The Grand Old Gear Post

I was saying on http://www.facebook.com/paulozzmusic how I was going to be making this post regarding all of the gear that I’ll be using on the next Paul Ozz album. Realistically, I can tell you few things; as it is also dependant on the studio sitch.

BUT LET’S JUST TALK GEAR AND GET IT OVER WITH ‘AY?

I’ll be using my ESP Horizon FR-II (The Wizard) for probably most of the leads as it has a really smooth sound with the new John Petrucci pickup set; and any particularly high melody bits will probably be done on it as well.

My newly acquired ESP Horizon NT-7 (The Magician) will be doing basically ALL rhythms from the way I’ve got things set up. Its EMG 707s will just have to do for a solid rhythm tone. BUT THAT ISN’T A BAD THING.

My ENGL Thunder 50 will be going through a Marshall 1960A cabinet with a Boss NS-2 pedal through the effects loop to get rid of some very unwanted “SSSSS” and I’ll more than likely be using the effects built into Pro-Tools or Logic (depends on which exact studio I’m going into but that’s another story).

The synths and midi will be all done at home I think; at least in terms of programming until I find some better samples. The drums will be midi Superior Drummer 2.0 style with the Metal Foundry addition just to give me some more dynamic and options to change tones up. Of course Allan Heppner of Lethal Halo will be helping me out with that midi stuff cause y’know; he’s actually a drummer.

But yeah that’s the rig rundown so far. Monster cables, Marshall cabinets, ENGL heads, and ESP guitars. Pretty solid and surprisingly affordable (I mean I’m broke but still).

Paul Ozz 2012 Team!

Greetings!

I’ve just got back from being on tour with AUROCH hence no posts in a while, but here we are, and there you are reading this post.

So; so far I have quite a few people working on this next album with me. I have Allan Heppner from Lethal Halo, Doomsday Machine, and several other projects, that will be helping me out with the drum arrangements. I will also have long time friend Ben Terry who will be a co-producer once more for me.

A very cool up and coming and genuinely awesome guy Aman Brar will handle mixing duties on this one, and of course Daniel Reyes as the artist for all of the artwork.

I am hoping to go through Keith Merrow for the mastering of the album, and last but not least a very slick and jawesome bass player called Shareef Cliff Addo from the band Aviations out east in Boston; to help with all bass duties. That’s the list so far.

Currently I am thinking out the song titles and arrangements for the album; as it isn’t fully written yet, but let me tell ya there are some RIFFS on this one. It is a very accurate description of me at my current musical state as well as a large evolution from my first album “Fear the Angels”. I’ll be done writing soon, and then after that going through the producers opinion of the songs to bring the final arrangements into light and from there we get recording.

The general idea for the release date will be end of 2012 but that might change depending on availability, time money etc. Hopefully there will be some cool demos out there soon though as I really want to start showing all of you folk what in the devil I’ve been doing for the last couple of years – even before I was done Fear the Angels.

Cheers!
P

Finding “Moments”

Over the last few months I have been writing constantly for my next musical creation and album entitled firstly in Bulgarian and secondly in English as “Wrathful Anubis”. Firstly in Bulgarian as the concept is conveniently leaning towards a radio transmission being discovered by Bulgarian authorities from space first before anyone else into the epic entity of my album and secondly in English because who in their right western mind would buy an album strictly done in another language.

But to get back to the point I’m trying to make.

Over the last few months I have written a total of about 46 minutes of music; giving me the notion that I might have about 20 minutes of good solid material and about 26 minutes of leftovers. People in the genre of progressive music, especially metal, like to have very very long songs that are beautifully written etc. but I find are completely lacking in what I call “Moments”.

Moments in music are the parts of a melody or song that force you to feel, sometimes uncontrollably, because it resonates with you inside. Either on an emotional or subconscious level it gives meaning and has power and value. And as such the writing time for my second album is going to have to be expanded upon: I am hoping to be done writing by the end of the summer and to be going through not one but two producers to give the album a modern and relevant edge and style. I have my team ready; so I just need to finish writing really.

But, coming back to the topic of moments, their importance is paramount to a great release and a poor release from a failing sinking project. If you can’t write a great moment in your music and in your songs, you won’t have a memorable song, and therefore a memorable album, and then your career takes a nosedive or doesn’t even start properly and you’re left feeling kind of upset. You can practice 12 hours a day and have the best gear and even tour but if you can’t write a decent tune worth your salt then what’s going on there?

