bass could fit in harmonically I think it was Carlos D that actually put a musician’s hat on behind it. It was like he acknowledged that what Peter Hook did (more or less being a lead guitarist on bass) was cool, but instead decided to play as a bassist. He was just a great writer and if you listen to any of the albums he featured on his contributions are undeniably what made that band who they are. That summer I pretty much learnt 80% of their discography and even harassed Matador Records about playing bass for Interpol…

Other bassists that have influenced me would definitely be people like Jaco Pastorius, who was pretty much the Jimi Hendrix of bassists. The guy uncovered the versatility and creativity that is possible on the instrument. He explored the idea of the bass guitar being something more than what people expected it to be – an instrument that could be melodic, create harmonies and even be the leading voice.

My most recent heavy influence has definitely been Tim Lefebvre, who was the bassist that played on Bowie’s Blackstar, but since getting into the material he’s played on besides that he just provides such a wide array of different shit to get stoked on. His project called Whose Hat is This? is definitely up there as the best example of that, as well as the Donny McCaslin album Casting for Gravity. He’s the bass player’s bassist, and he has such a versatile and solid approach to his bass playing that no matter what track you’re listening to you can tell that it is him playing on it. He’s the guy that’s pretty much encouraged me to not be so pretentious to be honest, especially when it comes to effects pedals. Since listening to him I’ve been way more into the idea of how experimental and creative pedals are instead of me cynically (and rather immaturely) just thinking they are just there for a sonic aesthetic.”
Tell us about your music, and how you approach your guitar playing within the context of it.

“I guess in terms of how I’d play I just refuse to be seen or dismissed as just being a bass player. Nothing annoys me more than people that just don’t give the instrument the respect it deserves in a sound and just expect root notes to be played, and I think the bassists that allow that to happen are even worse. Sure, there’s something to be said about sitting in a support role in a sound but as an instrument that accentuates and almost vocalises the beat you need to be communicating something with what you’re doing.

I’m not musically educated in the slightest and sometimes I don’t even feel like I’m a bassist, I just try and feel the music I’m playing as a conversation, and like in all good and fulfilling conversations I try to express myself as well as I can within the collective confines of the song. By conversing with other instruments in the band you really make the diamond shine in my opinion, no matter what it is that you’re playing. I definitely like to be way more active in the sound and to be playing quite aggressively but I also make the effort to refrain from doing that and serve the song when needed, because there’s nothing worse than having someone talk over you when you’re trying to make a point in a conversation.”

 

What setup are you currently running, amp and pedal wise?

“So I have an Ashdown EB12 Combo amp that I have had for years, it’s a good amp and for the venues we find ourselves playing in it does the job well enough, especially because I can DI the signal out.

Pedal wise I’m running a TC Electronics PolyTune into a TC Spectra Comp, this then goes into a 3 Leaf Audio Octavbre Pedal (Tim Lefebvre’s signature octave pedal), a C9 Organ Machine by Electro Harmonix, a Tech 21 VT Bass Overdrive pedal, and then my Sansamp Bass Driver DI.”
What’s the one pedal that you couldn’t live without?

“Hmmmm, I’d say it would definitely be the Sansamp Bass Driver, as it is such a versatile and great sounding preamp. You can really dial in the tone that you’re looking for, so for me it is having that almost motorcycle growl for my jazz bass by dialling in the presence knob at just the right point.

Although I would also find it very difficult to not have my Octavbre pedal with me, as it has so many fun tones that you can dial in with it. The dry signal can be completely dropped using the mix tone, and it is so much fun to DNB/Dub styled stuff with it.”
What’s your current main guitar, and why so?

“The jazz bass is gonna always be my main guitar, because after playing with it for so long and getting used to the sound and how it feels it just feels like an extension upon my own body by now.”

 

Are there any other local guitarists you particularly admire?

“Rob Smith has always been a bass player that I’ve enjoyed listening to, whether it is him with Byron Hare or Liquid Cheeks, you can tell that he has a respect for the music he’s playing with but still makes the effort to have his presence felt in the song. He’s definitely more of a bass player than I am, but I guess we both just have a very similar idea of where the bass can fit within a song.”
Where can we find your music and see you play next?

“You can find The Taboo Club on thetabooclub.bandcamp.com as well as Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud and all other music streaming services.

We currently have a show booked in for September with Kaleidoscope, however this will all be dependent upon whatever happens with COVID-19!”

 

Strings ‘n Things #10- Kaila Whyte

Our gear-centric blog is now into double-figures, and to mark the occasion we’re shooting the shit with local polymath and all-around bad-ass Kaila Whyte.

