Mixdown Magazine #305

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#305 – SEPTEMBER 2019

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FENDER FESTIVAL HEMP NSTRUMENT CABLE KYSER SUNBURST QUICKCHANGE CAPO

INTERVIEWS — Liam Gallagher, The Maine, Boy & Bear, DZ Deathrays + more

SPIDER V MkII Series PL AY

M ORE

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REVIEWED — Tokai Terra Nova, Fender Vintera Basses, Headrush Gigboard, Kyser Products,

Warwick Alien Bass, Tanglewood Java Superfolk, Sonicware ELZ-1, Yamaha MODX6 + many more

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SINGLE CHANNEL. SINGLE SPEAKER. SINGLE PURPOSE.

Yama ha Music Australia proudly distributes Vox

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SPIDER V MkII Series PL AY

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Amplifers for Practising and Performing Guitarists Whatever drives your creativity, Spider V MkII amplifiers get you there with all the ease or depth that defines your personal musical vision. Plug right in and immediately rock a traditional amp tone, or enjoy tweaking parameters until you’ve devised an absolutely unique and awe-inspiring sound. From the compact Spider V 30 MkII practice amp to the full-featured gigging machine that is the Spider V 240 MkII stereo combo, there’s a Spider model to inspire every type of player.

SPIDER V 240HC MkII $949.99 RRP

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SPIDER V 60 MkII SPIDER V 30 MkII $599.99 RRP $399.99 RRP

• New Classic Speaker Mode for enhanced sound and feel • 128 crafted presets featuring classic songs and artist tones • Wireless-ready for Relay G10T* • Optimised for use with FBV 3 Advanced Foot Controller • Built in Tuner, Metronome and Real Drummer loops

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* Relay G10T transmitter sold separately. Compatible with Spider V 60 MkII, Spider V 120 MkII, Spider V 240HC MkII, and Spider V 240 MkII models only. The Relay G10T transmitter is compatible with typical 1/4" output jacks used on most passive and active instruments. Guitars that have non-standard jack wiring may require a 1/4" mono adapter for use with Relay G10T. The prices set out in this advertisement are recommended retail prices (RRP) only and there is no obligation for Line 6 dealers to comply with this recommendation. Errors and omissions excepted.

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CONTENTS 8 10 11 12 16 18 19 20 21 22 24 25 26 28 40 42

Giveaways Industry News Music News Product News Cover Story: Northlane The Maine DZ Deathrays The Chemical Brothers Liam Gallagher Boy & Bear Musicology Guitar Bass Electronic Music Production Percussion Product Reviews Directory Five Albums

Northlane PG.16

Foreword: One of the first shows I attended when I moved to Melbourne almost eight years ago was Northlane’s Discoveries release show.

I was blown away by them then, and they still continue to blow me away now. I can safely say that their new record Alien is their best work to date and it’s going to set the tone for the Australian heavy music scene for years to come. With their headline tour around the country coming up, we had a chat with Jon Deiley about creating the record and taking it to stage. Thanks for reading!

/MIXDOWNMAGAZINE @MIXDOWNMAGAZINE @MIXDOWNMAGAZINE MIXDOWNMAG.COM.AU

The Maine

Liam Gallagher

PG. 18

PG. 20

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MADE BY MUSICIANS, FOR MUSICIANS STREET AND ONLINE DATE: WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 2 AD BOOKING DEADLINE: MONDAY SEPTEMBER 23 EDITORIAL DEADLINE: TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 24 ARTWORK DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 25 For more information on Mixdown Magazine contact us at: (03) 9428 3600 or email nicholas@furstmedia.com.au

Gi

INTERVIE Beartooth WS — , James Amyl & The Sniff Blake, Frank Iero, ers + more

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INTERVIE Anberlin, WS — West Theb Polish Club arton, Hake & More n, Blue Micro ROKIT G4 phones Yeticaster Warwick Monitors, TC Helic , KRK RockBass on Star Bass Blender, + more

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PUBLISHER Furst Media Mycelium Studios Factory 1/10-12 Moreland Road East Brunswick VIC 3057 (03) 9428 3600

ONLINE EDITOR Will Brewster will@furstmedia.com.au

MANAGING DIRECTOR Patrick Carr patrick@furstmedia.com.au

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Alex Foreman

EDITOR Nicholas Simonsen nicholas@furstmedia.com.au

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Josh Martin

CONTRIBUTORS Rob Gee, Christie Elizer, Nick Brown, David James Young, Adrian Violi, Michael Cusack, Augustus Welby, Luke Shields, Alex Watts, Aaron Streatfeild, James Di Fabrizio, Adam Norris, Alex Winter,

Jessica Over, Eddy Lim, Lewis NokeEdwards, Josh Martin, Taylor Douglas, Ben Eizenberg, Ciara Allen

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SAT 8 FEB RAC ARENA PERTH TUE 11 FEB AEC THEATRE ADELAIDE FRI 14 FEB ROD LAVER ARENA MELBOURNE SAT 15 FEB QUDOS BANK ARENA SYDNEY TUE 18 FEB ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE BRISBANE

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GIVEAWAYS

Fender Festival Hemp Instrument Cable Colourful and fun, Fender Festival Instrument Cables are crafted from eco-friendly materials for an authentic, custom-made feel.

These cables feature superior sound and custom-moulded ends, along with exclusive, limited-edition style. Thanks to our friends at Fender Music Australia, we have one of these killer cables to giveaway.

Last Month’s Giveaway Winners Slipknot We Are Not Your Kind Vinyl We Are Not Your Kind is the ferocious new album from legendary metal stalwarts Slipknot. This bold new chapter in the Slipknot legacy sees the band dive into new territory whilst retaining all the classic Knot character we know and love. Thanks to our friends at Roadrunner Records, we had a copy of the album on vinyl to giveaway: David from Sydney, NSW

Black Diamond Jimi Hendrix Foundation Strings

Kyser Sunburst Quick-Change Capo The Kyser Quick-Change Capo is expertly engineered and built to last. It is reliable and does just what it is designed to do — clearly raise the pitch of the guitar so you can play in a different key without retuning or changing fingering. We have one of the brand new Sunburst models to giveaway thanks to our friends at CMC Music.

Black Diamond Strings recently announced their partnership with Jimi Hendrix Foundation’s “Music For Life” Program and the release of three signature sets of strings correlating to three iconic Hendrix performances. Thanks to our friends at JVB Strings, we had two bundles of the sets to giveaway and the winner is: Matthew from Adelaide, SA

For your chance to win any of these prizes, head to our giveaways page at mixdownmag.com.au/giveaway and follow the instructions. *These giveaways are for Australian residents only and one entry per person. For full terms and conditions visit mixdownmag.com.au/terms-and-conditions

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INDUSTRY NEWS

The bill for the pill With the summer festival season almost on us, you’d think being proactive about pill-testing at music festivals would be paramount. Harm reduction organisation Pill Testing Australia (PTA) revealed in a report on its website that during its second bout of tests at Groovin’ The Moo’s Canberra show, 170 substances were tested after 234 punters came forward. Scientists found some substance contained N-ethyl pentylone, a dangerous compound linked to overdoses and deaths in the US and New Zealand. The seven owners of the pills quickly threw them away, which meant seven lives were probably saved.

That’s seven lives too many.

PTA reckons that it will pick up the tab for pill tests in other states, but that the ACT can jolly well start funding those in its back garden. The ACT government has been enlightened about pill testing, but intends to wait until an independent investigation by the Australian National University comes out at the end of the year before it makes a decision on funding the tests - which means that half the summer festival season will be over before a resolution is made.

BIGSOUND highlights bright music tech ideas...

Ed Sheeran is officially Top of the Pops

Aussies have been leaping onto the digital music bandwagon from the very start, and their ideas and inventions don’t seem to be abating, if the finalists for BIGSOUND’s BIGTECH are any indication. They include:

Ol’ Carrot Top has been breaking so many tour and recording milestones that it must all seem a bit ho-hum to him. But this is pretty big deal. Last month, his two and a half year world tour wound up at his hometown Ipswich’s Chantry Park before 200,000 fans at four shows. With 255 shows and 8.5 million ticket sales around the world Pollstar says ÷ is officially the biggest tour ever, both in terms of concert grosses and attendance.

∙∙ Paperchain, which prices daily analytics data of digital music platforms by song, artist and territory, providing daily streaming revenue reporting and advance revenue on-demand ∙∙ Muso, a live music and DJ booking marketplace connecting hosts to artists easier and even ensures the DJ gets paid if the gig is cancelled ∙∙ TourTracks, which offers a solution for band managers to budget, manage and report on tours ∙∙ SAMii, a music education platform that streamlines student enrolments, payments, scheduling, and cancellations ∙∙ DryTabs, which links user’s Spotify account, displaying tab for the song being listening to. Guitarists get better buzz when learning songs and requests transcription ∙∙ Summer, who’ve created the MIDIcaster, an electronic instrument, built to set the electronic musician free on stage. It provides full control of one’s digital audio workstation from wherever they are on stage. It has 12 responsive drum triggers, 24 MIDI notes, modulation and pitch bend wheels, a tap tempo button, two effects sends, nine MIDI mappable pots and an LCD screen.

…and sets up First Nations Hub BIGSOUND set up a First Nations House presented by Spotify located at TSO, Fortitude Valley, to host music, dialogues and community connection. Surrounded by artwork by Reko Rennie, there will be workshops and showcases to display First Nations talent.

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Changes for Music Victoria Awards The Music Victoria Awards have shed their partnership with The Age newspaper after 13 years. Now rebranded, it stages at Melbourne Recital Centre in November, as part of the tenth Melbourne Music Week. A category change has also been included for this years ceremony, with Best Global Artist now being known as Best Intercultural Act.

New daily playlist for Apple Music Apple Music has a ‘New Music Daily’ playlist, with 60 new tracks a day, chosen by the company’s editors. Apple said in a statement: “The cadence of music delivery has changed and now with streaming, artists can drop new tracks for fans whenever they feel like it – and they do. We are always hard at work programming all of our playlists with new music, and the New Music Daily playlist provides the ultimate opportunity for fans to discover new music in real time.”

Venue Update: Fringe, Mo’s, Opera House + more * The Potts Point site of World Bar in Sydney will be reborn this month as a three-level arts venue called Fringe HQ. It will operate on a six month trial, and will be part of the Sydney Fringe. The World Bar closed in November 2018 after an 18-year run, a

victim of the lockout laws, and the Cali Club took over for a few seconds. * Mo’s Desert Clubhouse on the Gold Coast is relaunching on Saturday September 21. It was set up as a musicians, artists, creatives and industry-related crew but within six months had run into issues with the Gold Coast Council because it was a rejigged industrial warehouse. It took two years and 500 letters of support from the public to sort out the mess, but that’s been done now. * Sydney gets a new venue on September 5, with the opening of South King Recreation Club in Newtown. One of its ideas is to bring in local Newtown music identities to pop in and play DJ sets. * Live concerts and music events are on the cards for the Darwin International Tennis Centre, with its operator Tennis NT lodging a liquor application. * Sydney Opera House’s Concert Hall will be closed from next February for two years for renovations. These include upgrades to acoustics, stage and backstage areas, theatre systems and accessibility in and around the venue.

Duane Allman’s ‘Layla’ sells for $1.25M Duane Allman’s 1957 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop guitar – on which he played alongside Eric Clapton on the classic ‘Layla’, as well as on the first two Allman Brothers albums – exceeded all expectations when it went at auction for US$1.25 million. It had been on display at The Allman Brothers Band museum in Macon, Georgia. The new owner has promised to bring it back to the museum at certain times. Duane’s appearance on the Derek & The Dominoes track was one of the last times he used the guitar.

That’s the T!

favourite Aussie band tee to work, study or play. Post your individual and team photos to social media using the hashtags #ausmusictshirtday @supportact @triplej.

Registrations open on October 1.

Live Music Awards to stay in Brisbane The National Live Music Awards, which has moved from city to city, will stay in Brisbane (at the Triffid club) for the next two years. Held on Wednesday December 4 with seven satellite events all around the country, there are three new categories in 2019. The new genre Indie / Rock, Jazz and Classical join the existing R&B / Soul, Hard Rock, Electronic / DJ, Blues and Roots, Pop, Country and Hip Hop. The two national public voted awards (Best Live Act and Best Live Voice) are being phased out, and in their place, four of the five awards in every state and territory (that’s Best Live Act, Voice, Event and Venue) will be public voted for the first time.

That’s 32 awards nationally, seeing the whole country given the opportunity to celebrate their favourite local artists, music venues and festivals.

Parkway Drive pick up international award Parkway Drive waved the Aussie flag at the third Heavy Music Awards in London, taking out best international band. They were up against Twenty One Pilots, Behemoth, Ghost, Beartooth, Halestorm and Turnstile.

The Aussies had also been nominated for best live band, against Architects (who won), Bring Me The Horizon, Enter Shikari, Fever 333, Ghost and Slayer. Their Reverence was in the running for best album against Architects whose Holy Hell trumped contenders IDLES, Black Peaks, Ghost, Judas Priest and Turnstile.

Ausmusic’s T Shirt Day is held on Friday November 15 to raise funds for Support Act Ltd. It’s simple. Just create a work, school or personal team on the AMTD website, and encourage your friends and colleagues to make a donation so they can wear their

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MUSIC NEWS

Good Things Festival is back for 2019

Falls Music and Arts Festival launch summer lineup

City and Colour announces new record

Good Things are happening for the alt-rock scene, with a massive lineup announced for Good Things Festival 2019.

Headlining are Aussie golden boys Parkway Drive, alongside A Day To Remember, who are returning to Australia for the first time since 2016. Other bands making an appearance include Simple Plan, Violent Soho, Bad Religion, Coheed and Cambria and Trivium. If that lineup still hasn’t tickled your fancy, fans will also have the chance to mosh to The Veronicas... tickets are on sale via the festival’s website.

Falls Music and Arts Festival is well and truely geared up to bring in the roaring twenties in the best way possible with this year’s assortment of musical talent. Headling this year’s festival is U.S pop sensation Halsey, with performances from Vampire Weekend, Yungblud, Milky Chance, Disclosure, Parcels and even Aussie veteran John Farnham. This year also features ‘Special Guest’ acts, treating each festival site to a unique act. Byron Bay fans can look forward to seeing Tash Sultana, Lorne can boogie down to What So Not, while Marion Bay cops Wolfmother and Fremantle gets Matt Corby.

Dallas Green, the man with the dreamy voice behind City and Colour, is releasing his sixth studio album, A Pill For Loneliness. This album will be the first time in four years we’ve heard new music from City and Colour. Having already been blessed with three tracks from the album so far: ‘Astronaut’, ‘Strangers’ and ‘Living in Lightning’, we can expect this album to be nothing short of amazing. A Pill For Loneliness will be released through Dallas Green’s own record label, Still Records, on Friday October 4.

Foals prepare for Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 2

Alice Cooper set to return to Australia next February

Bluesfest rolls out its first lineup announcement

The highly anticipated second part of Foals’ new record, Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost, is set to drop on October 18. The second half comes seven months after the release of Part One, a collection of thunderous, rollicking grooves which itself was the band’s first release since 2015. The twopart album came to fruition when the band couldn’t wittle down their list into a single 12 track album, so decided to drop it in two parts. Genius.

