THE AXEMEN SERIES : Robby Perry / Black Passage

 

1.Tell us your name and the band you play for

My name is Robby Perry and I play guitar for Black Passage.

  

2.Who made you want to pick up the guitar

A guitarist from my grandparents’ church growing up, his name is Tim Stewart,

Coincidentally enough, he now plays for Lada Gaga, The Band Knives, and American Idol.

3.Are you self-taught or did you take lessons?

.

I am basically self-taught, I took one lesson, early on when I started playing, and learned a Nirvana song, easily one of the most annoying experiences. Moving forward I decided to learn on my own. In recent events I’ve taken a few hours’ worth of lessons to try and challenge myself, along with learning some covers to keep momentum going.

4. Can you read music, can you read tab?

I could never really get into theory no matter how much time I attempted to put in. I have had some enlightening conversations with peers on the subject, and it sounds intriguing until I get into it and just want to play whatever is in my head instead. As far as tabs go, yeah, I can read them however I prefer to learn by ear and feeling it out, or visually at what someone else is physically playing.

5.Do you feel like you have your own sound / tone?

I never thought I did, however I’ve had other musicians say I have a unique style and chord phrasings.

   

6.Tell us about your guitar (brand, model. year, color)

My main axe is a Legator Ghost X (custom Earth) It was built as a prototype for NAMM 2019, and demoed by Vitalism and a few other Legator artists. I bought the guitar shortly after NAMM on a solid deal.

Guitar Specs: 25.5”-27” Multi Scale 7 String, Mahogany Body, California Buckeye Burl Solid Top. 5-piece Wenge /Maple Bolt on Neck with an Ebony Fretboard. Fishman Fluence Modern Pickups w/ push pull voicing action, and a TESI LED Killswitch.

My secondary axe is a Kiesel Vader 7, I found this gem at a pawnshop online, it’s a beautiful Seafoam Green.

Guitar Specs: 25.5” Standard Scale, Neck Through Eastern Hardrock Maple w/ 2-way adjustable truss rod and dual carbon-fiber rods for additional strength and stability, Alder Body, 20” Radius Ebony Fretboard, MOP Diamond inlays, Hipshot bridge, Kiesel K12 pickups.

7.What about pickups? Passive or active? Tell us about them.

In my Legator Ghost X I’m using Fishman Fluence Moderns, they are passive pickups with all the aggression you would expect from an active pickup, they are hum/noise free which are every guitarists dream. They provide extreme clarity as well which can either be great if you practice or not so great, it doesn’t leave any warm resonating room for a blooper note.

The Kiesel K12’s are a much more warmer and full bodied sound that leaves the player a ton of room for extra activities. I feel more compelled to jam and riff on this guitar/ pickup set more than actually writing.

   

8.Let’s get into amplification, Same drill brand, model, speakers etc.

I currently have a rack system, Fractal Audio Axe FX MKII.

I’m powering this with a simple ISP Stealth, which I put rack ears on and added it into the rack, accompanied by a Line 6 G90 Wireless, and a Furman Power Conditioner. An efficient rig and easy to lug. I’m also endorsed by Arachnid Cabinets, my first custom build “Purple Reign” was a standard 2x12 100% ¾” Birch, dovetailed joints, and loaded with Eminence Texas Heats, handcrafted by the wizard himself Rob Calhoun in Sacramento, CA. We’re currently working on my 2^nd build which will be an oversized offset 2x12 with Eminence Governors, I’m really looking forward to hearing the majestic tones this provides.

9.Do you have a pedal board? Tell us about that bad boy.

There was a time I used a small efficient pedal set that I used to run through my Peavey 6505+, which consisted of

Decimator II – Fulltone OCD (clean boost) – TC Electronic Reverb and Delay Pedals.

I’m now just using my MIDI Footswitch for my Axe FX II

10.. Now tell us your Dream Rig in detail…..

To be honest, I feel like I have my dream rig, I guess I’d just want a good, dependable In-Ear monitor system, rackmount of course.

11.What guitarist can you not stand?

I haven’t aspired to seek out guitarist’s that I wasn’t interested in listening to, however I do come across other guitarist’s that epically fail with their unpracticed, shit noodling on stage before a soundcheck, which is ear poison to most.

12. Is tone more important or is technique?

I full heartedly believe they go hand in hand for most players. Of course, there’s exceptions which people are just THAT good it doesn’t matter what they’re playing and when. I feel for a live and recording experience you want to sound the absolute best you can, which in result usually brings a quality product.

13. Name your top 5 guitarist

Stephen Carpenter - Deftones

Greg Tribbett - Mudvayne

Joe Duplantier - Gojira

Mark Holcomb - Periphery

Marc Okubo – Veil of Maya

14.Who is the most overrated guitarist

Joe Satriani…….. *crickets* lol

15.Who would you like a one-hour private sit-down lessons with anyone dead or alive?

Mark Holcomb from Periphery, I enjoy watching his workshops, and would love to dig deep and help refine my playing.