Exclusive E-Mail Chat with Jim Davies

• 22nd December 1999
• Mary Beers

hi,  Jim. 

I’ve finally gotten some questions: 

a. what equipment do u use (company, model, etc.)? 

– I USE IBANEZ GUITARS, I ENDORES THEM, I USE 3 MAIN 550’S,  S540’S –AND 570’S, I ONLY LIKE IBANEZ GUITARS, ALSO I USE A ROCKTRON   CAMELEON  PREAMP WHICH HAS ALL MY SOUNDS IN FROM THE PROD AND SHIFTER ALBUMS, VARIOUS PEDALS  INCLUED MY WAH (WHICH I USE CONSTANTLY) AND AN ENVELOPE  FILTER MADE BY  D.O.D  WHICH I ALSO ENDORSE. 

b. (obviously) why did you leave the prodigy? 

– IT WAS THE BEST THING TO DO FOR BOTH PARTIES, I WASN’T HAPPY PLAYING  SPARSE AMOUNTS OF GUITAR ON A FEW TRACKS AND I THINK I LOOKED BORED ON STAGE WHICH ISN’T GOOD OBVIOUSLY, I WAS ALSO VERY YOUNG AT THE TIME AND WASN’T REALLY READY FOR SUCH A BIG GIG, I LEARN’T A LOT FROM DOING IT AND I STILL  SEE THE GUYS ALL THE TIME. ALSO I WASN’T HAPPY WITH THE AMOUNT OF ENTHASIS THAT WAS PUT ON IMAGE RATHER THAN MUSICAL ABILITY, I WAN’T TO SHOW HOW GOOD I WAS, BUT ALL THAT SEEMED TO MATTER REALLY WAS HOW I SHOULD LOOK, I WAS FAR HAPPIER   TO DO THE STUDIO WORK WHERE I GOT TO REALLY PLAY AND LET SOMEONE MORE ENTHUSIASTIC DO THE LIVE THING, BASICALLY I’M A GUITARIST NOT AN ACTOR. 

c. do you feel sorry for doing it? 

– NOT ATALL, I THINK I GAINED A LOT OF RESPECT FROM PEOPLE, IN PITCHSHIFTER I GET TO REALLY DO MY THING AND I’M GETTING ALOT OF RECOGNITION FOR IT WHICH I NEVER GOT WHILE PLAYING WITH THE PROD, I WANT TO BE SEEN AS A GOOD   GUITARIST  RATHER THAN THAT BLOKE WHO JUMPS AROUND A BIT WITH THE PRODIGY +, I’VE PLAYED ON MAXIM’S ALBUM AND I HAVEN’T RULED OUT DOING MORE STUFF FOR LIAM, HE’S GOT ALOT OF MY STUFF THAT HE HASN’T USED YET, AT THE END OF THE DAY, PEOPLE KNOW WHO I AM NOW WHERE AS BEFORE I WAS A MYSTERY MAN IN THE SHADOWS, AS LIAM SAID TO ME ONCE –I’M ONLY USING 5 ACU OF WHAT YOU’RE CAPABLE OF. 

d. when did you get your first guitar, and what style was it? 

– MY FIRST GUITAR WAS ONE OF THOSE STARTER PACKAGES THAT I SAW ADVERTISED IN KERRANG, YOU KNOW THE THING...  LEARN TOROCK, IT WAS AN AXE RHYTHM MASTER WHICH CAME WITH A BOOK SAYING LEARN TO PLAY HEAVY METAL AND A TINY AMP. I WAS 16. 

e. who are some of your biggest influences? 

– LIAM HOWLETT, RAGE AGANIST THE MACHINE, THE JAM, SMASHING PUMPKINS,  HELMET. 

f. when’s your birthday? 

18TH OF OCTOBER 

g. did you enjoy working with Prodigy? 

– I DID YEAH, I GOT TO SEE THE WHOLE WORLD AT AN EARLY AGE, I LEARNT LOADS  ABOUT THE BIZ, MOST OF IT BAD, IT SET ME UP TO DO OTHER THINGS, LIKE MAXIM’S ALBUM AND OF COURSE I WOULDN’T BE IN PITCH SHIFTER, WHICH I LOVE. 

that’s all... THANKS SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS and keep up the good work :) 

---

• Jim Davies