Endorser Update
JIMMY BOWSKILL
Jimmy Bowskill , guitarist for Canadian rock and roll band The Sheepdogs , is now an Orange Amplification ambassador . The Sheepdogs , famously the only unsigned band to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone , are skilled purveyors of vintage boogie rock and Bowskill ’ s lyrical guitar playing is at the core of their sound .
“ I have used my Orange AD30 as my main touring amplifier with The Sheepdogs for five years all over the world and have only had to change tubes . I love the clarity in the breakup of the AD30 circuit with the EL84s , and the smooth clean headroom as well . They are very reliable and excellent sounding performing amplifiers ,” says Bowskill .
Gibson has announced that Dave Mustaine – the legendary metal guitarist , vocalist , songwriter , and leader of Megadeth – has partnered with the company as a brand ambassador . This partnership includes the new Dave Mustaine Collection , which will span acoustic and electric guitars across Gibson , Epiphone , and Kramer .
“ One of first albums I ever bought was Kiss Alive . On the back of that LP was the Gibson logo , followed by ‘ Kiss uses Gibson Guitars because they want the best .’ Period ,” recalls Mustaine . “ Years later , I ’ m still that same fan , but
DAVE MUSTAINE now I ’ ve been playing , touring , writing , and performing around the world myself , and I can say that I could not agree more with that statement . As I was looking for a change in my guitars , I met with Cesar [ Gueikian ] and got his perspective on the vision and direction Gibson is taking . I saw passion , respect for the instruments , a focus on quality and a company that is led by guitar players . I feel I am finally at home with Gibson and I am proud of what we ’ re building together .”
BKORN
Brandon Korn , known in the industry as Bkorn , started as an intern at Puff Daddy and Bad Boy Records ’ recording studio in New York City in 2012 , making hip-hop beats and quickly connected with some of the most influential artists in the genre . In 2020 , Korn took on a project with hip-hop / classical fusion artist Ezinma and needed a USB audio interface with high sound quality that could capture the nuances of the classical and hip-hop mashups . For this , he turned to the RME Babyface Pro .
“ Since the pandemic started , I can ’ t go into too many studios anymore , so I really wanted to raise the stakes with my home studio and the Babyface Pro has helped me do just that ,” Korn says , adding that he ’ s a musician himself . “ I love being able to plug my guitar into the interface and have a clean signal right from the jump instead of having to finagle it . The Babyface Pro is literally plug and play — you get clean tone and clean levels every time .”
Songwriting maven mxmtoon ( also known as Maia ) has officially partnered with Kala as an endorser , which includes the creation of her own signature ukulele . Born and raised in Oakland , CA , mxmtoon catapulted to the forefront of the indie pop sphere from the grassroots success of her 2018 self-released EP , plum blossom , which was recorded entirely from her bedroom . Rooted in intimate lo-fi production , her style has quickly captivated a broad audience ; her music awash with candid vocals , ukulele chords , and a glimmering introspection and wit . MXMTOON
“ One thing that I ’ ve continuously tried to remind myself of as I ’ ve gotten older is the importance of a cycle . That no matter how hectic life may be , the one thing that ties everything together is that the sun will rise and fall and the moon will follow each day ,” says mxmtoon . “ With my signature ukulele , I wanted that message to be represented in the engravings ! I think oftentimes as creatives we can be very hard on ourselves when we aren ’ t able to produce art at a constant rate . So , I designed this ukulele in hopes of reminding people that even if one day is difficult , there is always the next .”
46 CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE