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Watch an exclusive Frank Turner performance

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:10:00 GMT

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Watch the video above to see folk/punk troubadour Frank Turner performing his song Plain Sailing Weather at this year's SXSW festival.

The performance forms part of the latest episode of Guitar Center Sessions, a series that airs on DIRECTV's Audience Network (channel 239) in the US. You can watch the full Frank Turner session tonight at 9pm ET/10pm PT.

Future episodes will feature the likes of Goo Goo Dolls, OneRepublic, Fitz & The Tantrums, Talib Kweli and more.

Frank Turner's album Tape Deck Heart is available to buy now.

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Alice In Chains' Jerry Cantrell talks tone, acoustics, vocals and the band's new album

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:01:00 GMT

A lot of people are talking about the subject matter of the title track to Alice In Chains' forthcoming album, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (due out 28 May). The song deals with intolerance and the willingness of those who reject facts for political purposes. The band's guitarist and co-vocalist, Jerry Cantrell, is surprised to discover that some are surprised at all. To him, the group has never shied away from writing music with a message.

"It blows me away," Cantrell says. "Those two words: 'social commentary.' It seems as though everybody's flipped out that we have something to say. We've been saying shit all along. It's not a subject we haven't written about before, although we never had the Devil going around the Earth putting dinosaur bones in our lyrics. That's a new one, I guess."

Clarifying the notion that the lyrics are, in some ways, an attack on religion, Cantrell explains that the band is simply "saying something about blind hate – teaching stupid shit that doesn't equal up to fact. There's a lot of good truths to be learned in any belief system. It's the human application that makes it go fucking wrong."

One thing that can't be disputed is that the classic Alice In Chains sound, which the band upheld on 2009's Black Gives Way To Blue, its first with vocalist William DuVall, remains as biting and compelling as ever on the new set. Cantrell's mix of pulverizing electric guitars, contrasted on a trio of songs with a neon-rainbow-like blend of acoustics and electrics, is the engine that drives the band's rapturous aesthetic.

Cantrell talked to MusicRadar recently about how he constructs the Alice In Chains guitar sonic structure, his artful use of the wah pedal, what producer and eternal fanboy Nick Raskulinecz brings to the table and how departed members Layne Staley and Mike Starr live on through the band's music.

I have to imagine there's a discovery process that is the result of making any record. What do you think you might have learned about yourself, or even the band, when making this album?

"You're right – every record is like that. It's kind of similar to lots of elements to this job: You get together and play shitty clubs, and you're working for years before you finally become an overnight success. [Laughs] There's so much shit that happens before anybody even knows about you. It's massive amounts of time, months and months of demoing; putting gear together and sharing stuff; pulling everything apart, learning how to play – it's a lot. Then there's the actual recording, mixing, the packaging. By the time you all get the music, we're already done with it and thinking about something else.

"I respect the process because I know how hard it is. As individual musicians and as a band, it's something we care about a great deal, because it's all about the journey. Each record is like a chapter of a book or a time capsule – not just the music but also the collective lives. We're in a different place, and this is a different record, but it's similar; it's recorded for posterity and shared with everybody. Part of it will remain private, and it's what nobody will ever know [laughs]. And that's meaningful. And a lot of it is there for you to listen to and decipher and pick through."

The overall sound of the band has never been monochromatic – there's always been a "beauty and the beast" aspect to the contrasting sonics. Where did that come from?

"There's a lot of influences to the band. One of the elements is the power and heaviness and kind of a darkness, but there's always melody and beauty mixed in with that. Personally, I grew up listening to everything from country to pop to soul to rock – you name it. I would say that the other guys have similar influences, as well.

"I had a healthy dose of choir in high school. We got to do a lot of classical music, which has a lot of dark elements to it. I think all of those influences stuck, and they shine through in what we do."

Alice In Chains, 2013 (from left) William DuVall, Sean Kinney, Cantrell and Mike Inez © Johnny Buzzerio

It's always good when band members come from different musical places. If everybody in a band loves only AC/DC, they're probably going to sound like a bad imitation of AC/DC.

[Laughs] "That's a great point. I mean, you have to start from somewhere. AC/DC is one of my favorite bands and one of my biggest influences for doing what I do. We don't sound like them because we're not those guys; only those guys can sound that way. You can pick many bands that tried to sound like them – like Krokus, you know? There were a couple of Krokus tunes that I was sure were AC/DC inspired.

"Nobody can do it like them, and that's the goal. The goal is to try to find your voice. You begin by emulating your heroes – those guys are one of many – and then you find out who you are; then who you are is what you become to them – a signpost, maybe a direction to go in before they find their voice. Or maybe some signposts which way not to go." [Laughs]

I'm curious about your use of the wah pedal. To me, you've never used it as mere color – it's always been a real part of your vocabulary.

"It is, absolutely. From the very beginning, that's the one I fell in love with. It gives a guitar a voice; it makes it speak. I've always admired guys who incorporated that heavily into their sound. So it was and remains the one effect that I use the most. I also liked the way it changes a guitar's tone; when you have it on and it's sort of held wide-open, it makes the sound squashed and dark."

What was the evolution of your use of the wah? Was it a lot of trial-and-error? Did you incorporate it into your sound very naturally?

"It was just a lot of time spent, you know? That's really what it was. You have to have a guitar in your hand, and you have to spend a lot of time doing it. From the moment I first had a really decent guitar, it remained in my hands constantly. Throughout my life, it's been the number one thing to me. And it's remained the most constant thing in my life; it's been my longest commitment. You would hope that the time spent would mean that you're growing and getting better."

This is your second album with Nick Raskulinecz. What does he bring to the band's music that you feel is noteworthy?

"There's a couple of key elements: The first thing is that he never stopped being a fan of music; he loves it; he really loves it. He's in your face with a drumstick around, fake singing while you're doing tracks – it's a little ridiculous at times. [Laughs] I'll be like, 'Dude, chill out!' And he'll go, 'Fuck it, man. It's killer!' He's so into it.

"And two: He's a player. He's a rocker; he has the player's element. He plays drums, bass – he has knowledge of the instruments. He has insight into what you're capable of getting and when you can do more. The sign of a great producer is somebody who makes a band sound the best that they possibly can, not somebody who puts their stamp on the band. 'I'm so-and-so, and this is my sound; this is how we're gonna do it' – that's not a good producer to me.

"But there's producers who are like that. They have a formula; they have a sound; they'll work with multiple bands, and you'll pretty much hear the same sound on all the records. With Nick, whether he's working with the Foo Fighters or Rush or the Deftones or us, each band sounds like them."

The riff for the song Hollow could probably be played a number of different ways, and it would still sound cool. Did you work out the phrasing over time, or was it immediate?

"That one was pretty immediate. It came about on the last night of the Black Diamond Skye tour we did, our headlining run with the Deftones and Mastodon. It was the very last show, we were in Vegas and I was sick as hell – I was about a click above pneumonia. But I was warming up in my dressing room, and I started playing that riff.

"Right away, I knew it was a good one to store away for later, so I recorded it. Nick happened to be at that show, and so were my managers. Everybody perked up when they heard me playing it. 'What's that? That's pretty good!' [Laughs] I was like, 'Yeah, it is.' So I tucked it away. It was pretty immediate the way it came to me."

Songs such as Voices, Choke and Scalpel feature that gorgeous blend of acoustics and electrics that has been such an identifiable part of the Alice In Chains sound. Do you have any go-to acoustics for recording?

"It's kind of whatever works. There's a handful of guitars that gets used over and over. For years I've borrowed acoustic guitars from Nancy Wilson because she's got one of the best collections there is. There's a Hummingbird that I've used on a couple of records – I used that again. At Henson Studios, I borrowed some guitars from John Shanks – a couple of old Gibsons and an old Martin. There's a Guild on the record and some 12-strings…

"The way I look at it is, you don't know what you need until you go in and start doing the job. Then the song starts telling you what needs to be there. It's a bit of trial and error. You start playing the guitar – or, if you want to take it a step further to the electric side, a guitar-and-amp combo – and pretty quickly you can figure out if it's going to work or not."

When recording guitars in the studio, Cantrell says, "Things have to be set up right, and I've got to play tight as hell." © Â Chris Schwegler/Retna Ltd./Corbis

With your all-electric sound in particular, there's a great wall of power, but it's never muddy – each note rings through and is articulated.

"Taking it from my end, certain things happen in the studio where you'll come up with a part that sits on top of something else real nice. Generally, I have a good portion of my stuff laid out beforehand – what the rhythm track is, if there's a color line between that; I have a knowledge of the parts.

"Now, how to record those parts and make them a reality, that's where Nick and Paul Figueroa, our engineer, and I sit down and work as a team. Things have to be set up right, and I've got to play tight as hell. But that's always been one of my strengths – playing to myself and playing extremely tight. That probably comes from all the time I've spent demoing over the years.

"With any track, you might be hearing anywhere from two to five different cabinets with different amp heads running at the same time. We had a stack of amps: a Marshall; my Dave Friedman amps, which I've been using for the last couple of years; we had Bogners hooked up; we had an Orange head; a Laney Clip; a Hiwatt; and we had an AC30 for all of those songs you mentioned that are a mix of acoustics and electrics.

"When you stack all of that up, you have to make sure that everything is in phase, and you have to make sure that each guitar is intonated and in tune. That's a time-consuming process. I think people would be amazed at how long it takes to do a lot of stuff that's pretty tedious. But we're willing to go through the process; you don't want to leave any nail unhammered."

And then there's the band's vocals, that special blend that was you and Layne and now you and William. Where did that come from? Growing up, were you a fan of great vocal groups like Crosby, Stills & Nash and the Eagles?

"Absolutely. The Who, The Beatles – there's a ton of bands that had two voices. Roger Waters and David Gilmour, and before them there was Syd Barret. I've always been a fan of bands that had multiple voices. The Cars were another one. You can pick out individuals on certain songs, but on others it's like they're one voice. That's the trip; it's kind of the thing we created.

"I have to give all credit to Layne. From the first time I heard him sing, I knew that I wanted to be in a band with him. I always thought that he was the most amazing vocalist I'd ever heard, and I still think that. He would take whatever I gave him and make it so much better. And vice versa: He would write, later on with guitar and stuff, and I would help him, too. I started out as a backup singer, and then I started singing leads. Probably on Sap is when I started singing leads.

"That continued to grow, and now that's what this band is based on. I needed, and the band needed, a partner, and I've been very fortunate to continue that legacy without shitting on it. William has been a big part of that and has come along with how we work, getting to know how to do that.

"[Drummer] Sean [Kinney] and I have been here all along, so we know how this thing goes. And [bassist] Mike [Inez] has been here a long time, too. We know how this band is supposed to sound. I just think that there's a collective body or a consciousness. Layne and Mike Starr are a part of that. I like to think that they still have a voice through us."

Ben Howard debuts new song

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:23:00 GMT

Read more about Ben Howard debuts new song at MusicRadar.com

Ben Howard has debuted a new song while recording a guitar technique video for Total Guitar.

