Interview: Victor Skamiera of Fero Lux Talks No Rest
There are only a few bands that can hit me emotionally while simultaneously creating intricate and original compositions. Fero Lux achieves this gracefully in No Rest, their first release since 2013 and first full-length album since 2012. They have always been a band that walks the line between technical and accessible, but this album takes it […]
Even Thieves and the New New Wave
Before I listened to Even Thieves perform at their practice space in Chicago’s The Music Garage, the posters on the walls gave me plenty of insight into their influences: Morrissey’s charmingly smug grin, Interpol posing in sharp suits, a promo for an appearance by Duran Duran at a local Best Buy. Even Thieves’ sound is equal parts the influence from their new wave […]
Moog Mother-32: Behind the Design
Since its late 2015 release, the Moog Mother-32 semi-modular analog synthesizer has become one of Moog’s fastest-selling instruments of all time. A powerful little synth/sequencer for a remarkably low price, the Mother-32 deserves all the buzz it’s garnered, and then some. At the Moog Sound Lab in Asheville, North Carolina, we sat down with two […]
Year of the Supercharged Guitar: D’Angelico’s Deluxe Collection
We’re always looking for trends at the NAMM show and this year there were quite a few. One big trend we noticed: 2016 is shaping up to be a great year for progressive guitars. Recent and upcoming releases from major players like Fender, Gibson, D’Angelico, and Ernie Ball Music Man are adding hot-rodded parts and upgrades — some […]
Bryan Adams’ Vintage Martin Defaced at Cairo Airport
It’s been a weird 2016 for Martin Guitars. Following the misguided destruction of a priceless 145-year-old Martin guitar by Kurt Russell on the set of Quentin Tarantino’s film The Hateful Eight, came this news from Egypt: According to the Daily Mail, After a show at the Giza Pyramids, Bryan Adams was set to depart Cairo, […]
Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer Dead at 71
It’s with heavy hearts that we’re looking back on the career of Keith Emerson from Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, following his passing from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on March 10. Arguably, one of the first visionary keyboardists to make the move from traditional keyboards into the realm of synthesizers. Striking off with Greg Lake from previous groups […]
Iconic Rigs (on a Budget): Jimi Hendrix
If I asked you to name the most iconic and influential rock guitarist of the past, say, 50 years, I’d bet a considerably large sum of money that you’d say none other than Jimi Hendrix. There are several reasons why he is considered to be so important, but the most striking thing was his brazen, […]
Korg Volca FM Now Out in the Wild
Korg is coming through for us today. In January, most of us were left hanging on for more info about the volca fm. Although the minilogue stole the show, the Korg volca fm truly came out of left field. When everyone and their keyboard-playing mama is jonesing for the next analog synth, here’s this Cracker-Jack-sized miniature digital synth, […]
Sir George Martin Dead at 90
Sir George Martin will always be remembered as the Fifth Beatle, but today we remember the great gift he provided to the world. Originally, he dreamt of being the next Rachmaninov or Ravel, ideas he gleaned from witnessing the power of a full blown symphony orchestra at a young age. His first real career would […]