Entering the fifth decade of his illustrious career, Alice Cooper is rocking up to Aussie shores for the first time since 2017.

The “Ol’ Black Eyes Is Back” tour will see him not only revive the character of FrankenAlice, but also introduces the new guise of the Billion Dollar Baby, as well as a totally revamped setlist featuring not only the classics, but also brand new material. Accompanying Cooper will be Aussie rockers Airborne and MC50, featuring none other than Mr. Wayne Kramer.

Get the black eyeshadow out and snag a ticket for you and your Mum: this tour isn’t one to be missed.

Byron Bay’s Bluesfest dropped their first artist announcement, which features a range of international acts as well as some local favourites. Patti Smith will be returning after performing one of 2017’s most memorable Bluesfest sets, as well as Dave Matthews Band and Crowded House for an exclusive one-off show. You can also expect to see favourites John Butler, Xavier Rudd and The Cat Empire, as well as a fair amount of traditional blues shredders including John Mayall, Walter Trout and more.

Kim Gordon to release solo debut

Pixies pencil in Australian dates

Ten years since the release of the last Sonic Youth album, Kim Gordon is set to release her first ever solo effort, No Home Record. Gordon’s solo album comes just over a year after The Switch, Gordon’s Body/Head project with Bill Nace, and the highly anticipated album features contributions from Shawn Everett (Weezer, Julian Casablancas) and Jake Meginsky. Listeners have already been blessed with a taste of the album’s lead single, ‘Sketch Artist,’ which was accompanied by a music video featuring Broad City’s Abbi Jackson. No Home Record will be dropping on October 13 courtesy of Matador.

Pixies are undeniably one of the most influential alt-rock bands of all time, essentially laying the foundation for what the indie music scene is today. Lucky for us, the band are hitting up Australia in March next year to perform their two debut offerrings in full. Pixies will be treating crowds to performances of their 1987 EP Come On Pilgrim and 1988’s debut full length Surfer Rosa, as well as a sprinkling of classics and tracks from their forthcoming record Beneath The Eyrie, which comes out Friday September 13.

Milky Chance share new single, detail album

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German pop-folk group Milky Chance have teamed up with Tash Sultana to release ‘Daydreaming’, the first single of their recently announced album Mind The Moon. With a chilled out ska beat backing the trademark melodic vocals of Milky Chance and Tash Sultana, this song was always destined to be a serious banger, and it’s a surefire selection for triple j’s Hottest 100. Mind The Moon is set to be released on November 15 – catch ‘em play it live at Falls this summer.

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PRODUCT NEWS Fender Announce '60s Quilt Top Tele FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU With exotic woods, boutique finishes and premium electronics, Fender’s Rarities Collection is all about refined taste and superior craftsmanship. The series reaches new heights with the addition of the American Original '60s Quilt Maple Top Telecaster, which sports a dazzling Blue Cloud Burst finish, two-piece ash body and quarter-sawn European maple neck. Contact your local Fender dealer about securing your piece of the Rarities Collection today.

Warwick Idolmaker Basses Available Now

QSC Consolidate Distribution With Technical Audio Group

Mooer Tone Capture Coming Soon

AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU

TECHNICAL AUDIO GROUP | TAG.COM.AU

The Warwick Idolmaker Bass is now available in both the RockBass and TeamBuilt range. The TeamBuilt model features a carved mahogany body, bolt-on wenge neck, wenge fingerboard (on the fretted models) and Tigerstripe ebony fingerboard (on the fretless models), passive MEC vintage pickups, and active Warwick electronics. Head to your local Warwick dealer to get one in your hands!

The Technical Audio Group has been appointed the distributor for the full range of QSC products in Australia.

The Sydney based entity will be slinging out QSC’s wide range of speakers, mixers, power amplifiers, processors and other products to retailers around the country. Expect to see the shelves of your local QSC dealer packed to the rafters with all of the gear you need.

For those that don’t want to carry more than one guitar to a gig, MOOER gives you the Tone Capture Guitar Micro Pedal. Similar to the GE300’s Tone Capture feature, The Tone Capture Guitar Pedal can sample any guitar, provided it has some form of pickup, and create a detailed digital Guitar model using MOOER’s proprietary “dynamic layer” IR technology. Expect to see these in stores at the end of the month.

JADE AUSTRALIA | JADEMCAUSTRALIA.COM.AU

Yamaha FG Red Label Series Arriving Soon YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA | AU.YAMAHA.COM

Kyser Unveil Three Colour Sunburst Capo CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU Kyser Musical Products, Inc. is expanding its Quick-Change Capo collection with a Three Colour Sunburst design. The Sunburst finishing process is unique to musical instrument manufacturing and has become synonymous with the most famous guitars of all time. Now that iconic Sunburst look is available on a Kyser Quick-Change capo. Expect to see these in stores soon!

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Inspired by Yamaha’s iconic “red label” guitars of the 1960s, the new FG Red Label folk guitars blend modern inspiration with a timeless design.

Featuring a classic semi-gloss finish and highquality components, FG Red Label guitars capture an authentic vintage aesthetic. The Mahogany back and sides are paired with a premium Sitka Spruce top that’s treated with Yamaha’s Acoustic Resonance Enhancement process for genuine aged-wood tone and sustain. Expect to see in stores next month!

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PRODUCT NEWS

New Faith Guitars All-Mahogany Range Available Now CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU The new All-Mahogany range of acoustic guitars from Faith have landed in the country and are now available in a store near you. Faith uses an All-Mahogany approach to the design of their Mahogany range to deliver a clear, linear tone which is sweet and woody with plenty of midrange.

Using Mahogany for both the top and body of a guitar makes for a very “friendly” instrument that responds well to hard picking, strumming and finger-style techniques alike.

Warwick Artist Line Sklar Bass Available Now

LR Baggs Align Session Pedal Available Now

Fender’s New Festival Accessories Are Straight From ‘69

AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU

NATIONAL MUSIC | NATIONALMUSIC.COM.AU

FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU

The latest addition to Warwick’s artist inspired models is available now. Lee Sklar is one of the most sought-after American session musicians and has been a Warwick artist for some time. This unmistakable model is based on the Star Bass II Doublecut, and features some special details that Lee Sklar has chosen for his signature model. The bass is available in Vintage Sunburst Transparent High Polish and Burgundy BlackBurst Transparent High Polish.

The Align Session brings the signature LR Baggs studio sound to your live rig. Session circuitry enhances your acoustic pickup and imparts the rich sonic character that you’d expect from an experienced audio engineer using some of the world’s finest studio gear. Often used by studio engineers in postproduction, saturation adds warmth, dimension, and pleasing harmonics while smoothing the signal for an enhanced mix.

Head to your nearest LR Baggs dealer to hear one for yourself.

Crafted from eco-friendly materials and sporting iconic retro designs, Fender’s new Festival Collection accessories are sure to please. Highlights include a classic fringed suede strap, stylish hemp cables and a selection of limited-edition licensed Woodstock gear. Head to your nearest Fender dealer to stock up in time for summer!

Fender Release The Alternate Reality Electric XII FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU Fender’s latest addition to their Alternate Reality Series is a modern classic. Originally released in 1965, the Electric XII became a staple in classic rock, folk and eventually indie. Now that iconic shimmering tone can be yours with this limited-edition reissue. Contact your local Fender dealer before they’re snapped up.

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Tanglewood Guitars Are Searching For The Best Tanglewall NATIONAL MUSIC AUSTRALIA | NATIONALMUSIC.COM.AU National Music and Tanglewood Guitars are looking for the best Tanglewood display in Australia. Head to the National Music Australia Facebook page and vote for which display you think is the best. The winner will be announced on Wednesday October 16th, so jump online and ensure your voice is heard!

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NORTHLANE CARVE THEIR SPACE It would be easy to think that after ten years and four albums, a band would start to get a bit complacent or lazy with their approach to writing music. You’ve cut your teeth, done the hard yards and now you get to coast along on the strength of your back catalogue.

That is most certainly not the case when discussing Northlane’s latest release Alien, the fifth album in the band’s discography.

Angular, immense, frenetic and tense, Alien couldn’t be further from complacent and safe, in fact the band has never taken more risks in their career than they have here. Guitarist and songwriter Jon Deiley says that he felt he had no choice but to dive into unexplored territory with Alien and the chaotic sound of the album came directly from the frustrations he and his band mates were facing during the time.

“It’s hard to put into words, but the reason it sounds the way it sounds is because of our life experiences, especially in the last year and a half,” Deiley reveals. “It was just a really shitty time and I was getting frustrated that people weren’t connecting to the music I was making so this was kind of a backs to the wall, last attempt, and final fury type thing.

“I think it kind of covers a lot of ground but the thing we wanted to do more than anything was create an intense, uncomfortable, relentless feeling that makes the listener sit in our shoes for a moment. I didn’t know how else to show them how difficult it’s been than to have them listen to this noise.”

Not many bands could go through the ups and downs that Northlane have faced over the last few years and come out the other side.

Alien is the third album to feature vocalist Marcus Bridge after the departure of original frontman Adrian Fitipaldes in 2014. Since bringing Bridge into the fold, the band has been on the receiving end of constant vitriol from keyboard warriors comparing the two vocalists. Alien sees both Bridge and Deiley putting their feet down and letting everyone know that they couldn’t care less for the opinions of naysayers.

“At this point, I care a lot less about what people want me to do with the music,” says Deiley, a hint of nonchalance seeping into his tone.

Unlike their previous four albums, the band decided to stay on home

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“AT THIS POINT I CARE A LOT LESS ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE WANT ME TO DO WITH MY MUSIC" turf in Sydney and self-produce Alien with the help of long-time friend and engineer Chris Blancato. The album was crafted during two different sessions and Deiley says that ultimately working in a familiar and comfortable environment with a close friend at the helm was key in creating their most ambitious and challenging work to date.

“Chris just gets Nic so he worked really closely with him on the drums,” he explains.

“He’s a good friend of ours and it’s super easy when you’ve known someone for that long. I’m pretty pedantic about everything and he’s super tolerant with me.

“Generally when we go into the studio, songs are still being written and with this one everything was pretty much all done before we went in. We split the recording up into two blocks and we had five or six songs written before each block. It just took a lot of the guesswork out.”

Despite all of the struggles Northlane have faced in recent years, the introduction of new bassist Brendon Padjasek was the perfect burst of energy to get the group

feeling fresh again. Deiley admits that Padjasek being an old friend immediately removed any fear of the ‘new guy’ stigma and the band was instantly revitalised with him on board.

“He’s a joy. He will never shut up which is a blessing and a curse but he’s a burst of energy,” gushes Deiley. “Taking him on tour felt very fresh playing new songs with a new guy in the band. We actually picked him first because we knew he was technically able but also one of our only other friends who wasn’t in a band at the time.

“We’ve toured with him before and we know he’s chill and that was the most important thing. We wanted a friend so we didn’t have to go through the whole learning a new person thing.”

With a fresh new album out and a new lease of life, Northlane have dived headfirst into their extensive world tour for Alien. The band kicked off the album cycle with a short run in Japan followed by a very intimate and chaotic release show at Yah Yah’s in Melbourne before heading to the USA. With so many new sonic territories explored on the album, the band had their work cut out for them when it came to bringing the material to life on stage. Deiley admits that he wasn’t nervous about the task ahead of him but knew that he had a lot of work to put in to get it right.

“Obviously there are tracks, but I’m also interacting with a controller and a guitar for most of the set so when there are key parts, I’ll play that shit,” he says. “In ‘4D’, I barely touch my guitar for that song as I’m playing all of the synths and chords on pads.

“I had kind of done a little bit of it on Mesmer but I knew what I had to do and it took a little while to do it. I was more concerned about how I was going to pull it off more so than it sounding good, if that makes sense.

BY NICHOLAS SIMONSEN

Northlane’s new record Alien is out now via UNFD. The Australian leg of the Alien tour kicks off on Friday October 11 in Sydney.

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MUSIC INTERVIEWS The Maine hit up east coast clubs next month on their biggest headline run to date, a venture Kirch says he can’t wait for as this is one of The Maine’s favourite places to go – but then, they all say that, don’t they? “Are you kidding me?!” he cries, “It’s like Southern California but better!’

“It feels familiar but at the same time, so different. I think the location and the opportunity to go and experience the country is always great – the concerts we’ve had have been great and really have been getting better and better over the past couple of times they’ve been.”

Needless to say, there’s certainly a lot of love for The Maine here, and them touring off the back of You Are OK is particularly exciting. Sonically inspiring, in their 12-year tenure it’s The Maine’s highest performing album in terms of chart position and peer reception. It’s a fact that Kirch still finds bewildering, that such a very complex and albeit thematically heavy at times release should be so well received by people the world over.

The Maine Are OK It’s the calm before the storm for Pat Kirch.

The drummer for Arizona alt-rockers The Maine is enjoying a few days off before the band head back out on the road on tour in support of their latest offering, You Are OK. The road they travel will, of course, include Australia.

“The album with a ten minute song [‘Flowers On The Grave’] is one of the most popular on the album and the one that connected with people the most – that’s pretty crazy, that in 2019 a ten minute song with key changes and tempo changes can be a popular song with our audience.”

“I think it means we’re always going to try to do something new. We’re always going to try to make albums that to us, are exciting – what that means every year will change. What it meant in 2010 and what it means now is completely different, and I hope that continues to be the trend.”

That fact, Kirch says, makes him excited for The Maine’s possibilities in the future. The band have said in previous interviews that they applied themselves ferociously on You Are OK to make it as aurally interesting as possible. The fact that listener’s attention spans tend to be shorter these days wasn’t a factor during the recording process.

BY ANNA ROSE

“We’re actually in the studio recording the second part to this project at the moment,” says Parsons. “I do feel like there’s a bit of a progression throughout the songs. The second half has more bigger stadium moments whereas the first half is a little more like punk rock. But there’s moments on the second part that tie back to the first one as well.”

Positive Rising: Part 1 is DZ’s fourth full length. There was a widely acknowledged gap between 2014’s Black Rat and last year’s third LP, Bloody Lovely, but Positive Rising: Part 1 comes just 18 months later. Along with profiting from Ewbank’s contribution, they were wary of letting it drag out that long again.

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The Maine don’t cater to the general populous, certainly, and that’s what makes them work. They are, by Kirch’s own admission, not for everyone. “We’re for a specific group of people that are into what our band does, which allows us to make whatever kind of album we want.” In the studio, the mindset is very much about asking questions. “’Does this feel new? Does this feel exciting?’ That was the attitude in the studio – when we hear it back, do we like it?”

“Hopefully it proves that we’re not giving people enough credit,” he says. “People think they only want three and a half minute pop songs and don’t wanna listen to albums, but I think for our fans that’s not the case at all.

It’s the first half of a planned double album suite to be spaced out over a period of months. The release date for part two is yet to be confirmed, but the wheels are in motion.

DZ Deathrays are no longer a two-piece.

