Rocktron News: ROCK NOTES

Click here to see news items from 1996
6/25/97

Watch for this new ad to appear in the August 1997 issue of Guitar World magazine and the September issue of Guitar Player magazine. The ad features Nick Hexum, vocalist and lead guitarist of the band 311. Nick recently joined the ranks of Rocktron endorsers (see story below) and is now using Rocktron gear exclusively on tour and in the studio. Nicks rig is detailed in the ad and includes the Rocktron VooDu Valve guitar preamp, the Intellifex LTD and Replifex effects processors, the Velocity 250 power amp, 4 Rocktron S112 speaker cabinets, and the All Access MIDI foot controller.

Nick says of his Rocktron gear, “Rocktron totally kicks ass. The tones on the processors are amazing. The units have easy-to-use features and the overall research and development is a step ahead of all the suckers. Rocktron tones have become a staple of my guitar sound on our new album…”

Be sure to catch 311 on tour this summer and fall!

5/23/97

Joy Basu is Rocktron’s new clinician and will be doing several up-coming Rocktron clinics. Joy will perform at the Mad About Music show in the U.K. at Marshall Amplification’s Rocktron display. (Marshall is the U.K. distributor for Rocktron products). Joy will play throughout the day June 20th, 21st, and 22nd. U.K. musicians should really hear his great sound at this show and his knockout style! See you there!

Rocktron has just learned that Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman of Megadeth are big-time Rocktron fans. Vinnie Sansevere, Dave’s tech, called up to say thanks for the great gear! Dave and Marty used the Rocktron Chameleon and Piranha preamps to record the majority of their latest CD entitled “Cryptic Writings”.

Hometown boys Mike Cross and Joey Mazzola of Sponge stopped by the Rocktron factory on Tuesday, 5/13/97 to check out the Rocktron Patchmate and All Access MIDI control pedal. Seems that they’ve been getting tired of all the “mucky-muck” of running their stomp boxes out to the edge of the stage. Sponge technicians Dave, Adam, and Jimmy spent the following two days here at Rocktron to set up their new racks and to get aquainted with using MIDI. That weekend, Sponge performed two shows – one in Nashville and one in Washington D.C. Joey and Mike both said they were extreemely happy with their new Rocktron gear!! Also, Mike replaced his old Heil talkbox with Rocktron’s new Banshee Amplified Talkbox, which has not only simplified his setup, but also gives him “rockin’ talkbox tone”. Catch Sponge this summer on the R.O.A.R. Tour with Iggy Pop.

Watch for these new ads to appear in up-coming guitar publications. These ads are dedicated to Rocktron’s ever expanding line of Stomp Boxes! The Banshee rates with an ad all it’s own and the Banshee itself has already become a big hit and a top seller. Check out this most recent review on the Banshee from Guitar Shop magazine.

3/24/97

The April 1997 issue of Musician magazine features a lengthy article on
The Artist formerly known as Prince and his new band members, whom
include Rocktron endorser, guitarist/vocalist Kat Dyson. The top of the
article describes the scene during a recording session in Paisley Park’s
Studio C: “…while Kat Dyson uses her Tele to shower the room with samples
from her Rocktron Chameleon.” Kat has been using her Chameleon for recording and live performance for over 2 years now and obviously, she still loves
it!!

Seems like you can’t turn around today without finding yet
another professional using Rocktron effects processors. Musician
magazine reports in their March 1997 issue that Danzig guitar
slinger Tommy Victor (formerly of Prong) uses the Rocktron Intellifex as his main effects processor. Tommy Victor is new to Danzig, and Musician reports that “Victor’s assault is helping recreate live the dark
charge of the album”, referring to Danzigs newly released work
titled Blackacidevil.

Tommy also recently recorded a song with Rob Zombie and Howard Stern for
the “Private Parts” movie soundtrack, in which he used his Rocktron gear.
If you look closely at the video clips from the Stern-Zombie live concert
in New York, Tommy Victor is the guitar player with a “ghoul” mask on…

The May 1997 issue of Guitar Shop (USA) includes an interview with Rocktron
clinician, Neil Zaza. Neil dicusses home recording. “For the direct stuff,
I plugged my Ernie Ball Van Halen guitar into a Rocktron VooDu Valve and a Chameleon. Both have great speaker emulation, which afforded me a lot of overdub possibilities.” Check out Neil’s new CD, Sing!

