Features / One Question Interviews

Mike Marchant (Lightning Cult - songwriter, guitarist and electronics dude / also of Steady Circuits)

SPB: Tell us about your guitar/synth setup.

Marchant: I’ve used the same guitar setup for many years. It’s simple, and it sounds great. I use a Fender Telecaster and a Vox AC15 amplifier. I like low-wattage tube amps, because I can turn them …

Tom Gibbs (The Bar Stool Preachers – guitar)

SPB: What kind of guitar do you use, and what do you specifically like about it?

Gibbs: I’ve got two axes in my touring arsenal. My favourite though has to be the “1962 Hagstrom KENT PB-24-G.” I love that its super lightweight and the tone really packs a punch. It …

Dave Bate (Michael Crafter)

SPB: What parts of your (gear) setup have really helped Michael Crafter voice your sound from when you started until today?

Bate: Michael Crafter recordings are often done on the fly at rehearsal, though every now and then we like to go into the studio and record something that is a bit more palatable. …

Brian Nicewander (Han Gan)

SPB: What is the strangest place you’ve slept while on tour?

Nicewander: I think one of my most interesting tour crash experiences was in the back of a 1985 Chevy van during a tornado warning on a lonely road in Kansas. 

A storm had made it impossible to see where we were going, …

Vern (War//Plague-bass)

SPB: What type of bass do you play (and how did you choose it)?

Vern: I am currently playing a Gibson RD bass. I also have an LTD Eclipse bass with EMG active pick-ups but was looking for something classic with passive pick-ups. I stumbled upon the RD at a local guitar shop in town and …

Jeff Claxton (New Junk City – drums)

SPB: Walk us through your drum kit, if you don’t mind, explaining how you made the decisions about some of your heads or sizes. 

Chad (War//Plague – drums)

SPB: Walk us through your kit and how you chose its various pieces?

Chad: I've always been a huge fan of TAMA DRUMS ever since I was a kid! This hasn't always been my traditional set up, like everyone in War//Plague it has been a series of decisions over time to get my set …

P. Bohner (SPELLS)

SPB: The band name is almost refreshingly simple. How did you choose it?

Bohner: Well first off, I would like to say that I am personally not a fan of being IN bands that contain the article "THE". I love bands that have articles in their name but I personally gravitate to names without it. …

James Woodard (The Grasshopper Lies Heavy – guitar)

SPB: I have two #1 guitars; one for stage; and one that stays home for recording and practice.

Woodward: My old #1 is my 1982 Gibson Les Paul Standard in a tobacco burst finish. It came into a guitar store I worked at about a decade ago and instantly knew …

Andy Lutz (War//Plague-vocals and guitar)

SPB: Do you use any special equipment to emphasize your vocals when playing live?

Lutz: Generally, I just use a Shure SM58 microphone. I like to throw some subtle effects on vocals, like maybe a little delay, and then have some bourbon to warm them up, but that's about it. My vocal style …

Dan (By Surprise)

SPB: Do you have any vinyl that you own strictly for collector’s purposes and never listen to?

Dan: I don't really have any records that I own strictly for collecting purposes and never play. I play all of my records, because I feel that they're meant to be played and enjoyed. 

André Foisy (Locrian)

SPB: From when you were starting Locrian until the present, what parts of your setup have really helped voice your sound over the years? 

Foisy: That’s a compliment to say that I have a sound so thank you.

My rig has remained fairly consistent over the years. Primarily I have used the same guitar …

Tristan Shone (Author & Punisher)

SPB: You are well known for building your own instruments in Drone Machines, and they have been part of your music since the beginning. How has your process for creating or modifying these instruments changed through the years?  

Shone: In the beginning of A&P, I was in art school and my machines were …

Dennis Jagard (Ten Foot Pole-vocals/rhythm guitar/songwriter)

SPB: What was the most striking or memorable moment of your first practice when you reunited?

Jagard: It sounds silly, but my strongest memory is of us all pulling our cars up to the rehearsal area and seeing baby seats in nearly every car. We were no longer punk rock kids, we …

Chris Murphy (Seven Crows)

SPB: Coming from the band’s perspective, how does it feel in 2020 to release a new record (as compared to releasing a record under different circumstances with live shows etc)?

Murphy: 2020 has been a challenge from all perspectives but I’m trying to make the best of it.

My music background is in …

Mike Novak (Holler House – drums)

SPB: You released the split earlier this year. How different is it to release new music but not play live shows (do you expect the new songs to feel fresh when live music resumes)?

Novak: Yes, we did release a split earlier this year. It was an odd roll-out of an album... …

Tired of Everything

SPB: Who is your favorite 1970s artist? 

Will: Yes

Matt: The Cure

Dylan: The Doors

Eli: Motörhead

Markus (Van Dammes)

SPB: Do you listen to any Christmas or holiday music?

Markus: Christmas time particularly is very important to us because Santa Claus comes from our home country Finland. Then we usually listen only to Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight) by Ramones, except sometimes, when we listen to Weezer's Christmas EP or Joulusydän …

Eric Quach (Thisquietarmy)

SPB: In recording your new record, did any particular piece of gear (or combination) stand out for how it captured or delivered the final tone that you were seeking for the album?

Quach: Not anything in particular per se. Though to further elaborate that answer, here are some photos of our setup at Méduse Audio's …

Matt Bernard (Coach’s Son)

SPB: What is your favorite record store, locally or one that you’ve found while on tour?    

Bernard: By far our favorite record store is Princeton Record Exchange (PREX) in Princeton, New Jersey. We have been going there since we were kids. They are a small store located off the main drag of downtown Princeton, …