With their self-styled brand of “thrash-jazz”, Stoke quartet All The Best Tapes’s sound is full of twists and turns. As evident on their recent double a-side single, ‘Perfect Hibernation’/‘Calle De La Cruces’, they have a knack for taking you on a whirlwind, embracing elements of fusion jazz, brash punk, prog and ambience.
It’s no surprise that guitarists Luke Medlock and Marcus Barker have a whole host of tricks and gadgets on hand to supply a variety of dizzying effects. We’ve teamed up with All The Best Tapes for an exclusive “Rig Rundown” with Marcus. The video sees an enthusiastic Barker talk us through his guitar, his effect pedal board and overall set up.
“I love pedals, I love the fact we live in a golden age of them,” says Marcus. “I don’t know how guitar players can do without them, it’d be like having a brush and canvas but only one colour of paint.”
‘Perfect Hibernation’/‘Calle De La Cruces’ by All The Best Tapes is available now on Sunbird Records.