John Foxx

"I wanted to explore these new instruments to find out what they could do. Try to make a new language for them. I’d been working at home with the synth and drum machine. Began in 1978 with an Arp Odyssey, an Elka string machine, a Roland 301 Space Echo and a Roland CR78 drum machine and a four track. "

"CM: 'Can we have a list of your gear?'

JF: 'I couldn’t possibly list all of Benge’s gear but if I work alone then sometimes I record the CR78 and then work on top of this with both analogue and digital synths and effects. I mainly use the Aryp Odyssey and the Roland Vocoder. I believe in using a limited palette of sounds - with just one or two in real focus for the track. The star sounds. This allows for consistency and some innovation at the same time. Arp Odyssey Arp Sequencer Roland Vocoder Plus Elka Strings Moog Minimoog Roland Juno 60 Roland CR78 Roland 909 Outboard: Roland Space Echo 301 MXR Phaser - orange footwitch type Electro Harmonix Electric Mistress Flanger."

• Interview, John Foxx - Computer Music Magazine (unknown issue)

"Originally I demoed Metamatic on 4 track, with a Teac A3340S at home. I always liked the quality of those Teac machines, somehow you can get a very deep perspective to sounds if you record your echoes correctly — deeper, for some reason, than on other machines. I can't define it, but it is definitely something I like."

The original drum parts for the track, which John recorded to set the song's tempo and give himself and other players a guide structure to work with, were programmed into a Yamaha RX11 drum machine that John owns.

John Foxx said in an interview that he's using a Vocalist II to do the harmonizer effect on his singing.

"Not as often — but definitely with something like the AMS digital reverb. I got terrifically excited when I first tried that out because it's beautiful - one of the deepest and best reverb sounds I've ever heard. I've also got a Lexicon 224 reverb which I've had a long time, but it doesn't have that depth. I always look for a reverb unit that gives me that perspective back behind the speakers - the Lexicon does a bit, but the AMS has got real depth to it. And the Quantec Room Simulator also; a beautiful piece of equipment."

"I still use tape echoes now; I've got a Roland Chorus Echo (RE501) in The Garden studio which I wouldn't part with for anything because there's always a place for it on a track."

Fortunately for John, he also owns a UMI/BBC B micro sequencer package (see last month's review). "The only way I can repeat the dynamics on the RX11 is by programming the thing with my UMI so that the UMI stores and remembers the dynamics on the drum machine which have been played on my DX7 keyboard."

On June 5th, John Foxx will be taking his group The Maths to the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm London for a one-off performance of his classic album Metamatic. Now, after our feature on Benge's synths was such a hit with you lot, we thought that some of you might like to get warm under the collar and quivery of the finger tip to learn what John Foxx will be packing in the back of the van for the Roundhouse show - please check out the mouthwatering list below, and have a look at some John Foxx & The Maths on YouTube while you're at it. Find out more about this incredible event (which also features a DJ set by Gary Numan and Ade Fenton) at the Roundhouse website. John Foxx'Metatronic best-of is out now.

Synthesizers:

ARP Odyssey x 2, ARP Sequencers x 2, Crumar Multiman, EDP Wasp, Korg MonoPoly, Korg 700, Logan String Machine, Moog Mini x 2, Moog Modular plus Sequencers, Moog Opus 3, Roland Modular System 100m x 10 Modules, Roland SH2, Roland SH-101, Roland Juno 60, Sequential Circuits Multitrack

Drum machines:

Amdek Percussion Synthesiser, Boss Dr Rhythm, Linn Drum, Klone Drum, Roland CR78, Roland TR808

Effects & Processors:

Boss Chorus, Boss Flanger, Boss Phaser, Electro Harmonix electric mistress Flanger, Furman Spring Reverb, Ibanez AD80 Analog Delay, Maestro PS-1 Phase Shifter, Mu-tron Phasor, MXR Phase 100, Roland Space echo RE-201

Other Equipment

Tascam & Revox Analogue Reel to Reel Tape Machines

On June 5th, John Foxx will be taking his group The Maths to the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm London for a one-off performance of his classic album Metamatic. Now, after our feature on Benge's synths was such a hit with you lot, we thought that some of you might like to get warm under the collar and quivery of the finger tip to learn what John Foxx will be packing in the back of the van for the Roundhouse show - please check out the mouthwatering list below, and have a look at some John Foxx & The Maths on YouTube while you're at it. Find out more about this incredible event (which also features a DJ set by Gary Numan and Ade Fenton) at the Roundhouse website. John Foxx'Metatronic best-of is out now.

