Brent Rademaker aka B_RAD
GospelbeacH
https://www.facebook.com/GospelbeacHband/
http://www.alive-records.com/artist/gospelbeach/
The Tyde
https://www.facebook.com/The-Tyde-119382698079518/?fref=ts
Beachwood Sparks
www.subpop.com/artists/beachwood_sparks
How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place?
I’ve been playing music since the 4th grade…My Dad is a musician (one of the best on the planet) There was always instruments and music in the house growing up. The first pedal I can recall was a Roland Jet Phaser that my dad used to run his keyboards through…When I figured out how to hook it up…I was stoked!!
Who have been some of your major musical influences, past or present?
Peter Hook the bassist from Joy Division was probably the biggest influence on my playing style. I got serious about sound and style when I first heard Unknown Pleasures. I’ve always tried to apply that sound to the Byrds/Burrito Bros/Beach Boys West Coast sound that GospelbeacH, Tyde and Beachwood Sparks are known for.
What drew you to using pedals initially? Have you been using them throughout your playing career? How have pedals helped to shape your sound, or influence the style that you’ve created?
I’ve ALWAYS used a chorus pedal on my Bass and Acoustic guitar…probably the Joy Division influence got me excited about that sound…my first pedal was a BOSS PH-1R phaser pedal (1981)…I wanted a Chorus pedal but they were out of them at the time so I ended up with that…it was a cool substitute until I could get the real thing.
There was tendency in the early punk days to shun effects pedals as they were considered too “prog” but all the bands I was listening to Echo and the Bunnymen, Teardrop Explodes and Joy Division all used heavy chorus. You have to be careful because there’s a fine line between Joy Division (Peter Hook) and Yes (Chris Squire).
The Turbo Rat was the next pedal that really shaped my sound in the 90’s as I saw Gerry Love from Teenage Fanclub holding one in a picture on a record…I also snuck up front at a Sonic Youth show and saw that Kim Gordon used one as well. The only other player that I really loved that used one was Eric Gaffney from Sebadoh so I assume Lou Barlow and Jason Lowenstein both used one in the early 90’s…the best ear-splitting bass distortion that didn’t thin out your sound.
What’s your current setup look like? Take us through your pedal rig (feel free to include amps and instruments as well if you’d like):
I have a small Gator pedal board. Most of the pedals I currently use have been given to me by other musicians who I love and respect…gotta have friends!!
1. Original Dunlop Cry Baby BASS wah (GCB-100) – I use it for bass and acoustic guitar…I love the range and tone you get with it…not too generic. (I actually bought this one in a tiny shop Tampa, Florida)
2. ProCo Turbo Rat (sometimes when it works)…I still have the original pedal from 20 years ago and it’s been abused…I literally threw it at my brother during a fight at the Black Cat in Wash DC, and if it wasn’t still plugged in, it would have smashed his Rickenbacker 12 string…it’s never worked the same since 😉
3. Visual Sound H20 Liquid Chorus & Delay pedal given to me by my friend Spidey…this one rules supreme you can get the “swirling snake” sound (toy tone pipes) that you here on Script of the Bridge by the Chameleons from 83…it’s a winner and it looks cool. The short delay slap back is perfect to make your muted country bass notes pop out…I use that a lot in Beachwood Sparks “oom pah oom pah”
4. Prescription Sound Rx distortion pedal loaned to me by GospelbeacH guitarist Jason Soda it’s really versatile as it cranks for bass…super thick and fuzzy without losing tone. Works cool for my acoustic as well it sounds like Ronnie Wood from the Faces in a live setting. There’s also no shortage of sharpies and duct tape
5 Korg Pitchblack tuner as well..SUPER EASY AND RELIABLE..thanks Andres Renteria
Favorite type of pedal (drive, delay, fuzz, etc. – more than one answer is always acceptable!):
I think a good distortion/fuzz pedal for my bass would win…Rob Campanella from the Brian Jonestown Massacre lent me B-SHARP boutique fuzz pedal for a show with the Tyde and Girls at the Fonda and it was SO KILLER…just perfect…so much so that JR, Girls‘ bass player/producer asked to borrow it for their set. There is something emotional about stomping on a fuzz pedal…it’s like hitting the gas pedal driving through the desert on HWY 247 at night. When you hit the stars just blur like you’ve just entered hyperspace…J Mascis is my all time fave pedal hopper and his studio is FULL of bins and bins of effects pedals new, boutique, vintage everything under the sun…It’s like a museum, they are all dusty just like me pedals.
All that being said, a good Chorus pedal is key as well…I’ve even seen Neal Casal and Jason Soda add Chorus pedals to their set-ups recently…it’s a catchy sound. Psychedelic and dreamy used correctly.
You’re stranded on a desert island – which three (3) of the following do you want to have?
My chocolate Martin DM15 is all I would need.
What’s up next for you/your band(s)?
We are finishing mixing the second GospelbeacH record for release in early summer 2017 on Alive Natural Sound…it’s exciting!
The Klon hype: Love it or Hate it?
I want one…maybe a friend will give one to me 😉
Any last comments, promos or anything you’d like to talk about?
Effects pedals are rad…so is plugging straight in…without a SONG there’s nothing! That’s something I always think about when setting up my pedals. I have personally witnessed a malfunctioning pedal board literally ruin a big show or two in my day…the players were relying too much on the effects pedals and not enough on there talent and ability to create from the heart. The bigger the set-up, the higher you fly, and you know what happens when you get TOO HIGH…right?
Thanks for including me in your Pedal of the Day spot, Mike…it was fun to think about just why I lug around that extra bag of tricks from gig to gig. Peace, Love and Harmony to you!
Thanks so much to Brent for taking the time to answer some questions! Make sure to go check out GospelbeacH and his other projects, and check their tour pages to see when they’re headed to a town near you! Cheers!
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