Check out the digital stomps, profiling amps, and modern pickups the U.K. metalcore warriors use to ignite mosh pits across the globe.
Before the bandās first Nashville show since the early 2000s, guitarist Adam Christianson (above right) and guitarist/tech Martyn Evans (middle) talk shop with PGās Perry Bean to illuminate their burgeoning taste for gear and tone.
Knowing the style of heavy music Adam Christianson and the rest of Architects play would lead you to believe his main influence for his signature LSL Bari Bone T-style would be Jim Root of Slipknot but pump the brakes. The native Canuck actually is a staunch Merle Haggard fan. Furthermore, his T-style is a 24-fret, 27.5"-scale baritone to compensate for the bandās low tunings and the saggy string tension. The tonewoods include a roasted ash body with a roasted maple neck. This one is loaded with a set of Bare Knuckle Ragnarok pickups and sees action during songs tuned down to F#. He picks with Dunlop Jazz IIIs, and all of his guitars implement sets of custom-gauged DāAddario strings. For F# guitars, he uses .011ā.015ā.020wā.030ā.042ā.072 and for G# he swaps the 6th string for a .070, and for C# he uses a .060.
Here is the original prototype of Adam Christiansonās signature LSL Bari Bone that has a slightly different neck profile, only 22 frets, an alder body, and Bare Knuckle Impulse pickups.
This is Adam Christiansonās main G# ride and itās a Mayones Setius. Like the others, it has a set of Bare Knuckles, but its body wood is mahogany for a darker, robust tone.
This is the first custom baritone that Adam Christianson received from Mayones. It is a Regius model that has a 11-ply, neck-through design.
During this U.S. run of dates, Architectsā second guitarist Josh Middleton stayed back in the U.K. to welcome his first child into the world, so his tech Martyn Evans filled in using Joshās gear. Above is Joshās main F# machineāan ESP LTD MH-401B FM that is completely stock aside from the Fishman Fluence Modern pickups. Like Adamās guitars, Josh/Martyn use custom-gauged sets of DāAddario. For F# they use .011ā.015ā.019ā.032ā.044ā.072, for G# guitars they go with a .070 on the 6th string, and for C# guitars they use a .060. (Josh became the bandās full-time replacement in 2017 following the untimely death of cofounding guitarist Tom Searle in 2016.)
For G# duties, Josh Middleton and Martyn Evans depend on this ESP Horizon E-II that has been upgraded with a pair of the Fishman Fluence Killswitch Engage pickups.
To honor their fallen brother and cofounding member, Tom Searle, the band busted out his ESP Horizon.
Bassist Alex āAliā Dean got introduced to Dingwall basses by friend and fellow low-end bruiser Adam āNollyā Getgood of Periphery. One of his go-to live basses is this Dingwall Super P that can handles both G# and F# songs.
The ying to Alex Deanās Dingwall Pās yang is this Dingwall D-Bird that also handles G# and F# songs. Both basses use custom-gauged DāAddario strings that run .050ā.070ā.090ā.145. The Super P uses Long Scales while the D-Bird above rocks Super Long Scales.
And Alex Deanās Fender Deluxe Active P bass handles C# songs and is equipped with DāAddario strings gauged .050ā.125.
Everyone in the band trusts their live tone to the Kemper Profiler amp. Alex Dean also sends a direct signal to FOH via the Avalon U5 DI and gets some filth thanks to the Darkglass MTB7K Microtubes B7K Ultra Overdrive (not pictured).
Out onstage, Adam Christianson cooks with a few extra spices that live on his board including some Strymons (TimeLine, BigSky, and Mobius), Maxon OD-9, an ISP Decimator kills any unwanted noise, the Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner keeps everything in check, and the RJM Mastermind PBC is the brains of the operation.
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D'Addario DIY Solderless Power Cable Kit:https://www.daddario.com/PowerSolutionsRR
Seven previously-unheard Bruce Springsteen records will be released for the first time this summer with āTracks II: The Lost Albums,ā coming June 27.
A set spanning 83 songs, "The Lost Albums" fill in rich chapters of Springsteenās expansive career timeline ā while offering invaluable insight into his life and work as an artist. ā'The Lost Albums' were full records, some of them even to the point of being mixed and not released,ā said Springsteen. āIāve played this music to myself and often close friends for years now. Iām glad youāll get a chance to finally hear them. I hope you enjoy them.ā
From the lo-fi exploration of āLA Garage Sessions ā83ā ā serving as a crucial link between āNebraskaā and āBorn in the U.S.A.ā ā to the drum loop and synthesizer sounds of āStreets of Philadelphia Sessions,ā āThe Lost Albumsā offer unprecedented context into 35 prolific years (1983-2018) of Springsteenās songwriting and home recording. āThe ability to record at home whenever I wanted allowed me to go into a wide variety of different musical directions,ā Springsteen explained. Throughout the set, that sonic experimentation takes the form of film soundtrack work (for a movie that was never made) on āFaithless,ā country combos with pedal steel on āSomewhere North of Nashville,ā richly-woven border tales on āInyoā and orchestra-driven, mid-century noir on āTwilight Hours.ā Alongside the announcement of āThe Lost Albums,ā a first look at the collection also arrives today with āRain In The Riverā ā which comes from the lost album āPerfect World,ā and encapsulates that projectās arena-ready E Street flavor.
