What is it about them that you like so much?Gray: I was very much drawn to Rickenbacker sounds, to the point where Id listen to the radio as a kid and was always trying to figure out if it was a Rickenbacker I was hearing. A metalhead through and through, he nevertheless began listening to funk and jazz, taking a few lessons to learn slap and pop techniques. I was cutting myself with a razor, bleeding all over the place. Did McCartney use flatwound strings on his Hofner bass from the very begnning or did use round wound on it at some point? I can only speak for myself, but to me its just the greatest thing thats ever happened in my life, he enthused. Not being able to predict what kind of music wed deliver mustve pissed off the record labels, because things never lasted long before us being shown the door. Surfacing is a perfect example because its so unhinged, but after the crazy bridge section it breaks down so hardcore that it grooves! During the press conference, percussionist Shawn Clown Crahan, who co-founded Slipknot with Paul, wanted the world to know how devastating his death was. Those strings are absolutely the go-to strings for me and I absolutely love them. But while other members had full-on side-projects, he considered Slipknot to be his everything. Its a drag to repeat yourself, and thats why no two Damned albums sound alike. Captain Sensible: In the late 60s, this amazing bunch of blues guitarists appeared on the U.K. scene at the same time I started going to gigs: Paul Kossoff, Tony Iommi, Ritchie Blackmore, Mick Abrahams, Peter Green, Jimmy Page. . ), but i'm not 100% sure Apr 26, 2001 #3 Jman Mar 24, 2000 Waterport,NY There were three mics on it: one on the speakers, one three feet back, and one six feet back, and a little bit of DI. An autopsy revealed he had. Thats my go-to bass at the moment with the Damned, and thats the one I used on our tour. http://www.bassstringsonline.com/Hofner-Beatle-Bass-Strings_c_101.html, First New Bass Day in decades for me: Yamaha BB350F, Fun with a Squier Bass VI and a AB165 1968 Bassman setup -. So I was like, I've moved to Iowa, I don't know anybody, so maybe I should jump in and say I play bass and try to meet some people? This is the strings in Paul Simon's Guild F-30. What gauge is the low E string? Even if you're playing metal bass, listen to jazz, country, punk rock or whatever because you can always pick up tips from other players. Frank Zappa? Not quite, but I'll take that as a compliment whether intended or not! Tony McPhees Groundhogs performance of Cherry Red on Top of the Pops departed radically from the shows usual fare, and that was the moment I decided to get a guitar and only a Gibson SG would do. Its been 10 years since we lost Slipknot bassist Paul Gray. Someone else can probably add more, or demonstrate that my memory is faulty. Genre politics and hyperbole aside, the Damned have always been the musicians band among the classic punks, and the group has always operated with a policy of lawlessness when it comes to the music they make. Title Written by Originally by Original date Covered by ; Before I Forget . I like a bit of everything, drawing your attentionhopefully not unwiselyto the fact that I had the first rap hit by a white artist with 1981s Wot! Please dont forget the exclamation mark by the way. Ampeg 8x10 cab Some of Pauls favourite stuff was the crazy shit, yknow? Corey told us in 2014. It doesnt get thin at the top end and it keeps its clarity in the bottom end. I think it was made in February, which was just a month or two after they stopped doing the toaster pickups. For bass, he uses two main string sets: Hofner H1133B Flat Wound Nickel strings and RotoSound Tru Bass 88 Nylon Tapewound strings, both of which have a tremendous impact on his tone. Feb 11, 2014 #3. Slipknot had always seemed combustible yet invincible nine individual, larger-than-life characters who came together as a unit onstage. But it was seeing a nascent Slayer touring the merciless Hell Awaits that made the biggest impact on the young Paul Gray. I didn't think they would, but they called me up and said, 'Here you go!'". How did the Australian singer die? Tony Visconti is mates with Eventide designer Tony Agnello, who brought some interesting toys to Atomic to play with, and which got a lot of usethe H9 in particular. While it might seem unusual that I like Mountain and Deep Purple, considering the music Im known for playing, Captain is into the really obscure progressive rock stuff and has that in his playing. You must log in or register to reply here. So I went over and said, 'Dude, I play bass' even