JJ Appleton
For this monthās question, picker JJ Appleton, Premier Guitar staff, and reader Gil Chiasson explore their personal bond with their favorite musical genre.
Question: What connects you to your favorite genre of music?
Guest Picker JJ Appleton
Blues legend John Hammond Jr.
Photo by Louis Ramirez
A: What I love about the blues is its deceptive simplicity, the immediacy of emotion, and the story/truth-telling. When they say, āBlues is a feeling,ā itās clear when two different people play the same three chords or the same lick. If youāre really doing it, your personality should be laid bare with every note you play and sing.
Professor Longhair, musical king of the Mardi Gras
Current obsession: Professor Longhair. I love his humorous bursts of deeply inventive rhythms. His use of extreme dynamics in one bar of music. His beautiful voice. His piano is the orchestra and there is a lot of musicality going on there. Professor Longhair has set the standard for me to try to become an āorchestratorā on the guitar and to find my own unique voice and style.
Ted Drozdowski Editorial Director
A: Iām connected to cosmic roots music via decades of exploring the nooks and crannies of the American South and its deep creative fringes. Itās defined roughly by Son House and John Lee Hooker to Pink Floyd, Sonny Sharrock, and Tom Waitsāanything with an āothernessā thatās soulful and authentic. It helps keep me alive.
One of Tedās inspirations, the late free-jazz guitarist Sonny Sharrock.
Current obsession: The dang movie Iāve been working on with my band Coyote Motel for about two years. After 300 hours of editing, I can see completion. And it does have āotherness.ā
Coyote Motel in thier upcoming film.
Luke Ottenhof Assistant Editor
A: I was raised on folk and classic rock, but when I was 10 years old, I got Billy Talent on CD, and covertly copied my friendās CD of Sum 41ās Does This Look Infected? onto a cassette (I wasnāt allowed to buy it because it had a parental advisory sticker). The early 2000s were a golden era of pop-punk in Canada, and while that genre post-2006 doesnāt really rev my engine anymore, those two releases set me on a path of obsession with heavy, riffy music paired with great hooks and bright vocal harmonies.
Current obsession: Iāve gotten back into soldering after taking apart my crappy Vox Cambridge 15 to finally fix it up. I was planning to just sell it for cheap to someone who wanted to repair it, but all it needed was a new gain pot, and the fix cost me $1.50 plus an hour of labor.
Lukeās Vox, redeemed by a $1.50 part and an hourās repair time.
Gil Chiasson Reader of the Month
A: When I think of āSurfer Girlā by the Beach Boys, for instance, it is the sum total of all its parts which makes it so amazing in how it captures the context of the song. Itās about a surfer girl, a cool breeze, water spray, and hot summer sun!
The Beach Boys, when they were crafting the California dream.
Current obsession: I am currently writing music inspired by Thelonious Monk. He had these soulful chord progressions with interesting types of time signatures. His pockets, or, grooves, were full of that gold we all love to hear and feel.
Thelonious Monk had the keysāperhaps even to the universe.
The metalcore maestro highlights tunes from the Bay Area thrash icons that helped hone his picking technique.
Wata and Takeshi take a Jackson Pollock approach to jammingāvia a legion of amps and effectsāto create the new soundtrack for the apocalypse, NO.
The playwright and poet Bertolt Brecht once observed that āart is not a mirror held up to society, but a hammer with which to shape it.ā If thatās true, then perhaps Boris, with its blend of experimental, stoner, sludge, doom, and hardcore sounds, is such a hammerāat least among the cognoscenti of unrestrained, cutting-edge rock.
The band was named and, originally, sonically styled after an epic eight-minute Melvins jam. Three decades later, Borisā sound has evolved into a furious emotional tumult thatāduring a time of pandemic, worldwide social unrest, and devastating climate eventsāseems to capture the anxiety, fear, anger, hatred, and uncertainty that is reverberating.
Itās in the DNA of songs like āGenesis,ā the primordial, unsettling opening instrumental track of their latest album, NO. Is it cueing the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end? Is it a dirge or an anthem? The visceral response this overture evokes sets the tone for the rest of NO. That Boris is able to convey such a cathartic experience with their music is no small feat. That kind of transcendence only happens when the message meets the moment. And for Boris, NO is the message, and 2020 is the moment.