Also, the March 1997 issue of EQ magazine features an interview with Neil,
entitled “Making A Six String Sing” – How guitarist Neil Zaza used his
project studio to record his latest release, Sing. Neil States: “I did do
some direct recording, which worked out really well. I went through either
a Rocktron VooDu Valve or a Rocktron Chameleon, depending on the sound I
was going for. When you’re recording direct, you have to have a good speaker
emulator. If you don’t, it’s going to sound like a square wave – really
fuzzy. The Rocktron gear has a real good speaker emulator in that it allows
you to choose the size of the speaker you want to emulate. So when I did
go direct, I went right from the back of the Rocktron units into the
D-80.” If you look closely at the photo’s, you’ll also see the Rocktron
Intellifex LTD and the RSP Saturator in his setup.

In the May issue of Guitar Shop, there is an electric blueprint for the rig
that belongs to that “psycho shredder” known as Buckethead. Note that his
rig includes the ever popular Rocktron Intellifex!! We knew there were
great brains under the bucket!

2/5/97

Nick Hexum and Tim Mahoney, guitarists of the band 311, recently joined the ranks of Rocktron endorsers. Nicks touring rig, detailed in the March issue of Musician magazine, is a complete and exclusive Rocktron setup, and consists of:
Amplification: Rocktron Velocity 250 power amp through Rocktron S112 and SE112 cabinets.
Effects: Rocktron Replifex, Intellifex and VooDu Valve.
Tim is using the Replifex and Intellifex in his rack. Both Nick and Tim are using the Rocktron All Access MIDI Controller for ultimate control of their rigs during live performance. In addition, Nick and Tim have both expressed that they are extremely happy with their Rocktron gear! Also, be listening for Nick’s new Banshee Amplified Talkbox on the upcoming 311 CD which the band is currently rehearsing for. Nick “fell in love” with the Banshee while visiting the Rocktron booth at the 1997 NAMM show.

Also recently added to the Rocktron endorser list are guitarist Stephan Carpenter and bassist Chi Cheng of the Deftones. Stephan is using the Rocktron Patchmate, Replifex, Guitar Silencer and All Access, and Chi is using the Rocktron 300G Compressor in their touring rigs. Stephan told us that he intends to use his Replifex to enhance his guitar tracks during the recording of their up-coming CD!

The January issue of Germany’s Guitar magazine has just arrived at Rocktron. Page 118 shows the rack setups for Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King of the band Slayer. Hanneman’s rig utilizes Rocktron’s HUSH noise reduction, as well as a Rocktron/Bradshaw RSB-12 controller unit. Kerry King’s setup includes the Rocktron HUSH noise reduction as well. We keep saying that more pros choose Rocktron for their professional setups. Seems they just can’t do without us!! Thanks guys!

1/29/97

Noted in the latest issue of Germany’s Guitar magazine to arrive here
at Rocktron, Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam using the Rocktron Rack Interface
unit. This specialized product has become an integral part of many
professional rack setups. Ament’s rig is diagrammed on page 104.

The March issue of Guitar Shop (USA) has already arrived. Always one
of our favorite magazines because of all the emphasis placed on gear,
Shop has done a great job over the past few years detailing gear in
use by the pros. The March issue details James Murphy’s (Testament)
rig. Seems James is using a Rocktron Intellifex for his effects
processing. Also noted in his studio setup is the RSP Saturator.
The Saturator has become a favorite for guitarists laying down tracks.
You’ll find James Murphy’s full studio setup detailed on page 31.

1/27/97

Rocktron recently celebrated our 15th Anniversary with a birthday bash held in Anaheim, California at the 1997 Winter NAMM Show. It was a hugely successful evening at the Hilton Ballroom where
thousands of guests filled the place to capacity. The 15th Year of Great Gear birthday celebration was billed as “The Six-String Adventure” by co-sponsor Guitar Player Magazine. VIPs were
in attendance to watch The Allan Holdsworth Group, with Dave Carpenter on bass guitar and Peter Erskine on drums. Opening act was the Andy Summers Group featuring Greg Bissonette on drums.
Guitar wizard Larry Coryell also played a dazzling set with Bunny Brunel and Kenwood Dennard. Holdsworth used several Rocktron Intellifex units as well as Rocktron Velocity amplifiers.
Coryell’s incredible tone that evening was produced by Rocktron’s Piranha preamp and his effects unit of choice was the Intellifex LTD. The event was so popular that hundreds of people were turned
away at the door because the ballroom was jammed! Some of the hottest guitar players in the business attended the show, including the legendary Jeff Beck who thanked Rocktron VP Bob Waller
for the company’s cordiality upon departure. Other players in attendance included Lyle Workman and Gary Hoey. This show was a guitar player’s heaven! Thanks to all the great players who
made Rocktron’s birthday celebration extra special!!

rocktron

Rocktron News: ROCK NOTES
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Aug