New York City Post-Hardcore Legends Quicksand Announce Bring On The Psychics
New York City Post-Hardcore Legends Quicksand Announce Bring On The Psychics
Legendary independent New York-based rock label Equal Vision Records and Quicksand are excited to announce the Friday, July 17 release of Bring On The Psychics, the brand new album from the New York City post-hardcore veterans. Marking an entirely new era for the storied three-piece — guitarist/vocalist Walter Schreifels, bassist/vocalist Sergio Vega and drummer Alan Cage — Bring On The Psychics serves as the sonic bridge between the band’s heavy and influential Nineties sound and the ambitious, experimental output contained within its more recent era. Produced and mixed by Jon Markson (Drug Church, Drain) across 10 days, Bring On The Psychics once again finds Quicksand reinventing the sound they helped pioneer.
Watch the music video for “Get To It,” directed and edited by Jesse Korman, on YouTube HERE. Stream “Regenerate” on YouTube HERE. Pre-order, pre-save and pre-add Bring On The Psychics on all platforms HERE. Schreifels had the following to share about the two brand new singles:
"It’s tough to talk about your own music and what it means, not only because I sometimes don’t understand it myself but in a way it robs the listener of their own interpretation. So if you don’t want that, read no further. Otherwise, with 'Get To It' and 'Regenerate', we wanted to do something high-energy and straightforward with a positive feeling. 'Get To It' is about 'getting to it', poking holes in the excuses for standing still. Procrastination is something I’ve struggled with my whole life so I’m always looking for a new mantra to help overcome my tendency to put things off.”
"'Regenerate' is about finding new paths forward. It’s a theme I think we all return to. No matter how well you play it, life will keep taking things away from you. It sucks but this is how we learn and grow as people, so it might be we’re living the most when faced with having to get back up from a hard hit."
It’s impossible to overstate the influence that Quicksand have on the hardcore scene. Formed in New York City in 1990 out of the ashes of Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today, Burn and Bold, the band took the aggression of hardcore and added a more groove-driven crunch to it, unintentionally inventing the genre known today as a post-hardcore. After releasing two major-label masterpieces in the Nineties — 1993’s Slip and 1995’s Manic Compression — the band split up at the peak of their powers, only to reunite in 2012 and release Interiors and Distant Populations.
Inspired by a quote from scientist Carl Sagan, Bring On The Psychics, Quicksand’s first album in five years and Equal Vision Records debut, sees guitarist/vocalist Walter Schreifels examining his past through his present reality. “For this album, I was going back to a lot of my earlier influences about ‘Break Down The Walls’ or ‘Start Today,’” he explains. “Regardless of whether you're into hardcore or youth crew, they're really cool records because they're speaking to the time and providing possible paths to a better future … with mosh parts. That’s the energy that I wanted to bring to this.”
From the hook-driven heaviness of the opener “Get To It” to the shoegaze splendor of “Crystallize,” the band covers a lot of sonic ground on Bring On The Psychics, but it always sounds like Quicksand. Its technical virtuosity is on full display here as well, from bassist/vocalist Sergio Vega’s locked-in bass grooves on “Cool Guy” to Alan Cage’s dynamic drumming on the album’s title track. The band also stretched out, musically, on the album as evidenced by the breezy ballad “Days You Run To,” a song that might even surprise longtime fans. “To me, that is the kind of thing that Fugazi would do on their more chill kind of tunes,” Schreifels says of the laid-back feel of the aforementioned track. “It's nice to have something that was more expansive to show the Pink Floyd side of Quicksand.”
That aspect of the band has never been a secret; anyone who has seen the band’s psychedelic light show can attest to that consciousness-expanding vibe. Bring On The Psychics just sees the band encapsulating their creative vision in a fully, more integrated manner. “I'm really psyched to play these songs live,” Schreifels summarizes. “I feel really fortunate to still be playing music with these guys and be able to take it to different places.”
Quicksand will be making the following appearances this summer. Dates below with more to be added soon.
APRIL 26 — New York, NY — Rough Trade Below
JUNE 11 — Hradec Králové 7, CZ — Rock for People 2026 at Park 360 12 — Nickelsdorf, AT — Nova Rock 14 — Munchen, DE — Ampere 15 — Leipzig, DE — UT Connewitz 16 — Trier, DE — Mergener Hof e.V. 18 — Hamburg, DE — Knust 18 — 21 - Dessel, BE — Graspop Metal Meeting 20 — Köln, DE — Luxor 22 — Wiesbaden, DE — Schlachthof Wiesbaden 23 — Berlin, DE — Hole44
25 — Ysselsteyn, NL — Jera On Air
Bring On The Psychics track listing: Get To It Regenerate Agency Crystallize Supercollider In Full Color Days You Run To Cool Guy Moving Forward Bring On The Psychics
Legendary Rock Icon and Traffic Co-Founder Dave Mason Passes Away at Age 79
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On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dave Mason.
Photo credit: Chris Jensen
On Sunday, April 19, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, celebrated songwriter, musician, singer, and author passed away peacefully at his home in Gardnerville, NV. He is survived by his beloved wife and partner, Winifred Wilson, his daughter Danielle, nephew John (Trish) Leonard and niece Michelle Leonard, as well as his brothers in law Sloan (Claudia) Wilson and Walton (Barbara Sims) Wilson. He was preceded in death by his son, True and his sister, Valerie Leonard.
Dave Mason lived a remarkable life devoted to the music and the people he loved.
