Features / Series: What's That Noise?

Chris Rest (Lagwagon – guitar) What model guitar do you play (and how did you choose it)? Check out Chris' answer below: Read more

Ian Cory (Lamniformes) SPB: Did you experiment much with different drum sizes, cymbals, or drum heads in the studio when making Sisyphean, or did you have a set approach when you went in? Cory: I experimented with the kit much less than I expected before going into the sessions. Having … Read more

Larry Livermore (Lookout Records founder) SPB: What studios played a role in defining “the Lookout sound” of the label’s early years? Livermore: All the early Lookout releases were recorded in one of two studios. The first was Dangerous Rhythm, in Oakland, CA, run by Kevin Army and Matt Wallace (by … Read more

Lazerbeak (Shredders / Doomtree) SPB: To you, what is the most important element in your setup to get the best live sound? Lazerbeak: By far it's the MPC Rennaissance. I grew up making beats on the MPC 2000XL and it's really all I know as far as production is concerned. … Read more

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 … Read more

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. … Read more

Chris Mason (Low Culture/Macho Boys – guitar) SPB: What guitar do you play and how did choose it? Mason: A few years ago I bought a 1969 red Gibson SG and that's been my go-to ever since. It is far and away the most expensive piece of musical equipment I … Read more

Mad Caddies SPB: Was the mic’ing of the horns in the studio different for Punk Rocksteady than on “traditional” Mad Caddies records? Mad Caddies: The mic and position always changes depending on the horn sound. Punk Rocksteady was mostly close miking. On older records the room mics played a bigger … Read more

Zache (Maniac – bass/vocals) SPB: What kind of guitar/bass do you use and what do you like about it? Zache: I played bass and sang in Maniac and play a Fender Squier P Bass. Andrew (lead guitar) plays a black Gibson SG.  Read more

Martin Bisi SPB: What is your preferred guitar model for personal playing, and how has your production work affected that choice? Bisi: I started way late on guitar. I was a drummer during my teens, through my early years recording. It was drumming that helped me work with the early … Read more

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 … Read more

Josh Levine (Middle-Aged Queers) SPB: Tell us about the day you bought your current (primary) bass and why you chose it. Levine: I bought my current primary bass in the ‘90s at Univibe Music (RIP) in Oakland. It’s a DanElectro Longhorn, ‘90s reissue. I thought it was black. I played … Read more

Mikey Erg SPB: Walk our readers through your kit and offer insight as to how you arrived at your sizes (shells and cymbals)? Mikey: My current kit is a Ludwig Blue Vistalite kit with a 26" kick drum and 14" and 18" toms. My snare is a Pork Pie "Pig … Read more

Moonshield SPB: What type of amps do you use and how did you choose the combo? Nathan: I use a Sovtek Mig60 and a Music Man HD130. This combo was chosen because the Mig60 sounds huge and boomy and Music Man HD130 delivers crystal clear clarity. The idea is that … Read more

Tomas Acosta (Moxiebeat – drums) SPB: Tell our readers about your kit and how it’s put together? Acosta: I’ve been playing ‘70-‘80s Ludwig kits of for the past 15 years or so. Usually they can be found pretty cheap on Craigslist/Offerup. I’ve had about 10 Ludwig kits pass thru my … Read more

Brenton “B-Train” Aragon (Moxiebeat-bass) SPB: What type of bass do you play and how did you choose it? B-Train: I Play a Fender P Bass. For a long time I used a Music Man Sting Ray and loved it. I bought it used from Jorge Cassillas of Voodoo Glow Skulls … Read more

Multicult (Nick Skrobisz/Rebecca Burchette – guitar/bass) SPB: Describe your pedal board: How did you choose which pedals to use and why did you arrange them as you did? Read more

Roddy Bottum (Nastie Band - keyboards) SPB: With Nastie Band, what keyboard do you play and how did you make this choice? Bottum: I play an Oberheim reissue by Dave Smith. It's called an OB-6. I play it cause it's a reissue of the first keyboard I owned. like to … Read more

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.    Read more

Sebastian (Noisem) SPB: From when you were starting out to now, what parts of your setup have really helped voice your sound over the years? Sebastian: I'd have to say the most important piece of gear to the Noisem sound has been my white Fender Stratocaster. In terms of playability … Read more