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KAKI KING BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE DEF LEPPARD KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD HOMETOWN HEROES TROPICAL F*** STORM XAVIER RUDD THE INNOVATORS 28 (INC. GST) THE BRAINS WHO CHANGED 9 771329 768001 VOLUME 281 $10.99 NZ $11.90 THE WAY WE PLAY OFTEN IMITATED. NEVER DUPLICATED. INTRODUCING THE PLAYER SERIES TELECASTER® NEW PICKUPS. NEW COLORS. AUTHENTIC TONE. 14 18 30 66 CONTENT 14 BAK Journey into the mystical world of Baklandia with an interdimensional axe god. 16 DEF LEPPARD Def Leppard return to Oz this November to celebrate their mega-smash Hysteria album. We get the lowdown on that tour, plus Phil Collen’s new arsenal of gear. 18 XAVIER RUDD The spiritual singer-songwriter returns with his first solo album in six years, and plenty of beautifully recorded guitar tones. 74 22 KAKI KING REGULARS TESTING Peter Hodgson explores the unconventional methods that make Kaki King’s new 6 News 68 KRK Rokit 5 G3 live show – a spectacle of lights and sound – so intriguing. Studio Monitors 32 Subscriptions 74 TOP SHELF: Victory 18 LUCA BRASI 70 Recording Tips V130 The Super 78 Album Reviews Countess Four albums in, the Tassie pub-punk powerhouse have made the ambitious masterpiece they always wished they could. 80 Lead 86 Positive Grid BIAS Mini Guitar Head 81 Shredded Metal BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE 88 Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus 30 82 Gettin’ The Blues 90 Squier Contemporary Rock ain’t dead, but the Welsh shredders are breathing new life into it anyway. 84 Modern Theory Active Stratocaster HH 92 Faith Venus 38 COVER STORY: THE INNOVATORS Natural Series From the ultra-suave Jimi Hendrix to the rule-destroying Tom Morello, the guitar has 94 Cliff Burton Fuzz Box found a home with some of the world’s most inventive and ingenious creatives. In this by Morley Man FX 16-page special, we take a deeper look at the instrument’s biggest game-changers. 96 Cort Classic CT 4 | AUSTRALIAN GUITAR DIGITAL COMPLETE TABLATU THIS ISSUE’S DIGITAL Carlos Acoustic Guitar Amplification carlosjuan.eu CONTENT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Recognised as the world’s finest acoustic guitar amplification guitarheroes.com.au/carlos.htm AUSTRALIAN GUITAR DIGITAL #128 PLUS! IN EACH ISSUE, WE BRING YOU VIDEO INTERVIEWS WITH AUSTRALIAN AND KAKI KING INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS, SAMPLE TRACKS, VIDEO TUTORIALS, AND STYLE STUDIES BULLET FOR COMPLETE WITH TABLATURE AND BACKING TRACKS. MY VALENTINE DEF LEPPARD KENNY WAYNE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS SHEPHERD HOMETOWN HEROES A VIDEO INTERVIEW TROPICAL WITH MICHAEL COGGINS F*** STORM Finding his niche initially in the World Music XAVIER RUDD scene, Coggins went on to perform regularly with most of Sydney’s African artists, including Afro THE Moses (Ghana), Chris Gudu (Zimbabwe), Keyim Ba (Guinea) and Dereb Desalegn (Ethiopia), Yasmin & Fanous (Sudan), and Chosani Afrique (Senegal). INNOVATORS Coggins is featured on more than ten albums and has regularly toured Australia with Chris 28 THE BRAINS WHO CHANGED Gudu and Afro Pamoja, both as a support act for ( NC. GST) THE WAY WE PLAY VOLUME 126 $10 99 NZ $11.90 visiting international artists Hugh Masekela and Jah 9 771329 768001 Prayzah, and in their own right as a headline act. Since 2014, Coggins has performed more than 100 shows with award-winning jazz/rock group The # Subterraneans, and more than 50 shows with Sonic 128 Mayhem Orchestra. In 2017, with the support of the Australia Council, Coggins toured the Northern Territory with Chosani Afrique, performing in Darwin, Katherine, Tennant EDITORIAL Creek, Alice Springs, and Melbourne. EDITOR Lachlan Marks FREELANCE DESIGNER Glen Downey EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Matt