Have you ever wanted to ask the guy who was playing on stage a question?

Well here is your chance, simply use the mail button which can be found on the bottom of all the web pages and if it is possible we will include it on this page, remember to keep your question simple so we do not over tax the team back at base.

 

 

 

Why do you use so many different guitars?

I don't feel that I use that many but it's usually horses for courses and certain guitars work better in certain situations, also all my instruments sound different. Generally onstage I have three or four with me; my main Stratocaster with a spare just in case I break a string, then a different sounding guitar such as a Telecaster and/or another specially set up and tuned for slide work. There are certain shows I do such as with M.J. Lewis where the Line 6 Acoustic is necessary and on acoustic-only gigs I may bring my Fender Teleacoustic along as a backup. Spare/backup guitars are a must onstage as it can be boring and embarrassing to watch a guitar player fiddling around changing a broken string in the dark.

Why don't you use more pedals with The Rockets?

Because I believe that "simple is best". Some of the best tones I have got in the past have been without pedals and if I could plug the guitar into an amp without pedals then I would. With The Rockets I just use an overdrive to push the amp, this is especially necessary on the Hendrix stuff where I wind up the volume and gain even more. I also have to use a Wah Wah on a few songs such as Voodoo Chile and Show Me The Way, but that's generally it.

Why do you use a different set-up on your solo gigs?

Because everything has to be so much more versatile. My solo gigs involve Pink Floyd songs for example, and David Gilmour used to use more effects in one set than you would find in a well stocked guitar shop! In one song I have to sound like Mark Knopfler and the next like Jimi Hendrix...if only I could play like them!!! The Stratocaster is withour doubt the most versatile non-digital electric guitar and coupled with the POD XT system I now use, I find I can get most tones I need. Compare that to The Rockets shows where I try to sound like...me!

Where do you get your backing tracks for your solo gigs?

I program and record every one myself. It's easy nowdays to get backing tracks from the internet and music stores but with me it's a matter of pride, if I must use backing then I want to be able to say that everything you hear is me playing whether on the track or live. People ask from time to time if I would  sell them some of my backing tracks. The answer is a definate no as I want to keep it all as exclusive as possible.

copyright  Alta Records 2007 

Jools Cooper Rock Guitarist, The Rockets, Geoff Britton, Tom Duffy, Greg Ridley, Ken Hensley, Pink
Floyd, Fender Guitars, Uriah Heep

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