Double Brit Award winner Howard slipped into the new song while demonstrating the 'pick and go' technique that he uses to such great effect. You can hear the song in the video about, starting at around 0.17.

For more information, visit the official Ben Howard website.

Read more about Ben Howard debuts new song at MusicRadar.com

VIDEO: Bernie Marsden plays The Beast, his 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:45:00 GMT

Read more about VIDEO: Bernie Marsden plays The Beast, his 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard at MusicRadar.com

Back in 2012, Guitarist caught up with the blues-rock legend and former Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden. In this video he plays and tells the story of 'The Beast', the guitar that defined the sound of early Whitesnake and on which he wrote Here I Go Again.

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Gibson announces 50th Anniversary Thunderbird Bass

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:20:00 GMT

Read more about Gibson announces 50th Anniversary Thunderbird Bass at MusicRadar.com

Gibson has announced the 50th Anniversary Thunderbird Bass, celebrating half a century of the earth-shattering bass icon.

Launched in 1963, the Thunderbird has long been a favourite of bass players looking for something a little bit different thanks to its outlandish shape and through-neck build. The likes of Nikki Sixx, Duff McKagan and Krist Novoselic have all favoured the bassy beast over the years, and in recognition of its mighty low-end prowess, Gibson's 50th Anniversary model is finished in Bullion Gold.

For more information, visit the official Gibson website.

Gibson press release

50th Anniversary Thunderbird Bass

As the fierce four-string partner to the Firebird guitar line introduced in 1963, the Thunderbird bass has long been a stylish alternative—both onstage and in the studio—for adventurous bassists, Now Gibson USA celebrates the Golden Anniversary of this raging tone monster with a stunning tribute to the breed: the 50th Anniversary Thunderbird Bass.

Thunderbird style, "through-neck" construction, a pair of mighty T-Bird Bass pickups and a rock-solid Thunderbird three-point bridge make the 50th Anniversary Thunderbird Bass the most playable and best-sounding bass on the scene. This commemorative bass wears a gorgeous Bullion Gold finish in high-gloss nitrocellulose lacquer, and a pick guard that's hot-stamped with a gold T-Bird logo and "50th Anniversary 1963-2013." Add it up, and it's both a fitting tribute to a special anniversary, and a thunderous way to lay down the rumble in any style of music.

Body and neck

The core of this exceptional bass lies in its "through neck" construction, with the neck and body core crafted from the same rugged multi-ply mahogany tone wood blank for unparalleled strength and sustain. It takes more work to build a bass this way, but the effort pays off in every aspect of the instrument's feel and response. Two solid mahogany body wings complete the iconic Thunderbird package, which cuts a figure recognized on stages the world over. The neck is carved to a comfortably rounded profile that measures 0.790" at the 1st fret and 0.930" at the 12th. It is topped with a 20-fret fingerboard made from Grade-A rosewood, inlaid with pearlod dot position markers.

Pickups and electronics

The firm sonic foundation of the 50th Anniversary Thunderbird Bass is cranked through a pair of extremely versatile contemporary T-Bird Bass pickups, with ceramic magnets for enhanced punch and clarity. Individual volume controls and a master tone control let you blend pickups as desired for a wide range of sounds.

Hardware and plastics

Strings are anchored at the body end by a rock-solid three-point Thunderbird bridge with individually adjustable saddles, and high-quality Grover tuners at the headstock—all gold-plated to match the commemorative look of the 50th Anniversary Thunderbird Bass. Its black plastic pickguard is hot-stamped in gold with the Thunderbird image and anniversary years.

Read more about Gibson announces 50th Anniversary Thunderbird Bass at MusicRadar.com

Handwritten Beatles lyrics donated to the British Library

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:00:00 GMT

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A collection of scraps of paper jotted on by The Beatles, including letters and original versions of song lyrics, have been donated to the British Library by Beatles biographer Hunter Davies.

The papers - valued at just under £1million - include early handwritten versions of In My Life, Strawberry Fields Forever and She Said She Said, as well as a letter from a young (and drunk) John Lennon to Stuart Sutcliffe and a postcard sent to Davies from Lennon while The Beatles were in India.

Some of the items have been on loan to the British Library for a number of years, but this is the first time Davies' collection has been handed over in its entirety.

"I want my Beatles collection to be kept together, in one place, and on public display, and the British Library is the perfect home for it," said Davies. "I have always been pleased to see them in the Treasures Gallery, next to the Magna Carta, and works by Shakespeare and Beethoven, because that’s where I honestly think they belong. Working on a new book about the Beatles lyrics made me determined that the British Library should have the world's best public collection of Beatles manuscripts - I’m really pleased the Cultural Gifts Scheme has helped me make this a reality.”

The Cultural Gifts Scheme allows individuals to gift items of cultural significance to the British nation in return for tax benefits. This is the first time that the scheme has been used, with Davies generating over £300,000 worth of tax breaks over the coming years in thanks for his donation.

“It’s fantastic that the first treasures to be donated to the nation through the Cultural Gifts Scheme include the hand written lyrics to some of the world’s best known songs, by one of the world’s most loved artists," said Culture Minister Ed Vaizey. "Incredibly generous donations like these are testament to the strong culture of philanthropy that exists in Britain today, and I look forward to seeing what other treasures may soon find a home in our national collections as a result of this scheme.”

For more information, visit the official British Library website.

Read more about Handwritten Beatles lyrics donated to the British Library at MusicRadar.com

Gibson unleashes Sully Erna Les Paul Studio

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

Read more about Gibson unleashes Sully Erna Les Paul Studio at MusicRadar.com

Gibson has unleashed the Sully Erna Les Paul Studio, an eye-catching signature guitar for the Godsmack frontman.

Featuring an eye-catching pearlescent white Godsmack sun emblem and mahogany neck and body, the Les Paul also includes an on-board flanger that is accessed by a push/pull pot, and a kill switch in the usual toggle switch position. The Sully Erna Les Paul Studio has an RRP of $2332 (that's approximately £1545).

For more information, visit the official Gibson website.

Gibson press release

Sully Erna Les Paul Studio

Both as the leader of the chart-topping band Godsmack, and more recently, as an acclaimed solo artist, Sully Erna has racked up one of the most impressive resumes in contemporary rock. The band's self-titled 1998 debut album went platinum five times over, and three following releases debuted consecutively at #1 on the Billboard album chart, helping the band to sell more than 15 million albums worldwide in the process. Through it all, Sully Erna has established a look and a tone that are emblematic of heavy rock for the 21st century—an image that Gibson USA captures in spades in the new Sully Erna Godsmack Les Paul.

In addition to beautifully embodying the image of this powerful artist, the Sully Erna Godsmack Les Paul also nails his unique and uncompromising sound. Special touches include an Ebony Black finish with pearlescent white Godsmack sun emblem, subtle double-star 12th fret inlays, hot-stamped signature truss-rod cover, and a Sully Erna moon-and-star emblem on the headstock. Among the sonic surprises hidden within this stripped-down Les Paul are a built-in flanger accessed by a push-pull switch on the master tone pot, and a kill switch in the traditional toggle selector position. Put it all together, and the Sully Erna Godsmack Les Paul is a powerful statement in the eyes and ears of all who behold it, and a guitar totally fitting for this uncompromising artist.

Body and Neck

A traditional foundation ensures the Sully Erna Godsmack Les Paul's sonic success right from the start. A carved solid maple top lends bite and articulation to the sound, while a select mahogany back—treated with Gibson's new modern weight relief pattern to increase playing comfort and enhance resonance—contributes superb warmth and depth. A solid, quarter-sawn mahogany neck is glued in and carved in a comfortably rounded '50s profile that measures 0.818" at the 1st fret and 0.963" at the 12th, and topped with a black bound Grade-A rosewood fingerboard with 22 medium-jumbo frets and simple dot position markers, plus subtle double stars at the 12th fret. A black Corian™ nut is cut on Gibson's PLEK for optimum precision.

Pickups and Electronics

The stripped-down ethos and outward simplicity of the Sully Erna Godsmack Les Paul belies a powerful sonic punch lurking within. It's single '57 Classic Plus pickup yields everything from bone-breaking crunch to eviscerating leads when used on its own, but just pop the push-pull switch on the tone control to unleash the built-in flanger circuit for instant Godsmack atmospherics. Adding further drama to your playing, the toggle-switch on this single-pickup Les Paul is actually kill switch to mute the guitar's output for rhythmic stutter effects.

Hardware and Plastics

A set of genuine Grover™ tuners partners up with the classic pairing of Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece for smooth and efficient tuning and intonation married to solid sustain. All hardware is black, in keeping with the stunning look of this guitar. The truss-rod cover it hot-stamped with Sully Erna's signature, and to avoid obstructing any part of its unique finish, the Sully Erna Godsmack Les Paul comes without a pickguard.

Read more about Gibson unleashes Sully Erna Les Paul Studio at MusicRadar.com

Capital Cities' Ryan Merchant talks Safe And Sound, software and vintage synths

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:01:00 GMT

Read more about Capital Cities' Ryan Merchant talks Safe And Sound, software and vintage synths at MusicRadar.com

To say that Safe And Sound, the fast-rising single from the LA-based pop duo Capital Cities, is a cavalcade of catchiness would be something of a grand understatement. From start to finish, it's an epic hookfest, a fresh and irresistible one-listen winner that buries itself in the thicket of your senses and stays there.

So it's a little surprising, then, to realize that the track, which will be featured on Capital Cities' debut album, In A Tidal Wave Of Mystery (4 June), has actually been hanging around a while: it was the first cut on the band's 2011 self-titled EP. "It's a little strange seeing what's happening," says singer-keyboardist Ryan Merchant, who founded Capital Cities with co-singer and keyboardist Sebu Simonian in 2009. "This isn't the first time that a song had a slow build before it takes off. I just know that we're thrilled. It's pretty exciting."

Unlike some synth-based acts, when Merchant and Simonian hit the stage for their live show, they don't stand at their keyboards, with heads bowed and feet planted into the ground, like air-traffic controllers; the two kick up their heels and throw one of the sweatiest dance parties around. "People come to a concert to let loose and have a good time," says Merchant. "Sebu and I have no problem being entertainers. "

During a stop on the band's Dancing With Strangers tour, Merchant talked to MusicRadar about the group's synths and software, their love of Michael Jackson, the Bee Gees and Pink Floyd, and how Safe And Sound came together.

Safe And Sound is pretty remarkable for its sheer number of hooks: You have the dual vocal melody hook in the verse, the chorus, the synth bass line, the trumpet part – every part is a monster.

[Laughs] "Hopefully so, yeah! It started out as a one-minute piece of music that Sebu and I wrote, and we had the octave bass thing. But it was completely different at first; we probably went through 10 different versions before arriving at what it is now. In those previous versions, there was no trumpet. It was a synth line at first, but by the end we realized that the melody for that part was great, but it needed to be different. It needed a new sound to take it to an epic level, so we came up with the trumpet. That's what gave the moment more gravitas, if you will.

"All of the hooks in the song were written extremely fast; arranging everything in a certain way was what took the most time. Plus we knew we had to work out the sonic structure so that it all hit with the right impact. It probably sounds effortless, but it really wasn't. A lot of thought and trial-and-error went into it."

