"Even though I've tried to remain minimal on the other matters, I use alot of different effects, from the sort of real budget-box sort of battery-powered foot pedals to the incredibly sophisticated and expensive AMS delays. I mean, my staple delay, and the one I chose initially, was an SDD Korg 3000. I still use it because it's a really great delay. It's straightforward, without all these terrible little digital switches. You know, these things where you sort of hit the select button and wait for 15 minutes while it goes to the desired setting. That's not vastly superior at all. I hate multi-functions. The number of hours of my life I've wasted waiting for digital settings to reach the required function...I don't know, they're terrible things. I like AMS' because they are very smooth, reliable and great-sounding.

 

Let's see, I also use the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff, and then there's the Yamaha SPX90, which I've been using alot. The yamaha REV7 is also something -  I've been getting into using reverbs live.

 

You know the Boss switching units, the computerized devices, I dont' think they make them anymore - I use that. It gives you a bank of eight pedals in front of you and each one corresponds to a preset patching of eight effects. It's a pretty good get-up.  I have absolutely no idea what the serial number is. Like the Korg unit, I can preset some of these chains of effects.

 

I'm looking into getting a TC Electronics delay, which gives you some of the same capabilities internally and has even more presets, which is interesting. I don't know whaat it'll sound like though. See, my first echo was a Memory Man, which was rather awful technically. It was analog, with all sorts of whines and hisses, but the actual sound of it was really quite musical. I didn't use it on this record, I used it pretty exclusively on Unforgettable Fire.

 

With effects, you've lost the battle if it's this big noise on your guitar. Like I hate flangers and phasers, because you're not left with a guitar anymore, you're left with somethng that sounds tampered with, the tone is all freaked-out. I like echo and reverb; although they are artificial, thy have a natural quality while the sound of the guitar is preserved. I know it probably wouldn't hold up in any arguement, but it's just the preference I have."

 

-as told to J.B.