Formed in Tokyo in 1992 as a four-piece, Boris quickly transformed into a genre-blending, avant-garde power trio after their 1996 debut, Absolutego, on the Fangs Anal Satan label, when singer Atsuo Mizuno took over on drums for their original drummer, Nagata. Absolutego was an exercise in Melvins-inspired drone rock and featured a single 60-minute track. The 1998 follow-up, Amplifier Worship, diverted sharply into psychedelic and jam-band territory. In 2005, Pink, arguably Borisā commercial breakthrough, featured mostly short, concise songs in a shoegaze and post-rock style. Pink met with considerable critical praise, with both Blender and SPIN magazines naming it one of 2006ās best albums.
Collaborations with other experimental musicians and artists, like Keiji Haino, have also been a hallmark of Borisā career, and in 2009 they appeared on the avant-metal soundtrack to Jim Jarmuschās film The Limits of Control. Just last year they released their 25th studio album, LĻVE & EVĻL.
Borisā musical journey has been guided by a faith in the deep interpersonal conversations that playing music in a band offersāan important core value of their DIY ethos. In the studio, they record themselves: placing their own microphones, mixing their albums, prompting their own sonic experiments. Their focus and genuine curiosity about craft propels a deep commitment to process, rather than results. They are invested in the work that their explorations demand, not the fame they may ultimately derive from it. And much like jazz musicians, theyāre most committed to the musical conversations that happenāamong themselves and with their audience, live and in the momentāso rarely do they ever play the same composition the same way.
It shouldnāt be surprising that this band with almost 100 releases to their creditāincluding EPs, reissues, singles, live albums, and collaborationsāwas able to create NO in a matter of weeks. āWe reserved our room and rehearsed and recorded there after the lockdown,ā says guitarist/bassist Takeshi. āWe began on March 24 and completed recording three weeks later.ā If anything, a global pandemic only served to make their mission more urgent and focusedāor at least fueled their apocalyptic aesthetic.
NO, like Pink, features shorter, more terse up-tempo numbers than the long, droning jams that have been Borisā most recognizable trademark. Only three of NOās 11 songs are over five minutes. (Opener āGenesisā is among those three.) Song length, however, is basically where the comparison to Pink ends, as NO is a much heavier album. Entries like āAnti-Gone,ā āLust,ā and āLovelessā feature fierce, fast-paced riffs that wouldnāt sound out-of-place on a Motƶrhead album. According to Takeshi, this is the result of interacting and sharing bills with Japanese hardcore/punk legends, including Gastunk, the Genbaku Onanies, and Narasaki (of Coaltar of the Deepers), during the Japan tour for LĻVE & EVĻL in February.
āI was able to reaffirm my roots with music that was hugely influential when I was a teen,ā Takeshi explains. āAfter that tour, the world gradually became terrible due to the new coronavirus, and, not being able to tour or perform live, the only option we had was to create an album to deliver to listeners. During the studio sessions, the sound imagery became fast and noisy according to the manners of hardcore punk. We usually do not set any rules for recording, but just like listening to hardcore punk healed my anxiety, hatred, anger, and sadness when I was young, and hope was born, weāre hoping that NO, as an extreme music, will heal listeners who live under the threat of the coronavirus.ā
In addition to Takeshi and Atsuo (who also serves as the bandās recording and mixing engineer), Boris features the mighty Wata on guitar and keyboards. Wata might be the most introverted of the group, but her gargantuan tone, deft melodicism, and kinetic riffs entrench her in the same conversation as High on Fireās Matt Pike or Gojiraās Joe Duplantierātogether, a triumvirate of doom/stoner-era guitar gods. But Wata rarely speaks publicly about her work.
PG recently caught up with Takeshi and Wata, who were at home in Tokyo. With the help of translator Kasumi Billington, they both opened up about their creative processes, guitar interplay, gear, influences, and much more.
How integral are jam sessions to Borisā creative process? Were the songs on NO born strictly out of jams, or did any of you bring fleshed-out songs into the studio?