You have a live trumpet player on stage, but what about on record? Is it live or electronic?

"It's a real trumpet on the recordings; a guy named Brian Warfield recorded it. There's still a lot of effects on it, and it's mixed in a certain way, so it might be hard to tell if it's real or not."

Simonian (left) and Merchant (right) on stage at New York City's Irving Place, May 2013 © Jason Sheldon/The Hell Gate/Corbis

The band's dual vocal approach already feels like a signature sound. How did that evolve?

"That was a by-product of the fact that Sebu and I are both singers. We were both lead singers in bands before Capital Cities. We started working together on TV commercials and were writing these songs, and so we felt like we needed to start a band. Both of us wanted to sing, and when we started doing it, it sounded good to just have two lead singers. There's something similar about the timbre of our voices, yet when they're mixed they create this new, interesting kind of univoice."

When you and Sebu met through Craigslist, were you thinking about a band at all, or did you guys get together simply to work on syncs?

"No, I wasn't thinking of a band at all. I was mainly looking for somebody to help me produce some songs that I'd written, basically for a solo project. I just wanted to have some sort of product in hand. I saw Sebu's ad on Craigslist, which was the one and only ad he placed, and I went through his website. I saw that he had produced a bunch of bands, and I watched a couple of videos of him performing, and I really connected with his songwriting style. I felt like he was a kindred spirit in his approach to melody and chord progressions – that kind of thing.

"We got together, and instantaneously we had a great chemistry. We started working on my songs, and very soon after I fell into this jingle writing business. I asked him if he'd like to collaborate with me on that, and that's what we did for a while. Eventually, we had a bunch of songs and started Capital Cities."

When people form bands, they usually have some sort of template in mind. There's a common ground – "We want to be like Metallica" or whatever. What was your template?

"It's funny, because when we first formed the band and did a few shows, we weren't electronica at all; it was all live. We thought that was the direction we wanted to go in, to have live drums and two guitars, bass, all of that. Soon afterwards, we realized that it was harder to rehearse with a bunch of people in the band, but we also wanted to explore producing the songs in more of an electronica context.

"By doing this, it allowed us to go out and play smaller shows, just the two of us. We could perform with backing tracks and sing over them, which was kind of liberating. Over time, though, we've started to incorporate more instrumentation back into the project. Now we have a live bass player, a guitarist, live trumpet – eventually, we'll probably bring back the drums."

I was going to ask about that.

"Yeah, we'll do it when it sounds right. I think we'll do it. We want to wait till we're in the right venues. Unless you're playing bigger venues consistently – like Irving Plaza – the live drums can overpower the mix a little bit. Drums are loud, cymbals are loud. We like the cleanliness of the sound we get right now."

There's a very smooth '70s R&B vibe to the song Kangaroo Court. Are you and Sebu fans of that era?

"Yeah, we both love a lot of, for lack of a better term, funkier, more rhythmic music, stuff that has cool basslines. That song is one of our slower jams, I guess. But sure, we love Motown and Stevie Wonder. Jazz, too – that plays into our music a lot."

How does Pink Floyd fit into it all? I love your cover of Breathe.

"I'm a big Pink Floyd fan, but Sebu is a diehard, obsessive Pink Floyd fan. He would probably cite them as one of his primary influences. What he loves about them is how they explored the psychedelic side of music, which our stuff doesn't really have – we're more straight-ahead pop music in a lot of ways. Adding this sort of dreamy trumpet to some of our songs is, to me, a direct result of listening to Floyd. It's a spirit we get from them, a drive to experiment and not play by the rules."

What was involved with Andre 3000 guesting on Farrah Fawcett Hair?

"Our manager reached out to him and sent him the track. Andre listened to it, loved it and said that he was down for doing a verse on it. Conceptually, the reason why we went after him was because the song is all about things in life that we find to be undeniably good. Farrah Fawcett Hair, the title of the song, is the ultimate embodiment of something that is unanimously considered to be great. Everyone loves Farrah Fawcett hair. [Laughs] With that in mind, we wanted to have one of the undeniably great rappers busting with the verse. We went after Andre 3000, and before you knew it, he was recording our song. It's pretty amazing."

You and Sebu are particularly fond of the Roland Juno-106. Are synths like guitars? Do the older ones have something special about them?

"To be honest with you, we started using the Juno-106 because it was the only analog synth we had sitting around. Sebu kind of adopted it after a friend left it at our studio. Safe And Sound was the first song we used it on. We brought it out and played these huge pad chords on it, and it was then that we realized we had been missing the analog synth boat. There is something to the sound of the Juno. A lot of times, we'll program parts using software synths, but we'll replace them with the Juno-106. It fits in the mix with a fullness and a richness – it's warmer. I think people can subconsciously hear that."

A tambourine-shaking Merchant on stage at Irving Plaza, May 2013 © Jason Sheldon/The Hell Gate/Corbis

Are there any downsides to using the Juno-106? Because it is old…

"Yeah, well, when you work with software synths, it's so easy to save presets and program MIDI – the user-friendly elements are definitely a plus. The Juno-106 is cumbersome and it can't do all of the things that soft synths can do, but the sound is unbeatable. We use it for core bass sounds and pad sounds. We don't want to overuse it, but it's definitely a big part of the sound."

Speaking of software, what do you use?

"We use Logic – that's kind of our main digital audio workstation. We also use Native Instruments. Oh, and there's this one synth called Minimonsta. That one is great – it's our go-to soft synth. It's got a lot of great old Moog sounds. I like that one a lot."

As a kid, you were obsessed with Michael Jackson –

[Laughs] "Yeah, you could say that."

One can tell from your synth basslines. In terms of sound and structure, they're somewhat reminiscent of the bass parts on Thriller and Off The Wall.

"That's cool. Michael Jackson had so many amazing songs. Sebu and I are totally into him. I have to think that his music rubbed off on us. More than the bass, I think a lot of our guitar parts are very Michael Jackson inspired. We have a lot of funky, picked guitar parts that have a Thriller vibe to them, like on the song P.YT."

You guys are Bee Gees fans, too – you do a great version of Stayin' Alive in the set.

"Yeah, we love the Bee Gees. I'm not sure how we decided on that one, though. We try to cover songs that are somewhat ubiquitous but haven't been done a million times. With Stayin' Alive, there wasn't one that was the seminal cover, so we went for it. The trick is to do something interesting with it, take it apart and reconstruct it. It still has to be recognizable as the song, as Stayin' Alive, but it has to have our own stamp on it. We tried to alter the emotional quality of it; it's a little more serious and dark."

Read more about Capital Cities' Ryan Merchant talks Safe And Sound, software and vintage synths at MusicRadar.com

14 famous Epiphone players

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT

Read more about 14 famous Epiphone players at MusicRadar.com

Gibson unveils 20th Anniversary Nighthawk Standard

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:30:00 GMT

Read more about Gibson unveils 20th Anniversary Nighthawk Standard at MusicRadar.com

Gibson has unveiled the 20th Anniversary Nighthawk Standard, celebrating two decades of the three-pickup electric which was first introduced in 1993.

Featuring the Nighthawk's classic pickup combination of a mini-humbucker at the neck, a single coil in the centre position and a humbucker at the bridge, this Anniversary edition also features a triple A grade maple top and mahogany body, and carries an RRP of $2498 (£1649.50).

For more information, visit the official Gibson website.

Gibson press release

20th Anniversary Nighthawk Standard

Unveiled to the guitar world in 1993, the Nighthawk has established itself as a “modern classic” in the Gibson stable over the course of 20 years of powerful, versatile performance, while winning legions of fans in the process. To celebrate this highly evolved marriage of Gibson innovation and tradition, Gibson USA introduces the 20th Anniversary Nighthawk Standard. This guitar is packed with the clever design features that made the instrument such a winner originally, and dressed worthy of a true showpiece—making it a guitar you will be proud to own and play for a lifetime.

The 20th Anniversary Nighthawk Standard retains all the distinctive ingredients that make this unique breed of Gibson so special, including the 25 ½” scale length for firm lows and chiming highs, the comfortable body contours, through-body stringing and unique Nighthawk bridge, and the superb versatility of a trio of different yet complementary pickups, with push-pull coil splitting for the bridge pickup. A high-gloss nitrocellulose finish in your choice of Antique Natural or Fireburst over a gorgeous figured Grade-AAA maple top, deluxe split parallelogram fingerboard inlays, gold-hardware, and a truss-rod cover hot-stamped in gold with “Nighthawk 20th Anniversary” all make this an extra special addition to the proud line.

Body and Neck

The 20th Anniversary Nighthawk Standard’s body follows the Nighthawk’s stylized take on Gibson’s legendary Les Paul, with a scaled-down body with deeper cutaway, and ribcage contour for enhanced playing comfort. Its top is made from figured Grade-AAA maple, and its back is solid mahogany. A solid, quarter-sawn mahogany neck with a 25 ½” scale length is glued into the body and carved in a comfortably rounded profile that measures 0.818” at the 1st fret and 0.963” at the 12th. The guitar has a bound fingerboard made from solid Grade-A rosewood, inlaid with split parallelogram position markers. A Corian™ nut cut on Gibson’s computer-controlled PLEK helps to ensure optimum sustain and precise intonation.

Pickups and Electronics

Much of the 20th Anniversary Nighthawk Standard’s unparalleled versatility is found in its trio of different yet complementary pickups. The Nighthawk Mini-Humbucker in the neck position offers a rich, throaty growl, but with plenty of definition; an NSX Nighthawk Single-Coil in the middle offers both snappy funk tones and thumping midrange; and the Nighthawk Lead Humbucker in the bridge position yields tones from mammoth crunch to articulate, singing lead sounds. Just pop up the tone control’s push-pull switch to tap brighter single-coil sounds, and blend myriad combinations of these with the five-way switch. Master tone and volume controls make on-the-fly adjustments a breeze.

Hardware and Plastics

Through-body stringing and a rock-solid Nighthawk bridge lend superb resonance and massive sustain to this high-concept guitar. The bridge, strap buttons, and vintage-style “Gibson Deluxe” tuners are all gold-plated, as are the pickup’s mounting rings and the neck pickup cover. Amber “top-hat” knobs lend an air of Gibson tradition, and the guitar wears no pickguard to obscure the beauty of its highly figured top.

Read more about Gibson unveils 20th Anniversary Nighthawk Standard at MusicRadar.com

Karnivool return: download new single The Refusal for free now

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:00:00 GMT

Read more about Karnivool return: download new single The Refusal for free now at MusicRadar.com

Australia's progressive rock titans Karnivool have finally returned with new music following 2009's masterpiece 'Sound Awake' and you can download new song 'The Refusal' for free.

Listen to and download the storming comeback song here for free now.

The first taster from their forthcoming third album is a heavy and aggressive return for the Perth five-piece, who meld alternative rock, metal and fresh musicianship to create a unique sound.