For the last ten years, vocalist/guitarist Shane Parsons and drummer Simon Ridley have specialised in a variant of the boisterous party rock sound the two-piece formation lends itself to. But having officially enlisted lead guitarist Lachlan Ewbank, who’s been a touring member since 2015, they’re ready to launch their new record, Positive Rising: Part 1.

“It gave us confidence, not even confidence, but I feel we have a pretty deep understanding of our audience. We’re out every night after shows for hours talking with the audience, so I think we have a pretty good gauge [that] what our fans want is to do what we want.”

It’s interesting that Kirch says the music is only palatable to certain people, and it’s true. Chuckling, Kirch says, “More so what I meant, we’re not on the radio, we’re not playing arenas, and really that’s not necessary our aim. We don’t have to make albums for a purpose beyond the fact that we like it. We don’t have to make an album with a song that sounds like it can be on the radio.

“The last record [Lovely Little Lonely], that one had a lot of these kind of interludes that brought the album together.

DZ Deathrays Set To Stun

That made me feel we made something to be listened to a whole and it worked,” he explains.

“We sat on [Bloody Lovely] for a year,” Parsons says.

“Because it was so long between albums – between Black Rat and Bloody Lovely – we really waited until the right moment, instead of just recording it and having it out. So in that time since it was recorded we just kept writing and also writing with Lachlan. He brought a lot of his ideas to the table so I think things were a little bit expedited. We just got things done a lot quicker.”

Led by the singles ‘Shred for Summer’ and ‘Like People’, Bloody Lovely brought DZ more success than they’d previously experienced. It debuted at no. 4 in the ARIA albums chart, led to festival headline slots, a far-reaching regional tour, gigs at venues like Melbourne’s Forum and the Enmore in Sydney and a heck of a lot of international touring.

It allowed the band to observe their tenth anniversary from a position of strength, but at the end of the cycle they were eager to try something different.

“More than anything we just wanted to do a bigger project for our fourth album and we wanted to challenge ourselves, but we had to do it in a way that worked with the way that music’s released these days,” Parsons says. “There’s only so

Catch The Maine when they tour Australia in support of You Are OK this month. Tickets on sale now via Destroy All Lines.

many singles you can get off a record these days and then people are like, ‘when’s the next record coming out?’”

Part 1 is a tight nine song sequence that includes the singles ‘IN-TO-IT’, ‘Still No Change’ and ‘Year of the Dog’, the latter featuring guest vocals from The Bronx’s Matt Caughtthran.

The album was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Miro Mackie who’s worked with fellow Brisbane acts Hatchie, Jeremy Neale and The John Steel Singers, and engineered records by St Vincent and Dirty Projectors.

With Mackie’s assistance, Positive Rising is DZ’s biggest sounding and most layered production to date. It’s loaded with a number of instant earworms, and while it’s not quite stadium rock, it’s on its way there.

“We were pushing ourselves to be more experimental with what we were adding to songs. There’s been songs on the first record that had synthesiser and stuff on it, but this one, rather than it being a lead line, we used a lot of stuff for atmospherics, making beds to put guitars on. Over the last few years Simon and I have really gotten into bands like Beach House, I really like Slowdive. It’s a bit more atmospheric and layered, but we’re trying to bring that to pop music, without it sounding too pop.

“Working with Miro, he brought a lot of those ideas to the table of how to bring the songs up into that world as well.

It’s been really fun to hear Mellotrons running through choruses. You get to the point of your career where you go, look, let’s just make the song sound as good as it can.”

BY AUGUSTUS WELBY

Positive Rising Part 1, the new album from DZ Deathrays, is out now. Catch the band on tour this October – November.

mixdownmag.com.au

MUSIC INTERVIEWS Even Glastonbury’s current ruling dynasty Emily and Michael Eavis could hardly believe what they were seeing. On side of stage, Marcus Lyall and Adam Smith were grinning and dancing.

out live. What was the point in the era of the throes of earlyBritpop and it was guitar based bands? Why would a coupla of studio dance guys go live? They proved them a bit wrong I think,” Smith laughs.

“Someone called it the Zenith. I don’t even know what the Zenith is,” Smith says.

In the beginning, the visuals were innovative but DIY, consisting mainly of a 16mm projector and slides.

“It was definitely the top of something,” Lyall adds.

“We were drawing on a tradition that’s been there since the ‘60s, the whole Vortex lights concerts, The Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd. It felt a bit like picking up the baton that we love and running with it,” Lyall says.

The pair are The Chemical Brothers’ live show co-directors, a role they’ve held together since 2007 after 13 years working on the project in other roles. The Chemicals (as they are affectionately known) are currently touring off the back of No Geography, their ninth studio record and arguably the freshest they’ve sounded since their ‘90s landmark LP Surrender. No Geography’s motorik rhythm begins with a robotic apocalypse on ‘Eve of Destruction’ and culminates in soft-EDM reflection on ‘Catch Me I’m Falling’.

“Best ever, I think,” Smith quips.

Chemical Culture Contrary to popular opinion, Stormzy’s blockbuster grime sermon was merely Glastonbury Festival 2019’s epilogue.

Over on The Other Stage, ‘90s big beat pioneers The Chemical Brothers stunned Glasto-goers across generations with their visual show. The duo walked onstage as a prerecorded Q-Tip began his verse for ‘Go’.

Giant grid humanoids towered over Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons on the LED screen above, obscuring the pair as miniature pilots of the 95 minute dance-blast to come.

Smith began his journey with the Chemical Brothers as a tale of two musical cities played out in Manchester, England during the early ‘90s. A filmmaker and projectionist at the time, Smith skipped Oasis and the Manic Street Preachers at the Social on Sunday nights, and instead went underground.

The tiny, sweaty pub basements Smith hung out in “stank of amyl nitrate” and were home to DJ sets from future Chemical Brother Rowlands. The big beat scene was in its infancy, and was led by the vanguard of Underworld, The Prodigy, Orbital and Orb. “I think [Tom] warped some of that. I think that’s what sets the Chemicals apart from those others. They brought some of that indie rock attitude to their music,” Smith says.

Smith got to know Rowlands and Simons by hanging around enough of these tiny sweaty pub basements, and eventually got asked to do the duo’s visuals when they decided to go out live.

“25 years ago it was unusual. It seems odd to say it now, but there was some speculation about an electronic act going

Things evolved with technology; the scale of the show today is earth shattering. Smith and Lyall work with a 50 metre wide LED screen, 8000 cues and a crew of about 20-24 people to set up and run each show, working as sound, lighting, rigging, power, lasers, video and production staff. Many of their video shoots rely on a regular cast of dancers and choreographers that the pair motion capture and abstract.

Even with the scale of the operation and a time code to play along to, room is left for improvisation and manual cues. No Chemical Brothers experience is exactly the same.

“There’s a real atmosphere of faith, trust, openness, playfulness and fun, and hopefully that comes out in the performances,” Smith says.

Smith and Lyall run fifteen minutes over our interview time without hesitating, in large part to express a deep gratitude for the work they are able to do. Even after 25 years, they still sound like breathless uni students talking about their pet project.

“The show comes from love. It comes from a love of the music and a love of what we’re doing. That love shines.”

BY JOSHUA MARTIN Catch the Chemical Brothers when they tour nationally in October-November, with tickets available via Frontier Touring. No Geography is streaming now.

LIAM GALLAGHER VERSUS THE WORLD “Ahhh, God no. I hate it. I hate that sport,” Liam Gallagher moans over the phone in regards to the results of the latest Ashes test. “I once went to the cricket with my mate Guigsy, he was in my band Oasis - and he was like ‘come and check it out’ and I said alright and went to Lords, had a couple of beers and fell asleep, then woke up and it was still fucking going on.”

It’s quite the trip to be chatting to one of the most iconic characters in rock music about something as mundane as the cricket. Gallagher however, as per usual, seems to be quite in the mood to talk, and why wouldn’t he be? Even after the setbacks of Oasis’s (and follow up project Beady Eye’s) breakup, a very public (and ongoing) spat with brother Noel and a marital collapse – made all the more scornful by the relentless UK tabloids – Liam Gallagher managed to rise from the ashes and reclaim his spot at the top with his acclaimed 2017 solo debut, As You Were. Now, Gallagher looks to double down and prove he’s more than just ‘90s nostalgia with his upcoming record, Why Me? Why Not. “Listen, man,” he commands down the phone line. “I loved being in Oasis, I loved being in Beady Eye and I love making music, it’s just what I do. So it’s nice to put another record out. I think there’s some decent songs on there. It’s not about being back in the spotlight, it’s just a bit of fun for all the fans, and if you haven’t got a good record you haven’t got any gigs, y’know what I mean?”

Why Me? Why Not sees Gallagher again link up with super producers Greg Kurstin (Adele, Foo Fighters) and Andrew Wyatt (Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars) to form a formidable trio of songwriting talent. Despite copping flak – mostly from Noel – about choosing to work with a team of songwriters, Liam makes it clear that he doesn’t see collaboration as a dirty word.

“On the last one I wrote quite a few on my own,” Gallagher explains.”

But I felt that this one had to be a lot bigger and a lot more bigger, so they’re all co-writes on [Why Me? Why Not.]. If I’ve got an idea I’ll go and send it over to them, but when we started the sessions we did six songs together in the first week, so we got all the singles out of the way and took all the time we needed to finish the rest. It was good, man! It was an easy record to make. There was no stress.”

Despite the immensity of his back catalogue, it’s extremely uplifting to hear Gallagher’s enthusiasm about his new material. Recently, he jumped onto his Twitter to declare ‘Once’, one of the new songs on

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Why Me? Why Not., as one of the best things he’s ever worked on. It’s a sentiment he strongly defends.

“I’ll tell you this: if Noel Gallagher wrote ‘Once’, you’d all fucking know it about it.

He’d be shouting about it from the rooftops,” he boasts. “These songs don’t come around a lot, and in this day and age when they do, it just needs to be appreciated. Come back in thirty years time and I can guarantee you ‘Once’ will be getting as much love as ‘Live Forever’ or ‘Slide Away’. It’s a classic.”

Obviously, Liam still bears a significant amount of animosity towards Noel. However, his new record does feature contributions from another Gallagher – Liam’s son Gene is credited for playing bongos on the song ‘One Of Us’.

“Our drummer was caught in traffic, and the song needed bongos and Gene plays drums, so I asked him and I thought he’d be a lot more impressed by the invitation – he was kind of just on his phone talking to girls and was like ‘Alright’,” Gallagher says. “He did it in one take. I thought I’d blow his mind with the experience but he just asked what was for lunch. He wasn’t all that impressed.”

Given his outspoken nature, it wouldn’t be naff to take a punt on Gallagher getting political on his solo material – particularly when you’re living in a country as broken as the UK. Liam affirms, bluntly, that it’s not what he’s involved in music for.

“God no. I’ve never felt political,” scoffs Gallagher. “A lot of my heroes, like John Lennon, he got political and look what happened to him - it’s not for me man.”

“I can’t think of anything fucking worse. I’m an artist, not a politician. If you’re coming to my gig, you want a bit of a break, not to pay 30 quid to have some git rambling on about

what’s happening in the House of Commons. I’d rather shoot myself in the fucking face.”

Australian punters are set to be treated to a taste of Gallagher’s new record when he lands in December to play a string of shows – or as he says, “to cheer us all up!” The dates include two headline appearances at beloved regional festival Meredith and Fairgrounds – the latter featuring none other than Sydney’s own Oasis acolytes, DMAs. Gallagher, however, says that he doesn’t understand the constant comparisons between the two groups.

“I don’t hear all this Oasis stuff,” he admits. “I like the people and I like some of the tunes – I know they wear bucket hats and stuff – but if they started their band because of Oasis, then who am I to complain about it?”

“I had a night out with them once, and they’re nice lads, Tommy and that. I had a couple of beers in a pub with them. They’re alright man.”

Just last week marked the 25th anniversary of Oasis’s world conquering debut Definitely Maybe – a record which undeniably set the blueprint for the next quarter decade of indie rock. Putting his ego aside for a rare moment, Gallagher says that he’s not the type to reflect on the nostalgic aspect of his time in the group.

“I’m very proud to have been a part of Oasis,” Gallagher says. “It’s a privilege to mean so much to people’s lives, because I know what it’s fucking like: that Stone Roses album blew my head off, y’know what I mean, so I get what it’s about. I’m a fan of music too, but honestly, I don’t get the hoo-ha of it.”

Almost as if he knows that I’m hunting for a pull-quote, Gallagher’s distinctive Mancunian drawl instantaneously twists into one dripping with sarcasm as he drops one last bombshell.

“But I dig it. And I’m proud to have been their voice, of their generation.”

BY WILL BREWSTER

Why Me? Why Not. Hits shelves around the country on Friday September 20 via Warner Music Australia. Catch Liam Gallagher on tour this December.

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MUSIC INTERVIEWS The band’s fourth record, Suck On Light, is out on September 27, four years since its predecessor, the ARIA number one album Limit Of Love. The Sydney band just wrapped up a celebratory run of Australian headline shows and will be midway through a US tour when Suck On Light comes out.

“It’s nice having a body of work back out there in the wild,” says Hosking. “The touring side of things I am equal amounts excited and terrified about, which is normal.”

Suck On Light is heralded by information about Hosking’s battle with chronic fatigue, which stretches back to the band’s debut album, Moonfire, in 2011. His illness was later identified as arising from a gut bacterial issue, which requires him to undergo ongoing Faecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) treatment. Side effects included depression, anxiety and overwhelming lethargy.

Without underselling the severity of the illness, it’s not exactly sexy rock’n’roll stuff. However, Hosking knew he’d have to be upfront about what’s been happening in his life and how it influenced the songwriting on Suck On Light.

Boy & Bear Lighten Up The Boy & Bear story dates back to early 2009 when frontman Dave Hosking was performing as a solo artist. After Hosking linked up with the other four members, many of who were also experienced singer-songwriters, they issued Boy & Bear’s debut single ‘Mexican Mavis’.

“It was going to be tricky for me to write about anything else – there wasn’t much else – so if the record was going to be about this, it felt like the only way to do it is to tell the whole story,” he says “I also just think it’s more interesting. If you can wrap your head around the taboo of FMTs and gut problems, it’s not a pretty topic, but I think it was an interesting situation where I was writing and being creative being in a state where my brain was really struggling with basic tasks.”

Boy & Bear has always been a collaborative venture, which has shone through in the way the band’s arrangements leave room for each member to take on a distinct role. The songs on Stuck On Light came together over the course of an 18-month demoing process and in circumstances where Hosking was struggling to muster much energy or cohesion. As a result, the roles shifted in terms of who was taking charge of generating new ideas.

“Going right back to the first record, almost everything was written on guitar from my end and then arranged as a collective, then over time that’s shifted into me bringing half ideas or a chorus,” Hosking says. “What’s been interesting is being open to starting [songs] off a particular groove or starting off Jon [Hart] dicking around on the piano. When you’re writing for 18 months you’ve got to mix it up. You’ve got to find different approaches and that’s an important part of keeping ideas coming through.”

