Verve guitarist Nick McCabe talks essential pedals

sonic soup, i love it

 

i really dig nick mccabe's work with the verve. to me, he was the "sound" of the verve and when he left they just didn't sound as good IMO. i saw them live a few times with hiim and once without him. when they toured without him, they had another guitarist as well as a pedal steel player and they still didn't sound anywhere near as full as when they had nick mccabe by himself....

IMO, he's one of the few guitarists that uses delay on about everything and it doesn't sound overdone or generic... any info on what exact pedals he's currently using? i always noticed a space echo or two when i've seen them, but could see never see his pedalboard....

 

Here is another page that talks about his gear:

http://www.nickmccabe-kim-2freespirits.co.uk/setup&stuff.page5.htm

http://www.nickmccabe-kim-2freespirits.co.uk/effects.htm

 

Saw Nick with the Verve just before Christmas and he changed guitars for every song into a Mesa Roadking head and 4x12. His clean and overdriven sounds were both outstanding, but then you'd expect that from four grand's worth of amp I suppose.

Effects-wise, there was definitely an echoplex rack looper and a DL-4 and I've heard he's using a TC Nova for the bulk of his delay sounds, where the DL-4 is used for oscillations and general mayhem, I definitely heard the filter echo settings once or twice. A pic I saw had a Lovetone Big Cheese at his feet too, don't know if he's using it live though.

 

He's great, his guitar paints sonic-soundscapes that really gave the Verve their own sound during the brit-pop era. A Northern Soul is top notch album.

 

Nick McCabe is incredible. I heard a quote from some painter or artist that goes something like, "art is the way in which someone transcends limitations with creativity," and I think his guitar work its the tangible embodiment of that statement. Brilliant.

 

One of my very favourite guitarists...him and Johnny Marr, and many others.

 

Love A Storm In Heaven!! Sonic soup for sure! Always hooks me in from the start with that monstrous wash of guitar.

 

great links and pics.... always wanted to know his exact gear....