Nick DiDia (Pearl Jam, Rage Against The Machine, Mastodon) has produced the forthcoming as-yet-untitled album (due mid-2013) and helped give the guitar tone of Drew Goddard and Mark Hosking a beastly low end here for the twisting heavy riffs, before a signature Karnivool mellower groove takes us into the mid-section. Bassist Jon Stockton also debuts vocals on the song alongside frontman Ian Kenny's distinctive pipes.

The ever-meticulous band have spent the last two years writing for the album at their Perth HQ before spending three months recording at Studios 301 in Byron Bay with DiDia. Keen-eared fans may recognize the track as one the five-piece have been roadtesting since 2011.

Karnivool will play this year's Download festival on the Saturday (15 June) and look out for more on Mark and Drew's rig and the forthcoming album in a future issue of Total Guitar.

Read more about Karnivool return: download new single The Refusal for free now at MusicRadar.com

Scott Gorham talks recording with Black Star Riders

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:25:00 GMT

Read more about Scott Gorham talks recording with Black Star Riders at MusicRadar.com

Scott Gorham talks recording the new Black Star Riders album, All Hell Breaks Loose, and how he achieves his signature tone.

All Hell Breaks Loose is available on pre-order now. For more information on Black Star Riders, including tour dates, visit the official Black Star Riders website or link up with the band on Facebook.

Read more about Scott Gorham talks recording with Black Star Riders at MusicRadar.com

Peavey demos the AT-200

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:10:00 GMT

Read more about Peavey demos the AT-200 at MusicRadar.com

Check out Peavey's latest demo of the self-tuning AT-200 electric guitar, which includes details of how to achieve drop C, open G and baritone tunings.

For more information, visit the official Peavey website.

Read more about Peavey demos the AT-200 at MusicRadar.com

VIDEO: On The Road with Eric Johnson, live rig tour

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:04:00 GMT

Read more about VIDEO: On The Road with Eric Johnson, live rig tour at MusicRadar.com

Guitarist caught up with the legendary tonehound at a recent show at Komedia in Bath, UK, where he gave us a guided tour of his impressive live rig.

Buy Guitarist on Apple Newsstand.
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Read more about VIDEO: On The Road with Eric Johnson, live rig tour at MusicRadar.com

Summer NAMM 2013: Schertler rolls out Jam Series

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:45:00 GMT

Read more about Summer NAMM 2013: Schertler rolls out Jam Series at MusicRadar.com

Summer NAMM 2013: Schertler has unveiled the Jam Series, a new line of acoustic amplifiers that will be making their debut at Summer NAMM 2013.

The series comprises three models - the Jam 100, Jam 150 and Jam 400 - which are each finished in wooden cabinets. The high-fidelity amplifiers feature onboard mixers with both XLR and 1/4" inputs and dedicated vocal inputs, as well as built in digital effects including reverb.

Prices begin at $999 for the Jam 100. For more information, visit the official Schertler website.

Schertler press release

SCHERTLER INTRODUCES JAM SERIES AMPLIFIERS

Schertler has introduced a line of high fidelity acoustic amplifiers to be shown at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville, Eastman Guitars booth #1512. The Schertler Jam Series features a wide range of high-performance, classic wood cabinet amps, the Jam 100, Jam 150, and Jam 400. With the Schertler Jam Series, we know your musical instrument is a prized possession, and its sound deserves to be authentically reproduced and amplified with the best possible audio quality.

Since its foundation in the early 1980s, Schertler has embarked on a passionate endeavor of research aiming to achieve the highest levels of fidelity in the reproduction of acoustic stringed instruments. Today, the Schertler brand is a standard for live performance, broadcast and recording applications and proudly lists some of the world's leading orchestras, ensembles and solo artists as ambassadors.

The Schertler Jam 100 ($999.99) is a high-quality 100-watt bi-amp with a 6" woofer and 1" dome tweeter. Faithfully responsive and engaging from the first listen, the amp features four channels, two available for use as dedicated vocal mics, a harmonious digital reverb effect, XLR, ¼ inch, and RCA inputs. Pole mount optional. Dimensions: 10.6 x 11.4 x 14.17 inch – 24.25 lbs. For more information visit: http://www.schertler.com/homepage_schertler/jam100-en.html

One of the market leaders in Europe, the Schertler Jam 150 ($1249.99) is a 150-watt bi-amp with an 8" woofer and 1" dome tweeter. The onboard mixer enables the use of several instruments simultaneously depending on the needs of musician. It features six channels, two available for use as dedicated vocal mics and two for pair line in, a medium EQ band on all channels, ¼ inch input and XLR inputs with phantom power. Additional features include four reverb channels with Alesis effects and an RCA RCA record in/out. Pole mount optional for use as a stage monitor. Dimensions: 10.6 x 14.17 x 15.74 inch – 28.66 lbs. For more information visit: http://www.schertler.com/homepage_schertler/jam150-en.html

Incredible dynamics and detailed image the Schertler Jam 400 ($1749.99) is a 400-watt bi-amp with two 8" woofers and a 1" dome tweeter. This highly portable cabinet provides a full range of options for the most demanding of performers and includes advanced features such as switchable subwoofer output, variable anti-feedback control, phantom power and multiple digital effects. The amp features nine channels, three available for use as dedicated vocal mics and three for pair line in. Advanced features include a switchable subwoofer output, variable anti-feedback control, phantom power, and eight Alesis digital effects. A range of XLR, ¼ inch, and RCA inputs provide complete versatility and the potential for solo artists, duo's and ensembles to perform with a single lightweight amplifier. Dimensions: 14.56 x 16.92 x 19.29 inch – 46.29 lbs. For more information visit: http://www.schertler.com/homepage_schertler/jam400-en.html

Read more about Summer NAMM 2013: Schertler rolls out Jam Series at MusicRadar.com

Pearl Jam's Mike McCready talks Layne Staley and Mad Season's Above reissue

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:30:00 GMT

Read more about Pearl Jam's Mike McCready talks Layne Staley and Mad Season's Above reissue at MusicRadar.com

"It was a brief lightning bolt of music that lasted six months, tops, and then it was gone," says Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready of Mad Season, the mid-'90s band he formed with Alice In Chains singer Layne Staley, Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin and bassist John Baker Saunders. "We did a lot of stuff in that short period of time. Luckily, most of it was documented."

There were a tight handful of Mad Season shows, such as those at Seattle's Moore Theatre and that city's famed (and now-defunct) RKCNDY nightclub, but most notably, there was the band's sole full-length disc, 1995's Above, an engrossing collection of moody, blues-and-jam-oriented songs that yielded the radio hit River Of Deceit.

Following the release of Above, McCready and Staley returned to their full-time bands, and while there was some talk of Mad Season reconvening, the deaths of both Saunders (in 1999) and Staley (three years later) effectively put an end to the band. Recently, Above received the deluxe reissue treatment, with the package including a DVD of both the Moore Theatre and RKCNDY gigs, along with three long-dormant, previously unreleased tracks that Screaming Trees singer Mark Lanegan wrote lyrics for and has now put vocals to. Also included in the set is Mad Season's version of John Lennon's I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier that the original band recorded for the 1995 John Lennon tribute album, Working Class Hero.

McCready recently sat down with MusicRadar to talk about the reissue of Above, how the band formed and functioned, and his recollections of both Layne Staley and John Baker Saunders.

Artists don't usually listen to their own albums a lot. Had you listened to Above much, or at all, since it came out?

"I listened to it all the way through probably two times in the 16 years since it came out. I have heard River Of Deceit on the radio since then. But I haven't listened to the album because, for me, it's very sad. Baker and Layne both died, so there's a sadness that hangs over the entire record; I wasn't willing to live that again. Those couple of times I did listen to it, it was tough.

"When I went back and heard it again, it was freeing and sad. I cried and laughed and felt proud. I felt a real mixture of emotions that'd I'd never had with any other music I'd done, because two of the guys passed away, and I miss them."

So, obviously, working on this reissue was very bittersweet.

"It's kind of bittersweet, yeah. It's bittersweet talking about it – I wish that they could be here talking about it, too. I'd like to see what they'd be like now, when they weren't as young as they were 16, 20 years ago, whenever we made the record. But in terms of the music and getting it together, that was kind of the cool part.

"While bittersweet, there was also a feeling of closure, because we sort of put out everything we did. That was a big deal. To be able to do two DVDs from two shows, one at the Moore Theatre and one that I forgot we even had, at the RKCNDY, was pretty cool. It was good to just say, 'This is what we did in a short period of time. We were a quick flash, and then we were gone.' But it re-flashed with Mark Lanegan singing on a few songs."

Mark is a very different singer from Layne, but he fits with the music. I understand that you wanted him to sing these songs for quite a while. What took so long?

[Laughs] "That's a good question. I'm just grateful that he did it. I had approached him over the years, you know, 'Hey, man, would you be interested in listening to these songs and singing over them?' Mark was kind of the true right guy for it. In my mind, I couldn't think of anybody else. I know a lot of great singers and have luckily been able to work with Eddie [Vedder], Chris [Cornell], Layne and Star Anna, all of these great singers from Seattle, but Mark… he just wanted to do it now.

"The timing was never right before – I was on tour, Mark was on tour; he's got his solo thing and doesn't live here anymore. Maybe it just struck him as something he didn't want to do. And I didn't want to keep bugging him about it; if I'm working with somebody, I want them to be as excited about something as I am. You can't just go, 'Be excited about it.' [Laughs] And I think he was. Barrett approached him, and you know, they're very close – they'd played in The Screaming Trees together. Mark trusts Barrett's intuition on a lot of things, and I do, too. I think Barrett came to him in a cool way, and then Mark put those ideas down."

On Mad Season's formation, McCready (right) recalls, "I was like, 'I've got these guys. Let's try to do something. Let's just see what it is."

Help me with the chronology of how Mad Season came together. Were you talking to Layne first, or did it start when you met John?

"I was in rehab in Minneapolis in 1994, and I saw this kind of crusty old guy pull up to the place. He drove a Dodge Dart, and it had a bumper sticker that read, 'What We Have Here Is A Failure To Give A Shit.' [Laughs] I just thought, 'This guy is awesome. I've got to meet him.'

"A couple of days passed, and we're doing whatever it was that we were doing, and then I heard Bob Dylan playing from this one room. I thought, 'Well, that's interesting,' because we weren't supposed to play music. I went in the room and said, 'Oh, cool.' And it was Baker. He and I started talking about Bob Dylan. We struck up a friendship, and when we got out, he was living in Minneapolis, and I just wanted to stay there for a while and not go back to Seattle.

"When it was time to come back, it was right around the time that we had to find a new drummer – that's a whole other story – and I just said to Baker, 'Hey, do you want to come back with me?' I don't think he had anywhere to go in Minneapolis, so I just moved him here. I had met him first, but I had called Layne from Minneapolis. He was receptive. When I got back, Layne was off the road, and Pearl Jam was off the road; there was Barrett from The Screaming Trees – I had always wanted to work with him because he's a fantastic drummer – and I was like, 'I've got these guys. Let's try to do something. Let's just see what it is. Let's jam and maybe do a record.' It was more of a jam thing at first."

