artists » Michael Zakarin of The Bravery

We caught up with Mike and the Bravery while on tour and got a chance to talk with them about their new AC30 Custom Classics. Guitarist Michael Zakarin of The Bravery confesses to an affinity for Dali-esque handlebar mustaches, Chuck Klosterman literature and, of course, VOX amps. Zakarin uses the VOX AC30 Custom Classic head and does so partly due to his influences. As he explains, “I grew up admiring bands like the Beatles and the Kinks who used VOX. I think it’s the only amplifier that allows you to achieve a full, crunchy tone. Not to mention, VOX amps are the most visually appealing.” In fact, both he and lead singer/guitarist Sam Endicott have found their AC30 Custom Classics indispensable.

The Bravery has gained a high level of popularity in a short period of time, but these guys don’t let the recognition and pressure get to them. “From day one we’ve had a few goals that we’ve set, and one of them was that we weren’t going to let any outside demands affect the goals or pressures that we put on ourselves,” clarifies Michael. “All we set out to do was to make music for ourselves and then hope for the best - that people would catch on to it and like it as well. What matters to us is that we come out and play gigs every night for our fans.”

There are other bands surfacing as of late that have a similar rock, punk, dance sound, but The Bravery stands out from the rest of the pack. Michael explains, “A lot of people consider us an electronic band, but all of our music is written on acoustic guitar first, and then the song is developed afterwards, with layers and subtleties to give it more depth. For us, it’s really back to basics like the Beatles and the Stones, who wrote songs first, and however they developed or ended up sounding was secondary. We’d like to think of ourselves as making music that is timeless, regardless of what it sounds like.”

After forming in 2002 and a healthy amount of gigs later, Island/Def Jam Records signed The Bravery. Their first release, The Bravery, coincided with a U.S. tour in Spring 2005, and currently the band is on the road with the legendary Depeche Mode. “Before we were signed, a mutual friend was working with Depeche Mode on their album. He gave them a copy of our CD, and they became fans of the band,” explains Michael. “Then a few months ago, they asked us to go on tour with them. It was that simple.”

With influences from such a wide variety of styles, it’s important for the band members to be versatile. Michael reveals, “Our album, The Bravery, is all over the place. Some songs are rock-oriented, like ‘Fearless’ and some are more dance/techno related, like ‘Tyrant.’ I need an amp that has the ability to accommodate both sounds. For clean sounds, I need something that can deliver a full tone, and when I go to a rock sound, I want something that crunches, with some dirt and more bite to it. The AC30 Custom Classic definitely has the capability to do both.”

Although Michael has used older AC30s in the past, the transition between the old and new was an easy one. “The Custom Classics are far more consistent than vintage VOX amps,” Michael confides. “In the past I’ve rented several Custom Classics and they were all extremely similar; I didn’t have to tweak them too much. And the top boost channel is really cool! If you set the knobs properly, you can get that smooth, full tone reminiscent of a vintage AC30.”

Find out more about The Bravery and what’s in store next at www.thebravery.com

Article: Kenny Kuehn
Photo credit: Keith Smith