Synthesizers:

ARP Odyssey x 2, ARP Sequencers x 2, Crumar Multiman, EDP Wasp, Korg MonoPoly, Korg 700, Logan String Machine, Moog Mini x 2, Moog Modular plus Sequencers, Moog Opus 3, Roland Modular System 100m x 10 Modules, Roland SH2, Roland SH-101, Roland Juno 60, Sequential Circuits Multitrack

Drum machines:

Amdek Percussion Synthesiser, Boss Dr Rhythm, Linn Drum, Klone Drum, Roland CR78, Roland TR808

Effects & Processors:

Boss Chorus, Boss Flanger, Boss Phaser, Electro Harmonix electric mistress Flanger, Furman Spring Reverb, Ibanez AD80 Analog Delay, Maestro PS-1 Phase Shifter, Mu-tron Phasor, MXR Phase 100, Roland Space echo RE-201

Other Equipment

Tascam & Revox Analogue Reel to Reel Tape Machines

John Foxx used the Roland TR-77 Rhythm 77 drum machine in Ultravox's track "Hiroshima Mon Amour," as highlighted by Dubsounds. The distinctive Cha-Cha and Baion rhythms are evident in the song.

"I wanted to explore these new instruments to find out what they could do. Try to make a new language for them. I’d been working at home with the synth and drum machine. Began in 1978 with an Arp Odyssey, an Elka string machine, a Roland 301 Space Echo and a Roland CR78 drum machine and a four track. "

"CM: 'Can we have a list of your gear?'

JF: 'I couldn’t possibly list all of Benge’s gear but if I work alone then sometimes I record the CR78 and then work on top of this with both analogue and digital synths and effects. I mainly use the Aryp Odyssey and the Roland Vocoder. I believe in using a limited palette of sounds - with just one or two in real focus for the track. The star sounds. This allows for consistency and some innovation at the same time. Arp Odyssey Arp Sequencer Roland Vocoder Plus Elka Strings Moog Minimoog Roland Juno 60 Roland CR78 Roland 909 Outboard: Roland Space Echo 301 MXR Phaser - orange footwitch type Electro Harmonix Electric Mistress Flanger."

• Interview, John Foxx - Computer Music Magazine (unknown issue)

"Not as often — but definitely with something like the AMS digital reverb. I got terrifically excited when I first tried that out because it's beautiful - one of the deepest and best reverb sounds I've ever heard. I've also got a Lexicon 224 reverb which I've had a long time, but it doesn't have that depth. I always look for a reverb unit that gives me that perspective back behind the speakers - the Lexicon does a bit, but the AMS has got real depth to it. And the Quantec Room Simulator also; a beautiful piece of equipment."

In the Muzines article "From 24 Tracks to 8" (HSR Oct 84), John Foxx discusses the accessibility of high-quality reverb effects for home users, mentioning the Yamaha R100 Reverb as an example.

On June 5th, John Foxx will be taking his group The Maths to the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm London for a one-off performance of his classic album Metamatic. Now, after our feature on Benge's synths was such a hit with you lot, we thought that some of you might like to get warm under the collar and quivery of the finger tip to learn what John Foxx will be packing in the back of the van for the Roundhouse show - please check out the mouthwatering list below, and have a look at some John Foxx & The Maths on YouTube while you're at it. Find out more about this incredible event (which also features a DJ set by Gary Numan and Ade Fenton) at the Roundhouse website. John Foxx'Metatronic best-of is out now.

Synthesizers:

ARP Odyssey x 2, ARP Sequencers x 2, Crumar Multiman, EDP Wasp, Korg MonoPoly, Korg 700, Logan String Machine, Moog Mini x 2, Moog Modular plus Sequencers, Moog Opus 3, Roland Modular System 100m x 10 Modules, Roland SH2, Roland SH-101, Roland Juno 60, Sequential Circuits Multitrack

Drum machines:

Amdek Percussion Synthesiser, Boss Dr Rhythm, Linn Drum, Klone Drum, Roland CR78, Roland TR808

Effects & Processors:

Boss Chorus, Boss Flanger, Boss Phaser, Electro Harmonix electric mistress Flanger, Furman Spring Reverb, Ibanez AD80 Analog Delay, Maestro PS-1 Phase Shifter, Mu-tron Phasor, MXR Phase 100, Roland Space echo RE-201

Other Equipment

Tascam & Revox Analogue Reel to Reel Tape Machines

On June 5th, John Foxx will be taking his group The Maths to the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm London for a one-off performance of his classic album Metamatic. Now, after our feature on Benge's synths was such a hit with you lot, we thought that some of you might like to get warm under the collar and quivery of the finger tip to learn what John Foxx will be packing in the back of the van for the Roundhouse show - please check out the mouthwatering list below, and have a look at some John Foxx & The Maths on YouTube while you're at it. Find out more about this incredible event (which also features a DJ set by Gary Numan and Ade Fenton) at the Roundhouse website. John Foxx'Metatronic best-of is out now.

