Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Interview with Richard Fortus - Part II
30 June 2005, 8:57 AM

Speaking about musical instruments, how many guitars do you own?

I guess I own about 100 guitars

What is your favorite guitar?

I don't really have a favorite, but if I had to pick one electric guitar, I guess it would be one of my Les Paul Signatures. They were made in '73 and were only made for a short time. Nothing else sounds like them. I have 2 and they are both gold tops.

What is your most recent purchase?

My most recently purchased guitar, is a '60 Kay, black Les Paul-type of thing. I am setting it up for slide. It's sort of like a Jimmy Reed model.

What gear are you using for your current tour with Nena?

With Nena, I am using a guitar that First Act guitars built for me. It's based on the aforementioned Les Paul Signature. However, it looks more like a Black Falcon. The strings go through the body like a tele. It is mostly solid, with tone chambers. Very heavy, but sounds amazing. The electronics are based on a Signature. Looks like a 60's pawn shop guitar, but plays and sounds amazing. For amps, I am using a Cornford Hellcat. It's a class A, 50 watt head. Cornford's are the best amps in the world. I am also using a Mosferatu overdrive and a zen drive (both from Hermida electronics), and a Hiwatt tape echo. The Hiwatt is a new tape echo, I actually am using 2 different ones with Nena. Nothing beats a real tape echo, and the cool thing about the Hiwatt is that the heads disengage when there is no signal being passed through the unit. So, you save tape and heads from wearing out. Also, it has a vco pedal that will sweep the speed of the delay (ala Tommy Bolin), and it has 2 separate play heads for 2 different times like a Space Echo. Really cool box! Plus it sounds great. I'm also using a Sex Drive and a Foxx fuzz. I also recently switched to Rotosound strings from the UK. They are amazing. Great tone and very dependable.

What gear will you use with Guns n'roses?

With Guns, I will be using assorted guitars (mostly First Act and Gibson). I will also be using the Cornford 100 watt stacks. I will also be using the Hermida pedals and the Sex Drive, as well as the Hiwatt tape echoes.

How long have you been playing guitar?

I've been playing guitar since i was about 12 or 13.

Who are your heroes?

I grew up listening to Robert Fripp, Snakefinger, Adrian Belew, Jeff Beck, Neil Young, Frank Zappa, Peter Green, Steve Howe, Brian May, Buddy Guy, Albert and BB King, God, i could go on forever.

How did you discover the Jellifish tool, and what are your thoughts on it?

I think that I read something about the Jellifish and ordered one on-line. I'm always looking for new sounds, the Jellifish blew my mind. It's an amazing tool. Very simple, but so effective. There are so many different effects you can create with it. I immediately ordered about 20 to give to my guitarist friends. Some people totally get it and some don't. You have to work with it and be creative with it. It takes some getting used to, but it's well worth the effort for me. It's not for your average guitar guy, looking to play rock or blues. It's a very gentle, subtle tool, that is more for creating textures and uncommon tones. I love it for creating zither-ish type sounds on accoustic. If you strike close to the bridge, it gives you a very thin, chimey sound. Great for arpegiated single not lines. Or, you can play very straight, whole-note chords towards the neck for more textural/ambient sounds. I've used the Jellifish with a Godin Glissentar and with smaller octave guitars. It's ideal for more cinematic music.

Have you recorded with it?

I've used it on a number of film scores, video game scores and commercials and tv themes, as well as records.

Have you incorporated the Jellifish into the GN'R sound?

I didn't use it on the Chinese Democracy record, as most of my parts were done by the time I discovered the Jellifish.

Written by bigboss


Source: http://www.sp1at.com/item.php?id=548

Thanks Voodoochild.  :D I love reading what each GN'R guy (actually) says/writes.


convincing, very much.

http://www.jellifish.com/techniques/mp3artists/RichardFortus.html

I like the fact he is talking about GNR like it's definitely happening..tour, cd release... : ok:   At least this confirms his parts are finished.

lol, i love how gnr fans will settle for anything when it comes to news. 8)

It sounds great. Richard Fortus has a lot of talent.

Glad they got Richard. And nice to see he is speaking about GNR in the future tense.

Its not much but still positive news.

What do you expect when we haven't had "official" news in a year and a half? ::)

The site says it started in november 2003... And Fortus said he had his parts done when he discovered the Jellifish (wich sounds really good) tool. Looks like he didn't record anymore for GNR since then at least...

If his parts are done since 2003, so he didn't record anything to replace Buckethead's parts. So it looks like Buck's work will be on CD. ;)

The site started in 03.  It doesn't mean that he discovered it then.  He could have discovered the jellyfish well after.

It's true and it's different questions, not the same old when do you think cd will be released and the it's 99% done crap.  I mean this really isn't news but at least it's positive towards GNR coming back.   

