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Interviews


Performing an original song in front of an audience is no easy task. Now, try performing during of one of Nashville's most coveted showcases to a sold-out crowd - you've just put yourself in the shoes of a Bluebird Cafe songwriter. We threw a pop-up Bluebird Cafe In-The-Round Experience at our Guitar Center Nashville store, inviting seven songwriters to perform and talk about their experience navigating Music City's plethora of opportunity - meet Alabama-natives Josh & Judy Allison.
  • The featured artists of the Dominican Sounds showcase find a welcome stage at SOBs Sound of Brazil in Lower Manhattan, specializing in the Latin soundscapes of the Dominican Republic, Brazil and beyond. Each born and raised in the island of the Dominican Republic, the opportunity for these singer/songwriters to play for a new audience is a chance to celebrate the most vibrant colors of their celebrated art and heritage. We caught up with the artists after their showcase to talk about the experience of bringing their music to the states, as well as the gear they can't leave home without.
  • We caught up with The Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin at their 'Shiny & Oh So Bright Tour' rehearsal to chat about how his kit and style have changed (and remained the same) throughout the years.
  • London-born Jade Bird has officially touched down in the states – wowing new audiences with her dynamic energy and powerhouse vocal range. “I’m only 5’3” – but I have lungs.” We caught up with Jade after her sold-out show at the famous Pappy & Harriett’s Saloon in Pioneertown, CA for a chat about life on the road in the states and why her Taylor 612e Acoustic is the perfect road companion.
  • When Nick Hook and Gareth Jones decided to join forces for their newest project, a truly spiritual friendship was formed - allowing them to each reimagine new possibilities through the medium of synthesizer production. Spiritual Friendship is comprised of Brooklyn-based producer/DJ Nick Hook, and seasoned producer/engineer Gareth Jones (Depeche Mode, Einstürzende Neubauten). The duo performed an extended drone piece at this year's Moogfest in Durham, North Carolina. We invited them to the Moogstore at Moogfest for a first-look at the new Moog Grandmother, as well as a discussion about the origin of their new project, and how they've each brought out the best in one another - spiritually and beyond.
  • As a live performer, Madame Gandhi aims to incorporate her message of female empowerment and versatility by using a wide range of instruments and techniques onstage. "I show I’ve rehearsed the drums, I've built the soundscapes, and I’m using the technology to impact my vocal through loop pedals and sensory percussion triggers. That’s why I do so much on stage, because I really want to embody this three-dimensionality of not only the female experience, but the human experience." We captured Madame Gandhi's live first impressions of the new Moog Grandmother, while also discussing her multi-faceted stage setup as a means for spreading message through example.
  • For DJ Haram, orchestrating music electronically has always been a natural part of the creative process. "With a synth, you can design sound without knowing exactly what you’re doing. It feels more approachable for sound design and experimentation." She stopped by the Moogstore at Moogfest to demo the new Moog Grandmother - we talked about first impressions, the future of live performance and how DJs are bending musical genres for the next generation of artists.
  • Known for her witty and personal lyrics about life in the modern world, Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett revamps her perspective with new album ‘Tell Me How You Really Feel’. We caught up with Courtney at her sold-out show at Pico Union Project in LA to chat about recording the album, playing new songs for the first time live, and why friends often make the best bandmates.
  • In celebration of the fifth anniversary of She Shreds Magazine, we sat down with founder and editor-in-chief Fabi Reyna in her native Austin to talk about the musicians who inspired the mag’s origin, as well as the importance of perpetuating the conversation surrounding female representation in the music industry.
  • San Diego’s WAVVES brought their signature surf-rock punk energy (and a seriously rad Epiphone Flying V Bass) to their packed showcase at Clive Bar in Austin. We caught up with the band backstage at SXSW to tour their road gear, and talk about how Nathan made one fan’s day by raffling his Fender Mustang on social media.