I’ve summed it up to a balance of personality. Of social life and wealth of the bank account and of belief systems of self and of spirituality. In my case? I have no belief in god or in the idea that there is a creator that is omnipotent simply because I know that humans are too ignorant and unknowing to realize the implications of such a being as well as are extremely egocentric about it – but this isn’t a blast at religion.

Basically; you have to believe that success will come to you. And that if you’re truly a musician who wants to make people feel and to be happy and to feel the power that you’re outputting through your music; you should do it. You shouldn’t waste time. You should just go for it as hard and as much as you can; because why wouldn’t you? What’s stopping you from being the best person you can be?

Yourself.

Is your boss an ass that won’t give you a raise? Get a new boss. Is inter-band drama destroying the prospects of success? Get new band members; or a new band depending on the situation. Do you need a band to dictate your schedule for you? Or do you want to set your own schedule for success. Time constraints? There isn’t such a thing – it’s just how hard you’re willing to push yourself. Complaining that you don’t have enough time in the day is a cop out to yourself and to your life. So suck it up buttercup and accept your future reality that you will be successful if you choose to be.

So really what do “moments” in music come down to? The feeling. The pure ecstasy and joy of creating something which makes people cry or laugh or feel strong again. That is what I am trying to do. I don’t want to make an album that is throwaway or meaningless or childish; I want to tell a story, and I want it to be heard and appreciated. And the only way to do that is to make something that people will listen to and appreciate.

I hope that my post has given you something to think about.

Custom Guitars VS Big name Guitars Companies

Hello there readers!

I had a very difficult week recently where I found out that the guitar I had ordered about two months ago was going to take another two months. I was quite grumpy; and perhaps I had a bit of a headache as well as other life oriented headaches were all around me around that time. Alas, such is the nature of life. But now that it’s all over, and I’ve had a lot of time to think, here’s what I have come up with regarding the custom guitar industry VS the big wig guitar companies.

I have read and done a lot of research in terms of pricing and quality control, and it seems that the difference, really, between custom guitars and the big wigs, is that you can’t try before you buy. You invest (for a good custom) approximately $3000CDN into someone to build you a hand crafted guitar with the finest parts. Or you can go to your local dealer for a guitar that is incredibly similar to your perfect machine of win and actually test it and play it and hear it and feel it. As someone who never had far too much cash, the idea that I have to pay $3000 to someone I’ve never even met in person (most of the time this is the case) and as well had to wait sometimes up to a year or more (Looking at you decibel guitars, etc) just sounds silly.

My next problem is the fact that I actually very very severely need a 7 string guitar to complete my upcoming records. I can’t finish the album without one. And I can’t wait forever. So in terms of practicality and necessity I find that custom guitars are way too much money and way too much time; and are meant more for either the musician who already has enough guitars to do the job and this is just their extra special project, or for someone who plays at home and can afford to wait.

I am not one of those people. I have to leave for a tour in July. I have to finish 2 records. I have to get book a lot of events where I will hopefully be performing. Without a 7 string I can’t do that. And I won’t buy a cheapy and replace the pickups – I am not an amateur musician; and sometimes you have to realize that you can’t keep using crappy gear, if you’re a professional you own your gear and it’s gear that will stick with you for years and it damn well better be expensive and well made.

Looking at my ESP Horizon in the corner, I bought that for about $2500CDN and it has recorded 4-5 albums and played upwards of 50 shows alone. The frets are worn, the guitar needs maintenance every two weeks in terms of moving pots and the input jack being wobbly, but it is serving its purpose and I’m beating the shit out of it recording album after album. That’s the kind of instrument you should invest in if you’re serious about being a musician and playing the guitar; something you can love and learn from and perform beautiful music with.

So now I’ve come down to the decision that I actually would like to buy a Music Man JP BFR 7. Or just a ‘regulah’ JP7. The tone that comes out of my fingers when I play that guitar is marvellous and seriously what a ridiculously easy to play right out of the box guitar. The last guitar that made me feel one with the instrument and truly happy as soon as I picked it up was my ESP and my friends Parker Mojo. Seriously expensive? Yes. Seriously worth it? OH GOD if you don’t understand what I’m getting at by now you should really just re-read the post and have a java or something.

But let me not just bash on customs and bugger off.

The dream for me is to be endorsed by a company which provides musical instruments which I personally love. And to support them vice versa. To have a custom guitar made by such a company would just be the perfect harmony of a great working business relationship in that way. I would love to have a custom; are you kidding me?! I just can’t wait for one right now. I was thinking about which luthier I’d go with and I am really dead set on ordering a Daemoness some time in the future but for right now I’ll be all smiles with my JP7. Once I place that order I’m gonna be a happy noodley shreddy guitarist.

Cheers