There are some really dramatic tonal shifts and key changes all over the album that are almost Disney-like in orchestration… (Image credit: Tracey Welch/REX/Shutterstock) A change in tone We’ve proved we’re the real deal.” Prev of 12 Next Prev of 12 Next We’re not the band on MTV, wearing a bunch of makeup. “We’ve shown everyone we are musicians first and foremost, we’ll produce our own albums and play The 100 Club. We’re cancelling the tour and starting from the ground up.’ So we said, ‘Alright, we’re not coming back. Zacky: “I remember playing the Underworld early on, then the Astoria and getting the biggest backlash from all the London fans wanting to tear us down to see if we’re the real deal. When there’s chaos happening, I want to sound like that and make people wonder, ‘What the fuck were these guys thinking?’ after a closer look at it.” I love everything from Britney Spears to Michael Jackson. “We’re more about other things over odd timings: orchestration, composition, horn/vocal arrangements - that’s where we get super weird. We were still pretty technical, but I think the prog people hated us because we didn’t do a bunch of weird time signatures… which are cool at times, but I’m more interested in progressive harmony. Synyster: “We kinda were a radio-rock band. Is there an element of snobbery from some prog fans who wrote you off as a radio-rock band? Your latest album, The Stage, feels like your most elaborate offering to date. I just grew up playing punk rock guitar, that’s more my background.” Syn has got more of the crazy shit, I prefer something a bit more foolproof. Zacky: “I prefer to keep my rig as simple as possible. I must admit, sometimes it’s fun to bust out the old Goldtops every now and then.”
“There’s a ’54 Strat, ‘Brownie’, which has a classic Clapton vibe and I just got a Les Paul Junior in TV Yellow. I have a pretty cool guitar collection at home, there are 10 main guys, I don’t need a f***in’ hundred of ’em The cheque’s in the mail… classic! I have a pretty cool guitar collection at home, there are 10 main guys, I don’t need a fuckin’ hundred of ’em.
Synyster: “Maybe I could have one guitar for every one or two songs, but it hasn’t gotten that crazy yet! We’re waiting to get paid for these shows. Have you ever been tempted to dust off the vintage relics for your live arsenal and go full-diva, so to speak? (Image credit: ddp USA/REX/Shutterstock) Rockstar relics