āThe Lost Albumsāwill arrive in limited-edition nine LP, seven CD and digital formats ā including distinctive packaging for each previously-unreleased record, with a 100-page cloth-bound, hardcover book featuring rare archival photos, liner notes on each lost album from essayist Erik Flannigan and a personal introduction on the project from Springsteen himself. A companion set ā āLost And Found: Selections from The Lost Albumsā ā will feature 20 highlights from across the collection, also arriving June 27 on two LPs or one CD. āThe Lost Albumsā were compiled by Springsteen with producer Ron Aniello, engineer Rob Lebret and supervising producer Jon Landau at Thrill Hill Recording in New Jersey.
For more information, please visit brucespringsteen.net.
Tracks II: The Lost Albums
LA Garage Sessions ā83
1. Follow That Dream
2. Donāt Back Down On Our Love
3. Little Girl Like You
4. Johnny Bye Bye
5. Sugarland
6. Seven Tears
7. Fugitiveās Dream
8. Black Mountain Ballad
9. Jim Deer
10. County Fair
11. My Hometown
12. One Love
13. Donāt Back Down
14. Richfield Whistle
15. The Klansman
16. Unsatisfied Heart
17. Shut Out The Light
18. Fugitiveās Dream (Ballad)
Streets of Philadelphia Sessions
1. Blind Spot
2. Maybe I Donāt Know You
3. Something In The Well
4. Waiting On The End Of The World
5. The Little Things
6. We Fell Down
7. One Beautiful Morning
8. Between Heaven and Earth
9. Secret Garden
10. The Farewell Party
Faithless
1. The Desert (Instrumental)
2. Where You Goinā, Where You From
3. Faithless
4. All Godās Children
5. A Prayer By The River (Instrumental)
6. God Sent You
7. Goinā To California
8. The Western Sea (Instrumental)
9. My Masterās Hand
10. Let Me Ride
11. My Masterās Hand (Theme)
Somewhere North of Nashville
1. Repo Man
2. Tiger Rose
3. Poor Side of Town
4. Delivery Man
5. Under A Big Sky
6. Detail Man
7. Silver Mountain
8. Janey Donāt You Lose Heart
9. Youāre Gonna Miss Me When Iām Gone
10. Stand On It
11. Blue Highway
12. Somewhere North of Nashville
Inyo
1. Inyo
2. Indian Town
3. Adelita
4. The Aztec Dance
5. The Lost Charro
6. Our Lady of Monroe
7. El Jardinero (Upon the Death of Ramona)
8. One False Move
9. Ciudad Juarez
10. When I Build My Beautiful House
Twilight Hours
1. Sunday Love
2. Late in the Evening
3. Two of Us
4. Lonely Town
5. September Kisses
6. Twilight Hours
7. Iāll Stand By You
8. High Sierra
9. Sunliner
10. Another You
11. Dinner at Eight
12. Follow The Sun
Perfect World
1. Iām Not Sleeping
2. Idiotās Delight
3. Another Thin Line
4. The Great Depression
5. Blind Man
6. Rain In The River
7. If I Could Only Be Your Lover
8. Cutting Knife
9. You Lifted Me Up
10. Perfect World
Bruce Springsteen - Tracks II: The Lost Albums Trailer - YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.Sterling by Music Man introduces the Joe Dart Artist Series Collection, featuring the Dart I, II, and III basses.
The original Dart I features the Sterling-shaped body with a single humbucker and volume knob. The Dart II, featuring the beloved Ernie Ball Music Man Caprice body, swaps the humbucker fortwo single-coil pickups, each with its own volume knob for precise, hum-free control. Completing the trilogy, the Dart III is a short-scale StingRay bass with a split single-coil pickup and single volume knob.
A blank canvas, the bass collection embodies the no-frills philosophy of the original Ernie BallMusic Man designāeverything you need and nothing you donāt. All three basses are equipped with passive electronics, Ernie Ball flatwound strings, and are available in Natural or Black finishes. No tone knobs here.
āJack Stratton and I are thrilled to team up once again with Sterling by Music Man to build affordable versions of the three best basses I've ever held in my hands. The JoeDart I, II, and III represent three different sounds and feels, three different eras of bass,and three different shades of my own work as a bassist,ā said Dart. āThe feel of these instruments is incredible, and the quality would be remarkable at any price point.ā
This is a special āTimed Editionā release, only available for pre-order on the Sterling by MusicMan website for two months. Each bass is made to order, with the window closing on May 31st and shipping starting in September. The back of the headstock will be marked with a ā2025Cropā stamp to commemorate the harvest year for this special, one-of-a-kind release. A gig bag will be included with each purchase.
All basses are priced at $499.00
For more information, please visit sterlingbymusicman.com.