though I didn't have a bass guitar and never picked one up. The innovator that pretty much started the trend of the classic shred metal guitar, Eddie Van Halen also often uses light strings. The 1980s were yet another decade that brought massive changes in music. He played bass and guitar left-handed, and there was something about his muting, a weird sort of backwards quality. Simple as it may be, especially when compared to their earlier tracks, Duality is also the sound of The Nine at their most effective its four minutes and 12 seconds condensed down to three and a half for a single version that would become directly responsible for converting new armies of metalheads around the world. Captain, what was it like working with Visconti from a guitarists perspective? Never having had a lesson, I play completely by ear and I often overstretch myself. Captains songs are Gods gift because theyre so melodic. Heavy gauge picks. What Guitar Strings Does Paul Simon Use? We may earn a commission on any affiliated purchases. Gray: Yeah! Surprise! I will miss him with every fibre of my heart, as will everybody at this table and everyone who knew him he was the best of us.. 1974 Rickenbacker 4001, Amps I knew the guitar lines and could have jammed those, but the bass parts were totally different and I was like, 'Fuck!' He had something going on in his mind, and I was like, OK, I need to back off I cant touch this. And if you listen to that song, you can tell that theres heartfelt pain in that., Shawn had never intended to join a metal band, but got sucked into the promise of what he could create with someone as talented as Paul. Contact our experts for a recommendation of great alternatives. In December 2010, they announced they would headline 2011s Sonisphere to honour the legacy of their fallen friend. Strings 2 : Electric Bass Nickel Plated Steel with NANOWEB Coating. Repeat: the secret debut album that launched the legend, The definitive history of every Slipknot mask, The 10 best new metal songs you need to hear this week, Watch this metal frontman teach terrified daytime TV hosts black metal growls on live TV, James Hetfield has been cast in a 'dark western' film with Juliette Lewis and Game Of Thrones' Peter Dinklage, Watch grannies rip through some gnarly death metal and shoot fireworks from their backsides in this hilarious advert for Liquid Death iced tea, Watch Mike Shinoda & Ice Nine Kills' Spencer Charnas star in Demi Lovato's new Scream-inspired video, Every issue delivered direct to your door. Eventides Tony Agnello is a big fan of the Damned and brought some secret prototypes to Atomic Sound for the Captain to use, but Im sworn to absolute secrecy about what they are and do. On May 25, 2010, the members of Slipknot filed into a room to face the press, on one of the bleakest days of their lives. I've no idea if he used foam with the Hofner (hollowbodies don't have much sustain in the first place) but I would definitely assume that was going on with the Rickenbacker stuff. Did I ever really think a friend was going to die? Hed listen to Cliff Burtons bass fills repeatedly, rewinding his tapes until he had figured them out. Rhythmically, however, the song was a bit more challenging; Pauls verse basslines picked as strict alternate 16th notes throughout, which, once you factor in the boiler suit and pig mask for the live shows, would have been a quite a workout for his left arm. The best record they ever made! ], my chum [singer-songwriter] Martin Newell showed me a couple of his own tunings that, although a bit off the wall, have an infectious jangle thats particularly inspiring when it comes to 60s Beatles/Monkees kind of tunes. There had been a headline-generating arrest for drugs and drink-driving in 2003, sobriety, relapses and recent treatment for addiction. Alter Bridge, Halestorm, Neck Deep, Bob Vylan, Hot Milk, Palaye Royale, Jinjer and more join this years Download Festival. Which is a hard thing to do with nine people in the band!, He was also a skilled composer who could pervert the markers of extreme metal. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. But everything needs some editing, and to pare it down to what you finally hear, we had to make a lot of choices. 