STEVE WEBB :: GUITAR

Equipment:

Charvel Fusion Deluxe
Body - Poplar
Neck - Bolt on Maple with Ebony Fingerboard
Hardware - Floyd Rose number 3... Not called Capt. Pickhard for nothing!
Roland - GK-2a Hexaphonic MIDI pickup
Pickups - Charvel humbuckers with custom 5 way switch

Amplification:
Marshall 200 Watt Stereo Power Amp
All tube power
Carlsbro 90 watt keyboard combo

Marshall Two 2 x 12" 1922 Cabinets with GT12T-75 speakers rated at 150 Watts

Electronics:
Digitech 2101 guitar processor
Roland GR33 Guitar Synthesiser

BIOGRAPHY ::

Steve was born in Barking, Essex a ‘l-o-n-g ‘ time ago.
His first memories of being interested in music were seeing Cliff Richard and the Shadows on TV, and when the Shadows released ‘Apache’ as a single, he was, like many other young people, immediately hooked on guitar instrumentals. From the age of 11, he began playing publicly in clubs and halls around the area where I lived in Dagenham, forming a group during my secondary-modern years. This little band was called The Rapiers, and during the four years or so that they were gigging, they played all over the place in Essex and East London, with a repertoire that began with 1960’s guitar instrumentals, and ending with Beatles, Rolling Stones and various R&B classics, most of which were attributable to the excellent Mr Chuck Berry.
Oddly enough, the band re-formed recently to do a short one-off set at the 2006 Pipeline convention for 1960’s instrumental enthusiasts, including Bruce Welch from the Shadows, who very generously came backstage for a friendly chat after the set.

The band went on to cut an original instrumental single (which apparently has become something of a collectors’ item since) and subsequently appeared on the TV show, Ready Steady Win in the 60’s, which led to a part in a modest little film which went on general release.
They were 17, had been gigging, aired on the radio, appeared on telly, and in the cinema. Not bad for a bunch of reprobates from Dagenham!

Disbanded soon after leaving school, Steve went on to join a band called The Mosaics, specialising in Beach Boys and other four-part harmony material. Other local bands with friends followed doing covers of Cream, Jimi Hendrix and their contemporaries.
Like so many other guitarists from the sixties, Steve hung up his guitar at the beginning the 80’s, but picked it up again 10 years later, after having been introduced to the music of Larry Carlton, the brilliant jazz/rock guitarist from the USA. A pivotal point was when he attended a music show featuring a showcase of various guitars demonstrated by the awesome Phil Hilborne. 'I wanna play like that!' thought he, so he visited Phil a few times at his Pitsea home in Essex, and learned some of his amazing techniques.

That was it! Absolutely absorbed by the new possibilities on guitar, he entered the world of Tony MacAlpine, Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen, and Darren Householder.

RECENT HISTORY ::

By sheer chance about 3 years ago after a business seminar, Steve met somebody during the train journey home who had been to the same seminar. It transpired that who was also a bit of a muso, a drummer. Steve was planning a new rock band at the time but couldn't find a good bass player - said drummer had just met Martin Clarke who had repaired his guitar.... The rock band didn’t take off, (in fact it crashed on it's first flight!) but as a result of that, the new bassist said 'How about being a little more ambitious?' This was Steve's introduction to the music of Mike Stern, Chick Corea, Bob Berg, Buzz Feiten, Frank Gambale. This was astounding music. Thus was formed Tokamak.

PRESENT ::

Steve is fascinated by the structure and modal complexity of the great saxophone players and is absorbing these new ideas into his muscial vocab. 'Now we've found Gareth - let's get the show on the road!'

FUTURE ::

More inspirational moments of musical revelation!