Wata: Borisā songwriting and recording is generally in the form of jam sessions. We rarely compose in advance. Itās rock ānā roll, so itās not interesting unless the sound rolls on the spot and unpredictable events occur. Amp settings and volumes are also important elements to our compositions. A song wonāt reach completion unless itās actually played in the studio with loud volume. There are songs that are born because they are loud.
TIDBIT: Although Wata also plays keyboards in Boris, their new album is guitar-only, crafted from practice-space jams spearheaded by her and Takeshi. āItās rock ānā roll, so itās not interesting unless the sound rolls on the spot and unpredictable events occur,ā she explains.
Takeshi: There are times when we write songs in advance, but itās mainly like a memo of an idea [for a song]. As usual, NO started from jam sessions at the studio.
What elements of a jam are you listening for, or cultivating, to help guide the formation of a new song?
Takeshi: We are guided by phrases and melodies that are born from our jam sessions. Rather than composing, itās more like the sensation of drawing, but guided by sound. Thatās the method that feels natural for us, to be able to create work comfortably. The important thing when recording is to keep an environment free of stress for the membersāto be able to see each otherās faces, and to be able to resonate sound in the same space and atmosphere.
Boris has been around long enough to make albums using both analog and digital recording. What is your preference?
Wata: Equipment-wise, I like analog, but recording is easier with Pro Tools. Sometimes rehearsing while we adjust the monitors ends up sounding better than the actual recording during the main production. We have taken that into consideration recently, and now record during rehearsals as well. There are many times when the recordings taken during rehearsals are used instead. Since thereās no recording cost, digital recording is suitable for this type of productionāone that has a strong documentary element.
Boris employs drop-tuning to great effect. Do you have a preferred tuning to write and play in?
Wata: In general, we tune three steps down. I also like tuning where we drop the 6th string to D#. The expression of choking and vibrato changes when you play the 5th and 6th strings together. When playing riffs with Takeshi in unison, each playing style creates different waves, and adds depth to the sound. There are restrictions when using various tunings, but there are also songs that can only be created with that tuning. I want to keep trying various things.
Boris has a very DIY ethos. What was the studio set-up like for NO, including your signal chain?
Takeshi: The place where we always record is a rehearsal studio weāve been using for years. Thereās no mixing booth. We self-record by bringing recording equipment to that same room. We set up the microphone stands ourselves, and everything is DIY. We try not to increase the number of tracks we record, but, for the guitar recording, we simultaneously record signals from both a mic (Sennheiser E606) and a DI (Countryman Type 85). When we mix, we have options to combine the two or use either alone. Weāre always sure to record the sound of shaking air with the microphone.
Wata and Takeshi both play guitar in this live video from 2017, with plenty of banshee-wail EBow and the distinctive, guttural howl of low-tuned axes overdriven to the max.
With his First Act guitar/bass hybrid, Takeshi can cover the sometimes rapid tonal and dynamic shifts in Borisā musicāor simply stay in the heavy zone with a combination of low tunings, pedals, and high-headroom amps. Photo by Tim Bugbee/Tinnitus Photography
What guitars and amps did you mostly use?
Takeshi: On this recording, I used the tremolo arm heavily, so my main guitar was the B.C. Rich Warbeast. To record the bass, I used my First Act Doubleneck bass/guitar. For the guitar amp head, I used my Sunn Model T with an Orange PPC412 cabinet during recording. To record the overdubs with noise guitar, I used a Roland JC-120, which produces a flat range, from low to high frequencies.
What about bass?
Takeshi: I used the Orange Terror Bass for the bass amp head and an Ampeg 810E cabinet. The pedal used this time for the [core tone] guitar was a Dwarfcraft Devices Baby Thunder fuzz, and, for the bass, a Death By Audio Apocalypse fuzz was mainly used, with reverb slightly added, and additional fluctuations with an EarthQuaker Devices Aqueduct vibrato.
Wata, what was your signal chain in the studio while recording NO?
Wata: In the last few years, weāve used the Sennheiser E606 microphone on the cabinet. According to Atsuo, heās able to capture finer dynamics than the standard SM57. We tune three steps down from regular tuning, and the sound is extremely distorted with fuzz, so this mic, that captures fine nuances, seems to be a good match. I always use Countrymanās DI Box to record direct signals. During the mixing, we may use an amp simulator for the DI signal. In general, with the pedal effects applied, we also make sure to ring the amp when recording. Atsuo says that recording without feedback takes away the purpose of using an electric guitar.