1990s British-made handwired Vox AC30 reissue Eleanor was promoted to the role of Editor at Metal Hammer magazine after over seven years with the company, having previously served as Deputy Editor and Features Editor. However, first-generation punks the Damned dont care much about any of that. Add Paul Gray (2)'s Strings Ernie Ball Power Slinky Bass Strings (55-110) Paul Gray was known to use the Ernie Ball Slinky Bass Strings. Their string of hits included Stimulation and I Could Make You Love Me. I'm trying to figure out what type of strings he was using in around '64. Perfection is overrated! A Les Paul is easier to play than a Strat because a Les Paul has a far lower string tension compared to a Strat with the same gauge strings. I was just, I gotta get a real guitar and actually do it. Seeing them up there and the red lights and the smoke and it was all evil, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I was lucky enough to see them all play club venues, where you could really watch what their fingers were doing. As one of the three founding members of Slipknot, Paul Gray fast became one of their key songwriters his name more often than not found in the credits for the tracks that werent assigned to the group as a whole. As Slipknot were an anomaly with nine members, dominated by three drummers, he had to work out how to cut through and complement the ferocious noise. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)), a beautifully unnerving departure for the band, setting quiet, sinister tension against wretched release. Paul, what basses did you use on Evil Spirits? The only tweaking was in the mix with a bit of reamping. Or Maiden's Steve Harris, who does all kinds of amazing stuff and who is completely different to Cliff. Works 23; All; Songs written by Paul Gray [US1] Original songs. It isn't THAT different, I listened to the rest of the album with the exception of Bother it sounded like Slipknot with the proper amount of band members. After the set, the band huddled around Pauls jumpsuit, mask and bass as Til We Die poured out of the PA. My friends are all hurting, came Jims line. "Finger stretches? As a standing tribute to the late Paul Gray, TG presents this never-before published interview with the Slipknot bassist. What Strings Did Freddie King Use? Added by Bastien. Gray: I used the 1980 Ric that I used on TheBlack Album, but the one that ended up on most of the tracks was my very early 74. I had to get a real guitar and do it. To make it worth your while, you must consider how much sugar was added to their . They received a settlement in 2018. He wrote that whole song, and there was such an essence about it that was so odd; the way his eyes were looking at his guitar, and the way he was writing it when we were playing together, it was almost scary, he told Revolver in 2010. Despite his use of D'Aquisto strings in the 1960's and 1970's, Paul has always preferred the D'Addario lighting (EJ16 phosphor bronze) on his acoustic guitars. I don't even know if you can actually hear it - it was more like a sub-woofer king of thing. They started sending me Soundgears but I didn't want to play them and I said, 'If you start making these ATK's again like this one, I'll switch companies'. I didnt know any of the bass lines but I knew all the guitar parts, so I faked it. Yaamaha even produced a replica of Pauls guitar , the FJ681 "Paul Simon . But life was still difficult, so he contacted his mum, who by this time had managed to secure a house in Iowa. 3: (The Subliminal Verses). Recorded at Download 2009, Paul talked to TG about his solid playing style, his reason for being a bass player and his tips for making you play better. He had an ear for nuances that I dont think a lot of people understood. I helped start one of the biggest metal bands in the world and Im not necessarily a metalhead. And what about tunings, do you experiment when you're writing? I go to the same fucking bar and hang out with the same fucking people, so I really havent changed that much. But also, Ive never known trust like the nine.. Eventide H9, Strings and Picks Then, of course, there are the two tracks he performed on as part of the Roadrunner United project, enlisting the crme de la crme from the legendary labels roster to collaborate for its 25th anniversary. I always watch other bass players no matter what kind of band they're in, how long they've been playing for or if they're any good, because you can always learn something from someone else to add to your technique and make you play better. Most of the guys you cited developed their sounds around a Rickenbacker bass, and thats been your instrument of choice over the years. Heres how it works. Or any money to buy one. It's weird but I love the bassline in Van Halen's 'Running With The Devil' in open fucking E. Now, I appreciate any player who can lay down a solid bass groove, like Cliff Williams from AC/DC. Its an attitude I share, and who cares if theres a few jazz