T.S.O.L.'s Ron Emory - Live Rig?

[MrShake]

Saw The Briefs, TSOL, and The Damned last weekend, and they were all fantastic.

Ron Emory's guitar tone for TSOL was particularly lethal. I've always loved the deathrock/postpunk aspect they bring along with the searing surf-punk, even if some of the chorus-y tones on the early records sound a little thin (the albums since '99 sound excellent). But holy flug, was it great live! Anybody know what specific pedals he plays with live? Took some pictures (below). I tried to get a better look but couldn't. Looked to me like a Boss tuner into something by Sioux Pedals (3 knobs), into a weird, slightly-larger pedal whose switch looked like a bubble covered in tire tread, and then finally a DOD something-or-other (probably chorus? I couldn't tell). I was having trouble figuring out if he was using a heavy chorus or a super-light flange. Not very helpful, I know, but I figured someone here might know. There's actually a pic of an older live setup on the Sioux Guitars website, but that has a Boss Bass Chorus, which was definitely not onstage. If anyone could help, I'd be grateful!

[stevejamsecono]

Huh. There's someone you don't hear about every day. I'm glad to hear they are still playing out.

I know back in the day Ron seemed to emulate John McGeoch from Siouxsie and the Banshees in the era around the time the band appeared in that movie "Suburbia". I've also found live footage of them where he's playing a Yamaha SG and seems to be going through an MXR Flanger (sounds just like Juju era-Banshees to me, which is awesome!).

It's hard to see in the photos, but if that DOD is a four-knobber and it generated modulation, there's a good chance it might be this:

I used to use one in my similarly Banshees-influenced punk rock band in college, and it certainly did the trick for the watery wash.

As far as the bubble looking pedal, I feel like that must be a Peavey pedal? I thought they did a series of those that had that kind of switch on it.

Hope this helps...

[MrShake]

Yeah! That Siouxsie/Killing Joke sound that filtered down really ended up having a cool effect on some of those LA punks, didn't it? That whole "death rock" sound is just so appealing to me -- like "American punk goth". Not flowery or ornate or truly "Gothic" like the European bands -- the LA cats usually had those tribal drums, heavy bass grooves and that flanged/effected guitar. Such a delicious sonic recipe (provided the singer keep things reined in a little bit without going "Full Murphy"). Been feeding my flanger addiction lately (just scored a VG+ MIJ BF-2 on GC for $49!)

But that info definitely helps narrow the search, thanks! The "bubble" pedal was definitely one of those Peaveys. But.. there were a couple effects to choose from.

I still really don't know anything about Sioux pedals -- but I'm now totally intrigued. I have some investigating to do.

It DID look like that 4-knob DOD, so I wouldn't be surprised if that FX75B is it... but then I noticed that the DOD "Ice Box" Chorus is also a 4-knobber. So, the mystery continues a bit.

The Damned played a really fun, crowd-pleasing set heavy on "Machine Gun Etiquette" - "Strawberries" material, mostly "Black Album" but with punk kick. Perfect. Big stupid grin on my face the whole time.

But TSOL were on FIRE.

(if I HAD to guess on the pedals? I'd say "tuner, Sioux Overdrive, Peavey Distortion, Ice Box Chorus... but I'm just guess-ballin' here. It wasn't complicated, but it's one of those VERY rare, AWESOME uses of chorus for distorted good, so I'm curious how he got it, you know? )

[stevejamsecono]

The Ruts too I think had an influence on that stuff (more on the DC bands maybe). I personally have always loved chorus and flange for that kind of weird spacy anxious sound they create in things when used properly.

And yeah, it could be either. There's honestly a decent middle ground between chorus and flange that either could do the job depending on if you were after more swirl or more doubling.

I think ultimately what it comes down to is like, when you're in the crowd it rarely matters what the specifics of the pedals are as much as if you can actually hear them and the parts they compliment enough to make a difference.

[MrShake]

I think ultimately what it comes down to is like, when you're in the crowd it rarely matters what the specifics of the pedals are as much as if you can actually hear them and the parts they compliment enough to make a difference.

^ This.

And I'd never really looked at The Ruts like that... I'll have to give them another listen with a new perspective. Thanks!

[stevejamsecono]

Oh totally. Listen to "Something that I Said" and suddenly all that mid-period DC stuff like Embrace, Dag Nasty (who covered "Staring at the Rude Boys") and that first batch of Fugazi songs, it's like ".... Ohhhhhhhhhh."

[bdm]

Oh totally. Listen to "Something that I Said" and suddenly all that mid-period DC stuff like Embrace, Dag Nasty (who covered "Staring at the Rude Boys") and that first batch of Fugazi songs, it's like ".... Ohhhhhhhhhh."

I had exactly the same experience first time hear The Rutz. It was like "Ah-ha!"!

[Losername]

Boss Tuner > Sioux Overdrive > Peavy Chorus > DOD Stereo Flanger
Running stereo between two half stacks - great sound!

[MrShake]

Sweet, thanks!

Lol, should I assume you have some inside information?

[Losername]

Yeah, I provided most of the backline for the show. Boston show amps would have been a silverface Fender bassman into a hotplate attenuator at -4db into a an early 80s 4ohm Carvin magnalab 4x12 cab on one side, and an Orange tiny terror into an early 80s 16ohm Marshall JCM800AV with vintage 30s on the other. I've got no idea what amps Ron plays at home, but safe to say that: a) his hands on b) any whichever guitar through c) a stereo flanger in front of d) two amps (with the flanger in front of the tube distortion) gets you that awesome TSOL sound.

[LexiconDevil]

'Change Today' was always my favourite TSOL record

[MrShake]

Yeah, I provided most of the backline for the show. Boston show amps would have been a silverface Fender bassman into a hotplate attenuator at -4db into a an early 80s 4ohm Carvin magnalab 4x12 cab on one side, and an Orange tiny terror into an early 80s 16ohm Marshall JCM800AV with vintage 30s on the other. I've got no idea what amps Ron plays at home, but safe to say that: a) his hands on b) any whichever guitar through c) a stereo flanger in front of d) two amps (with the flanger in front of the tube distortion) gets you that awesome TSOL sound.

Wow! Thanks for the help! That's so WAY more crazily detailed than I could have possibly imagined! Good lord, "Ask and ye shall receive", indeed!

I thought I saw that Tiny Terror and was wondering how much of the sound might be coming from that... but I think your A+B+C+D=AWESOME formula totally checks out . He was wringing those guitars for all they were worth. Some of their records have a few "iffy" moments along the chorus/crunch radio, but that live sound was great.

EDIT: ... and GOOD CALL, stevejamsecono!

Thanks again!