Davie Allan

Mentioned in this February 22, 2016 Ultimate Guitar interview.

Did you always look for that same type of fuzz sound you created on "Blues Theme" when you recorded later songs? Did you experiment in the studio with different settings on the pedals and amps?

I really didn't. For the most part, I listen back to much of those recordings and feel my guitar sounded too thin. My main distortion today is a Pro-Co Rat pedal. I also use one that is very close to that one, which is an Ibanez Fat Cat.

Mentioned in this February 22, 2016 Ultimate Guitar interview.

In 1966, you did the music for "The Wild Angels" film and the "Blues Theme" was written. Had you been thinking about creating a more distorted/fuzz-driven guitar sound?

I was definitely thinking along those lines because of it being a biker film.

Was it a conscious thing to get away from the clean, reverb-drenched surf guitar sound?

I wasn't a fan of the reverb and didn't think the word "surf" fit. But yes, I wanted to make a drastic change from my '63 to '65 sound.

Can you talk about those early days experimenting with fuzz sounds?

I was only using the Gibson Maestro but not doing much with distortion until the Mosrite Fuzzrite came along.

(...) In 1964, the Rolling Stones had recorded "I Can't Get No (Satisfaction)," which featured that Keith Richards fuzz guitar. Were you aware of this song? Was this the first time fuzz guitar was really used on record (Keith says it was)?

My first fuzz was the one he used: a Gibson Maestro. The first tunes I remember with distortion were "Don't Worry" in 1961 by Marty Robbins with distorted bass and "Zip A-Dee Do-Dah" in 1962 by Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans.

Mentioned in this February 22, 2016 Ultimate Guitar interview.

In 1966, you did the music for "The Wild Angels" film and the "Blues Theme" was written. Had you been thinking about creating a more distorted/fuzz-driven guitar sound?

I was definitely thinking along those lines because of it being a biker film.

Was it a conscious thing to get away from the clean, reverb-drenched surf guitar sound?

I wasn't a fan of the reverb and didn't think the word "surf" fit. But yes, I wanted to make a drastic change from my '63 to '65 sound.

Can you talk about those early days experimenting with fuzz sounds?

I was only using the Gibson Maestro but not doing much with distortion until the Mosrite Fuzzrite came along.

(...) Was your first film project "Skaterdater"? What was that like recording music for an entire film?

My first film for sure. It was a four-hour, no overdub session with a great bunch of musicians: Arrows drummer Larry Brown, Al Casey on rhythm, Jim Horn on sax and flute, and Larry Knechtel on piano. I'm not sure. It might've been Don Randi. Also, as it was with all the films, we never played to scenes in the movie.

For all these various projects, were you using the Jazzmaster and Concert amp?

That's true although many times I overdubbed my leads through the mixing board in the studio.

Had you given any thought at all to more distorted/fuzz guitar sounds at this point?

I only used the fuzz on the main "Skaterdater" theme plus my version of "Scratchy" and some non-leads on a couple of other tunes on the "Apache '65" album. The fuzz didn't take over my life until "The Wild Angels."

(...) Over the years as fuzz pedals have proliferated, have you experimented with other types of fuzzes? Distortion pedals? Delays?

I tried many different effects but for 20+ years I have used the Rat pedal on everything, although I sometimes bring out the Mosrite Fuzzrite for background and harmony parts.

Mentioned in this February 22, 2016 Ultimate Guitar interview.

Did you always look for that same type of fuzz sound you created on "Blues Theme" when you recorded later songs? Did you experiment in the studio with different settings on the pedals and amps?

I really didn't. For the most part, I listen back to much of those recordings and feel my guitar sounded too thin. My main distortion today is a Pro-Co Rat pedal. I also use one that is very close to that one, which is an Ibanez Fat Cat.

(...) Over the years as fuzz pedals have proliferated, have you experimented with other types of fuzzes? Distortion pedals? Delays?

I tried many different effects but for 20+ years I have used the Rat pedal on everything, although I sometimes bring out the Mosrite Fuzzrite for background and harmony parts.

(...) Any modern music that touches you? Any new gear? Effects?

Well, I guess you can't call him modern anymore but a favorite of mine besides Elvis and the Beatles is Jeff Lynne. My all-time favorite rock and roll recording is ELO's "Hold on Tight." My newest pedal is the Rat from the '90s, a guitar processor from the '80s and my guitar from '65.