Because of the long gestation period and how these songs emerged at different stages in his convalescence, Hosking’s relationship with the new songs differs from those on the band’s previous records.

“Piecing together these songs and trying to do them justice and getting them to the point where they feel really good, there’s definitely a sense of pride in that,” he says. “I think that we’ve managed to work under some pretty challenging circumstances really well and I think we’ve managed to create some really good songs.”

Considering all Hosking endured, a four year gap between Boy & Bear’s third and fourth records isn’t that enormous. At one stage, however, promoting their fourth record seemed like a distant prospect.

“It wasn’t really part of the picture for a while. It had sort of got smothered out as other issues [took over]. Life has a way of doing that – when bigger things come along they bump everything off and you’ve got to one by one claw them back.

“I get a lot of pleasure in writing and making music and I also want to make something of good quality. As soon as it became a possibility, it was just going to be a matter of being smart about it and I was confident that we were going to get it done.”

BY AUGUSTUS WELBY Suck On Light arrives courtesy of Island Records on Friday September 27.

Promote your gigs for FREE BEAT.COM.AU BRAND NEW GIG GUIDE mixdownmag.com.au

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MUSICOLOGY:

WHY AN OASIS REUNION IS A MEDIA-FUELLED FANTASY Last year, Liam Gallagher threw kerosene on the constantly crackling fire of the Oasis reunion rumour mill, flames that have been fanned by the world’s media ever since the UK rock band called it quits ten years ago. He did this with a seemingly out-of-the-blue tweet addressed to his brother and former bandmate Noel asking to get “the big O” back together.

The ‘could-it-really-be’ gasps of fans could be heard worldwide as music writers pounced on the story, seamlessly tying it into the established narrative of the feuding siblings who would eventually, it was presumed, put their differences behind them and return to the business of being the biggest band in the world.

There’s a lot going on within that presumption, and it has more to do with giving the media something to write about than it does the reality of the situation.

Sure, Liam’s tweet is backed up by numerous interviews where he states that he would love to be in Oasis again, but this has been a consistent headline-making issue for the entire decade that the band have been broken up. Prior to that, many of the same publications were printing stories with a similar regularity declaring that Oasis were on the verge of imploding. The drama between the two frontmen is part of what made them seem dangerous and interesting, in both a musical and public relations sense, and their constantly goading-yet-

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approachable attitude to the media has always made for killer content.

“I forgive you now let’s get the BIG O back together and stop fucking about the drinks are on me,” read Liam’s tweet. After waiting a day, he added, “I’ll take that as a no then.”

Understandably, this gave the papers something to write about, particularly in the UK where the band is still largely revered as modern gods. NME, the formerly print-based and now solely online pop/rock focused publication, published 41 articles on their website the month of the tweet tagged with ‘Oasis’. The site brings up innumerable articles mentioning Oasis when you search the term. Alhough NME is certainly the most Britpop-focused outlet around, in 2015 The Guardian described “a continuing, insatiable public appetite for all things Gallagher.”

Closer to home, a quick look at Tone Deaf, which is probably the Australian NME equivalent in terms of style and content, also offers more than a handful of Gallagherrelated articles written in the space of a year.

So why does the music media continue to follow so closely the story of a band that have not played a note together since Justin Bieber was 15 years old? A video of Liam making tea backstage went viral as, in typically dry form, he complained about having to make his own beverage, when back in the ‘90s there would have been a team on hand for the task. Through the lens of nostalgia it is easy to view the Gallagher brothers as the last of a breed of traditional rock stars who didn’t need social media to connect with their fans and benefited from massive major label budgets.

The somewhat aloof and untouchable image

that was possible when Oasis were at their peak no longer exists within the marketing plan of any major pop or rock artist, and in that way no one has really filled the gap they left.

Furthermore, Liam won’t leave the issue alone. Last year on August 5 via Twitter, he again reached out to Noel by sharing a picture of his family on holiday and saying, “Had the best family holiday ever cmon [sic] Noel Sara Anais Donovan [S]onny you know you want to get involved.” In the following 12 months, there’s been plenty more terse exchanges between the siblings, and by this stage, you’ve got to wonder whether they’re just reaching for it.

The biggest flaw in the reunion idea, other than the fact the two frontmen won’t speak to each other, is that it probably wouldn’t be very good. The constant stream of news pieces and updates based around anything the pair do in public is used to tap into a nostalgic and baseless notion that if they were to miraculously reform, it would be as they were in the mid-‘90s when they were amongst the most loved acts on the planet.

The fact that the quality of their output dipped noticeably by the turn of the century and reviews of their shows focused more on antics and bad tempers rather than the music has somehow been happily ignored by this media campaign, as if the nine years apart will revert them to the brilliance with which they first appeared at the ages of 20 (Liam) and 26 (Noel) when Definitely Maybe was released 25 years ago. Stereogum described the second half of Oasis’ career from 2000’s onwards as “a series of middling releases only existent for a core (yet still rabid and quite large) fanbase.”

Add to that the fact that after the first two albums – the only ones remembered fondly by the general public – the lineup changed completely, and the next question is, who would be part of this reunion? The blokes who made Definitely Maybe, or Dig Out Your Soul?

Liam again made NME headlines last year when he stated that Noel was “begging” to play Glastonbury, after an interview where the senior brother was asked if he was interested in performing at the UK’s biggest festival and he responded positively.

This followed a tweet where Liam all but confirmed that he had been booked to headline this year’s event. Despite receiving glowing reviews from just about every bucket hat wearing punter in attendance, there was, of course, one notable critic. Noel took to The Guardian to give his two cents on the performance, saying that his younger brother”looked like he was having the worst day of his life” onstage, calling his rendition of classic Oasis material “weedy and thin” and concluding with the scathing roast of “I don’t think I’ve ever been so embarrassed for a man in my entire life.”

For now, it seems that seeing the two Oasis stars on the same festival bill will have to satiate fans, but their legacy is destined to live on in the era of clickbait.

BY ALEX WATTS

mixdownmag.com.au

ADVICE COLUMNS GUITAR

BASS GUITAR

Got The Bends IV………

Instant Soul Part 2

As we’ve seen in the last few issues bends are a widely used and important technique to learn for the contemporary guitar player (and can be heard in a range of styles –country/rock/blues/funk/metal and more). Bends are be used for expression as a method of articulation and even as an effect with more blatant and extreme sounds. Let’s reinforce these ideas even further this month with some bend and release licks.

A quick recap from last month. We took a simple I – IV chord progression in the key of C (so C to F) and gradually built it up starting from two bars of crotchets on each chord. To add movement we incorporated chromatic notes to walk from C to F in the second bar and then from F back to C in the fourth bar. Rhythmic ideas such as quavers, semi quavers and dotted notes added some extra flavour along with incorporating the 5th and repetitive riffs/motifs.

So let’s plug in our vintage J or P, slot in a dampener near the bridge jump into some more examples. (Please note – vintage J or P and dampener are optional!).

Figure A is a four bar phrase in the key of A minor. Written without bends it consists of quavers and two minims and could be played with a range of picking options (alternate picking, downstrokes and even some sweeps). This could work as a rock, fusion lick played over a medium tempo straight rock/funk groove.

Figure A starts with a II – V progression in the key of D Major (so Em7 to A7) which can be heard in hundreds of soul/funk tunes. Using crotchets the first bar plays low E, the next bar open A and bars three and four then play the same progression up an octave. This could be played as a medium tempo straight soul/funk groove.

To then add some articulation Figure B takes the same lick and incorporates bends. Starting on the same B note the second and third notes of the phrase utilise bends. The second (C) is played by bending the previous note (B) up a semitone. You then release that bend back down a semitone to its original pitch (B) for the third note. This creates a smooth sound allowing the bend to move the pitch rather than fretting separate notes. You could then pull off to the A in the 5th fret before completing the rest of the bar. Bar two uses a traditional whole tone bend from D in the 5th fret on the 3rd string. This bend is held for two beats before being released to its original pitch (D) on beat four. Bar three is entirely fretted notes and could incorporate various picking depending on your preference and ability.

Finally the last bar again uses a bend and release for the first three notes of the phrase. This time it starts on D in the 10th fret on the first string, bends up a tone to E and then releases back to D. Including the C on beat 2+ the aim is to have the four quavers sounding even and in tune with the bend. These four notes should be clear and sound like the last bar in Figure A (played as all fretted notes, no bends). Lastly this lick finishes with a whole tone bend from G in the 15th fret on the first string up to A. This is written as bending the note quickly to the desired pitch (A) and then holding it for a minim. To vary the articulation you could of course go for a slow bend though and take the two beats to gradually move towards A.

Now with some bend and release knowledge let’s leave you with Figure C to work on yourself. It’s an E minor pentatonic sound that could work over E7 or Em7 (amongst others).

Remember to be accurate with the pitch, use reinforcement from your second finger when bending with your third finger and work towards a clear and concise sound. We’ll take bends a step further next issue with some pre bends, more interesting intervals and a quick look at bending multiple notes at once.

Expanding on root notes Figure B then adds some movement from the Em7 to A7. Bar one moves diatonically E-F#-G and then plays G# on beat four which moves nicely up a semi tone to A on the first beat of bar two. Continuing the ascending movement bar two plays A-B-C#-D which then leads into E in bar three. This bar is the same notes as bar one but played up an octave before the last bar moves in a descending fashion A-G-F#-F. Whilst not overly difficult Figure B now has more harmonic content and creates movement from Em7 to A7, a nice contrast to Figure A.

Figure C takes chromatic ideas and adds more rhythmic variety. Similar to Figure A and Figure B this bass line aims to move from the root notes of Em7 to A7 with both diatonic and chromatic passing tones. The extra quavers combined with crotchets then help with this movement and rhythmic variation.

Lastly Figure D combines all the previous elements with some more syncopation. The first three beats of bar one are essentially root and fifth with the tie and semi quavers creating a bouncy Motown feel. This type of phrase can be heard on tracks from Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder and more. Beat four then moves from B chromatically down to Bb which gets us to A (the root note of A7) on beat one of bar two. Playing over A7 bar two uses a descending quaver line A-A-G-G-Gb-Gb-F-F which again combines both diatonic and chromatic notes to lead into Em7 in bar three. Another root and fifth type lick is played at the start of bar three before two Bb quavers take us to bar four (A7). This bar starts with a classic rock/blues/soul arpeggio styled lick/bass line. Outlining the A7 chord the lick starts on the root note (A) then moves from C to C# before playing E and F# (the fifth and sixth of the chord respectively). This sound has been heard in countless musical situations and is a common and important lick for guitarists and bass players alike to have in their arsenal.

BY NICK BROWN

Hopefully this gives you some more ideas and material for playing in a soul style and for constructing soul sounding bass lines. The chord progression can be simple and often the bass line has moments of simplicity (both rhythmically and harmonically) but you can then add some subtle touches to give it a more syncopated feel a la James Jamerson, Bob Babbit and the like!

BY NICK BROWN 24

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ELECTRONIC MUSIC PRODUCTION

The All Important Cans Not everyone’s lucky enough to have a space in their home where they can work on music without pissing someone off. In fact, I’d say it’s a rarity. Fair enough, really – listening to a drum loop five million times while a hi-hat is slightly tweaked is not going to be fun for your housemates, or your neighbours if you’re making bass-heavy music. Unless you’re living alone without a neighbour in sight, a good quality pair of headphones is an essential tool in your home studio. Different headphones suit different applications, so here’s a few types and market terms explained.

Monitor Headphones Standard headphones from department stores will often have an inaccurate frequency response, but market it like it’s a good thing, e.g. ‘OMG HUGE BASS!’ If you’re making music, you don’t want this. You want your sound to be as accurate as possible because you want to use them to monitor your mix. Basically, for making music, you want monitor headphones.

Closed Back This refers to the ear cups being closed over your ear. This style of headphones blocks out a fair bit of environmental noise, and also blocks your music’s noise from being heard by others. Closed back sets get tricky when mixing, because everything can be heard so very clearly. That’s not necessarily a problem in itself, but you might find when listening out loud that some of your parts aren’t punching through like they were in the headphones, or some of the percussion is getting lost. A good tip, that can seem counterintuitive, is to turn your headphone volume down a bit when mixing.

Open Back This means the ear cups are not sealed over by a solid cover. Think of a spoked bicycle wheel covered with foam and a speaker in the middle – that’d look pretty close to a huge open back ear cup. The idea of this style of headphones is to provide a more natural soundstage, more akin to listening to music through speakers. They don’t really block any environmental noise, so people can still talk to you and they’ll be able to hear the music coming from your headphones too. If you’re recording into a microphone these are a no-no – bleed from the backing track in your headphones will end up on the recording. But the general consensus is that open back sets are preferable when mixing. Listening fatigue

is also lessened by the airy open back. They tend to be lighter, and can get incredibly expensive for high-end mastering gear.

Semi-Open Back As you might expect, these aren’t fully open or closed. You still probably wouldn’t want to use them somewhere busy where the noise will irritate others, but if you make intricate music, you might find that a degree of environmental noise blocking while in your home studio is ideal.

Headphone Impedance (Ohms) Without getting technical about it, the higher the impedance rating of your headphones, the hotter the signal it will take. If you plugged consumer grade

ear-buds (20 ohm-ish) into a DJ mixer and cranked the volume, it would likely blow out the speakers in the ear buds. But on a higher rated pair of headphones (say 80 ohm), you’d likely come out unscathed. Flip the script and plug the high-rated into a phone and you might struggle to get to a decent volume.

80 ohm is a pretty safe all-rounder resistance for most gear. Some headphones, like Beyerdynamic gear, come in varying resistances so you can choose the most suitable for your application.

BY MICHAEL CUSACK

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ADVICE COLUMNS PERCUSSION

More Fun With Independence

Independence or coordination is a fairly constant and evolving thing for most drummers. Even when you aren’t directly concentrating on independence, it can manifest itself in various ways and remind you that the journey is never over.

Sometimes this is frustrating and sometimes it’s amusing. In the interest of keeping independence interesting, I thought I’d share a couple of cool groove patterns that can be used to challenge yourself.

A Classic Approach In a recent lesson with a student, I took a classic Ted Reed reading exercise and used it as a warmup. This included playing the written melody on the snare drum whilst keeping a steady bass drum pattern of crotchets outlining the beat. I do this with all my students. It’s a nice way to practice reading while addressing independence in short bursts. To take things a step further – and because bass drum, four to the floor can get old – I decided to introduce some groove options.

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Looking at the figures provided, you will see a sample melody in a similar style to that of the Ted Reed reading exercise, in this case using crotchets, quavers and some rests. It’s a simple melody that you will play across both the snare and the bass drum.

Channelling Jeff If we consider Figure A, our bass drum is playing four crotchets to the bar but we also have the right hand playing constant and steady 16ths on the hi-hats. I have to admit, I was inspired by Jeff Porcaro playing 'I Keep Forgettin'' by Michael McDonald. Check it out if you haven’t heard it – alas, I digress.

An added bonus of doing this pattern as the ostinato is that you also create a great stamina exercise for the right hand. It’s important however, to remain relaxed when playing too so be mindful of that hand. The melody in this case, will be played in the left hand.

