It was rather intoxicating to just say, “No, this
JS I would say both is the answer to that, and
you’re working on a particular song about a
chord structure is unusual, and it sounds great
maybe there’s a third reason, which is just
particular subject, or person, or something and
in my mind and I know it’s never been done
gear neurosis. You walk into a vintage store,
all of sudden it comes over you what you really
before. I’m not going to use any convention
or you’re looking at eBay or Reverb and you
need to make your performance work. It may
of substitute chords or anything. That came
see something that for some weird reason
not be the thing you use on stage. It might be
straight from the heart and then my brain
resonates with you. You say, “I always wanted
something that is just for this particular part.
came in with this great “I can do whatever I
one of those, I never had it, I heard that so-
Whatever it might be, if you’ve got fifteen,
want!” attitude because I decided not to seek
and-so used this with great success on a
twenty vintage amps out there, there’s a good
commercial acceptance. As you said, that song
particular record”. You dive
expresses an introduction into those attitudes
in and pick one up. I think
in a pretty stark and striking way. It’s really fresh
that Fender Champs are like
in my mind now because we played it every
that, we hear all these stories
single night on stage on this last tour.
“the whole record was done
with a Fender Champ”. But
chance that one of them is
I think that Fender
Champs are like that,
we hear all these
stories “the whole
record was done with
a Fender Champ”.
going to do the trick. It’s like
what you and I were doing
that day when we were just
plugging into all of them and
listening to the differences.
CG Your long-time co-producer / engineer
ultimately it’s got to resonate
John Cuniberti was kind enough to provide
with you. A good reason for
us with some photos of the vintage amps
collecting, if you can afford
you brought in for the Shockwave Supernova
it, is to recognize that we
sessions at 25th Street Recording. Do you tend
change from time to time, even day to day
bridge or something and you go, “I know what
to buy these amps based an immediate need,
when you walk in the studio. One day you do
this needs, it needs amp number seven I was
or do you have them in your arsenal for when
feel like a Champ, the other day you feel like
just goofing around with the other day”. Maybe
and if a need arises?
a Marshall stack. I have found that very often
because it uses 6L6s and the plate voltage
that’s the case with me, you get in a state when
is high, you’ve got more headroom and this
24
May June 2016
It’s great to know what they
do because you might be
sitting in the control room,
your hearing a part for a
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