One For the road
On touring with fellow yes alumni in arW, suggestive hand massagers and getting locked out of venues
What was your first ever gig and how did it go?
“I was 14 and I played at a bar mitzvah and we got paid 10 rand, which at the time was about four quid. With that 10 rand I bought a microphone; I can’t remember the make, I think it might have been a Sony. It was because we didn’t have a microphone, we borrowed one that I think a guy had used at the horse races, or something. So it sounded not much better than a megaphone! We plugged our mic into the rhythm guitarist’s amp, because he wasn’t as loud as me.”
Describe your current stage rig…
“The guitar that’s featuring quite heavily is an old signature model I did with Alvarez – I love that guitar, I’ve got two of them. I’m having problems with it, as it’s not staying in tune. I use a Kahler on it and I think some stuff’s slipping, but I’ve got a marvellous guitar tech who has pretty much sorted it out, but I think when I get back I’m going to have it revamped, because… bless its heart, it’s lasted 27 years and stood up to pretty major abuse.
“I also have an old Strat I’ve been using all my life, which has been painted in a ridiculous way by me, kinda ‘boredom painting’. The amp is the Fractal Axe-Fx II and I have an amp on stage just to monitor what I’m doing.”
Which piece of gear is most essential to your live sound?
“I would say those two Alvarez guitars and my ’64 Strat, which has really been abused. In fact, the neck broke off at the head in 1975 or ’76 and I had a Tele neck in there for a couple of years while the greatest guitar guy I’ve ever had, John Green, fixed it and eventually I was able to put it back on.”
What non-musical item could you not do without on tour?
“I have a massager for my hands and you know what Rick [Wakeman] is like? At the airport he said,‘Have you got your dildo?’ because that’s what it looks like! But that’s quite important to me. Unfortunately, it’s a pretty obnoxious-looking object.”
What’s the nearest you’ve come to a Spinal Tap moment?
“Chris Squire and I watched that movie together and thought it had been written about us and we were quite upset and then learned it had nothing to do with us. I can’t remember which city we were in, but Rick and I actually managed to get ourselves lost and locked out of the place. We called the tour manager and he told us to come to the management office and we said,‘We can’t, you idiot, we’re locked out!’ So that was a definite Spinal Tap moment.”
What’s on your rider?
“Sparkling water and a couple of bags of crisps, that’s about it. I used to have a bottle of brandy every night – not actually have it, but say there must be one – so there was never a shortage and I would just give it to the crew and probably created a couple of alcoholics.”
What’s the best venue you’ve played in, from a musician’s point of view, and why?
“Rock In Rio in 1985. There was Queen, I think Rod Stewart,Yes and AC/DC and everyone did one night, except Yes and Queen who did two nights each. That’s definitely the most memorable gig [location]; it was the unbelievable sight of looking out and seeing nothing but people. It was awesome. I’ve played in stadiums and you can see the end of them, but this was just people forever.”
What’s the worst journey you’ve ever had to or from a gig?
“I remember it clearly: I was sitting next to Steve Howe, flying into Phoenix and there was an air pocket and we dived out of the air and then hit the ground. I thought the
plane was going to fall apart. I think that was definitely my worst trip ever.”
What’s your best tip for getting the audience on your side?
“Very, very simple. Enjoy yourself – and actually enjoy yourself and don’t pretend you’re doing so. If you’re not enjoying yourself, don’t be on the road.”
What do you do to warm up?
“I don’t touch a guitar, because I find that if I warm up before I get on stage, there’s a newness or an excitement that I take away. I’ve played enough beforehand not to need to warm up. I just use my ‘dildo’ to warm my hands up! Or, if it’s a cold area, I’ll put my hands under hot water for five minutes or so, but as long as my hands are warm and I’ve done a bit of ‘dildo’ preparation, I’m in good shape.”
What’s your favourite live album of all time?
“Grand Funk Railroad, Live Album. It’s a bit like listening to Led Zeppelin II, you think it’s the best-sounding album of all time. John Bonham’s drum sound – there’s no better sound that’s ever happened. Then you listen to it today and you still have the perception of that, because it is an unbelievable record, but the sound is from yesteryear. So when you listen to Grand Funk Railroad today, it does sound like it was done some time ago, but when I heard it at the time it absolutely freaked me out.The bass sound… and Mark Farner was an unbelievable singer, not a great guitar player, but certainly a guy with a ton of feel. I just loved the whole band.”
“I don’t touch a guitar [before stage time]… I find that if I warm up, there’s a newness or an excitement that I take away. I’ve played enough beforehand not to need to warm up”