notes in there. Let's take a closer look at the strings Sir Paul used and continues to use, as well as how they helped to shape his tone. I was speechless watching him write this song. Premier Guitar sought an audience with Sensible and Gray to discuss the making of the Damneds triumphant return to studio recording, their philosophies and roots as players, the symbiosis that exists within their playing relationship, and even a bit of gear geekery. Doing that actually made me fall in love with bass guitar and that's why I became a bass player.". In the early days the Beatles would steal piano strings to put on the bass. As Paul got to know his new instrument, he developed a strong attachment. Stevie Ray Vaughan String Gauge Table. I saved up and bought their album Thank Christ for the Bomb and I played it over and over. Paul Gray: The Man Behind the Mask. Rickenbacker 12-string (Atomic Studios), Amps When he pulled on a guitar, a transformation kicked in. Now42 years since they became the first of the British punk groups to put out a single, with 1976s New Rose, beating the Sex Pistols by a month, and 10 years since their last studio album, So, Whos Paranoid?the Damned have returned with Evil Spirits, an album that bristles with the vitality, immediacy, and irrepressible creativity thats earned them the distinction of being one of the most important punk bands of all time. Sensible: Theres something about the Gibson SG 60s Tribute. That 77 has much more of a Lemmy-type sound than my 74. He never returned home. They toured All Hope Is Gone across nine gruelling legs, starting in July 2008 in Washington, taking in Download in June 2009, and finishing in Las Vegas that October. A big chunk of foam being used on this tune (1:51.) I recall Visconti lounging in his producer's chair dialing up sounds on his iPhone. Its complexity is countered by the open-string drone that dramatically brings everything to a close the guitar and bass amps ringing out together in a hellish orchestra of earth-shaking noise. For me, it was an extremely emotional experience., When Paul was interviewed during the Vol. Actually I played guitar first - hang on, my sunglasses are totally fucking up here - I played guitar first and never picked up a bass, wasn't interested in it at all. It broke in a roaring cheer. Thanks! verdict on the 50 albums that shaped 2022. I've heard this too. Luckily it all seems to work most of the time anyway. The Damned play their unofficial anthem, Smash It Up, from 1979s Machine Gun Etiquette, at BBC Radio 6s annual Christmas Punk Party. I went into the local music store and heard some guys talking about needing a bass player for their band, they did covers of Slayer and Metallica songs, So, not knowing anybody and wanting to meet people, I told them I could play bass even though I had never played one in my life. Other guitars at the studio were a StratI never got on with them as the volume knob is too close to bridge; a Rickenbacker 12-string, which I found to be lovely; and the studio acoustic, which had an almost unplayably high action. He took up an interest in music early on thanks to some guidance from his older brother William Jay Matthews, who introduced him to bands like Black Sabbath, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper and KISS. #22. Interview - paul gray slipknot bassist band, Interview - paul gray slipknot bassist headbang, Interview - paul gray slipknot bassist finger, Damon Albarn reveals that the beat from one of Gorillaz best-loved songs was an Omnichord loop preset, It looks like Gibson is going to start selling vintage guitars including a '59 Les Paul Burst, Deadmau5 delivers his verdict on AI music production: Its scary in the sense of how stupid music already is anyway, Confused about setting up your guitar? "It's a little bit of both, like on songs like 'Wait And Bleed' I'll use my fingers But then there's songs like 'Sulfur' or 'People = Shit' that have grind parts where you need the attack of a pick. I figured that it couldn't be that different to playing guitar, but later on I found out it's a totally different thing. Lots of discussion about this all over this board. The main guitar is a 1959 Les Paul Standard . Actually, I did go on and try to compose something better, but we liked the skin-of-your-teeth excitement of the originals best. The 15-minute epic that closes the Knots second album showcased a very different side to Pauls playing, more '90s rock than extreme metal in feel sharing similarities with the kind of lines heard in bands like Tool and Pearl Jam. Why hide them, anyway? On Slipknots off-time, Paul