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Thursday November 15th, 2001
Ian Hunter: Guitar hero gets a Goldtone with his name on it
by Scott Johnson for goldtoneamps.com
Ian Hunter and his Super Goldtone GA-30RVH
and Super Goldtone cabinetIan Hunter is one of rocks seminal English singer/songwriter icons, gaining fame during the raucous days of the seventies fronting Mott the Hoople and later maintaining his own solo recording career over the last twenty-five years. With an explosion of curls on his head and the ever-present sunglasses, Ian has given the world rock anthems such as Cleveland Rocks, All the way from Memphis, Once Bitten Twice Shy as well as Motts most well-known recording, the David Bowie-penned All the Young Dudes.
Living in Connecticut for the last two decades, Ian recently went on the road as one half of the guitar team in Ringo Starrs All-Star Band (along with Supertramps Roger Hodgson). Only weeks after that tour was finished, Ian went right back on the road to promote his latest CD Rant ( Fuel 2000), more proof that Mr. Hunter still has very much to say to his still-growing audience.
Ian began using Gibson Goldtone amplifiers shortly before the Ringo tour, where after having tried out many brands of amplifiers, he fell in love with the combination of pure Class A tone of the Super Goldtone GA-30RVH head going into the Super Goldtone cabinet with a 2-10 open back and 2-12 closed back design. He not only loved the sound, he loved the looks of the amp and decided early on to have it personalized.
With only a few dates left in his recent solo tour across the Eastern and Midwest portions of the U.S., gibson.com caught up with Hunter prior to hitting the stage in Chicago to talk about playing for Ringo, his new CD Rant and Gibson Goldtone amplifiers.
So, how was playing in Ringos band for you?
It was great! I think were gonna do another one (tour).
Was it fun playing guitar with Roger Hodgson?
Its great, I mean, he writes great songs. Lyrically were a little bit apart there, but the songs are great to play. Everyone in the band is so different but we were all fine. And, youve got to be respectful, I mean all these people sell lots of records. We added it up one day on the plane and it was 645 million records (between all the band members)!
Those are pretty impressive numbers, youre right!
I mean, (laughing) you cant walk around telling anybody what to do, cause theyre all good, yknow? They all have their own bands. That was another good thing, that they all have their own bands so you know all the pitfalls and so youre aware that you have to act responsibly in something as eclectic as that.
I imagine it was kind of interesting playing everyone elses music for an entire tour, wasnt it?
Ive never done that before, I mean, yeah I felt like a sideman but theres a freedom in that and its great - youre not always in front of the mic, yknow you can relax. I learned some stuff on that tour, I really did.
So, you started using the Gibson Goldtone amps on that tour?
Ian rocks on his Gibson Les Paul Junior
When I started Id been using a different amp and Mark Snyder (who also works as a member of Billy Joels roadcrew) said what amp do you want to use? and I told him the amp I us. So there were four amps sitting there when I got in and then he mentioned this Gibson Goldtone amp and how it sounds great. We tested and compared four of them (pause) (there was) no comparison between the other three and the Goldtone. Not only that, but it looks so beautiful!!
Yeah, and it sounds great with your Les Paul Juniors with the P-90 pickups. Youve been using Juniors for a while now havent you?
Theyre 56s, both of them. I mean I just plugged em in and the quality was just immediate. It has the balls but it has the quality, too. A lot of amps have balls now, but they dont have that sweetness that makes it less hard on the ear. Its big. Its loud. But its still sweet! It has a classy edge to it. And not only that, I fell in love with the look of it as well.
So you have on each amp head, a beautiful gold Ian Hunter badge where the Gibson logo originally was. Tell me how that came about.
Well, I said to Mark, just for fun yknow, I wanna put me name on it, and Ive NEVER had a name on an amp, ever! And of course, Mark Snyders a very thorough person so he rang up Ashburys of London, Jewelers to the Queen (chuckling), and the next thing I know we got me name on it and they did a great job.
And youre using two of the half stacks now?
Just a click away...
Super Goldtone GA-30RVH Mott the Hoople Super Goldtone cabinet Rant ( Fuel 2000) Les Paul Juniors P-90 pickups Yeah, Ive got two of them now. Actually, one is waiting for me when I get back home, and thats me set now. I havent heard anything better. Ive played the best and this just sounded so much better!
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