- BOBMOULD
HüskerDüwasanother
game-changer.CandyApple
Greywassointoxicatingthat,in
thebeginning,Armstrongwanted
GreenDaytosoundexactlylike
HüskerDü.YoucanhearMould’s
judiciousmelodicsensibilityeven
in Armstrong’smostfrantic
playing– thoughBrianBaker
ofBadReligioncouldtake
somecreditthere. - PE TET O W NSHEND
TheWhoguitaristis oneof
Armstrong’sall-timefavourites.
You’vegotvolume,attitude,
showmanship,greatsongsand
tone.Duringtherecordingof
¡Uno!,¡Dos!,¡Tré!, Armstrongwas
experimentingwithanearly-70s
Marshall,a VoxAC30H2and
a homemadeSilvertoneto
geta cleanertonein the
veinofTownshend. - BOBSTINSON
Armstronghastalkedabout
howseeingTheReplacements
wasa life-changingexperience
thatgavehima newperspective
onhowhesawpunkrock.
Stinson’splayingneverreally
satin thepocketofcommon
orgardenpunk,which,if you
thinkaboutit, makeshim
allthemorepunk. - JAMES
HONEYMAN-SCOTT
ThelatePretendersguitarist
is anotherofArmstrong’s
favouriteplayers,thoughhewas
only 25 yearsoldwhenhedied.
Honeyman-Scottwasa melodic
player,andmaybeoneofthe
biggestlessonswecantake
fromplayerslikehimis how
toincorporatemelodies
withoutlosingrhythmic
momentum. - PETERBUCK
R.E.M.?Y.E.S.!Firstly,it was
Buck(andPeterCase,too)who
reportedlyinfluencedArmstrong
toplaytheRickenbacker 360 on
RevolutionRadio. Secondly,there
is gottobeaninfluence– or
like-mindedness– in how
ArmstrongandBuck
composestadium-ready
partswithoutsounding
explicitlymainstream. - ANGUS AND
MALCOLM YOUNG
They are two-for-one, indivisible,
the archetypical rhythm and lead
rock pairing, and, again, they were
another huge early influence.
A special mention should go to
Steve Clark and Pete Willis of
Def Leppard’s High ’N’ Dry era,
who Armstrong has described
as having the ‘ultimate
rock tone’.
GABBA GABBA HEY!
Johnny (left) and Joey
Ramone, perform live on
stage in The Netherlands
during 1977
MARCH 2020 TOTAL GUITAR61
GREEN DAY