John Page Guitars Introduces Baritone AJ and DL Models
John Page Guitars Introduces Baritone AJ and DL Models
John Page Guitars has launched the Baritone AJ and Baritone DL, extending John Page’s signature designs into a thoughtfully engineered 27” scale baritone platform created for modern players.
Designed by legendary guitar builder John Page and hand-built in Delaware, Ohio by Master-Builder Chase Gullett, the Baritone AJ and DL models are based on an ingenious modular design in which the guitar body remains identical between standard and baritone models, with only the neck changing. This approach preserves the balance, ergonomics, and resonance of the original AJ and DL designs while allowing players to move seamlessly between standard and baritone configurations.
The baritone necks feature a 27” scale length and 23 frets, offering increased string tension, improved note definition, and enhanced clarity for lower tunings, all while maintaining the familiar feel and playability that define John Page Guitars.
Standard specifications for the Baritone AJ and DL include:
27” scale length baritone neck with 23 frets
Identical AJ and DL bodies shared with standard-scale models
Ash or alder bodies, selected for balance, resonance, and tonal character
Maple necks with maple or rosewood fretboards
Standard AJ or DL pickup configurations, identical to those found on the standard models
3-way pickup selector with master volume and tone controls on the AJ, 5-way on the DL
Premium hardware and electronics selected by John Page for reliability and consistency
In addition to standard configurations, custom woods, finishes, and appointments are available allowing players to tailor their baritone instruments to personal aesthetic and tonal preferences.
“These guitars were designed to feel instantly familiar,” said John Page. “By keeping the body exactly the same and focusing the engineering on the neck, we were able to create a baritone that feels balanced, comfortable, and musical, not oversized or unwieldy.”
The Baritone AJ and DL are equally at home in modern rock, alternative, cinematic, and experimental settings, offering players a refined baritone experience rooted in traditional craftsmanship rather than genre clichés.
See The Baritone Collection Launch Video, featuring Chris McQueen (Snarky Puppy) and Matt Muehling (Kill Tony): https://youtu.be/OX5E0JaO7OA
The Baritone AJ and DL models carry a suggested retail price of $4,495 USD, consistent with standard AJ and DL models. For more information, visit johnpageguitars.com/baritone
ADG is happy to announce the release of AC MASTER from Tsakalis Audioworks. Paying homage to the British cranked amps of the 60s, AC MASTER carries a retro flavour with its VOX-style overdrive and Range Master inspired boost circuit.
AC MASTER is available for shipping from ADG late April 2026
Designed for players who love the sound of classic 60s British amplifiers pushed to their limits, the AC MASTER from Tsakalis Audioworks combines two classic British circuits in a single pedal, a VOX-style overdrive and a Range Master inspired booster. AC MASTER offers immediate access to the iconic tones associated with players like Brian May and Rory Gallagher, while also covering a wide range of modern drive and boost applications.
Used independently or stacked together, the two sections provide everything from sparkling edge-of-breakup, sweet-singing overdrive tones to aggressive classic rock saturation.
Main Features:
British style Overdrive and Booster effects pedal
Two independent circuits with flexible routing options
AC section – Vox style overdrive
Master section – Range Master booster
Dedicated input and output jacks for each section
FX Loop between the two circuits for flexible pedalboard routing
AC section comes with two blendable channels and an output section
Top Boost: bright, chimey overdrive with controls for Volume, Bass and Treble
Normal: warm, thick and slightly fuzzy overdrive with Volume control only
Output section with controls for Tone Cut and Master Volume
Master Booster Section with controls for Boost, Range and Volume
Handmade in Athens, Greece
Powered by (opt.) 9 V DC PSU
(centre -, 2.1mm, ~ 36 mA current draw, not included)
Nashville guitarist Jack Ruch has made a name for himself on YouTube and Instagram, where he shares lessons and instructional videos that help guitarists take their playing to the next level. But he can be found performing all the time on stages around Music City, too, and back in March, he appeared at 3rd and Lindsley. That’s where PG’s John Bohlinger caught up with him for this Rig Rundown, which covers Ruch’s tasteful, tone-ful live rig. We’ve summarized the highlights below, but tune in to the video for all the details and sound samples.
Ruch depends on this trio out on the road. The 1963 Gibson ES-335 is his favorite, and his main instrument. It features original nylon saddles, which he says help mellow the brightness of the neck pickup (where he spends most of his playing time).
To its left is a Danocaster T-Style, built by Dan Strain in West Nashville specifically to look like Robben Ford’s Telecaster. It’s used for “Tele things,” and features ThroBak pickups, providing a neutral, versatile sound. Again, the neck pickup is Ruch’s home turf.
On the right is Ruch’s Historic Makeovers Les Paul, which he acquired earlier this year at Historic Makeovers, just north of Orlando, Florida. This LP was modified with a Brazilian rosewood fretboard and a reshaped neck. Ruch ordered it online without playing it, and so far, he couldn’t be happier with the decision.
All of Ruch’s guitars have D’Addario NYXL strings (.010–.046).
Dynamic Duo
Ruch runs a classic combination of a Fender Princeton Reverb (circa 1966, Ruch believes) and a boutique clone of a Fender tweed Deluxe, built by Lazy J in England. The Princeton has an old 10" Eminence speaker, and the Lazy J has a Celestion Blue. Both are set for clean rhythm tones.
Jack Ruch’s Pedalboard
Ruch’s tidy board was assembled by the gurus at Nashville’s XAct Tone Solutions. It includes a TC Electronic PolyTune 2 Noir, Analog Man King of Tone, Vemuram Budi-G, Analog Man Boss TR-2, Strymon Brigadier, and Catalinbread Topanga.