Figures B and C have exactly the same vibe but with slight alterations to the foot pattern by including the hi-hat. An interesting thing can happen when you introduce a new limb. Sometimes, nothing happens and it all feels as comfortable as before or sometimes, it’s the complete opposite and everything falls apart. Everyone will be different. Start slow either way.

Figures D and onwards actually require the melody to be played with the bass drum.

Again, I’ve kept the 16th note hats pattern but introduced the snare drum to play the back beat on two and four. Now, we get a real groove type scenario and it’s standard affair for a drummer. Most drummers are also comfortable with playing variations on the bass drum so initially, this may not seem too difficult. Even as we introduce some variations to the hi-hat (Figures E and F), it should have a familiar feel.

Need more?

Just for a little fun, I’ve included two slightly more advanced ideas and these are shown in Figures G and H. The former has a basic combination of the hi-hat patterns from the previous two figures utilising 8th notes and 16th notes. The back beat remains on beats two and four on the snare drum. This pattern requires a little more independence because it’s a tad more difficult to switch off and forget about what the ostinato is actually doing. It’s possible to get into a groove where you don’t need to really concentrate on the ostinato but Figure G may require a little reminder to the brain so that the hand plays the variation in the hats.

Figure H actually just uses a paradiddle between the hands – predictable perhaps, but still a valid exercise and well worth practicing. Again, the bass drum plays the melody with both of these patterns. Don’t forget the accented snare drum on the back beat.

Now, in essence the ideas presented here are simplistic but they have a musical application and relevance. For this reason, it’s important to remember to keep it groovy.

You can spend so much time concentrating on the written melody that you can actually forget that the groove should still feel good.

The more you’re conscious of this, the more likely you’ll play this way in a real, live or organic situation.

If you feel that crotchets and quavers is a little too simple for the melody, you can play it at a double time tempo. Another idea to challenge yourself is to add the left foot hi-hat into the later patterns in some way.

Perhaps, even just playing crotchets. Beware though, keeping a steady hi-hat in the left foot with an ever changing bass drum can be tricky at first. Finally, don’t forget that any reading exercise can be utilised in the ways discussed. Get creative and have fun.

BY ADRIAN VIOLI

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Long heralded by online reviewers and top audio professionals, and backed by a cult-like following of serious music fans, the M-Series offers an unmatched combination of audio and build quality for exceptional performance both in the studio and beyond.

For information on the full range of M-Series headphones go to audio-technica.com.au

PRODUCT REVIEWS SONICWARE

ELZ-1 Portable Synth LINK AUDIO | LINKAUDIO.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $999

Whether you’re still saving your pennies up to splash out on a mighty Moog One or you’ve been slowly plugging all your funds into tiny obscure modules to finesse your Eurorack rig, there’s certainly no shortage of synthesisers on the market today. If there’s been a single synth that’s shaken the world this decade, however, it’s been Teenage Engineering’s OP-1: a revolutionary creation from the Swedish firm that singlehighhandedly sparked the mini-synth trend and wormed its way into the workflow of everyone from Thom Yorke to Metro Boomin.

Due to an array of production issues in recent years, it’s now surprisingly difficult to land your hands on an OP-1 these days – which makes now the perfect time for Sonicware to step up to the plate with their ELZ-1 Portable Synth.

You’ve probably never heard of Sonicware, and that’s perfectly okay, because the ELZ-1 is actually the first product from the Japanese company. Billed by the manufacturers as a “reinvention” of the synthesiser, the ELZ-1 packs a whole lot into one sleek little chassis, combining FM synthesis, virtual analogue synthesis, 8-bit wavetable synthesis, noise synthesis, granular synthesis, a 64-step sequencer and squillions of filters and effects. It’s also got a built-in speaker, weighs just over a kilogram, offers USB/MIDI functionality and can be powered by four AA batteries, making the ELZ-1 the ultimate portable sound machine for any self-righteous tech-head.

Out of the box, it’s plain to tell that Sonicware mean serious business with their debut offering. Despite its breezy weight, the ELZ-1 is constructed almost entirely

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from solid metal, and even the little rotary encoders and 37 mini keys feel far from flimsy. The OLED screen is certainly worth a mention here; it really makes menu-diving and parameter tweaking a joy. By combining cartoony graphics with pragmatic depictions of waveform manipulations and ADSRs, the ELZ-1 provides an incredibly intuitive knobtwiddling experience to users of any level.

For beginners and hobbyists, playing with the ELZ-1 will certainly school you on the fundamentals of synthesis, and if you put your head down and get stuck into all the different elements it offers, you’ll know your way around envelopes, filters and LFOs in no time. Although the text displayed on the screen can be rather small at times, it’s never illegible, even when viewed from an angle or inside a dark, gloomy home studio – the primary habitat for most synth aficionados.

With so many different synth engines packed into the one tiny little box, it’s a little tough figuring out where to even begin with the ELZ-1, and even for pros, I’d recommend perusing the instruction manual. If you’re chasing “typical” synth sounds, you’ll want to dive into the Standard, Custom and Low Bit Oscillator engines and start fiddling with the sine, triangle, saw and square waveforms.

These engines work great for when you’re seeking a solution for classic chords, soaring pads and bubbling funk leads, and serve as the best entry into navigating the interface of the ELZ-1. While lacking the traditional warmth of a true analogue sounds they’re emulating, these engines still do a pretty tight job, and I really dug the grit that the Low Bit Oscillator engine offered, particularly when you opened the filter up; a saw wave with a little slice of glide will take you

straight to snarl central station, which is great for some stank-face inducing fun.

The ELZ-1 also boasts four operator FM synthesis, which I’m sure will tantalize a lot of users due to its potential for replicating those glassy, crystalline ‘80s sounds. I’m not a huge fan of FM synthesis, yet I found the FM engine of the ELZ-1 to be quite enjoyable and rather immersive; due in part to the level of engagement provided by the colourful OLED screen. Bell tones, chimes, electric pianos and flutes are all easily achievable and sound faithful, and you can provoke some extremely pretty, ambient tones when you engage them alongside the unit’s powerful arpeggiator. You can shape these sounds even further with the 8-bit Wave Memory Synth, which allows for waveform warping and morphing in the FM mode. The SiGRINDER granular synth engine and the two noise synths here also provides similar results, and if you’re seeking chirpy birdsound and crunchy 8-bit video game effects to complement a track, this one’s a go-go. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, the ELZ-1 also contains a DNA explorer mode that lets you generate waveforms from incoming audio. It’s a metric tonne of fun, and deep-diving into this mode gives you some absolutely wild results: just be ready to waste hours of your time as it sucks you in further and further with each little discovery.

On top of all these synth engines, the ELZ-1 also boasts a whole heap of effects you can apply to your sound, allowing you to apply a huge range of modulation, drive and timebased effects to your current patch. This is a super thoughtful touch from Sonicware,

particularly when you’re first learning the ins-and-outs of the synth and want to apply some overdrive, echo or LFO-like wobble without altering your workflow. It’s also worth noting that the Sequencer function on the ELZ-1 is phenomenal, and with 64 steps available to play with, you’ll find yourself stacking layers like crazy, creating wonderful polyphonic bleep-bloop patterns that you’ll never want to pry yourself away from.

As niche and toy as it may appear on a surface level, the Sonicware ELZ-1 is a super-serious piece of kit for the studio or the stage. While it excels in the weird and whacky, it also works wonders for classic mono and poly synth sounds, and once you’ve dedicated a few hours into wrapping your head around its fundamentals, it’ll start rewarding you like no other synth before it has. After years of market dominance, Teenage Engineering may have finally found itself a worthy rival in Sonicware.

BY WILL BREWSTER

HITS ∙∙ So much fun ∙∙ Unlimited sound shaping possibilities ∙∙ Rugged, tactile construction MISSES ∙∙ You’ll need to toil over the instruction manual for a hot minute

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PRODUCT REVIEWS WARWICK

RockBass Artist Line Robert Trujillo 5 String AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $3,299 Warwick are a top-tier bass manufacturer from Markneukirchen, Germany used by some of the most famed bass players in history.

Similar to the Metallica man himself, the Robert Trujillo bass, available in four and five string, simply resonates power. This model in particular, a Satin Black variant of the Warwick Streamer body shape, is a powerhouse of bottom end.

The bass begins with Warwick machine heads and ends in a chrome Warwick bridge, and strings skim through a Just-A-Nut III nut, jumbo frets and EMG J pickups, and the body shape is balanced and comfortable: as is the tone, attack and response of the bass itself. Unplugged, the bass resonates power and reminds me of Trujillo’s introduction in ‘Through the Never’. Thanks to the individually recessed bolts that secure the three layered maple neck to the body with a startlingly tight fit, the resonance from the fretted notes really vibrates into the body and against the player.

The three-band EQ assists in dialling a tone that’ll help you sit, stand out, fall back, or come forward, and are all easily within reach, even on this particular five string model. Despite the five strings, the neck doesn’t feel like a four-lane freeway, and is

comfortable enough to play for extended periods of time, and the compound neck radius assists even further with this. Not only is the neck comfortable out of the box, but Warwick’s 3D bridge that is included as standard can be adjusted up or down, forward or back, as well as side-to-side to fine tune the string spacing. In conjunction with the Warwick Just-A-Nut III that can easily adjust the string height at the nut, the bass is very customisable in feel, tuning and sound.

The EMG Js sound great and really hold down the electronics end of the bass. Fitted with active MEC electronics, the Artist Line Robert Trujillo can be as powerful and feared or inconspicuous as you like. Toggling between active and passive on the push/ pull pot really delivers a different beast, and the pickup blend knob fades in and out of differing Jazz flavours, or anything in between. Finally, three band EQ handles the finer details of your tone. The DI is balanced and full, aggressive when required, and has a controlled resonance.

Head to toe, the Artist Line Robert Trujillo bass that arrives as standard is phenomenal.

24 nickel silver, extra high jumbo frets litter the ebony fingerboard with a beautiful

tigerstripe. The fingerboard is fixed to a laminated, three piece maple neck with ekanga veneer stripes that hold it all together. Ergonomically angled tuners hold the strings in place, and make for a quick and easy tuning experience at the top end of this 34” long scale instrument, a welcome addition that just makes the instrument as a whole a little more special and pleasing to play. Arriving safely in a Deluxe RockBag, ready to go, this bass is one that will please players of any level of expertise or experience.

You’d be a fool to think that a Warwick bass would ever be anything besides one of the most well designed and built instruments you’ll play, which means that Robert Trujillo’s signature bass wouldn’t be anything less than the most ergonomic, practical and well put together bass possible. From the extra-high frets to angled tuning machines, active EMGs as standard and a super customisable chrome bridge to the sleek Satin Black body, bolted to an ebony fretboard that really completes the

look. Trujillo’s Metallica logo-styled initials are embedded in mother of pearl that make for a simple, classy instrument that packs all the punch you might need, but retains the dynamics and character at lower volumes, even before switching between active and passive circuitry. If there was ever an easier way to ‘get the sound right at the source’, it would be difficult to beat the Warwick Artist Line Robert Trujillo. A huge list of specs, unassuming good looks and a consistency in sound that you’d only expect from Warwick; the masters.

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS HITS: ∙∙ Unassuming, all about the specs ∙∙ Great hardware and pickups as standard ∙∙ Well built and designed HITS: ∙∙ Big price tag

KYSER

Kyser Accessory Range CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: FROM $11.95 If you’ve ever bought an acoustic guitar from a brick-and-mortar store, there’s a high chance you’ve already encountered a Kyser capo in one form or another. We’ve got a myriad of Kyser products to talk about in this review, including full-sized capos, partialsized capos, and even an acoustic humidifier and a guitar cleaning kit. Let’s dive right in!

The Kyser Quick-Change acoustic capo is where it all began. The review unit sent to us was finished in a breathtaking ‘rosewood’ colour scheme, consisting of black tiger stripes overlaid on top of a dark red wood grain pattern. Aesthetically, this capo is a winner. It pairs well with almost every guitar colour and finish imaginable.

The Quick-Change capo is constructed from lightweight aluminium, featuring a singlehanded action bound by a high-tension coil.

A thick sheet of rubber coats the top jaw of the capo, while a block of transparent white rubber rests at the bottom. It’s slightly regrettable – a black rubber block would have suited the overall colour scheme much better. Minor gripes aside, the capo functions as it should. Clamping, releasing and shifting the device is as simple as it could be. The pressure applied to the fretboard was evenly dispersed and never made me worry about whether my frets were under unnecessary duress. Performance was excellent across the entire fingerboard.

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Following the acoustic capo is the QuickChange electric variant. According to Kyser, the main difference between the two is its smaller body, smaller radius, and a lower spring tension. This is specifically tailored towards vintage guitars with a 7.25” fretboard radius, as well as the more commonly found 9.5” radius found across most standard electric guitars these days.

The remaining three capos are functionally unique. However, the Pro/AM capo is by far the smallest and most bare-bones out of them all. It’s made from raw, unfinished aluminium and features two thick wads of rubber on the ends of each arm. Clamping is performed via a manually adjustable tension screw. While slightly tedious, precise adjustments can be achieved for more fragile instruments.

Let’s talk about the final two capos at once: the Kyser Quick-Change for drop-D tunings, and the Kyser Short-Cut. Structurally, the drop-D Quick-Change capo is a mirror image of the Kyser Quick-Change for electric guitars.

However, it specifically covers only five of the six strings on your guitar, allowing for some interesting chords to be played. While plainly promoting the use of drop-D tuning, Kyser also recommends experimenting with BGDGBD with the capo on the fourth fret, or CADGBD on the third fret. This spirit of experimentation is further compounded in the Short-Cut. Instead of five strings, this

capo only bars a mere three (the A, D, and G strings), and is definitely best suited for the more experimental players out there.

The penultimate item in the Kyser care package is the trio of cleaning/conditioning products. The instrument polish, lemon oil fretboard conditioner, and the string cleaner.

I put these to work on a slightly dried out Epiphone ES-339, and it didn’t take long for the guitar to shine once again. The lemon oil conditioner worked wonders on the 339’s dark Pau Ferro board, hydrating it without a trace of stickiness. The same effects were experienced with the instrument polish, which removed slight marks and fingerprints with aplomb. The string cleaner was my personal favourite of the three; it works by getting into the microgrooves between each string’s metal winds, and forms a barrier to protect against corrosion, sweat and debris. While it certainly made the strings feel slick, they weren’t slippery in the slightest.

The final item is the Lifeguard Humidifier, an unsung hero in safeguarding your acoustic guitar against the elements. Owning a guitar

can often be a large investment, and thus ensuring its longevity should be your utmost priority. If your guitar occasionally travels with you overseas or if you live in a dry, arid climate, a humidifier is absolutely necessary to preserve the wood of your guitar.

Considering the excellent quality of their longevity products and their lifetime guarantee on all their capos, you can be assured that a Kyser product will never let you down.