So you and Layne hadn't talked about doing something prior to this; it definitely started with John.

"It started with John Baker Saunders, and I appreciate you bringing that up. He doesn't get talked about a lot in the history of Mad Season. It was pretty awesome when he moved to Seattle. He fit right into the scene here; he had a cynicism and dark side that worked with all of the Seattle guys. Jeff Ament was very nice to him and let him borrow a bass for a few things. Just recently, he gave me the bass that he borrowed, and I was very touched by that.

"Everybody sort of gravitated towards Baker. He was a real honest, really cool bluesman. I think that Layne felt that – the honesty and the realness – and so did Barrett. When we first got together to jam, it was a free-form, fun thing; there wasn't any pressure, like, 'This isn't my band, Pearl Jam.' I didn't have all of the insecurities that went along with that. Running back to that time, I definitely needed something to help me gain confidence in my songwriting. Mad Season was kind of the vehicle for that."

That's interesting. I've never heard you talk about that before.

"Well, I was in a band with some very prolific songwriters, guys who know what they want and know how to get it. I was not that way – back then. I've completely changed, of course, but for the first three records, I didn't really write anything on them. After Mad Season, I started writing my own music for Pearl Jam and brought it in. Given To Fly came out of that, and so did Faithful – those were on Yield, which came after Mad Season. I can draw a direct lineage in my confidence growth after we did that record. Mad Season changed my life in a million different ways."

So you were looking to boost your confidence as a songwriter. What about Layne? Did he ever tell you what he was looking for in Mad Season?

"That's a good question. I don't know. I can only interpret his lyrics and what I think they mean to me. I think they're him searching for a way… [sighs] to get out of the spiral he was in. Or documenting it – documenting the pain and the suffering he was feeling, knowing that he couldn't get out of it, the horror that goes along with it. But he's also being very honest about it; he's dealing with some very heavy stuff – some addictions, his girlfriend dying and things like that. It's very intense and artistic, how he did that. Wow… It's almost too heavy to think about at times.

"I think that he might have just felt like it was a good break from his band, as it was for me from my band, and as it was for Barrett. He might have felt as though there was more freedom in this. This was a jam. Baker brought this blues element to it that he hadn't had before; we were all heavier and more 'rock.' This was a new experiment: We were using cellos and vibes, Baker was a new element, and I was the only guitar player, but I think Layne was used to that with Jerry. Although I wasn't used to that; I was only used to two guitar players, sometimes three! It was very freeing thing."

River Of Deceit has an opening guitar figure – and tone, as well – that's very reminiscent of Pearl Jam. Were you maybe working on it for that band, but it wound up with Mad Season?

"It's hard to remember, but I think I so, yes. I think I had that part kind of hanging out. I definitely had the verse part. [Sings the verse guitar riff.] That part I had. I might have done the intro while we were doing Mad Season – it's hard to remember. But I definitely had chords like that going on, but I didn't really do anything with them until I was in the room with those guys. I was unafraid to go somewhere with it, whereas I might have felt that way with Pearl Jam at that time."

The riff for Lifeless Dead is a monster. Where did that come from?

[Laughs] "Thanks. I was way into Jimmy Page at that time, so I was trying to write a riff-type thing in the vein of that. The intro was maybe more Pink Floyd, but I did use the Gibson doubleneck SG, so the vibe is very Pagey – I think. That's what I was listening to back then."

What time signature is that song in?

"You are asking the wrong guy. I don't know! [Laughs] I'd have to ask Barrett – he would know."

The turnarounds in the guitar phrase are so unexpected. When I listen to it, I think, "He's going to miss that one note."

"That's Barrett and me. He's counting it out and playing in a certain way that makes it go like that. On my side, it's pure feel; I couldn't count it out like he does."

Who brought up the idea of doing John Lennon's I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier?

"That was me. We were approached by Hollywood Records, and I think it was John Dee, who is Mark Lanegan's manager now, who asked us to do a song for a John Lennon tribute record. It was a fat check, too, so we were like, 'Sure!' [Laughs] That helped pay for most of the Mad Season record. I can't remember where the idea of the song itself came from, but I always thought it was cool. Those guys gravitated towards it. Layne did a great job on that."

The band did some shows, but how and when did it all come to an end? Were you indeed looking to do another album?

"It's kind of blurry. It was mid-'94 to '95, or mid-'95 to '96, and we all went back on the road. Pearl Jam did the Yield record, and we got a new drummer, Jack Irons, at that time. I went back into that world, which was all encompassing. Barrett went back into the Trees. Layne was struggling, but his band went in to do their last record with him. I'd say the band ended right around the New Year's Eve show we did at RKCNDY.

"I haven't watched the live shows all the way through, but I want to watch the RKCNDY one again, because that's when Layne was feeling really good. I remember it as being a good example of us firing on all cylinders."

Read more about Pearl Jam's Mike McCready talks Layne Staley and Mad Season's Above reissue at MusicRadar.com

In conversation: Chad Smith with Alex Lifeson - part two

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:05:00 GMT

Read more about In conversation: Chad Smith with Alex Lifeson - part two at MusicRadar.com

Last week, MusicRadar kicked off a new podcast series, In conversation, with famed Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith welcoming his first guest, legendary Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson. In part one of their chat, the two rock icons were voluable, engaged, insightful and hilarious when talking about a variety of topics, everything from Lifeson's first teenaged date with his now-wife of 37 years, Charlene, to Rush's much-ballyhooed induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Smith and Lifeson are no less lively in part two, which begins below. Over dinner last April at the Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood, California, the two again chat about the Rock Hall ceremony (Lifeson spills the beans on what was, at the time, a closely guarded secret, that Foo Fighters Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins, along with producer Nick Raskulinecz, would perform at the show as mid-'70s-era Rush – in kimonos, no less!).

But there's much more: Smith and Lifeson discuss hobbies such as painting and flying, guitar effects, late former Rush sticksman John Rutsey, what happens when band members just don't work out, and in a strikingly poignant passage, Lifeson recalls Neil Peart's efforts to regain his drumming chops after enduring soul-crushing personal tragedies

In conversation: Chad Smith with Alex Lifeson - part two begins below:

Edited transcript:

Smith: Dave and Taylor are gonna just gush!

Lifeson: I know. Taylor came by rehearsals today.

Smith: Did he? He was in Chile or something.

Lifeson: Yeah, he came back yesterday.

Smith: He texted me, like, "What are you doing?"

Lifeson: I can't believe he actually got there.

Smith: That guy's got some energy.

Lifeson: Yeah. Yeah, he's a sweetheart. We were planning on doing some stuff, and just for logistics, they asked him if it would be possible for him to play Neil's kit. It's like giving a right-handed guitar player a left-handed guitar. Neil's snare is really high, and everything's wrong.

Smith: It's like wearing somebody else's shoes or something.

Lifeson: Yeah, you can't do it.

Smith: I sat down at Alex Van Halen's kit once. He sits, I swear…

Lifeson: Really low.

Smith: Really low. His snare is above… I'm a tall guy. He's not as tall as me. Everything is up here. It's "Bang, bang!" And your knees are like… I was like, "How the fuck do you play?" It's crazy. I was like, "Kink, kink!" I couldn't… [Lifeson laughs] So he's going to tackle that monster. What song are you going to do?

Lifeson: Well, Dave and Nick Raskulinecz…

Smith: Yeah, of course. Very quiet man...

Lifeson: When does this come out?

Smith: I have no idea.

Lifeson: They've got something playing, yeah. [They laugh]

Smith: Good. That's all we're going to say about it.

Lifeson: They're going to the 2112 Overture, but they're going to wear kimonos. Taylor's going to have the big moustache that he had…

Smith: Ohhh, yes!

Lifeson: And they're going to play the Overture, and then we'll come in after they finish it at the end, and do a couple songs.

Smith: Fantastic!

Lifeson: They want to get it all right. [They laugh]

Smith: Who's you? Who's playing you? Grohl?

© JeromeBrunet.com

Lifeson: That's Grohl, yeah.

Smith: That's great. See, because I know you love… You were dressed as [laughs] Amy Winehouse in your tour booklet?

Lifeson: Yeah, I don't know where that came from.

Smith: Where's that come from? How long ago was that?

Lifeson: It seemed like a good idea at the time. I think it was the last tour.

Smith: Was it before she…?

Lifeson: Yeah. Maybe she saw the picture and –

Smith: Couldn't take it.

Lifeson: – couldn't take it anymore, because I was better looking.

Smith: Being made fun of by Canadian gentlemen. Did you make a good Amy Winehouse?

Lifeson: I don't know. What do you mean by good? [They laugh]

Smith: Good is a subjective word.

Lifeson: It is.

Smith: Good, like handsome? I was a handsome Amy.

Lifeson: Portly. She's a little thinner.

Smith: A handsome Amy Winehouse. Maybe when she was going through one of her not-so-healthy times, maybe.

Lifeson: Maybe. I probably look like a healthier Amy Winehouse, unfortunately.

Smith: Yeah, I don't think she for to the… I don't know. And you paint? I didn't know you were a painter.

Lifeson: I'm not really.

Smith: You Renaissance man.

Lifeson: I really enjoy it. I love it. I enjoyed art in school. I've always done little drawings and stuff like that. I don't really know what I'm doing with the painting, but I experiment. I got into it about six or seven years ago. I got a request from the Kidney Foundation in Canada to get involved with their... with a program that they run annually, where they get different celebrity artists.

© JeromeBrunet.com

Smith: Then they auction them?

Lifeson: Right, they auction it. It's called… Brush of Hope, I think. I did a painting, just a little acrylic painting on the little board they send you, with the little paints that they give you.

Smith: Did it have numbers on it?

Lifeson: No numbers. It sold for $7,000 or $8,000. I was so thrilled, as they were.

Smith: [Claps] I bet. Do you want some peppa?

Lifeson: Sure. Most of these things sell for between $25 and $100... thank you. It was a pretty big deal. They asked me to come back, and I thought, "For sure." This is a great idea. Since then, I now buy my own canvasses. I do bigger canvasses. I spent a couple thousand dollars on paints, so I can do some really decent-quality work. I still don't know what I'm doing.

Smith: So what?

Lifeson: I'm still experimenting. A lot of stuff, I kind of redo and paint over. But it's getting there. I really enjoy it.

Smith: Do you have a studio at your place? What do you do?

Lifeson: I sit at the table… the dining room table.

Smith: Not like …

Lifeson: No. I laid out a bunch of newspaper, and set everything up where it's nice and sunny, and a couple of lamps when I'm working in the evening. I got a little tabletop easel, so I can set it up there, and get a different perspective on it.

Smith: That's so cool.

Lifeson: The last one I did …

Smith: You could start painting guitars.

Lifeson: You know, I was asked to do that, again for a charity. There's something about working on a canvas that makes it realer. It takes it out of what the other thing that I do.

Smith: Yeah, that's true. That makes sense. I get it.

Lifeson: In fact, they ran a series of an earlier painting, and it got prints and sold a few hundred, for $100 or something.

Smith: You can retire.

