Canadian Music Trade - August/September 2020 | Page 46

Endorser Update
PHOTO: ROB WALLACE REEL NEGATIVE
Bryan Vanderpool
PHOTO: LYNSEY JORDANNA PHOTOGRAPHY
In a bid to capture the analog sonic characteristics that they admire
in older records, American folk-pop duo The Well Pennies have
supplemented their very modern workflow with three Neve 1073LB
microphone preamplifiers in a fully-stocked 500 Series rack at their
studio in Des Moines, IA.
“A 1073LB preamp was one of the first things we bought for the
studio when we moved back from Los Angeles,” says Bryan Vanderpool,
one half of The Well Pennies. “We wanted the best and we knew
we loved the Neve sound. There are so many copycats out there, but
there’s nothing that sounds like an authentic Neve 1073. These preamps
help us get that warmth and harmonic drive that is missing from
so many modern recordings. They can turn what would normally be a
sterile recording into a rich and complex piece of art.”
Jarrod Alexander
Gretsch Drums has announced that Jarrod Alexander (My Chemical
Romance), Brad Webb (Jamie Cullum), and Stephen Bidwell
(Black Pumas) have all become endorsers. Alexander returned to
the kit for My Chemical Romance’s long-awaited reunion concerts
in late-2019 and early-2020 before the shutdowns. Webb is best
known as Jamie Cullum’s drummer, but he has also played with
Amy Winehouse, Paolo Nutini, and his own projects. Bidwell is a
beats man best known for playing Afrobeat, go-go, Dixieland jazz,
and western swing.
‘We are delighted to welcome Jarrod, Brad, and Stephen to the
Gretsch Drums family,” says Andrew Shreve, Gretsch’s brand and
artist relations manager. “Each plays the kit producing that great
Gretsch sound in completely different ways. It is a privilege to create
drums that stir such enthusiasm.”
Tom Petric
Canadian brothers Jason and Tom Petric formed the band Petric in
2014, blending country themes, pop sensibilities, and fluid harmonies.
Over the years they have racked up over 10 million streams on
Spotify and Apple Music, 600,000 video views on YouTube, as well
as multiple chart-topping hit songs on country radio. On their latest
studio recordings and recent live performances, they have been using
an array of PRS guitars.
“Jordan’s Silver Sky has to be one of the smoothest guitars we’ve
ever had in the group. Everybody wants to play it,” says a statement
from the band. “The S2 Mira Semi-Hollow has been a very, very
cool guitar. When we were in the studio, shooting out amps and
guitars, the Mira sounded absolutely fantastic. We use it all throughout
our live shows.”
46 CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE
Alyssa Trahan
Country music singer-songwriter Alyssa Trahan is now using
Breedlove Guitars’ Organic Collection of sustainably-sourced,
all-solid-wood acoustic-electric instruments. A multi-instrumentalist,
songwriter, and engineer whose work has appeared in films and
commercials, Trahan is now gaining attention for new songs like
“My Favorite Song,” “Blue Fire,” and “Memories Not Dreams.”
“What Breedlove is doing is amazing. The guitar is such a huge
part of my life, and the fact that my Organic Companion is sustainably
sourced and not contributing to the decline of the world’s
forests makes it sound even sweeter. Breedlove is a real leader on
this,” says Trahan.