Anyone who’s had the pleasure to be caught up in the unbridled fury of a Youth Man performance will know that Kaila does not mess about. Everything about her is razor-sharp- from the metallic thrash of her dissonant, hammered-out riffs to the melodramatic wail of her vocals- one second it’s agony, the next it’s screaming ecstasy. Like a hand that lets you up for air only for the pleasure of pushing you back down, there was always been something deliciously malevolent about Youth Man’s performances. But that’s in the past now- and like any true artist, Kaila does not intend to look back. Having performed her first solo electronic shows as Blue Ruth at the end of 2019, she’s delving headfirst into the world of sequencers, CV ins and outs, and (probably) wishing she’d bought something with presets. But as her most recent performances with the ephemeral Birmingham supergang Pretty Grim have shown- she’s still very much capable of rocking the fuck out. Get your fill after the video below (filmed by local videographer extraordinaire Thomas Wagstaff)

 

Talk us through your guitar history from your first to your most recent.

“My big brother had one of those shit Argos-catalogue Encore guitars when I was growing up, and I think I took it out of his room when I was about 14 and just never put it back! Shortly after that the church I attended as a kid received a grant to buy loads of new musical equipment- including a Yamaha APX500 acoustic guitar that I borrowed… forever (yes, I stole it…).
Around that time I saved up a couple hundred quid and bought one of those beginner Ibanez GIO guitars. I was 15 and mad into Metalcore, so it was an obvious choice!
Then I bought a heavily reliced, white Fender(ish) parts-caster from eBay for £200. I think I was 17. I’s still my main guitar today!
About 2 years after that I part exchanged a Line 6 Spider Valve mkii amp (that I had won in a battle of the bands) + £30 for a purple MIM Fender Strat.
Then I got a Fender Modern Player Mustang in Daphne Blue. It was shit. Sold it shortly after.
Then a Gibson SG Melody Maker in white. It was also shit, so I got rid and I’ve never bought another guitar since!
I managed to sell the SG and Mustang for the same price I bought them, so as of today I have spent a whopping £400 on guitars my whole life.”

Who inspired you to pick up guitar, and who inspires you to keep on playing today?

“It wasn’t anyone in particular, I just wanted to make cool music and have a distinctive style! As a drummer I felt a bit limited- like I had ideas that I couldn’t express without a melodic instrument. So picking up guitar was a means to an end. At the time I admired Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Kurt Cobain, Duane Denison. I was inspired by those guys to do my own thing.
Now, it’s my peers that inspire me really. I want to keep up with the scene and be able to play well with the people around me. There are some insanely talented musicians that I get to play with. Shout outs to Marcus Perks, Meesha Fones, Anna Palmer and the rest of the gang…”

Tell us about your music, and how you approach your guitar playing within the context of it.

“At the moment I’m experimenting with an electronic project- but I write on guitar first then translate that to synthesis. To quote my mate Marcus, “instruments are tools”. I see the guitar as a tool to take what’s in my head and turn it into sound. I don’t speak synth though, so it has to go through guitar first!

 

 

What setup are you currently running, amp and pedal wise?

“I don’t use it much these days but when I do play guitar through a full setup its a Roland Jazz Chorus 160, set clean with a bit of chorus on, then for pedals I use a ProCo Rat, Boss Dyna-Drive distortion and a Nine of Swords Headache Harmonic Percolator fuzz/OD. 3 gain stages and that’s it. Horrible!”

What’s the one pedal that you couldn’t live without?

“I could live without pedals.”

What’s your current main guitar, and why so?

“My partscaster. It’s always got my back- even though I’ve treated it very badly over the years. Its just a real workhorse, and it fits me better than any other guitar I’ve tried. It’s got perfect action and a tone that won’t quit. I’ve played back-to-back tours without so much as changing the strings and it just keeps on rocking. Its a real perverted piece of shit- a masochist of a guitar!”

 

 

Are there any other local guitarists you particularly admire?

“The legendary Tom Ford. The guy’s an undeniable beast! He once replaced me in a band I was in called Elephantine and it was funny seeing him play parts I’d written better than me! [ED: check out our last blog with Tom here]”

Where can we find your music and see you play next?  

“You can’t yet, but I shall be releasing some new music very soon. Trust. In the meantime, I will be featured on a compilation put together by local label Die Das Der doing a cover of the Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam song ‘Auto‘ so look out for that! For now, go check out my old punk band Youth Man on Spotify, YouTube, Bandcamp etc…
Gig-wise, that’s up to COVID-19 and the UK government to decide. Probably not this year though. I’m toying with the idea of doing a online gig so to keep up to speed on that, follow my project Blue Ruth on Instagram.”