Wow, someone uses future tense when talking about GnR......brilliant.

Part two was a lot better than part one.  : ok:

Interesting list of heroes.




/jarmo

All I see is another contradiction. First, Richard and Robin were alternating lead and rythmn. Now he's back to saying his parts were done along time ago. Richard, make up your fucking mind!!

Uh, what?
He could have said that about live performances... :P

James, maybe Richard meant that in the future, during live performances and any future recordings, he and Robin would be alternating between lead and rhythm duties?

Ali

Ali and VoodooChild, you're wrong. He was talking about right NOW. I mean no disrespect when I say this to you guys, but its people like the two of you who will ensure that we wait another 5 or 10 years for this thing. If everyone just sits there and nods at everything they say, no matter how ridiculous the comment, they will keep spewing the same shit for years.

I mean no disrespect when I say this to you, but shut the fuck up. What a stupid thing to say. I know I'm not supposed to bash other posters, but you're particularly annoying and generally an asshole.



And on topic, cool interview. Surprisingly in depth answers on his equipment. I really like some of the tracks Fortus has up on his official site. He plays with a lot of feel, which is great to see from a guy in Guns N Roses.

Oh, that made me laugh. People like us, huh? Let's be fair:

What is the current guitarist situation in GN'R?

At the moment, Robin Fink and I are the only guitarists in the band. We switch off between lead and rhythm.

I don't know where did you see that he was ONLY talkin' about Chinese Democracy's recording. As far as I know, he could be:

1) recording another songs for the next 2 albums (that's STILL possible)
2) in studio with Finck, to rehearsals for an upcoming GNR tour
3) just talkin' with Finck by phone/mail/email/whatever about who gets wich solo...

Please, stop acting like a smart guy and shut up. You know nothing and people like you only wants to whine about everything.

James, I cannot even begin to fathom how any delays in the album's release would have anything to do with people like VoodooChild and myself.  How is that up to anyone in this world but W. Axl Rose?

What are we supposed to do, go up to Richard, Tommy, Robin, Brain and the rest of the band, put a gun to their head and ask them what the true status of the record is?  It's not up to them when the record will be released in the first place!

It's up to Axl and no one else.  Not me, VoodooChild, other fans, or any other band member.  Period.

Ali

Voodoo, why are they alternating? Remember, THE MUSIC'S DONE!! Its been done for years! So why are you alternating when there's no reason to be alternating? His comments would make sense if the band was rehearsing or something to that effect. But from what we've heard in recent months, the band hasn't been together in a year or longer. Sorry about the harsh comments I posted earlier. These types of interviews really frustrate me. Its cool he mentioned some non GNR stuff, and those comments make sense. Its when he starts in on CD when the contradictions start. When one of these guys mentions CD, it just makes the situation even more pathetic.

Ali, what I meant by that comment was that as long as there are people who continually buy the bullshit that they're selling, and dont seek the truth, then this wait will continue indefinitely.

Well, I have to disagree.  I don't think anything anyone can say or do will have any effect on the album's release.

It's all up to Axl Rose and whether or not he feels it's time to move forward.

Ali

What gear will you use with Guns n'roses?

With Guns, I will be using assorted guitars (mostly First Act and Gibson). I will also be using the Cornford 100 watt stacks. I will also be using the Hermida pedals and the Sex Drive, as well as the Hiwatt tape echoes.


This Q and A here is what caught my eye.  In the interviews I have read last year and this year so far, no one has ever asked this type of question.  He answered it making me get excited that they are going to be out on tour eventually.  Whether it's crap or not, at least it was a different question and it wasn't a programmed answer.  For once I didn't feel that he was being a slave to the gag order.

Please, read my post again.
You don't need the whole band to talk about who will get some solo. And, like I said before, they could just talkin with each other by phone/email or whatever. I repeat: you don't need the whole band to do that.

Another shitty interview by splat and not asking if he redid any of BHs parts.

I disagree. This time, the interview was quite good... For guitar players, at least, was really cool. ;)

keep in mind that people quite often naturally use the present tense when referring to CD content.

They will be alternating on the next tour, if you can't see that then god help you man.

chineseblues, he wasnt talking about the next tour. It was about the CURRENT situation in GNR. If you cant see that, then god help you man.

Dave-GNR, I completely agree. If someone with a brain was asking the questions, the first question would be Buckethead's status on CD. But they never ask, and the band never tells. Considering how busy Robin and Richard are at "alternating", you would think they would know the answer.

That was so ingnorant to think that the band wouldnt be altering things.

dude guns arent together as a band right now so how could they be alternating parts between richard and robin? hmm oh i guess they must be alternating via UPS since Richard is in Europe  :hihi:

They dont even have to ask about CD. Just say have you been asked to go back into the studio to redo BHs parts or something like that. Its as simple question that the jackassed at splat are not smart enough to ask.

