Steve Hillage

The System 7 and Gong guitarist on keeping it real and looking after your back

What was the first gig you played and how did it go?

“I think it was with the first iteration of my band at school, which became known as Uriel. It was at another school, a Dunstable school, at a school dance in early ’67 and I played on a borrowed Watkins Rapier electric guitar. I seem to remember that it went okay – and I think I got drunk after it. That’s about all I remember, now… I think I remember my hangover more than the gig, actually.”

Describe your current stage rig…

“My current stage rig is very simple. It’s a Steinberger GL4T guitar that I bought in 1988 and which I still love very dearly, and a Line 6 POD XT Pro rack unit with a Line 6 pedalboard that does all the effects and provides the tone. I’ve two configurations: I use a studio direct when I play with System 7, directly into the DJ mixer’s line in, and when I’m playing live, doing gigs with Gong or other live projects, I use a Fender Twin amp with the Line 6 set to the guitar amp configuration, which changes the sound a little bit and the gain structure. I like the amp to be set clean – I like a loud and clean amp, so I make all the tones on the Line 6 device. That’s basically it; I’ve tried lots of other rigs of this nature, but the Line 6 works out the best.”

What’s on your rider?

“Drinks rider? A bottle of Champagne – a good quality French Champagne, Moët & Chandonor the like for after the gig. That’s the most important bit, and then there’s fruit, juice, lots of water, some nibbles and some beers – some of the people I work with prefer beer. European bottle beer, though…”