and Joey would hunker down to write in Pauls basement. If you listen to Pauls note choices on Vermilion, he was all over the shop and it sounded great I wanted to try things like that.. BA1 1UA. After the third or fourth show I met somebody from Warwick and they sent me out a Corvette or some model and it was awesome. We had confidence in each other that it would work, and we hadnt played together [in the studio] for nearly 22 years! Gauges : Medium 46-63-80-102. Ross Robinson, producer of the first two records, told NME: As a musician, he brought absolute integrity. "I have to find my place in Slipknot and stay away from just following the guitars, so I play along with what the drums are doing. Nick from Widnes England Writes: The two main acoustic guitars that Paul Simon uses on stage are as follows: Yamaha LS400 (black) Custom made by Luther Terumi (Terry) Nakamoto. In sixth grade, aged 11, he got Suicidal Tendencies self-titled debut, which fuelled a desire to learn the guitar. Bassist Paul, aka The Pig, aka #2, appeared in a black uniform, steadily headbanging and riffing while chaos erupted around him. 9. The studio has an excellent Fender Stratocaster that Captain used on at least three songs, for arpeggio things or anything that we needed a clearer sound on beyond the overdriven Gibson sound hes known for. Gary Moore preferred Dean Markley Electric Guitar strings he used .010 set (2504B) or a .009 set (2508). This was noticeable with all of the guitar-centric genres, most notably with hard rock and heavy metal. And while his technical prowess has been overshadowed by his giant personality and tucked away within the confines of excellent songs, Evil Spirits puts his cadre of guitar-borne personas on display as he chunks, clatters, burns, and jangles through the albums tracks. Taking his place in a finalised line-up of vocalist Corey Taylor, percussionists Shawn Crahan and Chris Fehn, drummer Joey Jordison, guitarists Jim Root and Mick Thomson, sampler Craig Jones and turntablist Sid Wilson, they exploded on the brink of a new millennium, in a mass of masks and coveralls, attracting growing crowds of writhing, devoted maggots. It was actually a badass guitar, it was a Gibson Flying V and it was left-handed, and it ruled. Eventually, he managed to procure a replacement. Of course, when younger I may have felt slightly different. Slipknot have just released a brand-new song, Bone Church, which started life in a jam room on the .5: The Gray Chapter tour. The world will never know another man as amazing as you.. Everything he did, he did for everyone around him. I use real thin gauges: .040.090. When asked about the song which best summarised Pauls contributions to Slipknot, its interesting that Corey and Clown have singled out Vermilion as his magnum opus both admitting they were moved by the chillingly real sense of pain and struggle on the bass players original demo. While testifying in court against her late husband's physician, Brenna Gray revealed that Paul actually suffered a relapse around 2008 and later spent the last weeks of his life fighting a losing battle against his demons. Seven years ago today, extreme metal music lost one of its most radiant beacons - Paul Gray of Slipknot. He had the biggest heart of anyone Ive ever known, and he had the greatest soul Ive ever had the privilege to know. Listened to 4 Beatles LPs (yes; these black huge 33 1/3 things) the last days. Paul Dedrick Gray Born April 8, 1972 Died May 24, 2010 Country United States IPI 00344172381 21 works Affiliation ASCAP Member of Slipknot Bass (1995-2010) Meta. How did you and Tony Visconti record the bass tones for the album? Im not a control freak and I want them to express themselves, and I wouldnt work with them if they werent great musiciansthats my criteria. I remember when I set up a photoshoot, that was a bad day. No tricks, no pedals, no nothing. We made the tour and we were able to get out there, but by the end of it, he was so sad, there was a lot of fighting going on, remembered Shawn. Unsurprisingly, Evil Spirits sounds very much like a continuation of the sonic tack the group were on at that point in their career. Did he have any interesting methods for capturing the powerful guitar sound on Evil Spirits? On Octobers behalf, the Gray family sued pain relief specialist Dr. Daniel Baldi and his former employers, alleging Paul hadnt been properly monitored during his drug addiction treatment. We unselfishly say, Lets play Paul Gray riffs, or do it the way Paul would want it., Paul lives on through his family, music, and the army of maggots who hold him close.