BY EDDY LIM

HITS: ∙∙ Excellent capos ∙∙ Cleaning products are a must-have ∙∙ Good build quality and quality control MISSES: ∙∙ Clunky Pro/AM capo

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PRODUCT REVIEWS FENDER

Vintera ‘50s Precision Bass and ‘60s Jazz Bass FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU RRP: ‘50S P BASS - $1,899, ‘60S JAZZ BASS - $1,999 Fender’s new series of Vintera instruments cover the entire range of the famed manufacturer’s catalogue. They’re faithful reproductions of vintage instruments with modern functionality and build quality. The Vintera Jazz Bass, available in both '60s or '70s variants, is an alder-bodied, full-size gloss polyester finished instrument, with VintageStyle ‘60s single coil Jazz Bass pickups in the bridge and neck positions. It features a period correct neck profile and frets, as well as respective ‘60s or '70s style tuning machines.

The Precision, or ‘P’ bass, is equally spec’d out and a true homage to the ‘50s. It’s available in an alder or ash body depending on your preference, but this time with a deluxe maple fretboard. Both basses play well, tip their headstocks to their predecessors, but are masterfully designed basses in their own right. They’re not the same as a ‘50s, ‘60s or ‘70s bass, because they’re not trying to be.

Though similar in specs, feel and tone, they’re a culmination of Fender’s lasting legacy and influence.

Straight out of the included deluxe Fender gig bag, the Vintera Jazz sounds great. The D.I. tone is complete, full and iconic, even without a preamp or amplifier head. In saying that, it does respond well to an amp, bringing

out character and vibe from the matching Jazz pickups. The electronics are comfortably within reach and the single coil Jazz Bass pickups feature independent volume controls to blend the pickups together or cancel one or the other completely. Even dialled to ten, blending both pickups evenly, the tone is even and balanced, and not too honky as some basses can become. The Jazz is unassuming in both looks and sound, sitting right in the pocket whichever way you look at it. While admittedly a little weighty, the bass still feels balanced when standing and playing. It feels great to really dig in to the tones with a pick, or to groove along with your fingers.

The volume remains fairly even regardless of picking attack, but the bass still responds dynamically when need be. Not always a forward tone, but ever present, holding down the band as a bass should.

The Precision Bass boasts a Vintage-Style ‘50s split single coil Precision Bass pickup and simple master volume and tone controls, completing the simplicity and precision that makes the P Bass what it is. The sound of the bass itself is an instantly more usable rock tone than the Jazz, noticeably honkier in tone that would sit well amongst slamming drums and distorted guitars. Even unplugged,

the maple fingerboard creates a more forward tone, reflecting the attack and pick of the fretted notes. The finished neck feels good, and isn’t grabby like some glossy finishes.

Being a single pickup instrument, the tone knob really alters the tone completely, and offers a lot of room to fine tune for the perfect sound within a mix. Despite notably less electronics for fine tuning and half the pickups, the P Bass is equally malleable when searching for the ideal sound for the situation.

The P Bass shape is very comfortable, and offers great access to higher frets for a balanced playing experience overall.

Like everything else in the Vintera Series, the Vintera Jazz and Precision Basses are not only the culmination of years or progress for Fender, but flagship instruments for Fender’s ability to reimagine modern classics that have

been used on countless records the world over.

With period correct body shapes, neck profiles and tuners coupled with modern build quality, the buck stops with Fender as the continue to produce some of the best instruments they ever have.

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

HITS: ∙∙ Vintage style, modern build quality ∙∙ Re-imagined and re-voiced specifications to match vintage basses MISSES: ∙∙ Jazz bass heavier than a P-Bass

WARWICK

Alien Acoustic Bass 5 String AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $2,699 When it comes to acoustic basses, Warwick have been leading the way in both design and innovation. Their Alien range won the M.I.P.A. award in 2010 for best acoustic bass guitar, and they’ve been seen in the hands of excellent musicians including Craig Newman (John Farnham), Anthony Jackson (Birds of Tokyo), and Rod Bustos (Vanessa Amorosi).

But even still, let’s face it: acoustic basses are a bit of an anomaly in a conventional band setting. They’re hefty and cumbersome in size and are somewhat limited in their amplified capabilities. Either way, Warwick has more or less doubled down on their eccentricity, and it seems to have paid off in spades.

This is definitely the quirkiest instrument I’ve ever had the chance to play. The guitar looks like it was recently stolen from Area 51, with a solid spruce top that faintly resembles a grimacing alien face. The back and sides are made from laminated ovangkol (an African cousin of rosewood), while the neck is made from mahogany and the fretboard from dark wenge.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well the guitar played straight out of the box. The satin finish on the Alien Bass’ neck made it an absolute joy to play, complimented by its supremely comfortable neck shape.

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The 24 jumbo bronze frets are set and filed excellently, with no fret sprout to speak of.

The factory setup kept the action low and slinky, and the Alien Bass stayed in tune remarkably well.

While I wasn’t a fan of the seemingly awkward plastic thumb rest, it didn’t detract away from the tones this guitar produced.

When unplugged, the Alien Bass produced a well-rounded thump, with a slick kick in the midrange. Although bearing a relatively small sound hole, the sound projected from the guitar remained full-bodied and centralised. Due to its acoustic properties, notes delivered a sweet, singing sustain with an incredible resonance unrivalled by a traditional electric bass.

We all know the satisfaction that comes from slapping an electric bass. However, you haven’t truly lived till you’ve slapped an acoustic bass. The Alien’s hollow interior adds an unfounded level of percussiveness that adds an explosive punch to every hit.

For players with a heavy right hand, don’t fret. Strings are tampered down with a solid steel tailpiece, and the bridge itself is securely fastened to the body.

A Fishman piezo pickup drives the Alien’s amplification, and when plugged in, it doesn’t sound half bad. Most of its lofty acoustic tones are accurately translated

through an amplifier. The Fishman Prefix PlusT control panel offers a diverse range of EQ options, which assist in increasing tonal variety. Most noteworthy of all is the contour control, which can be used to provide a boost in a specific frequency, modifiable via a slider. While the amplified Alien isn’t able to achieve the same level of tonal variation as an electric bass, it’s not a bad baseline tone by any means.

Look – this bass isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking to bounce wildly around on stage, this guitar probably isn’t for you (it doesn’t even have strap buttons). But, if you’re looking for something that plays exceedingly

well, sounds great, and will undoubtedly put you in the centre of the spotlight, look no further.

BY EDDY LIM

HITS: ∙∙ Great build quality ∙∙ Awesome playability ∙∙ Thumpin’ tones MISSES: ∙∙ No strap buttons

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The

60s

Jazzmaster® in Ice Blue Metallic.

Player: Curtis Harding

THE VINTERA™ SERIES VINTAGE ST YLE FOR THE MODERN ERA.

©2019 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. FENDER, FENDER in script, JAZZMASTER and the distinctive headstock commonly found on Fender guitars and basses are trademarks of FMIC. Registered in the U.S. and foreign countries. VINTERA is a trademark of FMIC. All rights reserved.

PRODUCT REVIEWS YAMAHA

A Series Acoustic Guitars YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA | AU.YAMAHA.COM | EXPECT TO PAY: A1M - $849 A3M - $1249 A5M - $2399

One of the less perverted and more fascinating things the internet is responsible for is shining a light on the least explored secret aspects of human behaviour. Nowhere is this more evident than in the case of what has become known as the ‘unboxing video’. YouTube is full to bursting with countless channels produced by savvy consumers unveiling their latest purchase for eager, millions-strong audiences who, even as remote as they are, come chomping at the bit to covet the shining, virginal newness of any given item. This seems to me a bizarre socio-cultural nuance; are we so poisoned by centuries of consumerism that our addiction feeds off any tiny iota of imagined ownership experience, or is it just that this kind of revelation is one of life’s simplest joys? I must admit that one of the perks of this job is the monthly glut of new toys I get to lay my hands on, and occasionally Lady Chance lands a real humdinger in my lap. This time around she graced me with a trio of six strings ringing with the royal treatment from Yamaha Japan’s master luthiers, the A Series of performance-focused acoustic guitars.

The A Series is divided into two main streams—the mahogany family and the rosewood family—and I was at the behest of the former. All three iterations—A1M, A3M and A5M—are comprised of a top quality Sitka spruce top bolstered by the aforementioned darkwood on the back and

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sides. As I’ve written about previously in relation to the ever-popular F Series, Yamaha has taken standard bracing techniques and applied lashings of science in order to produce a louder and more responsive acoustic guitar. The trusses on the top side are scalloped and pitched towards one side of the lower bout, while those across the back of the body are shallower, allowing their roof-bound co-workers to do more of the heavy lifting. The result is a much more satisfying guitar to listen to. Simply put, the sound you expect to emanate from beneath your fingers is clearer and more forthright, as if you were sat a foot closer to the troubadour wooing you.

All three members of this holy trinity come equipped with Yamaha’s patented SRT pickup technology. Again, Yamaha has taken the industry standard and refined it a touch. Where a standard piezo pickup will harness vibrations behind the bridge of all six strings evenly and to the best of its ability, the SRT variation focuses its attention on each string via a separate receptor with a keen eye on the specifics of each string’s frequency range. The low end is more powerful and present, while the higher strings chime with the bell-like quality of the upper register of a piano. In addition to this, the A3M and A5M allow you to blend in as much or as little of a classic studio mic voicing with your signal as you like, which affords you more of an individual

characteristic than just the standard line out. You have a choice of Neumann KM56 small diaphragm condenser or Royer R122 active ribbon mics at the push of a button should you so desire, and the results are warm, sensitive, and rich with harmonic character that you usually lose so much of when relying on stock acoustic preamps.

Too often Yamaha’s guitars, particularly their acoustics, are cruelly overlooked when mounted on the walls of guitar emporiums the world over. Often eschewed in favour of more widely proliferated Western brands, it strikes me as a crime to lump these three in with the knock-off, student guitar set if only because that is simply not the way these instruments have been crafted. In my mind, any member of the trio would be ready, willing, and able to compete for trackspace with one of Taylor’s more expensive builds both in voicing and playability.

Having wrestled both, my hands favoured the played-in feel of the hand rolled edges of the A Series fingerboard, away from the more modern, offset feel of its American rival. Details like these render the A Series ultimately playable and bound to last a good few decades of affectionate ownership.

One of the nicest guitars I’ve ever laid my hands on is a relatively new LL26, the jewel in Yamaha’s crown, and it is from that same cloth that the A Series is cut. From the open gear Gotoh tuners on the A5M through to

the exquisite, rich colouring of the vintage lacquered finish and out to the Elixir Nanoweb 80/20 string sets they are strung up with, everything about these instruments is aimed as much at performance readiness as longevity. Leave your preconceptions at the front counter and spend some time with any of the A Series models; your fingers and ears will thank you.

BY LUKE SHIELDS

HITS: ∙∙ Finish, tonality and craftsmanship to rival any upper echelon luthier’s finest work MISSES: ∙∙ Mic-sim selection indicator and my ability to put them down

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PRODUCT REVIEWS TOKAI

Terra Nova S4 Model Mini Acoustic-Electric JADE AUSTRALIA | JADEMCAUSTRALIA.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $1295 Tokai produce stellar, albeit very well-priced acoustic guitars. We’ve reviewed some larger siblings in previous issues, but the Tokai Terra Nova S4 Model Mini AcousticElectric Guitar is a standout. Once nestled against you, it really does feel small, but produces a sound larger than it’s solid spruce top and sapele back and sides, a firm tonewood known for richness and warmth and its similarity to mahogany, a wood used almost exclusively for acoustic guitars. It has a scale length similar to a Les Paul, as well as the Brad Clark Supernatural preamp featured in some of the other electro-acoustic Tokai guitars. A handy, practical and inconspicuous pickup that does a great job at capturing each guitars nuances, and allows for further tweaking to fit the environment, night after night, once removing it from the included hardcase.

The Tokai Terra Nova S4 Model Mini AcousticElectric Guitar is, as its name suggests, a mini acoustic guitar. It features 19 medium frets and a 24.5” scale length, so just below the familiar Les Paul scale. The neck is made from mahogany crafted into a medium soft ‘V’ shape, and an ebony fretboard not only provides a great tone before the preamp, but complements the black gloss finish, as does the ebony bridge. The guitar, at least aesthetically, is sleek and classy, reminiscent of a grand piano or fresh tuxedo. Six

Kluson-styled, white button tuners secure the strings to the machine heads, and a bone nut and saddle keep the instrument intonated. The guitar is just shy of 2kg, and the Deluxe Vintage Hard Shell case as standard keeps it safe. The guitars size and aesthetic reminds me of a time before fullbodied acoustic guitars were the norm, and produces Robert Johnson style blues or is perfect for intricately plucked passages and progressions.

This S4 feels quite small tucked under your arm, but produces a punchy sound that admittedly isn’t as resonant as its bigger siblings. But this mini acoustic isn’t trying to imitate, it has its own take on the sound of an acoustic guitar. It’s controlled, impactful and articulate in a way that bigger acoustic guitars just can’t replicate.

Chords are steady and sizeable, and picked or arpeggio passages are balanced and articulate. Because of these characteristics, the guitar records very well, even without the pickup. This is only further driven home by the Brad Clark Supernatural preamp nestled into the sound how that captures the sound from the guitar with clarity, while offering some tone voicing and shaping options. A three-band EQ offers bass, middle and treble controls, a master volume sits next to them, and finally a voicing button flicks between four different voicings to suit

different environments and further dialled

by EQ. The guitars plays well, but does feel particularly small, as you’d expect, so it takes some getting used to. Regardless, it produces a sound all of its own.

The Tokai Terra Nova S4 Model Mini AcousticElectric Guitar is a great addition to the Terra Nova series of acoustic-electric guitars that Tokai produces. It’s not rehashing what ground has already been covered by Tokai, it’s forging a new path. This mini acoustic guitar looks and feels mostly like a more normal size acoustic, but the sound produced is more controlled than a full-size acoustic is capable of because of the sheer size of the guitar and inevitable sound bouncing around. The Brad Clark Supernatural preamp adapts extremely well

to an entirely different guitar, and manages to capture the subtle colour and tonal characteristics of this Terra Nova. A great guitar all tied up in a mini package.

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

HITS: ∙∙ Great, balanced and articulate sound ∙∙ Classy looks ∙∙ Pickup included as standard MISSES: ∙∙ Small size takes some getting used to

FAITH GUITARS

FVTB Trembesi Venus Cutaway CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $1950 I remember seeing and reading about Patrick James Eggle in the very cool British publication Guitarist in the late 90s. He had a range of guitars that showed (at least to me) some traditional stylings with a bit of his own flair. Being pre or early internet there wasn’t lots of information around so these odd glimpses in magazines was about all I could gather. After some time it was clear to see that Eggle was a highly respected builder and it was then no surprise when I learned of his association with Faith Guitars a few years back. With an impressive range of acoustic guitars in various configurations and styles we have slowly started to see more of the Faith guitar brand in Australia. Up today – the FVTB. Firstly let’s decipher the FVTB name. ‘Faith Venus Trembesi’ in full, the guitar comes from their Trembesi line (utilising the Indonesian ‘Trembesi’ timber) and comes in Faith’s ‘Venus’ body shape – makes sense.

