How did you get that molten
liquid lead sound on “Faithless”?
Bonamassa: B
Bonamassa wailing on a black Les Paul
with a Jim Dunlop brass slide. |
elieve it or not,
that’s just the ’59 Les Paul into
one of the Marshalls—that rig
really is a magical combination.
The Les Paul just sings
when the amp is cranked up
around 6, and the pickups and
amp seem to pick up ever little
nuance and articulation. I’ve got
a lot of great gear, but that setup
is really my bread and butter.
Which parts on the record are
you most proud of?
Bonamassa: I really like what
I did on “Save Me,” which is
built around this riff that is very
Zeppelin-inspired. The sound is
all Marshall amp and EV speakers,
and for the solo I just went
for it with a bunch of sixteenth-notes
that were appropriate for
the urgent vibe we were going
for.
Were your solos generally
preplanned or improvised?
Bonamassa: They were all
definitely spontaneous. That’s
the way I play, to maintain a
fresh sense of inspiration and to
avoid sounding contrived—to
keep both me and the listener
from getting bored too easily.
Glenn, all of your bass lines
on the record are uniformly
excellent, but the one on “The
Battle for Hadrian’s Wall”
really stands out.
Hughes: Yes, I think that bass
line is a good example of what
I’m talking about when I say
that the bass is an extension
of my voice. Also, the song
sounds a bit like the pastoral
side of Led Zeppelin, doesn’t
it? That’s only appropriate,
being as John Bonham’s lad
was in the drum chair.
You’re both in tip-top form on
the record. What do you do to
maintain your chops?
Bonamassa: Not a lot, to be
honest. Mostly I just play two
or three hours every day and
that seems to do the trick.
Hughes: I play a bit every
day, but more often on guitar
than on bass. I’m kind
of eccentric. I’ve got guitars
everywhere in my house—even
in the kitchen . . . vintage
Les Pauls and Strats, a lovely
Gibson Dove, and an old
mahogany-bodied Martin. I
don’t go about it in any structured
way—I’ll just pick it up
and play what comes naturally,
whether for two minutes or two
hours at a stretch, listening to
the chords that come out and
thinking about how I can turn
them into a song. Music and
songwriting really are at the
center of my universe.
Hughes, Bonham, and Bonamassa in a groove. Note that Bonham’s kick drum bears the symbol used by his father,
John, on Led Zeppelin IV—a rune that reportedly represents a father, mother, and child.
Joe Bonamassa’s
Gearbox
Guitars
1959 Gibson Les Paul nicknamed “Magellan,” Gibson Joe Bonamassa Les
Paul, Gibson Don Felder “Hotel California” EDS-1275 6/12 doubleneck,
Gibson Explorer, Fender Jeff Beck Stratocaster, Music Man Steve Morse
Y2D, 1969 Grammer Johnny Cash acoustic
Amps
Four Marshall Jubilee heads, four 1969 Marshall Super Lead heads, two
Marshall Super Bass 4x12 cabinets with Electro-Voice EVM12L speakers,
two Mojo 4x12 cabinets with Electro-Voice EVM12L speakers
Effects
Ibanez Tube Screamer, Boss DD-3 Digital Delay, Jim Dunlop JBF3 Fuzz
Face, Jim Dunlop Joe Bonamassa Signature Wah
Strings, Picks, and Accessories
Ernie Ball Slinky (.011–.052 sets on both electric and acoustic guitars), signature
Jim Dunlop Jazz III Joe Bonamassa picks, Jim Dunlop metal slide
Glenn
Hughes’
Gearbox
Basses
Two Nash Guitars PB57s, assorted vintage Fenders
Amps
Two Laney Nexus-Tube heads
Strings
D’Addario EXL170 (.045–.100)