© JeromeBrunet.com

Lifeson: Yeah, it raised a lot of money for them.

Smith: That's really great, too.

Lifeson: It's really great. I'm really proud of it.

Smith: This is really good.

Lifeson: I'll try one of those, for sure.

Smith: That's so cool. Later on, you can be like... you liked it in school, but then you never really did it after school.

Lifeson: Yeah. Charlene's an amazing artist. She was tops in her class. We have some stuff at home that she did in high school that is just so beautiful – mind-blowing. But soon became a mom, and I was away…

Smith: She didn't keep it up?

Lifeson: She never got a chance to really do it. She's been trying, but her whole life is so busy. It's too bad. It's really a waste that she doesn't do that. But you never know. It is a lot of fun. I enjoy that a lot.

Smith: Is it relaxing?

Lifeson: It's relaxing. I put some music on, and I'll have a puff every once in a while and get creative. Before I know it, it's dark outside. And I start in the morning – I've had nine cups of coffee. When I'm doing it, I can't stop thinking about it. I keep wanting to go back. "I've got to... I just thought of something. I know how I can feather that color out." It's great. At the end of the day, you feel like you're doing something that's helping somebody else.

Smith: That's great.

Lifeson: I used to fly… my pilot's license.

Smith: Flea's getting his pilot license right now.

Lifeson: Is he? Good for him.

Smith: He's just going to start solo.

Lifeson: What does he want? OK, so he's about 15 hours or so, 18 hours into it.

Smith: I think so. He's been doing it …

Lifeson: What are his intentions?

Smith: He's going to get a little Cessna. I can't remember the name of the plane. He's going to buy a plane, like a four-seater.

Lifeson: A 182, something like that?

Smith: I can't remember.

Lifeson: Something a little bit bigger?

Smith: No, not too big. It has all the latest modern –

Lifeson: Avionics, yeah.

Smith: A safe …

Lifeson: He's just planning on being a recreational flyer, and just going up.

Smith: Right. I think so, yes. You did that?

© JeromeBrunet.com

Lifeson: I did do that. I got my license in 1980, and then I was so keen after I got my license. It was a challenge. We were touring a lot back then. We were gone for long periods of time. It took me a year to get my license, because I couldn't fly. I was away a lot. When I was home, I went as much as I could. Winter, it's minus 30 – that's when winter was winter, and you aren't going to fly on those days. It's just too cold.

I was so into it. I wanted something that would challenge me, that I would do that would, again, be different from being on tour and playing and all of that stuff, and force me to be very responsible about what I was doing, and the application of this thing that I was learning.

After I got my license, I got my multi-engine rating. I got a float rating, I got a night rating – I got basically everything except my instrument rating. I have lots of instrument time, but... this is something that he should be aware of, too, and he probably is. Unless you're going to be really serious about your instrument rating, and really work towards it and keep it current, then you're better off to not get it and just be a recreational flyer when it's sunny and nice outside, and go and enjoy it.

Smith: You can't fly at night if you're…

Lifeson: You can get a night rating to fly at night. For an instrument where you're in cloud and those sort of things, things can happen so, so very quickly. If you don't have the experience, and you're up to date with it, it can be extremely dangerous.

Smith: I think the Kennedy had …

Lifeson: John Kennedy is a perfect example. He went out at dusk. He figured, "It's still light outside. I can get there, just as it's getting dark. I'll be fine." He had a fair bit of experience, but not a great deal, and no instrument – from what I understand – no instrument experience. The thing is, at dusk, that's maybe the worst time because there's no horizon. That's what happened. He got disoriented, because he couldn't see the horizon. Even though it wasn't night... he's looking for this, and he's not looking at his instruments. What he should have done, as soon as he sensed any kind of problem, was to immediately turn back and go back to his departure airport. But you know, that's not the way guys think, mostly.

Smith: Yeah. "Oh, I can make it. I want to get there."

Lifeson: It happened so, so quickly.

Smith: He's taking it very seriously. He's a pretty responsible guy. I don't know how far he wants to go, but I know recreational. I'll ask him about the whole thing.

Lifeson: I'm sure he's …

Smith: He wants to get a plane. He's into it.

Lifeson: It is fun.

Smith: He's like, "I just want to fly around and go here."

Lifeson: He lives here?

Smith: In California, the coast.

Lifeson: Exactly. All over the place.

Smith: He's got a house in Big Bear.

Lifeson: Easy. That's an easy flight during the day. It's nice.

Smith: I think that's his plan. What happened, you lost interest in it?

Lifeson: If you own your own airplane, you can go and fly it any time you want. Staying current on your license, after I think 40, is an annual physical that you go for. After a while, I wasn't flying that much, so I wasn't getting my minimum annual... It's not a lot, 10 or 15 hours. I just kind of lost interest in it. I was playing golf.

Smith: Life happens – other things, kids, whatever.

Lifeson: The kids, grandkids, all that stuff. If you're not current every month... if you haven't flown in a month, if you're renting, you have to go back for another…

© JeromeBrunet.com

Smith: Is that right?

Lifeson: Yeah, you have to go with an instructor, fly around for an hour. He'll sign you off that you're…

Smith: You're thinking, "I want to go here next week."

Lifeson: It's too much work. I just want to go flying for an hour.

Smith: Exactly. "I've got to go with this guy now?" I get it.

Lifeson: I kind of lost interest in that.

Smith: I know that you're like "gadget guy." You like, I think… correct me if I'm wrong… pedals, and things that go "ping"? You like all that stuff?

Lifeson: I love all that stuff. I've always been interested in that sort of thing, right from the very beginning.

Smith: From your sound, or in your mind, what you're trying to... I know it depends on the music and where you're at, and what you're writing and stuff. How much does it dictate? Is it after the fact? You're in the studio and the song is developing, and like, "This is going to work?" Or can it be from the beginning, like The Edge, his thing. It happens both ways?

Lifeson: That's a great question. I think probably in the past, I would utilize effects or tonal shaping, more from the beginning. Less so now, because I really believe that the core of the song should work, no matter what you do.

Smith: You can play it on acoustic or whatever.

Lifeson: Exactly. That's the real test, is on an acoustic. If it works on an acoustic, it's going to work no matter what you do. It's easy to get caught up in the technology and be enamored by the sound of something. But it's just that – it's a superficial thing. It's not deep inside what makes the song a song, and makes it compelling. I've moved away, much more. It's more of an afterthought now. I've always been ensconced in the technical end of it, from a wah-wah pedal, to a fuzztone in the early days.

Smith: That's probably all you had. What were your first effects?

Lifeson: My first effect was the Fuzz Face Fuzztone. I remember, I used to plug my guitar into the back of my parents' TV. [Smith laughs] It had a little RCA input. I don't know why that input was there.

Smith: Was it distorted?

Lifeson: Oh, yeah, it was distorted before I even put the Fuzzface in. [Smith laughs] Then I got a wah-wah pedal, a CryBaby wah-wah pedal.

Smith: Jimi Hendrix had one of those. Gotta have it. Page…

Lifeson: Yeah, all those guys. Clapton when he was in Cream – White Room. I mean, there was lots of wah-wah. The Echoplex was the big one, and then the chorus pedal changed everything in my sound. I came to really rely on that from the mid-'70s on.

Smith: Chorus pedal?

Lifeson: Yeah, it just makes things bigger, especially in a three-piece. It makes it wider.

Smith: Crutch.

Lifeson: It can be a crutch. [Smith laughs] It can be. Delays can definitely be more of a crutch, because it masks insecurities and inaccuracies. Playing in this band with Neil and Ged, they're so active. You need to do something that kind of fills... it's the glue.

Smith: It's the situation. Certainly early on, before Geddy got into the Taurus pedals and keyboards, you were... that was it, as far as real melody. That was your job. You had a big job, a big thing to do.

Lifeson: Yeah, in a very busy space.

Smith: Where's... let me ask you this, and go back to the Hall of Fame for a second… Will anyone from the Rutsey family be involved?

© JeromeBrunet.com

Lifeson: I don't know, personally. Yeah, John passed away a couple of years ago. We hadn't really seen much of each other. When he left the band, he really left music. He sold his drums a few months later.

Smith: Look what you did to him. You ruined him.

Lifeson: He became a body builder.

Smith: He became a body builder? [Laughs] Really?

Lifeson: Yeah, he competed provincially in Ontario.

Smith: Wow!

Lifeson: John was a complex kind of guy. He was so funny – he was wonderful to be with – but would get into these moods where he hated you for some reason all of a sudden, and would have nothing to do with you.

Smith: Kind of no reason?

Lifeson: Yeah. For a couple of months.

Smith: A couple of months?

Lifeson: Yeah. Oh, yeah.

Smith: How are you going to be in a band with a guy like that?

Lifeson: I know, it was difficult. Suddenly, one day he would call and say, "Hey, what's going on?" – like nothing happened. He was a very moody, weird guy in that way. He had juvenile diabetes, and I think it had a big influence on his life. I remember, I met him when we were both 10 or 11 years old. We were friends from being kids. There were a lot of those little cycles where he would get like that.

Smith: You think maybe it was from the diabetes?

Lifeson: He was very self-conscious about the diabetes. He worried about touring, going away, how would he store his insulin and those sort of things. He didn't want people to know. It was a complex thing with him. I think when it came down to it, he had a very rough year before we got our American deal in 1974 and went on tour. That year, he was very sick. He had issues with his diabetes and other physical issues.

Smith: He kind of had enough.

Lifeson: In fact, we had another drummer – Jerry Fielding was his name. He sat in and learned the stuff, and played for a couple months with us while John was recuperating.

Smith: I didn't know that.

Lifeson: Then it went back and forth a few times. He was one of the candidates to join the band, when John left. He was a great drummer, and a really nice guy. But Neil was just something else.

I'd see John every once in a while, when we would come home, not very often. I didn't see him probably from 1976, I guess, until mid- to late '80s. And then we got together, and I started working out with him, training with him. We socialized a little bit. It was kind of nice. We actually went on a holiday together. Then I didn't see him or hear from him until four or five years ago, I guess. It was long, from '88 to 2008. Suddenly, I remember he called and asked me about something that he was – some charity thing that he asked if we would get involved with. The next thing I knew, he passed away, which is sadly not uncommon for people with juvenile diabetes.

Smith: It's bad when you get it as a juvenile, I think.

Lifeson: Yeah, and he was in his mid- to late 50s by then. It's tough. I don't know if there's anybody from his family that reached out to the office.

Smith: So you haven't been in contact with them.

Lifeson: No, not really.

Smith: I get it, I get it, I get it.

© JeromeBrunet.com

Lifeson: Forty years, that's a long time. There's no denying that he was an important part of the beginning of what our roots were, but we were a very different band not long after he left, really. It's kind of the way things go, I guess.

Smith: I remember they would ask, "Who do you want to be there?" Because we have quite a few members as well. They were asking us, "Who do you want to be included?" Usually, it's founding members. They gave us the usual parameter stuff, and it was up to us. Actually, I was talking to Sammy not too long ago – Andy Johns passed away last week, did you see that?

Lifeson: Yeah.

