Thinking that enough time has passed, I wanted to share this story so I asked Fractal Audio artist (and friend) Tristan Avakian to write it up:
Thanks for sharing the story, Tristan! I hope you don't mind that I dug up this photo of you and Brian to share here with it.
When I was in preproduction rehearsals with Queen Extravaganza (the official Queen tribute), I ordered an Axe-Fx II II, thinking that I'd finally nail the elusive "Deacy" sound that Brian May employed in the studio. A "guitar choir" effect achieved with a tiny hand built transistor amp, a treble booster, multiple overdubs, and of course, Brian's hands and fantastic talent for layering harmonies.
Even Queen had never bothered replicating it live, but I was determined to deliver it in all its glory to big crowds across North America.
I worked with the Axe-Fx II II for a couple of days, whenever I had a spare moment. When I was ready, I demonstrated the sound for Roger at rehearsal.
He shouted, "Splendid, Tristan! Justine (Roger's assistant), order another straight away!"
The next morning at rehearsal, Justine pulled me aside... never a good thing. I thought, uh-oh. And surely enough, she told me, "Roger's had a change of heart".
My heart sank as she explained... "it sounds too realistic.... makes it seem as if we are miming to a recording"... !!!
Which of course Queen never did, and never will, but had often been accused of by critics "back in the day". So it was a bit of a sore point.
Imagine my chagrin when I had to call Fractal and tell them I had to send it back... because it was TOO GOOD!!!
Four years later, I finally have a Fractal of my own, the AX8, and it is delivering killer, completely accurate signature Brian tone to Queen fans across the continent in Ultimate Queen Celebration featuring Marc Martel, and Schon's searing sound in Absolute Journey, Canada's premiere Journey tribute. Both acts play mid size theatres, casinos and large outdoor amphitheaters, and every FOH guy I work with is ecstatic about the guitar sound.
There has been an Axe-Fx II in almost every musical theater production I've been involved in playing for the last 5 years (guitar one in Book of Mormon, Kinky Boots, The Bodyguard and others), so the AX8 makes total sense to me in a concert setting. Feels like an old friend.
Thank you Fractal for making a beautiful product!
Even Queen had never bothered replicating it live, but I was determined to deliver it in all its glory to big crowds across North America.
I worked with the Axe-Fx II II for a couple of days, whenever I had a spare moment. When I was ready, I demonstrated the sound for Roger at rehearsal.
He shouted, "Splendid, Tristan! Justine (Roger's assistant), order another straight away!"
The next morning at rehearsal, Justine pulled me aside... never a good thing. I thought, uh-oh. And surely enough, she told me, "Roger's had a change of heart".
My heart sank as she explained... "it sounds too realistic.... makes it seem as if we are miming to a recording"... !!!
Which of course Queen never did, and never will, but had often been accused of by critics "back in the day". So it was a bit of a sore point.
Imagine my chagrin when I had to call Fractal and tell them I had to send it back... because it was TOO GOOD!!!
Four years later, I finally have a Fractal of my own, the AX8, and it is delivering killer, completely accurate signature Brian tone to Queen fans across the continent in Ultimate Queen Celebration featuring Marc Martel, and Schon's searing sound in Absolute Journey, Canada's premiere Journey tribute. Both acts play mid size theatres, casinos and large outdoor amphitheaters, and every FOH guy I work with is ecstatic about the guitar sound.
There has been an Axe-Fx II in almost every musical theater production I've been involved in playing for the last 5 years (guitar one in Book of Mormon, Kinky Boots, The Bodyguard and others), so the AX8 makes total sense to me in a concert setting. Feels like an old friend.
Thank you Fractal for making a beautiful product!
Thanks for sharing the story, Tristan! I hope you don't mind that I dug up this photo of you and Brian to share here with it.