Doria FROM THE VAULT: COLUMNISTS PHIL EMMANUEL OAM Adrian Whyte, Jimmy Lardner-Brown, In May, the world lost one of its finest guitarists Peter Hodgson, Reg Barber, Rob Long with the passing of Phil Emmanuel. CONTRIBUTORS Phil and his brother Tommy, playing together Alex Wilson, Andrew P Street, Emily Swanson, as the Emmanuel Brothers, had graced stages all Matt Doria, Noni Mitchell, Peter Hodgson, over the world with names such as Chet Atkins, Peter Zaluzny, Sarah Comey, Steve Henderson Duane Eddy, America, Hank B Marvin, John ADVERTISING Farnham, Jimmy Barnes, INXS, Dolly Parton and NATIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER Lewis Preece Willie Nelson, to name just a few. EMAIL [email protected] Emmanuel had also performed alongside Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, James Morrison, Lee ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATOR Di Preece Kernaghan, Slim Dusty and Midnight Oil. EMAIL [email protected] This live performance was recorded at the 2008 iteration of the Tamworth Country Music Festival, and highlights Emmanuel’s passion for the guitar, SUBSCRIPTIONS his craft and his dedication for mentoring young and emerging guitarists. www.mymagazines.com.au In addition to the many accolades his name Toll free 1300 361 146 or +61 2 9901 6111 bears, Emmanuel was awarded an OAM (Order Locked Bag 3355, St Leonards NSW 1590 of Australia Medal) in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday honours list. TUTORIAL VIDEOS EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN David Gardiner MASTERS OF SLIDE GUITAR IMPROVISING UNPLUGGED BY MANAGING DIRECTOR Hamish Bayliss ROCK WITH WITH STEVE WITH STEVE ARRANGEMENT Australian Guitar is published by nextmedia Pty Ltd ACN: 128 805 970, Level 6, Building A, 207 Pacific Hwy, St Leonards NSW 2065 © 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this STEVE FLACK FLACK FLACK Steve presents one of magazine may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the prior permission of the Steve presents a tutorial Steve presents an Steve explores the his unaccompanied publisher. Printed by Bluestar Sydney, distributed by distributed in Australia by Gordon and Gotch. ISSN 1329-7686. The publisher will not accept responsibility or any liability based on the style of a ongoing series ‘secrets’ to arrangements of for the correctness of information or opinions expressed in the publication. 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Also available are our regular columns, supporting tracks and tablature, ____________________________________________ www.nextmedia.com.au ____________________________________________ plus artist tracks, What’s New, gear galleries and more! | australianguitarmag.com.au 6 | NEWS MARY WEBB HAIL MARY WITH HER UNIQUE FINGERPICKING GUITAR STYLE AND ARRESTING VOCAL, AUSSIE SINGER-SONGWRITER MARY WEBB HAS MADE A NAME FOR HERSELF AROUND THE GLOBE. How would you describe your own voice. I’ve toyed with the idea style of guitar playing? of loop stations, electric guitars It’s folky, jazzy, mostly fingerpicking and effects pedals, but there’s and often sparse. It feels to me like a something wonderful about keeping friend and companion to my singing, it so simple. There’s nothing to hide rather than a wingman. It has its behind, so it’s all about the music own character and moods – it can and making people feel. be vulnerable or fierce and it can be minimal or centre-stage. Finally, what are your plans for The guitar I play is a three-quarter the rest of 2018 and beyond? size parlour guitar and is very After a big tour for Love Like responsive. The subtlest change in Planets, which has recently come to an plucking velocity or touch affects end, I’m starting to write new material the whole tone and attitude of that again and pursue some potential moment.