Smith: He did our first Chickenfoot record.

Lifeson: Yeah, that's right.

Smith: We knew Andy, and he did a Van Halen record, he did one of Joe's records. We were just talking on the phone about that. He said, "Yeah, Denny Carmassi, who was the drummer in Montrose, I've been doing stuff with Denny and Bill Church in the studio, recording." I said, "That's great. How does it sound?" "Cool, man. We've got the old Montrose thing going." I'm like, "You're kidding me." He's like, "Denny's really upset, because Denny was in Heart in the '80s.

Lifeson: Yeah.

Smith: [Laughs] He wasn't invited to be involved in the whole thing, and he was really bummed.

Lifeson: Yeah, well, you know…

Smith: But you guys are like... that's a no-brainer.

Lifeson: Yeah, I think if John was still around, I think an invitation would have gone to him, for sure. He's not, and it's nothing really to do with his family or anything. We did have another guitar player in the band.

Smith: When?

Lifeson: '71?

Smith: What?!

Lifeson: Yeah, Mitch Bossi.

Smith: Mitch Bossi?

Lifeson: Yeah, he was in the band for …

Smith: The Mitch Bossi?

Lifeson: [Laughs] Yes – the teacher. He was in the band for, I don't know... I think it was three or four months. We were playing clubs and high school dances and stuff like that.

Smith: Was this in your movie? I don't remember that.

Lifeson: I think. Yeah, Mitch was mentioned in it. There were some photos with the four of us. He was a friend of John's. Mitch was not that great of a guitar player.

Smith: You're being nice.

Lifeson: He was OK, but not that great.

Smith: He could play.

Lifeson: He could play.

Smith: Chords.

Lifeson: John really wanted to go to more of a Bad Company kind of, Small Faces, er, Faces sort of thing. That's the kind of music that he was really into.

Smith: Bluesy?

Lifeson: Yeah, the English bluesy kind of thing.

Smith: He had more of that vibe?

Lifeson: We went for a while, for a few months. I remember we were at a rehearsal, and we told Mitch that it wasn't really working out. [Smith laughs] He picked up his stuff, and he left.

Smith: Spinal Tap. Was John part of that decision as well?

Lifeson: Yeah, John actually made that decision. I remember him saying, "This isn't working out. I'll talk to Mitch." It was at a rehearsal. We were all there. I guess John did the talking.

Smith: In a band... How do I say this? When you have to fire somebody …

Lifeson: It's hard. We're terrible at it.

Smith: It's the worst! So are we. We're the worst, and we've had to let some people go, and it's…

Lifeson: I know.

Smith: It's a horrible… When John, our guitar player, left, we got another guy to play just a tour, the Lollapalooza tour. We did another one in the fall. Arik Marshall, he was a really good player. But we'd never written, and we tried to write songs with him, because John quit in the middle of a tour.

Lifeson: Yeah, learn the stuff.

Smith: Right. He played great. He was a really good player, but we'd never tried to write. We were jamming and improvising, and that's kind of how we write our songs. He tried that, and it just wasn't happening. You're like, "Oh, no…. " We had to fire him. It was really rough.

Lifeson: I know.

Smith: We did this whole thing, auditioning guitar players is a nightmare. We put an ad in the LA Weekly. This was 1993, or something like that, and we had every crazy person come down and audition for the band. That didn't really work out. We saw this one guy playing in this band called Mother Tongue. His name was Jesse Tobias. We'd been so frustrated by the audition process; we saw him play and we thought, "Wow, he sounds good. His band sounds good." "Want to jam with us?" "Yeah, OK." We had one jam – an hour, hour and a half – good, funky, he played everything cool. We were so excited by this. We thought,
"Wow, the guy's kind of got his own thing."

Lifeson: "'This is going to work!'"

Smith: Yeah, exactly. We were so frustrated. "You're in!" Ahhhh… He quits his band. We start jamming… two, three days …

Lifeson: You realized?

Smith: Yeah. It was premature. At the time, we'd asked Dave Navarro to be in our group and he said no. Then he was like, "You know? Yeah, all right." We'd always kind of wanted him to be in the group to begin with.

Lifeson: Yeah, Dave's pretty …

Smith: Dave's a good player, right? It made sense, we know him, and Jane's Addiction. Dave says, "Yes, I think I'm ready to do it." And we had to fire Jesse…. Ohhh! The picture was already in Rolling Stone, [laughs] the new guitar player – aarrrgghhh! That was really bad. It's a hard…

Lifeson: Yeah, it's really hard.

Smith: It's hard… What's the longest... it was probably during when Neil took time off, that was probably your longest inactivity for the group, right?

Lifeson: Yeah, that was from... we'd come off that tour, I think in June of '97, the Test For Echo tour. The accident happened in August, and then his wife Jackie passed away in June of '98, and then he went on his odyssey. It wasn't until... was it 2011? Yeah, it was 2011, because we started in January of that year.

Smith: 2001.

Lifeson: I'm sorry – 2001. We didn't finish until fall of 2012, and I remember we were in the studio when 9/11 happened. We had some friends that were visiting from the States – actually, one friend from here in Los Angeles and another from Boston. They were stranded in Toronto. It was really interesting, because right in front of our offices, from 3:30 to 6:30, there's no parking. At 3:31, the tow trucks come and pull the cars away that are parked there. This one friend of ours, from Boston, his car was parked out front, right in front of our office. He had Massachusetts plates on the car. They didn't touch his car. Everybody was so freaked out about what had happened, and so supportive.

Yeah, that was a tough album, that one. After everything that he'd been through, it was so delicate and fragile. Honestly, he hadn't played in a few years. Once he'd played, in three years, and he barely got through that playing session. He talks about it, and how he broke down when he was playing, and really never wanted to play again, and didn't think he could. When we came back into the studio… he just was not anywhere close to being the same drummer that he was. He couldn't play.

Smith: That's the thing – you don't do it, you use it or lose it, right? Especially the way he performed.

Lifeson: You hit the drums hard. [Laughs] In different scenarios, at the club at the Orbit Room, when you played with the A Team that time.

Smith: Oh, that's right! I forgot about that.

Lifeson: It was so exciting. The tonality out of that kit – you just know what you're doing. You know the kind of pressure that's required to make the drums speak. When we were in the studio, oh, my God, he was hitting the drums at 65 percent of what he used to. I'm a pretty strong guy, and I'd go in there and mess around on his drums. I hit them as hard as I could, and it was nowhere near what he was doing in just his regular playing. I know a lot of it is technique, and how to snap your wrist or whatever it is. It was a long, arduous climb for him to get back together, to his playing speed. He did get back to it. It was a very difficult time.

Smith: He's such a perfectionist, you know? I'm sure he was just like... it must have been frustrating, to not be able to do your thing.

Lifeson: I think it was, but at the same time, I think he recognized that he'd gone through a terrible, difficult period where he just didn't play. He didn't exercise his…

Smith: Yeah, he wasn't like, "I just lost it for no reason. No, I know why."

Lifeson: There was a good reason why he couldn't do it. I think he realized that, and it was a long, hard climb to get back up. Some days, I think he was discouraged by it. Other days, he was more focused on it. Getting married, and Carrie coming into his life was really, really, really important. Carrie came up when we were there. She did that beautiful book of his hands – she's a photographer. She spent time with him, and it was therapeutic, I think, for her to be involved, and to shoot him while he's playing, and all of that stuff.

It was a very powerful remedy, I think, for him. It was important. She was there every few weeks. She would come back up and spend time with him, and be together and support him. She was the instigator in getting him back to work. She didn't know anything about the band when they met, and they got married. She basically said to him, "I don't really know a lot about the band, but what I do know is that you do what you do, and you're pretty good at what you do, from my understanding. You've got to do something with your life. Why not do the thing that you were really good at doing?"

Smith: [Laughs] That's very innocent, though, right?

Lifeson: It is very innocent. That doesn't account for all the turmoil that you're feeling, and this horrific experience that he went through. How do you eliminate, or at least dilute that emotional horror show? She was willing to support him, and lift him up. We were there all along for him.

Smith: I'm sure you guys were. That's amazing.

Read more about In conversation: Chad Smith with Alex Lifeson - part two at MusicRadar.com

On the radar: Silver Shields

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Read more about On the radar: Silver Shields at MusicRadar.com

Target: Silver Shields

Surveillance:

Location: Hertford

Personnel: Darrell Carter (guitars/vocals), James Marinos (synths/pianos/sequencing/bass), Rob Baker (drums and percussion)

Intelligence: Rushing guitars, swirling psychedelic flourishes, animal masks - Silver Shields have got the lot, and make an almighty noise for a three piece. Not bad for a band that took time and happy accidents to get going.

"The band actually started recording about two years ago, in between bands that Rob and I were already playing in," says singer and guitarist Darrell Carter. "I had a bunch of songs that I'd recorded at home on Cubase - really basic stuff with vocals and acoustic guitar with lots of reverb and the occasional tap of the mic head to act as a kick drum. They were dog rough, but gave me a good idea of how I'd like them to sound with a 'proper' band. So, for eight weeks in between other bands, Rob and I would practice these songs, just guitar and drums, with me splitting the signal and sending one level into my Marshall stack and the other into a Trace Elliott to give it some bottom end. We recorded the drums live and that was the last that Rob heard of the tracks for about a year.

"I would then go into the studio to work on the guitars and vocals. While I was in the studio I met James, who was working as an engineer, and we got talking about bands and stuff. It turned out that James is also a monster keyboard player. As soon as I heard him playing I thought 'I'll have some of that!'. After we'd finished the tracks I brought Rob back in and played him the songs and he was like 'Jesus, I didn't expect them to sound like this!'".

That sound - a sort of swirling psyche-pop bathed in feedback and given a shoegaze shimmer - has so far seen them championed by BBC London and industry bible Music Week, and their self-titled debut EP looks set to cement their position as Hertfordshire's leading guitar-obsessed noiseniks.

"I think all the songs are how I imagined them to sound, the only exception being OverDrozd," says Carter of the recording process. "I wanted a My Bloody Valentine 'Isn't Anything' kind of guitar rush. I recorded six guitar takes on a Fender Mustang at flat-out feedback and used the tremolo arm to bend the sound. During the chorus the guitars are being thrashed to death, with a kazoo thrown in for good measure, too."

Hardware: Darrell – Gibson SG, Fender 72 Tele Thinline, 1974 Fender Acoustic, Marshall JCM 900 Head 50w, Marshall Silver Anniversary 4 x 12, 2 x Boss delays, Danelectro reverse, Boss Flanger, Boss Tremolo,

Rob - DW Custom Collectors Series 10x8, 14x12, 16x14, 22x20, Yamaha Peter Erskine signature 14x4 snare
Sabian HHX Hats, Zildjian K Custom Cymbals/Ride
DW9000 Hardware, Pro-mark 5a sticks

James - Korg Triton, Pro Tools, Fender jazz bass, Trace Elliott AH head 4 x 10 cab

Further action: Download Silver Shields' debut EP from Bandcamp and connect with the band on Facebook.

