GW: It was interesting that you decided to cover Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads”. Do you listen to much Delta blues?
JM: I’m informed by it, but I’m not an obsessive. I think Lightnin’ Hopkins and Big Bill Broonzy sound great in the car, but there is a sonic limitation to those early recordings, and with “Crossroads” I liked the idea of updating it sonically.
MT: A very different sound then would be the "Crossroads" cover on the new record - what are you using to achieve that heavy fuzz?
JM: It's a Pete Cornish box called an NG-2. I don't think there was ever a real use for that - it's just noisy! I mean that guitar is on four - if you turn it all the way up, it sounds like… mistake!
I just wanted something with ridiculous amounts of fuzz. And it does ridiculous amounts of fuzz, but I found a tone there. It'll probably never be used on anything again.
There's also no sustain, so it's very hard to play with a pick on that. A couple times I tried soloing on "Crossroads" with a pick, with that pedal, it doesn't sound right.
You have to play really staccato notes, and then it sounds cool. [sings] If you start going waaahhhhh [sings big sustaining note], the note doesn't trail off and it just sounds bad.