This article series is about the tools of popular guitarists or bassists.. What are their favorite guitars or basses and how is it related to them? This time with Gabriel Forslund (guitar) & Linus Larsson (bass) from the band MISSILES.
Who am I interviewing?
You are interviewing Gabriel who plays guitars and sings in MISSILES.
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
It started with me getting into rock music through various albums and home recorded tapes which I received from my father and an older half-sibling who also was into music and playing the guitar. My first guitar was a nylon stringed guitar that I got for Christmas in the late nineties. I wanted an electric, but my father insisted that I should start by learning chords on an acoustic to build up my tiny fingers before proceeding into the electric realm. When I was about eleven or so, I got an electric Yamaha which I unfortunately have forgot the model name of. I played it 24/7, so I feel a bit embarrassed not remembering what it was called. But hey, those things didn’t really matter back when you were all busy trying to learn a Black Sabbath riff or whatever. Later in life through various bands I’ve been playing an eighties Ibanez Destroyer, a couple of modern mexican Fender strats and a Music Man Stingray 1.
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
I’ve had many favorites throughout the years of embracing different genres. Everything from Trey Azagthoth to Greg Sage. It probably started with Ritchie Blackmore. I appreciate musicians who have their own unique expression and their own musical language and way of communicating to the listener. I don’t appreciate guitar players only for the sole reason that they play very well, it’s also about the use of sounds, their taste etc.
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
Currently I own four guitars. I have never found a favorite “unfortunately” (well, maybe good since it could ruin my bank account).
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
The player. You can have the most beautiful rig but use it in a distatestful way. There are also competent musicians that can perform miracles through “bad” gear. It is all about what your purpose is and what you want to achieve. What kind of player you are and how you match it with what you’re using.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
I don’t feel anything really. Whatever works for you and helps you out to achieve what you aim for. For me the music always comes first. I actually use somewhat of a modeler amp for home recording. It works fine to complete demo songs or different ideas in a smooth and effective way. Personally I prefer an older tube amp and to use effect pedals to form and shape an already existing sound when playing live and/or recording an album. If you don’t have the money and want to have something flexible and convenient for whatever reason you have, then go for a modeler amp instead.
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
Mine were as mentioned before the “Music Man Stingray 1” from 76 played through a “Music Man RD50” from 81 which is a tube amp that consist of a solid state design in the pre-amp section. Sebastian (the other guitarist) used on the majority of the songs a cheap Jay Turser (Fender Stratocaster copy) along with his Gibson SG from 01 and Gibson Les Paul from 07, and a borrowed Epiphone Sheraton for some minor overdubs, all played through an Orange OR100. Pedals used were many, courtesy of Tobias (aka Age -synthesisers) pedal addiction.
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
A good question without a good answer, I’m afraid. Maybe I’ll steal Sebastians Gibson SG… It sounds and plays extremely well.
Who am I interviewing?
Linus of Missiles
When you start bass playing and do you remember your first bass?
Well, in my case there is some truth to the saying ”behind every bass player is a failed guitarist”. I have been playing guitar since childhood, and somewhere along the way I picked up a crappy J&D p bass, with a string height that put up with quite a fight. I started to focus on playing bass when I started a previous band (Vidunder) together with a friend, Martin Prim. Since then I found bass to be an interesting instrument to work with in the context between rhythm and harmony.
What are your influences and which bass players are your favs?
My favorite bass player is hands down Richard Sinclair of Caravan and Camel fame. In my view he has an unparalleled sense of adding interesting harmonies to his bass lines, a great tone and a refreshing attitude towards bass playing. Other bass players I appreciate for their different takes on the task are Peter Hook, Tina Weymouth and Chris Squire.
How many basses do you own and what are your favorite models?
Well that would be telling. My favorites however are my workhorse, a Rickenbacker 4001 from the seventies and a fretless Greco Jazz bass from the eighties.
What do you think makes the perfect bass and amp?
The setup of the bass and the match of bass and amp.
Which basses and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
On the album I solely played my Rickenbacker. We tried quite a few different amp and cabinet combinations for the recording – Marshall, SUNN and Ampeg tube and solid state-heads, 8×10 fridges as well as smaller bass cabinets. Age, who play synthesizers in Missiles, is a great bass player and something of a gear head himself and we went through most of his gear as well as mine. In the end we found that the combination that worked best with the sound we were looking for was a Dynachord 30-watt tube amplifier from the sixties, originally made as PA amp, that my father gave me. That amp combined with Gabriel’s Music man 4×10 guitar cabinet was the winning combination.
When you only can choose one bass, which one will you take?
Right now most my love goes back to my Rickenbacker. However, recently I’ve got an uncontrollable urge for an old Fender P Bass – have you got one for sale?
