SEAN THOMAS
HAILS FROM NAARM/MELBOURNE, VICTORIA
PLAYS IN KISSCHASY
SOUNDS LIKE THE PINNACLE OF MID-’00S AUSSIE POP-PUNK LATEST DROP N/A (NATIONAL TOUR IN MAY)
How did you first discover the guitar?
When I was about ten years old, my dad had an old nylon-string acoustic he would noodle on. I thought he was the greatest guitar player ever! I asked him to teach me and he showed me a couple of chords, and when he saw how into it I was, he took me to get lessons from a “proper teacher”. I’m forever grateful that I learnt some fundamentals before I discovered punk-rock, or else I’d probably just be playing those same two chords! I think the guitar was a Yamaha. Dad plays a ukulele these days – he’s pretty good!
What’s your current go-to?
My Cole Clark Fat Lady. I’ve had it for almost 20 years. Mad props to Adam Cole and Bradley Clark, the beautiful mad geniuses they are!
Who and/or what are your main influences?
In high school I had a great guitar teacher named Chris Emmet; he was a session guy in the London scene in the late ’60s. He taught me a bunch of Cream, Hendrix and Zeppelin. He was really strict and would make you learn all the relevant scales and theory relating to each track. He would kick kids out if they didn’t practice enough. Once I had some chops, he moved me onto Metallica, Pantera and Ozzy Osbourne.
Around the same time, I started surfing and discovered punk-rock through the Taylor Steel films (like Momentum), and I really liked how bands like NOFX and Pennywise had these super-aggressive riffs, but didn’t take themselves as seriously as all those metal bands. They were more accessible and more melodic, but just as heavy.
Are you much of a gear nerd?
I’m not really a gear nerd but I do love my vintage Fender amps. I have a ’67 Blackface and ’75 Twin, and I would never part with either. They are my entire tonal world!
Do you have any ‘white whales’?
I just recently tried out the Leadbetter Dopamine Dual Stage Fuzz pedal. It’s hand-wired by my friend Col Leadbetter, who is a guru of the scene down here on the Mornington Peninsula. I’m sure he’ll sling me one now that I’ve given him a shoutout here!
What would your signature model look like?
I was lucky enough to have an endorsement deal with Maton guitars back in the day. They made me two custom electrics, and I got to choose all the components and inlays colors. They’re still the main guitars I play on the road to this day. It was a dream come true and I am forever grateful to everyone at Maton!
What advice would you give your past self?
The way it all played out, learning all that choppy stuff before moving onto punk… I wouldn’t have it any other way. I probably need to tell my present self to practice more!
If you could jam with any guitarist, dead or alive, who would it be? Jimmy Page! After watching the movie ItMightGetLoud, he still just seems to be super stoked on playing. We would just play Zeppelin riffs, of course!