funny thing being a guitar player.
[WM] As I was collecting some videos for
Matty and JD’s interview I had several nostalgic
moments. I remember crossing the Sydney
Harbor bridge and seeing a sign someone had
posted in their window that read “ONE WAY,
JESUS!” It was one of several exciting times in
an exciting musical journey timestamped with
so many great songs. What’s it like looking
back now on such a large body of work?
[MGC] Looking back at United We Stand,
I think it was 2006 when we recorded that,
and what’s funny to me is it was recorded on
the same stage as this new live album. I lot of
that does feel full circle. I remember in 2006 I
had just got the Gretsch Penguin, and I was
very much using the Boss DD5 for that dotted
eighth kind of vibe, and you don’t think of it at
the time, but I was so influenced by stuff that
was getting released over those few years.
Now I listen back and notice that the reason I’m
doing this is because of that guitar pedal, or the
reason I’m doing that is because of the guitar I
Joel Houston with a Jazzmaster
had. It is kind of fun to go back and listen. I use
especially with the amount of people that we necessarily be listening to them, I want them the White Falcon constantly all the time still, but
have onstage. to just be hearing the song, the awesome the Penguin just has a sound. Going back I just
chorus, the awesome melody, the awesome find that stuff really fascinating.
[WM] Who are you biggest influences in terms lyric. They’re not necessarily coming to hear of producers and guitar players, and is there the bass, or the keyboard, and I think that for I try and think to myself now, because
anyone who registers on both your producer guys like Jimmy Page and Van Halen I think a sometimes I’ll get a piece of equipment that
and guitar player ‘radar’? lot of times people were coming to actually hear I’ll almost over use, and I’ll start to feel bad for
the guitar. that. But then I’ll think back, and it seems like
[MGC] I know Eddie Van Halen used to
that through time people get inspired and they
produce a lot of stuff, I think with some of his I listen to The Edge, or Johnny Marr, or even use some sort of technology that gives that
bigger albums they started listening to him a lot Radiohead, I listen to that stuff for the guitar work a time stamp. And then they’ll move on,
more. I can see why guitar players end up being playing. But in terms of production it is kind of and that’s just fine, I feel like that’s just art.
producers, because there’s the ability to carry a different thing. George Martin would definitely a lot of weight, someone like Jimmy Page, you be someone that I look up to. I have a playlist I get fascinated going back and listening
can just tell that he had so much musicality and of a few hundred songs that I listen to when I because I’m not the most in-time guitar player,
so much style. drive home of stuff that I’ve always loved. I try and when I go back and listen that’s usually
to keep myself remembering why I love music. what I can hear (laughs), I can hear myself
The funny thing about being a producer is that Sometimes when I’m driving in I’m listening to struggling to stay in time. It definitely had a vibe,
you really have to know what people want from really modern music that just came out this I was just a little ahead of everyone else in the
you, and I think that’s not the easiest thing. So week, and that helps me think about how I can band.
when I work with some people, like someone try and take this stuff forward. Then when I drive playing bass or someone playing keyboards, home sometimes I’m listening to David Bowie [WM] Getting back to UNITED, one of my
a lot of times I don’t want the audience to or old U2. The producer world is definitely a favorite things about the songs from People
April 2019
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