...Edge has a particular affinity for the fuzzed-out experimentation of Benjamin Curtis, the young former
guitarist from the indie-psychedelic act Secret Machines, now with School of Seven Bells. "I love what those
two bands are doing," says The Edge, who cites their sounds as an influence on No Line's droning, tribal side. "It
brought me back to some of the music that I would have been listening to when U2 first formed, bands like Magazine, Joy Division,
Neu! and Can."
Curtis, in turn, was heavily influenced by The Edge, and the two struck up a friendship -- Curtis turned
Edge on to an over-the-top new fuzz pedal by a company called Death by Audio, which ended up difining the grinding rhythm-guitar
sound of both "No Line On The Horizon" and "FEZ-Being Born." (Editors note: It seems that The Edge is using it for
"Get On Your Boots"). "'No Line' blew my mind -- he is using that pedal in a textural way that it wasn't intended to
be used at all," says Curtis. "The Edge makes the guitar seem like such a beautiful simple instrument."
NOVEMBER 2008 - MOJO
MOJO: You always manage to find -- in every record -- a piece of technology that you engage
with immediately, and that throws up a song. "Where the Streets Have No Name" came out of your dabblings with the Infinite
Guitar box, and this time you mentioned your Death By Audio pedal...
EDGE: It's this particular kind of 21st Century distortion. Guitar is such a versatile
instrument, but it's very easy to get in a cul-de-sac in terms of how it sounds.
I love anything that just gives it a different personality and this particular set of distortion pedals
I think, are a different colour. It's like a different personality and that, for me, is a great jumping-off point.
I used Death By Audio's Supersonic Fuzz Gun on the song "No Line on the Horizon," and a couple of others
I think.
It was Ben Curtis who turned me onto them. He's one of the Curtis Brothers from Secret Machines -- he's
got a new band now called School of Seven Bells, who are pretty interesting.
Other notable tracks include the eight-minute-long "Moment of Surrender" and "No Line on the Horizon," inspired
by a distortion box called Death By Audio recommended by ex-Secret Machines guitarist Ben Curtis.
After reading the Q article I contacted DEATH BY AUDIO to learn which
pedal was the Q article refering...
Here is their answer...
Hi,
Thanks for writing. The Edge bought all of our pedals
a few months ago. I don't know which one he's referring to. I believe I read in another interview that the former guitarist
from Secret Machines turned him on to us. I know that guy uses an Interstellar Overdriver w/ Master Volume. But for all I
know he's using the Harmonic Transformer. Sorry I can't be of more help.
Matt Conboy Death By Audio
- Editors note: Subsequently, I've
read that the pedal mentioned in the Q article was the Death By Audio Supersonic Fuzz Gun. I've also seen the "...Fuzz
Gun" and DBA Harmonic Transformer in the Edge's rack during awards and promotional shows for the No Line On The Horizon
album.
* click on photo for more information on this pedal *