Takeshi, what is the origin of your doubleneck bass/guitar?
Takeshi: I initially bought one around 2001. We released a 70-minute, single-song album called Flood around the same time, and I had to switch between guitar and bass when playing. It was troublesome to switch and lose time, so I got an SG-style doubleneck made by Starfield [an Ibanez brand]. But since it was a short scale, it didnāt produce much low sound, and since the body itself was heavy and big, I didnāt like it much. It was also difficult to carry around on tours, so I later bought a Spirit, by Steinberger. It was compact and suitable for tours, and the sound was solid and pretty good, but I still didnāt like the shape much. My favorite bassistsāGeddy Lee from Rush, Chris Squire from Yes, Cliff Burton from Metallica, and Lemmy Kilmister from Motƶrheadāgenerally used Rickenbackers, so I was hoping I could get a custom one someday that was similar to the Rickenbacker shape. My friend from college had been to a musical instrument making school, so I had him create a basic drawing.
How did you hook up with First Act, for the Boris signature double-neck?
Takeshi: At some point, [bassist] Nate Newton from Converge introduced me to First Act. Weāve been friends for many years. He had a Mosrite-shaped custom bass created through First Act. During a Boris U.S. tour, I went to First Actās office in New York City and met [artist relations director] Jimmy Archey.
He enthusiastically listened to my difficult request and was willing to accept the production of this custom doubleneck. Heās now left First Act and runs an amazing guitar shop called 30th Street Guitars in New York. He still comes to Borisā live shows. If I didnāt have this relationship and encounter with Nate and Jimmy, my double-neck may not have existed.When I first started playing a double-neck, it felt strange, but now Iāve gotten used to it.
[Editorās note: Takeshiās custom First Act bass and guitar doubleneck has a mahogany body with a maple top, two maple necks with rosewood fretboards, a Badass bridge, and Gotoh GB707 bass tuners and Sperzel 3x3 Trimlok guitar tuners. The bass side has a Seymour Duncan SJB-3 Quarter Pound J bass pickup in the bridge and a Duncan SPB-1 Vintage P bass neck pickup. The 6-string side sports two Seymour Duncan ā59 Model SH-1 pickups.]
Since you play bass and rhythm guitar, how do you decide which one to apply to a song or a section of a song?
Takeshi: I originally played the guitar, so even during jam sessions itās easier to come up with ideas when playing the guitar rather than the bass. When I begin to make a song, most of the time Iām using the guitar. Whenever there are songwriting sessions, we play through the guitar amp along with a bass amp, so the guitar covers the bass-frequency range. Boris tunes three steps down, so Wata and I could be called a twin baritone guitar formation. As the riffs and melodies are built, the song will tell me if I should add the bass.
Can you please clarify which songs on NO feature bass?
Takeshi: The songs I played bass on are āAnti-Gone,ā āHxCxHxC -Perforation Line-,ā āKikinoue,ā and āLust.ā On āLoveless,ā I only play the guitar, but, by dropping the 6th and 5th strings, I created a sound image where it seems like Iām back and forth between the bass range and the baritone guitar range. I canāt create that kind of ambience just by playing the bass normally. Interesting effects were born when I tried this out in jam sessions, so this song ended up without a bass.
Wata, the EBow has become a signature component of your style. How did you discover that tool and what makes it a go-to part of your musical arsenal?
Wata: I started using it during Absolutego. I brought it in because I could get the drone pitch without being bothered by howling. Once I began using it, I was impressed that the EBow not only produces a continuous sound, but also allows a very wide range of expression by moving it closer to, or further from, the strings, and also by changing position, adjusting the left hand, and by using effects. Itās a simple but extremely profound, organic piece of equipment.
How do you decide between guitar or keyboards on a particular song?
Wata: Iām the only one who plays keyboards, so there are times when I may be in charge of the keyboard and accordion, based on the showās color.
Since we sing as we perform, there are times when the instrument Iām in charge of changes for the song. We didnāt use the keyboard for NO.
Photos by Miki Matsushima