Why don't you ask it and stop bitching?

Because their interviewers are morons. I told them to ask before.

Dave Gnr2k47 - You owe me $100, i believe.  I haven't posted on here in a loooong time. I bet you $100 the album wouldn't be out by the end of 2003, a bet you not only lost but should be paying me interest on.  Wanna make anymore dumb bets on the progress of this never-to-be-released opus?

Nice try no one took my bet cept for one guy on mygnr.com? and it was for $20. And I paid him the money. So nice try buddy. Because on Jan 1st 2004 you posted my bet, and laughed by the joke was on you since I asked 10 people to bet and not one took me up on it on this board.

chineseblues, although you're being sarcastic towards me, your subconscience is starting to understand the contradictions.

That's no surprise.  If you asked 1,000 people to bed, I bet no one would take you up on your offer.

Dave, I bet someone on one of these forums that VR would release a greatest hits before Axl releases CD.

Oh really, so you can read minds now huh? So tell me mr psychic what are the winning lotto numbers? :-*

chineseblues, I will reveal those lotto numbers to you 'soon'.

Or rather, because the interviewers have brains but yet haven't realized that the majority of GN'R fans are morons? :-\
Geez holy Christ!  Enough clues are given to us here. And AdZ, thanks for the link.
The following is from jellifish com. Some of the notes in brackets are not correctly put, perhaps by the site.

"I love my Jellifish?...used it recently all over the score for the [Oscar?-winning] movie Monster. I also used it on Scott McCloud's (Girls Against Boys) new record, as well as Jesse Malin's forthcoming album. Got a great response from all the Xmas presents too! All the guys in the band loved them! (I actually need a few more for those friends that I'd forgotten.) I've given Jellifish? to friends like BT, Jon Carin (Pink Floyd/The Who), Eric Schermerhorn (Iggy Pop/The The/Seal), Knox Chandler (Dave Gahan/Souxsie and the Banshees), John Ashton (Psychedelic Furs), Robin Finck (Nine Inch Nails), as well as everyone in my band -- except for our drummer who has enough toys already! Anyhow, thanks for developing an amazing product. I'll continue to spread the word!" (Richard Fortus, currently a member of Guns N' Roses and has also played with The Psychedelic Furs, Love Spit Love, Ben Folds, *NSYNC, Britney Spears, Deep Dish, Gravity Kills, Jesse Malin & Enrique Iglesias)

For instance, Monster was released in 2003. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0340855/fullcredits
Now do your maths. Or Homework.

Thanks ppbebe!!
So, he fave the Jellifish to Robin! That's cool, hope they're coming with new sounds! :)

James my man! You think way to much of yourself, I think you need to wind it in a little. Why make these sort of comments to fellow guns fans? You go and post some really sensible and interesting reads and then every so often come up with a whole heap of shite or really dumb non-thinking comments! Why? We are all here for the same reason because we love the band old and new and are looking forward to the release of the album. I for one take any little snippet of an interview as a positive and this one from Richard was a good one. It also gets so tiring reading posts from some other people saying that the album will never come out or that Slash is GnR .Why do you people come here? If you think that the album will never come out then your wasting your precious time and your hugeley fucking mistaken because the album will come out, when its ready and they will tour and I for one am looking forward to it as much as I was was when Appetitie and Illusions came out. Also the people who say shit like Slash is GnR you lot are really wasting your fucking time. Honestly why do you come here at all? If you think that Slash is GnR, but he has left the band years ago, then what is your interest in the band now? Unless you do still have a major interest in the band as they are and you just say these things to be opinionated fucks or just to cause trouble?

estranged33, I'd like to correct one of your statements. I have NEVER said Slash was GNR. I have never said that in my entire life. In fact, I think the opposite is true. I think Izzy had a much bigger impact on the band than Slash, and I mean no disrespect to Slash when I say that. And as far as your comments about my posts, thanks for complimenting me on my insightful Knowledge(LMAO). Although I do admit my posts over the last week or so have taken on negative overtones. I mean no disrespect to the people who are offended by them. Every now and then, I get very frustrated with this whole wait. Its a hard thing to not only deal with, but also to understand. I have lashed out at a few people on here, and I apologize to each one of them. We are all in this together. Its the one thing we all have in common, and we have been on this 12 journey together. I have the utmost respect for each and every GNR fan in the world. They are the only ones who know what it feels like to go through this. We shall either sink or swim together.

Please get back on topic now.

Why don't YOU ask Richard the questions you want?

.. NO... YOU are wrong...

read again what he says ...

"... as most of my parts were done by the time I discovered the Jellifish".

MOST of his parts. Not all.  Stop giving your crappy opinion if you don't read it properly.