Read more about On the radar: Silver Shields at MusicRadar.com

MusicRadar Deals Of The Week

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:30:00 GMT

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Killer bargains from our recommended retails. Check out this week's deals.

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Average age of UK festival goers now over 30

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:30:00 GMT

Read more about Average age of UK festival goers now over 30 at MusicRadar.com

The average age of UK festival goers is now well over 30, according to research undertaken by MSN.

A sample of 2000 people revealed that 60% of 18-24 year olds will be unable to attend festivals in 2013 due to the increased cost of tickets, travel and, presumably, on-site booze. The average age at Glastonbury is now 36, while at Reading and Leeds it's 35.

The study also indicated that costs of attending festivals have skyrocketed, with the average expenditure a whopping £423.01, including pricey tickets (averaging £103.66) and over £80 on food and drink. Some festivals, such as Glastonbury, now charge over £200 for a ticket - a far cry from the £1 charged to entry for the first festival at Pilton Farm back in 1970.

Read more about Average age of UK festival goers now over 30 at MusicRadar.com

Ivor Novello winners revealed

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:45:00 GMT

Read more about Ivor Novello winners revealed at MusicRadar.com

Emeli Sandé and Noel Gallagher were among the winners at this year's Ivor Novello awards.

The awards, which are generally regarded as the most prestigious among songwriters, were handed out at a ceremony at the Grovesner House Hotel in London this afternoon. Alongside Sandé - who scooped two awards - winners included The Maccabbes, Randy Newman, Calvin Harris and At-J. Read on for the full list of winners:

Best Contemporary Song

Pelican

Written by Sam Doyle, Rupert Jarvis, Orlando Weeks, Felix White and Hugo White

Published in the UK by BMG Chrysalis

PRS for Music Most Performed Work

Next to Me

Written by Hugo Chegwin, Harry Craze, Anup Paul and Emeli Sandé

Published in the UK by Naughty Words Ltd - Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Stellar Songs Ltd - EMI Music Publishing

Best Television Soundtrack

Lucian Freud: Painted Life

Composed by John Harle

Published in the UK by Chester Music

The Ivors Inspiration Award

Marc Almond

Album Award

An Awesome Wave

Written by Thomas Green, Joe Newman, Gwilym Sainsbury and Augustus Unger-Hamilton

Published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing

The Ivors Classical Music Award

Errollyn Wallen MBE

PRS for Music Award for Outstanding Achievement

Justin Hayward

Best Original Film Score

Anna Karenina

Composed by Dario Marianelli

Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing

Best Song Musically and Lyrically

Next to Me

Written by Hugo Chegwin, Harry Craze, Anup Paul and Emeli Sandé

Published in the UK by Naughty Words Ltd - Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Stellar Songs Ltd - EMI Music Publishing

International Achievement

Gavin Rossdale

Songwriter of the Year

Calvin Harris

Outstanding Song Collection

Noel Gallagher

PRS for Music Special International Award

Randy Newman

For more information, visit the official Ivor Novello Awards website.

Read more about Ivor Novello winners revealed at MusicRadar.com

Producer Nick Raskulinecz picks 10 essential rock records

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:35:00 GMT

Read more about Producer Nick Raskulinecz picks 10 essential rock records at MusicRadar.com

Since Elvis moved like Elvis on the Ed Sullivan Show, rock 'n' roll has played a key role in widening the cultural gulf between parents and their kids. Producer Nick Raskulinecz wouldn't know from that, though: As a music-obsessed teenager growing up in Knoxville, Tennessee, he used to bond with his mother over their mutual love of rock, metal and even prog albums.

"My mom had great taste in music," Raskulinecz says. "She and her friends would play Rush and Yes and all kinds of cool bands. It was awesome having a mother who loved music. Anytime she went to the record store to buy a couple of albums, she'd get some for me, too."

Read more about Producer Nick Raskulinecz picks 10 essential rock records at MusicRadar.com

VIDEO: Sigma S000M-15 acoustic guitar fingerpicking demo

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:26:00 GMT

Read more about VIDEO: Sigma S000M-15 acoustic guitar fingerpicking demo at MusicRadar.com

Sigma's all-mahogany acoustics are proving popular in the Guitarist office thanks to a combination of great tones, classic simplicity and superb value for money. Check the S000M-15 out and hear it in action.

Read the Sigma S000M-15 review.

Buy Guitarist on Apple Newsstand.
Subscribe to Guitarist magazine.

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Gibson announces 20th Anniversary 1957 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:50:00 GMT

Read more about Gibson announces 20th Anniversary 1957 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty at MusicRadar.com

Gibson has announced the limited edition 20th Anniversary 1957 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty, in order to commemorate two decades of its Historic Reissues series.

As one of the most lusted after Les Pauls, the Black Beauty is something of an institution in it's own right, and now you (yes, you!) can own a '57 spec Custom with all the attendance golden trimmings.

Aside from being highly desirable guitars, these 20th Anniversary Customs are of note as they'll be of a limited run of 100 being built only in 2013, and they're the first Gibson guitars to feature one-piece ebony fingerboards since 2011, and according to the company are "likely to be one of the very last" models to do so.

So dig deep, Les Paul lovers - a 20th Anniversary 1957 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty can be yours for somewhere in the region of $9411 (approximately £6,200). Ouch.

For more information, visit the official Gibson website.

Gibson press release

To kick off a very limited edition series of three guitars that celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Historic Reissues series, Gibson Custom presents the 20th Anniversary 1957 Les Paul Black Beauty—often considered the epitome of the "Black Beauty," and the first of the elegant Customs to carry the new PAF humbucking pickups.

In addition to being both a stunning, period-correct recreation of the '57 Les Paul Custom and a collectable Anniversary model, this 1957 Black Beauty marks two very significant milestones. First, it is the inaugural guitar in a series that will be offered only in 2013. Limited to 100 pieces of each model, each in the series is unique and extremely rare. Second, this guitar is the first run of instruments to be made with one-piece ebony fingerboards since November of 2011, and is likely to be one of the very last.

With its antique ebony finish, gold-plated hardware, and classic Black Beauty appointments—including multi-ply body and headstock binding, pearl block fingerboard inlays and split-diamond headstock inlay—the 20th Anniversary 1957 Les Paul Black Beauty is a gorgeous instrument by any standards. Add to that its 20th Anniversary medallion, which covers the toggle switch access on the guitar's back; a custom fitted dust cover with a retro 1993 Gibson Custom logo; and a one-of-a-kind, hand-made framed Certificate of Authenticity, and you have a unique and memorable instrument worthy of this milestone in Gibson history. Also, to help ensure that the exclusive 100 owners of this special guitar can keep it in "like new" condition for years to come, we even include a pair of white gloves.

But don't be afraid to rock out, either. The 20th Anniversary 1957 Les Paul Black Beauty is primed for tone just as much as it is for looks, with a pair of Alnico III-loaded Custom Buckers, a solid, one-piece mahogany body, a quarter-sawn mahogany neck with rounded '50s profile, and Gibson's acclaimed hardware set, including period-correct "waffle back" tuners. Furthermore, this limited edition Black Beauty benefits from Gibson Custom's 20th Anniversary Specifications, adopted for 2013, so the guitar's deep-set neck tenon is attached with genuine hot-hide glue, and it carries a Historic Truss Rod assembly with no tubing. Contact your authorized Gibson Custom dealer today to get your hands on a true piece of Gibson history.

Body and Neck

In keeping with the original '57 Les Paul Custom, the 20th Anniversary 1957 Les Paul Black Beauty has a one-piece body of solid mahogany with a carved top, finished in Antique Ebony in nitrocellulose lacquer. It's quarter-sawn mahogany neck is carved to a full, rounded '50s profile and is topped with a genuine, one-piece ebony fingerboard with pearl block inlays and 22 medium-jumbo frets. Its Custom-profile headstock is trimmed in multi-ply binding and carries a mother-of-pearl split-diamond inlay.

Pickups and Electronics

The 20th Anniversary 1957 Les Paul Black Beauty carries Custom Buckers with gold-plated covers. Designed specifically for this limited edition guitar, these pickups are made with genuine Alnico III magnets and coils wound with unequal turns of 42 AWG wire for that characteristic PAF depth and bite, with a slightly overwound bridge pickup for added punch in the lead position. Its traditional control complement includes two independent volume and tone controls, with "Bumble Bee" tone caps on the latter, and a three-way toggle switch.

Hardware and Plastics

The gold-plated ABR-1 Tune-o-matic bridge and lightweight stopbar tailpiece partner with a set of authentic gold "waffle back" tuners. A black multi-ply pickguard, black top-hat knobs, and engraved "Les Paul Custom" truss-rod cover complete the authentic look.

Case and Extras

In addition to its Custom Shop case, owner's manual, and adjustment literature, each 20th Anniversary 1957 Les Paul Black Beauty comes with a framed, handmade, one-of-a-kind Custom Shop 20th Anniversary Limited Edition Certificate of Authenticity, along with a custom-fitted dust cover with retro 1993 Custom Shop logo, a pair of white gloves, and a stamped brass "20th Anniversary" toggle switch cavity cover (with a spare standard plastic cover in the case).

Read more about Gibson announces 20th Anniversary 1957 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty at MusicRadar.com

Win front row tickets to Rush UK tour AND a Squier Geddy Lee bass

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

Read more about Win front row tickets to Rush UK tour AND a Squier Geddy Lee bass at MusicRadar.com

Rush are heading to Blighty as the European leg of the Clockwork Angels tour touches down in the UK next week, and we're celebrating with the ultimate Rush competition.

We've got an ultra rare Squier Geddy Lee bass AND a pair of front row tickets to a UK show of your choice to be bagged by one extremely lucky winner.

The customised Squier bass comes with a custom engraved Clockwork Angels pickguard and is branded with the iconic Rush logo. It's one of only 60 basses produced by Fender, so there won't be many chances to get your hands on one.

To enter the competition, all you need to do is click the link below to answer the simple question:

What was the name of Rush's 2007 studio album?

A) A Farewell To Kings

B) Snakes & Arrows

C) Hold Your Fire

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

This competition is open to UK residents only, and closes on Monday 20 May.

Don't forget to send us your questions for Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson!

Rush's UK tour dates are as follows:

Wednesday 22 May Manchester Arena

Friday 24 May London O2 Arena

Sunday 26 May Birmingham LG Arena

Tuesday 28 May Sheffield Motorpoint Arena

Thursday 30 May Glasgow SECC

Clockwork Angels is out now, and tickets Rush's UK tour are on sale through Live Nation, Ticketmaster and Ticket Line. For more information, visit the official Rush website.

Read more about Win front row tickets to Rush UK tour AND a Squier Geddy Lee bass at MusicRadar.com

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Gibson announces 20th Anniversary 1957 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty

Win front row tickets to Rush UK tour AND a Squier Geddy Lee bass

Buy Guitarist on Apple Newsstand.
Subscribe to Guitarist magazine.

Buy Guitarist on Apple Newsstand.
Subscribe to Guitarist magazine.

Buy Guitarist on Apple Newsstand.
Subscribe to Guitarist magazine.