Synthesizers:

ARP Odyssey x 2, ARP Sequencers x 2, Crumar Multiman, EDP Wasp, Korg MonoPoly, Korg 700, Logan String Machine, Moog Mini x 2, Moog Modular plus Sequencers, Moog Opus 3, Roland Modular System 100m x 10 Modules, Roland SH2, Roland SH-101, Roland Juno 60, Sequential Circuits Multitrack

Drum machines:

Amdek Percussion Synthesiser, Boss Dr Rhythm, Linn Drum, Klone Drum, Roland CR78, Roland TR808

Effects & Processors:

Boss Chorus, Boss Flanger, Boss Phaser, Electro Harmonix electric mistress Flanger, Furman Spring Reverb, Ibanez AD80 Analog Delay, Maestro PS-1 Phase Shifter, Mu-tron Phasor, MXR Phase 100, Roland Space echo RE-201

Other Equipment

Tascam & Revox Analogue Reel to Reel Tape Machines

On June 5th, John Foxx will be taking his group The Maths to the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm London for a one-off performance of his classic album Metamatic. Now, after our feature on Benge's synths was such a hit with you lot, we thought that some of you might like to get warm under the collar and quivery of the finger tip to learn what John Foxx will be packing in the back of the van for the Roundhouse show - please check out the mouthwatering list below, and have a look at some John Foxx & The Maths on YouTube while you're at it. Find out more about this incredible event (which also features a DJ set by Gary Numan and Ade Fenton) at the Roundhouse website. John Foxx'Metatronic best-of is out now.

Synthesizers:

ARP Odyssey x 2, ARP Sequencers x 2, Crumar Multiman, EDP Wasp, Korg MonoPoly, Korg 700, Logan String Machine, Moog Mini x 2, Moog Modular plus Sequencers, Moog Opus 3, Roland Modular System 100m x 10 Modules, Roland SH2, Roland SH-101, Roland Juno 60, Sequential Circuits Multitrack

Drum machines:

Amdek Percussion Synthesiser, Boss Dr Rhythm, Linn Drum, Klone Drum, Roland CR78, Roland TR808

Effects & Processors:

Boss Chorus, Boss Flanger, Boss Phaser, Electro Harmonix electric mistress Flanger, Furman Spring Reverb, Ibanez AD80 Analog Delay, Maestro PS-1 Phase Shifter, Mu-tron Phasor, MXR Phase 100, Roland Space echo RE-201

Other Equipment

Tascam & Revox Analogue Reel to Reel Tape Machines

Shatterproof Drum Programming [Simmons SDS5, Roland TR808], Sequencer [Sequencer Programming: Arp Odyssey, Arp Sequencer, Moog Modular], Electronics [Treatments: Ibanez AD80 Delay, EMT Plat Reverb, Mutron BiPhase] – Benge Vocals [MXR Flanger Doubler, Yamaha Rev1 Delay], Synthesizer [Synthesizers: ARP Odyssey, ARP Omni, Korg Monopoly] – John Foxx

Shatterproof Drum Programming [Simmons SDS5, Roland TR808], Sequencer [Sequencer Programming: Arp Odyssey, Arp Sequencer, Moog Modular], Electronics [Treatments: Ibanez AD80 Delay, EMT Plat Reverb, Mutron BiPhase] – Benge Vocals [MXR Flanger Doubler, Yamaha Rev1 Delay], Synthesizer [Synthesizers: ARP Odyssey, ARP Omni, Korg Monopoly] – John Foxx

"I sold two TB303s, my utterly beautiful Roland 808 drum machine, my Minimoog, my magnificent Jupiter 8, analogue phasers, flangers, a glorious Marshall fuzzbox. What a damn fool.

Luckily, I kept the 909 drum machine (best bass drum ever invented), the ARP Odyssey, the Gibson Les Paul, the Strat, the valve amps — and that little bastard wonder the [Roland] CR78."

"In 1983 we used a Roland MC8 for recording some Golden Section tracks with Mike Howlett. ‘Twilight’s Last Gleaming’, for instance, was almost entirely sequenced by that. Mike was quick and efficient at programming it. I tried it out and ended up hating the damn thing.

Then a Commodore 64 with Steinberg [Pro-16] when I was working with Tim Simenon [Bomb The Bass], then with Louis Gordon. Most of Shifting City and the next couple of albums were recorded using that system. It was good, straightforward and the triggering was bang on, for the time.

Overlapping this, I got a well‑designed and very useful all‑in‑one PC‑based system from Carillon, using Cubase, then finally went over to Logic on the Mac. As for present‑day sequencing and arranging, I really like the symbiosis of digital and analogue. You’re finally able to mix the beauty, richness and deviance of analogue with the stability and precision of digital."

"In 1983 we used a Roland MC8 for recording some Golden Section tracks with Mike Howlett. ‘Twilight’s Last Gleaming’, for instance, was almost entirely sequenced by that. Mike was quick and efficient at programming it. I tried it out and ended up hating the damn thing.

Then a Commodore 64 with Steinberg [Pro-16] when I was working with Tim Simenon [Bomb The Bass], then with Louis Gordon. Most of Shifting City and the next couple of albums were recorded using that system. It was good, straightforward and the triggering was bang on, for the time.

Overlapping this, I got a well‑designed and very useful all‑in‑one PC‑based system from Carillon, using Cubase, then finally went over to Logic on the Mac. As for present‑day sequencing and arranging, I really like the symbiosis of digital and analogue. You’re finally able to mix the beauty, richness and deviance of analogue with the stability and precision of digital."