  • Fresh off of selling out the Troubadour in Los Angeles in support of their latest album ‘Bootyshaker’s Ball’, the Vista Kicks arrived at SXSW ready to conquer. “You want to perform every show better than the last - you want to challenge yourself. We sat down with Derrick, Sam, Trevor and Nolan to chat about their “rock-and-roll reimagined” mindset, Sam’s seriously cool modded Les Paul, and how they plan to transform intimate shows at their home studio space into an annual music festival.
  • Bringing her own synth-stringed indie rock experience to Austin, Nashville’s Becca Mancari made the most of her first year at SXSW. We caught up with her post-showcase to chat about transitioning from acoustic to electric, her guitarist’s slide/pedal custom creation and the best advice Brittany Howard of Bermuda Triangle has given her about making it as an artist.
  • Louisiana’s own Tank and the Bangas made quite the splash at Clive Bar during their SXSW showcase this year - starting their set with a jazzy, spoken-word epic and ending on Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, it was a wild roller coaster for the senses. We hung out with the Bangas backstage in Austin to talk about the gear they use to shape their unique sound (and why every horn player needs to have their own pedalboard).
  • We caught up with Emily backstage before her Peppermint Club showcase at SXSW to talk about her board design concepts, selling her original acoustic guitar to a fan, and overcoming some of the biggest challenges artists face today.
  • No strangers to life on the road, married duo Tennis have seemingly mastered the art of touring – as Alaina says, “It’s about treating yourself more like an athlete than a rock musician.” Not to mention how much of a crowd-favorite their unique soundscape of glittery pop rock has become amongst the festival circuit (they played Coachella in 2017). We had the chance to hang with Patrick & Alaina backstage at Lustre Pearl to talk about the realities of making it to SXSW, their ever-shrinking stage setup, and the importance of powering through every performance.
  • As a pioneering, Grammy-nominated female rapper in hip hop, Rapsody continues to grow her legacy through thought-provoking lyrics and a trailblazing mentality (she was the only female rapper in the Best Rap Album category at this year’s Grammys). We hung out with Rapsody at the SXSW screening of her Netflix documentary series Rapture to talk about advice for new artists, Queen Latifah as early inspiration, and starting out with just a microphone in her closet.
  • We sat down with Sunflower Bean in conversation at Desert Daze Festival in Joshua Tree, CA about growing up under the influence of rock & roll, buying your first big piece of gear and how to gig like a pro from the club to the stadium.
  • With origins in Bloomington, Indiana, Durand Jones & The Indications unite the forces of both modern + vintage gear to present their own unique blend of doo-wop pop. We caught up with the band after their show at The Blackheart in Austin, Texas to talk about their touring rigs, networking on the road, and how posting their favorite 45s on Instagram has helped grow their connection with fans.
  • Despite this only being Hinds’ third year in Austin, their recording-breaking 18-showcase lineup has earned them some much-deserved street cred as SXSW veterans. We caught up with Ade, Ana, Carlotta & Amber just before their show at Cheer Up Charlie’s to talk about vintage gear, balancing a hectic tour schedule, and how Ade ended up with a bass previously owned by the guitarist of Blonde Redhead.
  • As a product specialist and artist relations rep for Roland Drums and Percussion, LA-based artist Jordan West has become a familiar face demoing Roland's products in clinics and videos. Recently, Jordan was offered the opportunity to go in-depth into the product development process when she was invited to Roland HQ in Japan as one of the first artists to provide feedback on the design of the new TM-6 PRO Drum Trigger Module. We caught up with Jordan at Winter NAMM 2018 to chat about her involvement with the TM-6 PRO, Roland's unique approach to innovation and the future of electronic drumming.
  • We recently sat down at Desert Daze festival in Joshua Tree, CA with Lindsey Troy and Julie Edwards of Deap Vally, where we talked about Fender Mustangs, Lindsey’s first pedal-buying experience at Guitar Center and why Julie can’t live without her Zildjian 21” Sweet Ride. Check out the full conversation below!

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