You probably didn't have Biffy Clyro's frontman Simon Neil and live guitarist Mike Vennart down as the guys most likely to produce 2023's scuzziest Y metal album, but with the heavyweight additions of ex-Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo and ex-Bitch Falcon bassist Naomi Macleod, they have produced a serious contender.
Empire State Bastard began years ago as a pipe dream that Simon and Mike discussed on tour. It was always going to be extreme, says Simon. We didn't want to just make a noisy record flippantly. We needed a valid reason to express that rage.
With his frustrations at boiling point following Brexit and the pandemic, and Mike recovering from a horrendous experience with the far right, they found their reason. I was just mortally raging, fumes Mike. That fury is etched in the grooves of Rivers Of Heresy, Empire State Bastard's snarling debut. The pair speak to TG together via Zoom about the making of the album - and they begin by explaining why Simon barely plays any guitar on it...
How do you form a band with the guitar player from one of the UK's biggest bands and then not have him play much quitar in it?
Simon: When you put it like that, it sounds preposterous, doesn't it? My main worry was that when I pick up a guitar, it sounds like Biffy. I didn't want to pick up guitar to begin with - so that it would have no resemblance to Biffy songs. I played a little bit of noisy guitar and some more kind of effect stuff. I think that was so important to let Mike do what he's doing. There are a few people I play guitar around that make me feel like an amateur, and unfortunately, Mike is one of those people!
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Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av Total Guitar.
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"You Can Imagine a Song in a Completely Different Genre" - The mysterious Lord Phobos, guitarist for TWRP, has covered everything from disco to Def Leppard in his collaborations with tongue-in-cheek duo Ninja Sex Party.
The mysterious Lord Phobos, guitarist for TWRP, has covered everything from disco to Def Leppard in his collaborations with tongue-in-cheek duo Ninja Sex Party. He explains what makes a great cover version - and reveals the one guitar and the one pedal he couldn't live without...
Some Things You Want to Tweak and Make Your Own- How the Foos' Chris Shiflett reworked two rock classics on his recent solo EP
Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett is also a solo artist in his own right, and his latest EP Starry Nights & Campfire includes Lights covers of two great old rock tracks - Thin Lizzy's Cowboy Song and the ballad Don't You Ever Leave Me by Hanoi Rocks, the Finnish band that did so much to inspire Guns N' Roses.
"It Gives Me Physical Satisfaction To Play Funk Riffs!" - Into the groove with Giacomo Turra, the Italian guitarist who made his name covering classics by Stevie Wonder, Bruno Mars and more...
Into the groove with Giacomo Turra, the Italian guitarist who made his name covering classics by Stevie Wonder, Bruno Mars and more... Born in Milan, his funk guitar sensibility can be traced back to the dance studio where his mother taught, and the tunes he heard blasting out of her boombox. "I like to experiment with a lot of genres, but the really interesting thing for me is I really grew up on funk, and a little bit of jazz and fusion music," he says.
- Try out these creative tips and make your cover versions stand out
Try out these creative tips and make your cover versions stand out
BEAUX GRIS GRIS & THE APOCALYPSE
Heavily requested on rock radio stations thanks to their unique twist on bluesy Americana, Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse are the kind of band that thrive in front of large crowds on hot summer days just as much as more intimate performances inside sweaty underground basements.
BOSS KATANA-50 GEN 3
The Japanese giant cuts through the noise with its new practice amp
SOLOKING MS-1 CUSTOM 22 HH
A great value guitar looking to clash headstocks with the big boys
IK MULTIMEDIA TONEX ONE
The most powerful amp modeller for its size, bar none
YAMAHA PACIFICA STANDARD PLUS PACS+12M
Yamaha's long-running doublecut finally gets a makeover
NO MORE MR.BRIGHTSIDE!
The 10 songs you should never cover. Or at least think twice before trying...