The build features solid Trembesi back and sides and a solid Engelmann spruce top, mahogany neck and a Macassar figured ebony fingerboard. Gold Grover Rotomatic tuners add some zing to the predominantly understated look with satin back and sides and a gloss top. Faith describe the 15” lower bout and slimmer body depth as main characteristics of the Venus guitar shape and I must admit the body sits nicely without

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feeling huge. Fingerstyle players, big chord strummers and general guitarists would all be at home on the FVTB with the cutaway adding further flexibility for those needing some extra range.

The FVTB sounded clear and concise with a nice midrange that could suit a host of styles. Single note lines rang out with purpose whilst open string chord voicings and arpeggios had plenty of clarity and sustain. Furthermore the guitar has plenty of acoustic volume. If you’re looking at the amplified side of the FVTB you’ll see the Ink 3. Fishman have long been at the forefront of preamp/pickup systems and I really like the look and layout of the aforementioned unit. Low profile and sleek it almost sits flush against the guitar’s side and features an LCD tuner alongside EQ and Volume.

these days is that it’s not always the way!).

Check out the Faith FVTB (or indeed any other models) when you get a chance and see some of the Patrick James Eggle designs for yourself.

BY NICK BROWN

HITS: ∙∙ Body shape and size ∙∙ Fishman Ink Preamp is a winner ∙∙ Hardcase included MISSES: ∙∙ Some may miss the fretboard markers (5th, 7th etc)

Faith Guitars may not have as much notoriety in Australia as other brands but it looks like that may be slowly changing.

Digging further into the Faith lineup there are a big range of shapes, specs and pricepoints if you wanted to expand your search but for the FVTB you have a nice player for the price. Electronics are well covered with the good looking and good sounding Fishman Ink 3 and the included hard case is an added bonus (I know many think that a hardcase should be included with most mid level + guitars but the reality

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PRODUCT REVIEWS WALDORF

Quantum Synthesiser LINK AUDIO | LINKAUDIO.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $6399

Waldorf are the one synth brand that in my eyes can never do wrong. Although there was one desktop build from a number of years back that didn’t really float my boat, I am always excited when a new super-synth is announced and even more so when it bears the Waldorf insignia. You can imagine my joy when a couple of weeks back a giant box was wheeled in and I took delivery of the Quantum.

For those of you who are looking for a real workhorse in sonic exploration, this is going to have you screaming to hand over your hard-earned cash. Straight out of the box, before I even powered the unit up, I was impressed. It is big. It is heavy. It has beautiful timber inlays in each end of the metal housing. It looks like it has been built to last. And then you engage the power switch and realise it has been built to impress.

The keyboard comes to life with an LED at the base of every potentiometer on the top panel, of which there are more than 70 – yes, more than 70 knobs to play with, and every one of them has a smooth action that is a joy to adjust. The pitch bend and modulation wheels are cast in a slim metal design and have a really nice feel to them, with just the right amount of spring tension so that you have perfect control of your sound. There are a couple of dozen buttons to go with all of this and then, in the middle of the panel, there is a colour screen that brings it all together and makes working with the Quantum a real

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visual experience as well as an aural one.

Move any controller on the top panel and the screen jumps to the relative window to show you exactly what is happening with your controller. Envelopes not only show the slope of the signal, but show animations of each of the eight voices and their positions through the envelope as the sound is played. You get a real visual idea of how long notes are taking to decay and can really come to terms with how to better understand your sound sculpting with this added information. EQ and dynamics are shown visually too, along with waveform shapes, so you can see just how any parameter affects the visual representation of the sound.

The Quantum is backed by a 4GB internal flash memory that is preloaded with 1GB of samples, wavetables and presets. Being that Waldorf has become so well known for their wavetable synthesis over the years, it is to be expected that this would be the basis of the engine in the Quantum. When you add in the visual element of the colour display and are able to see the wavetable laid out in front of you, it really comes to life and changes one’s understanding of how this style of synthesis works to bring a sound to life.

So, yes there is plenty going on visually, but of course it all comes down to the sound in the end. The Quantum sounds, as one would expect of a Waldorf synthesiser, very German.

Unlike limited German techno-machines like

the Pulse, this sounds like a German synth that has a very international feel. There is a bit of everything going on in there. It took me about an hour to stop jumping back and forth through the presets before I actually started looking at what it could really do.

You could very easily work with just the presets and never go beyond them – aside from some minor tweaks – and get amazing results. But when you look at what is on offer with three stereo oscillators and up to eight simultaneous waves per oscillator, along with six LFOs and six envelopes, you really won’t get caught up on just the presets for too long.

The Quantum just cries out for you to experiment with your sound and it makes it so easy to do it. The top panel layout is very intuitive and well labelled for an ease of workflow that lends itself to creativity. There is plenty going on with the I/O side of things too. With two pairs of stereo outputs, along with stereo inputs for sampling and real-time processing of external signals, all the sound is given the care it deserves with 24bit A/D converters to ensure the best quality both in and out. Of course, there are MIDI in, out and thru ports on five-pin DIN connections, along with both USB A and USB B connections for a host of connectivity. Did I mention it was built like a tank? Well, it is. Not the sort of keyboard you want to take with you to rehearsals three times a week, but certainly one you would want on stage for the sonic

capabilities. For the many years I have played with, admired and owned Waldorf synthesisers, none have come close to this monster. The Waldorf Quantum is without a doubt one of the best digital synthesisers I have ever powered up – possibly the best.

BY ROB GEE

HITS ∙∙ Great design for both look and feel ∙∙ Big colour screen delivers critical information at all times ∙∙ Huge sonic capabilities ∙∙ It sounds freaking amazing MISSES ∙∙ I couldn’t fault it. Too good.

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PRODUCT REVIEWS YAMAHA

MODX6 Synthesiser YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA | AU.YAMAHA.COM | EXPECT TO PAY: $1999 I’ve seen a lot of great keyboard releases from Yamaha in my time and owned my fair share of them too, going back to the mighty DX7, which still gets used in my arsenal, right up to the modern day workstations.

One constant with Yamaha synthesisers is that they continually grow to meet the users needs. The ever-changing musical landscape dictates what musicians are looking for, and Yamaha strives to take the latest advancements in technology to deliver that.

Of course, once a flagship engine has been offered, it isn’t long before we see a range of slightly feature-reduced models at a far more affordable price. That is, in part, what the new MODX range of keyboards from Yamaha is, but don’t be fooled into thinking these are just a budget offering. They have a huge range of sounds, effects and clever features in a more portable casing that will appeal to a far wider demographic of keyboard players.

The new MODX6 is not the only model available from Yamaha in this new synthesiser engine, with three models in the range to suit most keyboard players’ needs.

The MODX6, which I had the chance to test out this month, is the smallest of the three, with 61 touch sensitive semi-weighted keys and a housing that is just wider than the key bed itself to keep it as compact as possible. Then there is a 76-note version

in the MODX7. Finally, the big boy with 88 notes, featuring Yamaha’s Grand Hammer Standard action, is ideal for those wanting a piano feel. But best of all, the MODX6 doesn’t jump up in weight too dramatically as many hammer action keyboards can do, making it a very realistic option for gigging with. Of course, the name certainly suggests something about what is going on under the hood of these synthesisers, with the engine being a combination of the Advanced Wave Memory engine found in the Montage range, the ‘MO’ in the title, and FM-X synthesis, explaining the ‘DX’ in the title. It’s a bit of a ‘best of both worlds’ engine that leaves the user with a lot of great options in sound and control.

It’s hard to describe all that is on offer within the engine of the MODX6 without keeping you all here for weeks. There is so much happening in the preset sounds alone.

They’re built from layers of certain sounds taken from the AWM2 and FMX engines, combined to create the overall patch. On top of this, Yamaha have introduced a feature called Motion Sequences, which allows you to record the movement of all manner of controllers into a sequence pattern and apply these to notes automatically when they are played. The large full-colour LCD screen on the MODX6 makes it easy to get into the guts of this feature and really see

what is going on when you build your own sequences. Right out of the box, there are pre-built Motion Sequences on the patches ready to go, so all the hard work is taken out of your hands.

When you engage these Motion Sequences while playing a note or chord, you get to make use of the glowing rotary controller on the top panel known as the Super Knob. This is where it gets really exciting as seemingly simple patches come to life when you move the knob and engage all manner of filters, effects, sequences and additional sounds as part of the overall patch. Best of all, the Super Knob can be left untouched if you need to play with both hands, as this feature can be controlled with an expression pedal for dynamic and creative hands-free modulation.

All three models offer the same feature set, with the identical top panel controls. The difference is found in the size of the casing and the number, and the type of keys on

offer. If you need to move from one sized MODX to another for different projects, you’ll be right at home on any of the three.

Furthermore, Yamaha offer a range of sturdy gig bags with roller wheels to suit each of these keyboards. Now, you can have a travel option for your MODX that actually fits the unit, rather than some oversized generic bag that doesn’t offer any protection. It’s clear to see that Yamaha have thought through every element of the MODX range with, as always, the musician in mind.

BY ROB GEE HITS ∙∙ Two words – Super Knob ∙∙ Huge tonal palette ∙∙ All models are relatively lightweight MISSES ∙∙ None

QSC

CP8 Powered Speaker TECHNICAL AUDIO GROUP | TAG.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $749 EACH The QSC CP8 is a 1000W two-way speaker from QSC. Marketed as a live, club, DJ or dance sound speaker, the CP8 can reproduce music as a FOH speaker or single signals as a foldback monitor for live use. The CP8 is powered, and contains onboard processing to ensure a smooth and simple monitor setup, whether you’re hosting a party, monitoring on stage, or amplifying a DJ (and anything in between).

The CP8 is a relatively small and compact speaker compared to its counterparts. It features a full range 8” cone and contains a 1000W Class-D amplifier module to handle most applications without risk of blowing the speaker. The CP8 uses QSC’s Intrinsic Correction technology, which assists in tuning the speaker in different environments for different uses. In line with the tuning corrections, the CP8 also features QSC’s Directivity Matched Transition (DMT) technology, which ensures no dropouts between crossovers and enables an entire rig of QSC speakers to deliver as even a sound as possible. The CP8 is all black and unassuming with a 35mm pole socket, perfect for use in a live venue or as onstage monitors that won’t distract.

The sound of the CP8 is very true to source, if a little more detailed than I’m accustomed to, making it perfect for monitoring.

Alternatively, speakers of this size can

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often be used to re-amp room sounds when recording, or give tracks extra gusto when played back (e.g. a split of a snare, kick or guitar etc. while recording can be picked up by room mics and make raw audio already feel larger than life). The CP8 would suit this purpose perfectly. The monitors are detailed without being harsh, and the onboard DSP and included tuning and crossover technology prevent unruly feedback (within reason) or harsh/untrue reproductions of a sound. Alternatively, these would make a great speaker for playback in a reverb chamber or similar.

The CP8s would be especially good for onstage monitoring as they deliver enough power to satisfy any musician and allow them to focus on playing onstage. The angle of dispersion is focused without complete laser precision, so monitors can be loud without interfering with other sound sources on stage or creating harsh feedback by monitors that are aimed at each other and allow musicians to bop around without leaving the ‘sweet spot’. This also assists in focusing the entire frequency range at the intended musician or audience.

always come in handy in even the biggest live monitoring rigs, or in a professional studio environment for whatever purpose your creativity can come up with. The onboard processing is a huge help to users of any level, from backyard parties to professional live sound engineers. The CP8 really is an all-around speaker, easy to install, mount, tune and operate. They wouldn’t go astray in any setup.

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

HITS: ∙∙ Clear, concise sound ∙∙ Focused, but allows musician to move around handy onboard processing MISSES: ∙∙ N/A

The CP8 would be a welcome addition to an array of speakers of any size or professional level. Smaller, robust and lightweight speakers are perfect for small, intimate gigs or DJ sets, whereas a smaller speaker could

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PRODUCT REVIEWS HEADRUSH

Gigboard Guitar Effects Processor ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $1129

Ah, multi-effects boards and amp modellers. A controversial topic that many guitar purists refuse to acknowledge as a legitimate source of inspiration. If you’re part of that team, it may be time to reconsider. The market is burgeoning with innumerable amounts of these devices, and they only seem to be getting better and better as technology evolves. There’s plenty to love about digital effects: they’re super handy for both stage and studio, are comparatively lighter than a large pedalboard, and most importantly, they have unrivalled versatility to suit your every need.

The most recent member of the HeadRush multi-effects/amp modelling family is the aptly named Gigboard, which aims to cover all your gigging necessities in a robust, yet compact unit. Don’t let its small size fool you however, as this unit packs a tonne of features into one brilliant package.

The build quality of this unit is exemplary.

The Gigboard is housed in an entirely steel frame, with solid metal footswitches and black plastic knobs. The back panel of the Gigboard features inputs for an expression pedal, MIDI connectivity, a 3.5mm auxiliary input, a headphone jack, an effects loop, and an external amp switch – which can be handily assigned to a footswitch to swap channels on your physical amplifier if desired.

At first glance, the most attractive thing about the Gigboard is its sharp seven inch touch screen. The colours are vibrant, text is ultra-clear, and touch sensitivity is crisp and responsive. A combination of a depressible rotary encoder and touch functionality are the primary methods to navigate through the assortment of menus.

With some practice, this seemingly unwieldy

36

partnership turned out to be an unlikely winner. I was surprised at how fast I was able to fly through the different menus and modify different sets of parameters, either through dragging on the screen or fine tuning with the encoder.

Intuition seems to be the recurring theme with the Gigboard. Physical controls are stripped back to the bare minimum – the only activation controls onboard are four colour-coded footswitches and a master volume knob. Thankfully, operating the software itself is a walk in the park.

Assigning functions to footswitches, adjusting volume/EQ sliders and replacing/ deleting effects in your signal chain is easily performed with mere screen taps.

A surprising amount of both broad and precise control is shared between footswitches one and two. Holding down footswitch one allows you to completely change its activation mode. Options include a classic stomp mode, preset selection, a useful hybrid mode combining the two, or setlist/scene selection. Footswitch two allows further fine-tuning with its handsfree mode, which allows simple parameter modification mid-set. Reaching back to turn your amp’s volume up is a thing of the past.

Let’s get into the meat of the matter – the effects and amps themselves. HeadRush have a comprehensive catalogue of amps, cabs and mics to choose from. In the amplifier section, you’ll find vintage Fender Blackface and Tweed staples, to rockier Marshall-voiced Plexis and high-gain Peavey amps. There’s plenty of variety in the cabinet section too, ranging from a humble 1x8 to a towering 8x10 cab.

HeadRush should definitely be commended

for their level of detail on their amplifier models. Each virtual amp is faithfully and entirely digitised, all the way down to the EQ settings – older amps that only feature bass and treble controls are similarly resembled onscreen. If you just wanted to get stuck in without creating a chain from scratch, there are plenty of full-rig factory presets to pick from too.

The Gigboard’s effects banks are split into four categories: distortion, dynamics/ EQ, modulation, and reverb/delay.

Unfortunately, the distortion category is slightly lacking in variety – there are only seven different choices to pick from.