Billy Corgan and The Machines of God announce 'A Return to Zero Tour' kicking off on June 7th, featuring classic tracks and deep cuts from iconic albums. Tickets available for presale on April 1st. Don't miss this unforgettable experience! Tour dates include Baltimore, Boston, New York, and more.
Today, Billy Corgan, the frontman of the iconic rock band, The Smashing Pumpkins, has announced a new solo project titled āBilly Corgan and The Machines of Godā who will commemorate the anniversaries of the legendary albums with sets drawn from Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness and the double album Machina/The Machines of God & Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music as well as the 2024 release, Aghori Mhori Mei with a national US tour set to kick off this summer. The tour, titled A Return To Zero, will launch on June 7th and feature the four piece group also embarking on previously-confirmed festival shows.
The A Return to Zero Tour will reintroduce a four-piece, two set guitar lineup in which music from these seminal Pumpkins albums were created. The shows will feature classic tracks and deep cuts from the highly acclaimed records. In addition to Corgan, The Machines of God will feature recently recruited Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Kiki Wong, drummer Jake Hayden and bassist Kid Tigrrr (Jenna Fournier).
Tickets for the upcoming tour will be available for artist presale beginning Tuesday, April 1st at 10:00AM local time through Thursday, April 3rd at 10:00PM local time. Following the presale, the general onsale will begin Friday, April 4th at 10:00AM local time. Please see tour dates below and purchase tickets at ticketmaster.com.
Along with this touring announcement, The Smashing Pumpkins have revealed the details of the long-awaited and reconstituted release of the 2000 concept albums Machina/The Machines of God and its companion Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music which have been extensively remixed and remastered. Corgan's Madame Zuzuās tea shop in Highland Park, IL will exclusively offer this expansive 80-song box set; featuring a 48-track āMACHINAā plus an additional 32 bonus tracks of demos, outtakes, and live performances, marking the first time these two records will officially be united. Additionally, the rock band will release a 16-song reissue of the original Machina/TheĀ Machines of God vinyl on August 22nd, and pre-orders will begin on June 27th.
This year will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Smashing Pumpkins era-defining acclaimed album, Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadnesswhich set the sound for a generation. To commemorate the album, Corgan has partnered with Chicagoās Lyric Opera to world-premiere A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness, a seven series performance taking place November 21ā30, 2025.
These noteworthy music announcements follow on the heels of an already exciting 2025 for Billy Corgan; earlier this year the rock legend also launched his applauded podcast series āThe Magnificent Others.ā
Beyond these accomplishments, the GRAMMYĀ® Award-winning musician, versatile producer, songwriter, poet, also serves as the President of the National Wrestling Alliance, owns Madame Zuzuās, a beloved tea shop in Highland, IL, and remains a devout philanthropist through varying initiatives focusing on animal advocacy and NO KILL shelters.
Billy Corgan and The Machines of God - YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.Tour Dates
- June 7 - Baltimore, MD // Baltimore Soundstage
- June 9 - Boston, MA // Paradise Rock Club
- June 11 - Muskoka, ON // Kee to Bala
- June 12 - Toronto, ON // HISTORY
- June 13 - Montreal QC // Beanfield Theatre
- June 15 - New York, NY // Irving Plaza
- June 16 - Philadelphia, PA // Theatre of Living Arts
- June 17 - Allentown, PA // Archer Music Hall
- June 19 - Detroit, MI // St. Andrewās Hall
- June 20 - Joliet, IL // Taste of Joliet (Festival Performance)
- June 21 - Grand Rapids, MI // Intersection
- June 23 - Pittsburgh, PA // Roxian Theatre
- June 25 - Cleveland, OH // House of Blues Cleveland
- June 26 - Cincinnati, OH // Bogartās
- June 27 - Milwaukee, WI // Summerfest*
- June 29 - Minneapolis, MN // Varsity Theater
Cut the cord! PG contributor Tom Butwin goes hands-on with three compact wireless guitar systems from Positive Grid, NUX, and Blackstar. From couch jams to club gigs, find the right unit for your rig and playing style.
Positive Grid Spark LINK Guitar Wireless System
Enjoy a stable, noiseless experience with a compact wireless unit design, ultra-low latency, and an extended range. Other features include 6 hours of playing time per charge and a secure 110-degree hinged input plug connection.
NUX B-8 Professional Wireless System - 2.4GHz
A pedal-style professional wireless system geared for electric guitars, acoustic-electric guitars, bass guitars, and even electronic instruments, and transmits 24-bit 48 kHz high-quality audio.
Blackstar Airwire i58 Wireless System
This professional wireless instrument system is designed for guitars, basses, and other instruments with 1/4" outputs. Operating in the 5.8 GHz frequency band, it avoids interference from crowded Wi-Fi signals while delivering authentic tone, ultra-low latency (<6 ms), and high-resolution sound with no treble loss.
Learn More:
https://www.positivegrid.com/
https://www.nuxaudio.com/home.html
https://blackstaramps.com/