Noteworthy classics include a classic 808-voiced Tube Screamer, the timeless Big Muff, and a FullTone OCD (hilariously labelled as the ‘Anxiety Overdrive’). On the other hand, the modulation and reverb/ delay section host a much larger collection of effects, and all of these generally sound fantastic. Expect to lose entire days experimenting with the multitude of flangers, phasers, multi-choruses and rotary effects onboard. Creative players can easily stack and combine effects linked to the Gigboard’s stereo outputs; one of the most kaleidoscopic experiences I had with this unit was creating a ping-pong/pitch-shifted delay to two different speaker outputs.

Apart from offering a wealth of amplifiers, cabinets and effects options, the Gigboard also features an extremely well-implemented tuner and looper. The tuner is gloriously large and deadly accurate. Tap tempo for delays and similar effects are also set in the tuning screen, and a handy display even tells you the currently entered BPM. Similarly, the looper is a hidden gem amongst the Gigboard’s features.

It’s a single-channel looper featuring a whopping 20 minutes of recording time, with a maximum of 50 layers. The usual controls are available: record, undo and clear, with additional options for doubling or halving loop length or speed. Unfortunately, the undo process is permanent, which means there’s no redo functionality whatsoever – a regrettable oversight which is hopefully patched with any future updates.

At the end of the day, the Gigboard is an all-round excellent and portable alternative that caters to almost every guitarist out there. Its manageable size and versatility allow you to perform anywhere, provided there’s a decent sound system available. If you’ve been wanting to dive into the world of multi-effects without being overwhelmed by option paralysis, the HeadRush Gigboard might just be the solution for you.

BY EDDY LIM

HITS: ∙∙ Great build quality ∙∙ Easy to use software ∙∙ All the inputs/outputs you’ll ever need MISSES: ∙∙ Overdrive/distortion effects slightly lacking ∙∙ No redo function on looper

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PRODUCT REVIEWS JACKSON GUITARS

JS Series Spectra Bass JS3 JACKSON GUITARS AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU | RRP: $619 Jackson are a brand that we review consistently, and not only do they impress every time, but it reflects how consistently reliable Jacksons of all levels are. They’re accessible for musicians on a budget and professionals alike, but entirely playable and can be relied on when gigging, or when inspiration strikes around the home or studio.

The JS Series Spectra Bass JS3, this one specifically in a Silverburst but also available in Gloss Black or Metallic Red, is a great instrument at a great price and reflects Jackson’s quality design, build specifications and years of experience building instruments. Featuring dual medium-output Jackson humbuckers and a multitude of pickup and tone options, as well as quality Jackson hardware fixing the strings to the poplar body and bolt-on maple neck and laurel fingerboard. The Spectra shape is a comfortable play for anyone, and has been redesigned for a more finely tuned playing experience for both musician and audience.

The JS3 plays really well and feels like a solid, reliable and well-constructed instrument. The Spectra shape is well weighted and very comfortable either sitting or standing, and when reaching for lower or higher frets alike. The headstock is not heavy, which assists in maintaining stable posture so you can focus on your playing.

The bass arrived in tune and remained in tune for my time with it, despite some pretty constant playing. The bass is solid but not too heavy, which makes for a great live bass when playing sets of any length. The sound is reliable and consistent, with plenty of options easily within reach. The Spectra features independent volume, as well as a push/pull to switch between active and passive options, a pickup blend knob, and a three band EQ that is activated when the pickup/s are in active mode.

The DI is dry, albeit a little mid-forward, but really makes for a blank canvas to colour with pedals and/or an amp. The 24 jumbo frets make for a breezy playing experience, as does the sleek satin finish on the back of the neck, and the 34”, full scale allows for a well-intonated instrument even at lower tunings. Featuring a lot of tonal options,

that are only further expanded when in active mode, the electronics are also easily within reach from your strumming hand, so are easily toggled, turned or pushed and pulled on the fly. A great little design addition that makes for a more cohesive playing experience. As if that wasn’t enough, the 12”-16” compound radius neck profile makes fretting higher notes a breeze, as well as am improved body design.

The Jackson Spectra is a reliable, workhorse bass and a redesigned version of an already stellar instrument. The specs, electronics and layout make for a great instrument at a great price for players of most levels. The sound of the bass itself is ready for you to colour, and features on board controls to dial in your sound even before a pedal, pre-amp or amplifier head. Active and passive switching push the dual Jackson humbuckers, and the

EQ, toggle and blend dial it all in.

The shape of the Spectra is comfortable against your body, allows easy access to higher frets, a common issue in basses that is only alleviated further by the Spectra JS3’s compound neck and jumbo frets. The bass tunes well, holds it down, and allows you to get on with playing whatever style you play, because the Spectra can handle it all.

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

HITS: ∙∙ DI is a blank canvas ∙∙ Comfortable and well-weighted MISSES: ∙∙ Price is too good to be true

PRODUCT REVIEWS TANGLEWOOD GUITARS

Java Super Folk Cutaway Acoustic NATIONAL MUSIC | NATIONALMUSIC.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $799 Tanglewood are a consistent performer in acoustic guitar productions. Their instruments are played worldwide and I think the Java Series of acoustic guitar reflect that in name and feel. The series is comprised of parlour, a dreadnought, acoustic bass, a 12 string model, and finally the Super Folk, a six string, Fishman equipped full-size acoustic guitar with a cutaway. While the front of the guitar is solid cedar, and the sides amara ebony, the back of the guitar is an intricately constructed and shapely amara ebony and spalted mango timber that really helps the Super Folk stand out from the crowd. The sound of the Super Folk is, as its name suggests, folky and sparkly. A shimmering background to singalong and choral voices.

It inspires more simple chords but takes licks and leads very well too because of its controlled and balanced response.

The Tanglewood Java Super Folk is a full size acoustic in Tanglewood’s Super Folk shape contracted from three different tone woods and arranged in a marquetry inspired design. The solid cedar top provides a good response that assist an articulate sound with plenty of attack and brightness while the ebony and timber resonate for bottom end and those important mids. The is finished in Natural Gloss besides the tech wood fingerboard and bridge, and all finished with

mahogany binding. It’s a 25.5” scale length guitar, so you’ll feel right at home, and the cutaway offers access up to even the 20th fret. A classy ’T’ for Tanglewood signifies the 12th fret and the beautiful fingerboard is otherwise untouched.

The guitar plays really well and was in tune right out of the box. The highs are sparkling and… scattered, in the best sense of the word. The attack and sparkle from your notes scatter and diffuse or bounce around the room and fill the space with music. The midrange is present, constant and consistent, while the lows are balanced and remain controlled. The scale length allows for a comfortable play that won’t feel too different from a more standard electric guitar or different shaped acoustic.

The Super Folk shape sits nicely against the body and stands out a bit from more traditional dreadnought style acoustic guitars. Noodling is a breeze as well, and while sounding somewhat thin, it does that with the abalone and control of those mids and lows. The guitar is also fitted with Fishman’s Presys preamp, an acoustic guitar preamp fitted with three-band EQ to dial the sound of the guitar itself, after you’ve tuned with the onboard tuner. A ‘notch’ button is an onboard anti-feedback EQ control, as well as a brilliance control to tame and highlight those sparkling highs. What’s really handy

is the phase switch, allowing the user to switch phase, perfect for smaller gigs that may not be equipped with a proper mixing desk with pre amps and phase switches on onboard. Fishman thought of everything in this preamp, and it shows. It imitates the sound of the acoustic sound perfectly and doesn’t sound clinical like some acoustic preamps can result in.

The Tanglewood Super Folk fills a room with chordal inspiration and warms the listener.

The acoustic sound is clear and concise, in a balanced and controlled way. It plays well, and the cutaway allows for easy access and the Super Folk shape allows of a comfortable play with the resonance and sound of a bigger and more uncomfortable instrument body shape. The Super Folk is just one guitar in a great range of Java guitars that will

suit literally any player. Strumming away is a breeze for the musician and a pleasure for the audience, and not only because you won’t have feedback issues thanks to the Fishman Presys.

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

HITS: ∙∙ Definitive sound, resonant but controlled. ∙∙ Comfortable body shape ∙∙ Great looks, especially on the back MISSES: ∙∙ Nothing to report here

FENDER

Rumble 800 HD Bass Amplifier FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU | RRP: $999 When I was growing up and learning an instrument, Fender were considered as royalty. Our high school music room was stocked with Squiers, and the rehearsal rooms were filled with budget Fender amps that still resembled the crisp and full sounds of the higher end Twin Reverbs or the Bassman. The Fender Rumble was one such amp - even in the '00s it was a great workhorse amp for musicians of any level, even for barely beginners such as ourselves.

Now a mainstay of Fender’s bass range, the Rumble has slowly been rebuilt and diversified for the modern market. The Rumble 800 HD Bass Amplifier is one such example of this. An 800 watt Class D amplifier with onboard EQ and overdrive, as well as a bunch of input and output options that make it a great product even before I mention that it’s small enough to fit into a hardcase that travels with your pedalboard.

The 800 HD is the flagship of the Rumble’s new series of heads, match perfectly with their range of cabinets, and if 800 watts is excessive, it’s available in 200 and 500 watt versions.

Opening the box revealed a pleasantly tidy package of a product. The 800 HD is lightweight, extremely portable and inconspicuous. The enclosure feels solid and looks sleek, housing the eight knobs that make up the front panel and multitude of

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options that comprise the back. From left to right, you’ve got an input before the Gain and some handy tone shaping controls at the push of three different buttons, then the overdrive. It’s not a given that bass amps will feature overdrive on board, but for a modern market, Fender is ahead of the game. The overdrive features Drive and Level controls, an on/off switch and a handy bright red LED that signifies the circuit’s activity. The overdrive itself remains fairly static in volume, and so the Level can be used to either push or pull back your the volume with the overdrive, which can also be controlled via foot switch. The four-band EQ section sits beside this, affecting low, low mid, high mid and treble, before finally reaching the master output, red power LED and iconically styled Fender ‘Rumble 800’ logo. The back panel allows connectivity for parallel speakers, with a maximum output of 800 watts @ 4 ohms. The DI out has a ground lift, as well as a handy pre/post preamp section for recording a super clean DI, or a more dialled one if you choose.

The front panel controls are easy to navigate and dial very quickly. Magnetic feet nestle the 800 HD into a matching Rumble cabinet if you choose, and assist in keeping the head stationary at all times. The tone shaping controls offer a bright control for high end and attack boost, but also a contour and vintage control. The contour offers a more

modern, scooped style of EQ, while the Vintage control, offers a low mid bump and a little more size without distorting. The vintage button offers a particularly '70s style of growl and super low lows. Even beyond this, the four band EQ offers more accurate EQ bands than a standard three band might allow for. The overdrive channel can then be used to tie it all together as much or as little as you’d like, but even pushed doesn’t get too nasty.

The Rumble 800 HD Bass Amplifier is the bass amp that dreams are made of. It’s compact, immensely powerful, lightweight and packs more routing options than you’d realistically need - but they’re always there.

Simple controls, clear faceplate and a well laid out pre-amp section allow for super fine tuning of tone to create the perfect mix for your next gig, and probably a lot more after that. Dial in your tone, punch in some contour or vintage colour, push the overdrive

and rest assured your head isn’t going anywhere once it’s secured atop a matched Fender Rumble cabinet. For beginners and professionals alike, the Rumble series offers a solution, either in small or large cabinet or increasingly powerful heads, a crescendo that ends in the Rumble 800 HD Bass Amplifier.

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

HITS: ∙∙ Simple controls ∙∙ Onboard overdrive MISSES: ∙∙ N/A

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EVOLUTION MUSIC

(Music Instruments Retailer) A | 8/2 Northey Rd, Lynbrook VIC P | (03) 8787 8599 E | info@evolutionmusic.com.au W | evolutionmusic.com.au /evolutionmusicaus

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SOUNDS ESPRESSO

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(Music Instruments Retailer) A | 102 Maroondah Hwy, Ringwood VIC P | (03) 9870 4143 E | websales@fivestarmusic.com.au W | fivestarmusic.com.au /fivestarmusicoz

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FIVE RECORDS THAT SHAPED VOID OF VISION'S HYPERDAZE With the release of Melbourne metalcore outfit Void Of Vision’s sophomore effort Hyperdaze, we sat down with the band’s vocalist Jack Birgin to dissect the various influences that informed the crushing new album.

Northlane - Singularity The amount that this band has influenced each and every member of Void Of Vision is an understatement, it’s actually crazy.

Their album Singularity is a huge one that we grew up with just as we began entering the heavy music scene. With that being said, we were actually lucky enough to be able to work alongside Jon (Deiley, guitarist) from Northlane as a co-producer for this record, which was such a full circle moment. The man is a genius and I think the connection between how influenced we have all been

by Northlane’s record Singularity and having him come on board with Hyperdaze helped tenfold with our creative and technical output. It was also just incredibly special for us all.

Golden Features - SECT This album is such a big, operatic, dark and even heavy sounding piece of work for the genre it stems from and I love it. I feel

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like in particular, Golden Features’ work is one of the driving influences behind all the electronic aspects of this album. We experimented with that side of things with our single ‘Kill All My Friends’ and loved adding that extra dynamic to our sound.

We’ve always been so huge on it and we definitely wanted to push the envelope for ourselves by including even more of it on the album. It was just a matter of working out how to incorporate it tastefully into our music, and with influence taken from SECT and elsewhere, I think we managed to capture it perfectly.

Monuments - The Amanuensis Monuments are just so groovy whilst not being run of the mill “chuggy” and I love that on their album The Amanuensis.

Hearing a band being able to do that with riffs really made us want to challenge ourselves to find different ways of being heavy with guitar work for Hyperdaze.

A lot of the guitar work on the album is different for us, not necessarily in terms the groove, but in the driving force behind it.

We wanted it to translate just as heavy live as it came out on the record and that’s one thing we absolutely can’t wait to debut on stage.

Architects - All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us This record sets such a nihilistic tone from the get go – not only instrumentally but also lyrically. I remember hearing people talk about this when it was about to come out and how dark it was going to be. That’s something I’ve always wanted to capture with Void Of Vision, as grim as it sounds.

I’d say Hyperdaze wraps up pure hatred, selfloathing and nihilism and that’s exactly how I wanted it. It’s selfish, confused, brash and me at my most raw and vulnerable. I was inspired by the tone that All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us and I think with Hyperdaze we’ve created a similar snapshot of complete

misery. Ultimately, I like the idea that people can really be involved in this little world you’ve created and feel what you feel for 30 minutes.

Movements - Feel Something Lyrically a lot of Hyperdaze is taken from a place in my head that I’ve neglected for a long time. ‘Hyperdaze’ is a state in which one is simply not there. It was a detachment from reality, where I numbed myself to all my problems. It’s a sense of hopelessness that I’ve been falling back on for far too long. That said, it was tough trying to put such raw thoughts into my lyrics and express them artistically. How Movements were able to do that so coherently on their record Feel Something was so refreshing to me. It helped me take that leap into this elaborate realm that I created with Hyperdaze, where I could wade around until I found the perfect way to compliment what I was feeling in my head with the instrumentals.

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