5 million album sales, one of the most forthright, iconic, and confrontational female lead singers in modern musical history, a six-year back catalogue to make you quiver, Skunk Anansie are back! 

Following an eight-year hiatus, Skunk Anansie are re-born, revitalised and as confrontational as ever, fully armed with highly charged, brand new tracks, a blistering greatest hits record and a 21-date sold out European tour.  On the tour and in the studio Guitarist and founder member Ace is using both Digitech and Larrivee guitars.  Bassist Cass is using Digitech pedals and front-woman Skin is also playing Larrivee guitars.

Guitarist Ace with his Larrivee D-50E

The ‘Greatest Hits’ record ‘Smashes and Trashes’ is a 15-track career-embracing album.  It features classic moments from their first two Top Ten albums ‘Paranoid & Sunburnt’, ‘Stoosh’ and their 1999 album ‘’Post Orgasmic Chill’. From the rejoiceful ‘Weak’ to the anthemic ‘Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)’ it’s a timeless record brimming with hits, which is translated into the here and now in the form of their three brand new tracks; ‘Because Of You’, ‘Tear The Place Up’ and ‘Squander’. 

The Digitech Hardwire series pedals are featured prominently on these new songs so we caught up with Ace to get his views on them:

'The HardWire pedal series is a complete, well thought-out package based on the simple effective needs and demands of modern professional musicians.'

'True bypass is an excellent feature for preserving the sound quality and tone of the guitar into my Boutique and Hi-Gain amp set up.  The control guard is a well thought out small addition that works in a big way - preserving painstaking tweaked settings or just plain protection from the rigours of the road - traveling and live shows.'

'I feel these pedals have been made for guitarists by guitarists, with a lot of thought put in considering the live stage and touring reliability, as well as the excellent detail to the sound quality for the studio recording situations too.  The addition of the Glow in the dark foot pedal sticker and the Velcro base is pure simple genius and saves time for the gigging guitarist trying to source these materials and cutting them out themselves (usually to an amateur effect!).”

Ace and his 'A-Rig' Pedalboard

'The HardWire Tube Overdrive creates seriously juicy rich harmonics that can make my amp howl in agony, and at the same time the original guitar tone shines through. This is a rare combination to find.  The range of modification offered by the control knobs provides me with detailed and accurate fine-tuning of some of the most awesome fat rich rhythm tones as well as gnarly, vicious solos. The true bypass offered in this build of this pedal also means no compromise of my original guitar tones when switched out...excellent!'

'The HardWire Delay Looper is a fantastically warm and noise free delay with stunning clarity and great ease of operation coupled with incredible fine tuning options. All the modes on offer deliver awesome features with maximum effect. A great expandable tool for my pedal board with years of experimentation to look forward to!'

Ace's 'A-Rig' Pedalboard.  Clockwise from top: Digitech Control One (Controls the Digitech 2120 rack processor), Digitech Whammy, Digitech CM-2 Hardwire Tube Overdrive, Digitech DL-8 Delay/Looper.

'The HardWire Reverb gives me all the authentic accurate representations from lush expansive halls to dark and moody chambers to help me create and be inspired in my playing and songwriting. With it's great selection of preset modes, it's ready to be modified by the simple player that needs a quick result right up to the more advanced creative and experimental guitarists.'

“The HardWire Tuner is similar to owning a mini rack in a box. With it's prominent bright display and changeable modes between strobe and static tuning, it delivers DigiTech accuracy with speed and ease.  Also the quickly accessible tuning variations are a godsend for the modern rock guitarist too!”

Ace's 'B-Rig' Pedalboard.  Clockwise from top: Digitech Control One, Digitech Hardwire SC-2 Valve Distortion, Digitech Whammy II, Digitech Hardwire CR-7 Stereo Chorus, Digitech Hardwire DL-8 Delay/Looper 

Bassist Cass's A-Rig Pedalboard.  Left to right: Digitech Whammy II, Digitech Hardwire DL-8 Delay/Looper

The beginnings of Cass's 'B-rig' pedalboard.  Pictured: Digitech Hardwire CM-2 Tube Overdrive, SC-2 Valve Distortion, CR-7 Stereo Chorus and XBW Bass Synth Wah

In support of their ‘Greatest Hits’ record, Skunk Anansie play a 21-date sold out European tour, which kicks off in Brussels (October 9th) and is brought to a close with a special show at Brixton Academy (November 26th).  Fans lucky enough to have gotten hold of tickets will see Skin playing Ace’s Larrivee D-50E during the new song ‘Squander’.  Skin herself is also now the proud owner of a Larrivee D-05E.  Both models can be heard in all their glory on the iTunes only Acoustic releases of the new song ‘Because Of You’ and the smash hit single ‘Weak’.

“My Larrivee just sounds better and better everyday that I play it,” says Ace, “It has a beautiful dark body tone as well as a top end sparkle that puts the icing on the cake for me. From delicate soft passages to hard-hitting ringing chords, it delivers in all areas without choking or buzzing. The feel and action is superb and (it has) the most comfortable neck I have ever experienced on an acoustic guitar.  It has already become 'an old friend' and I look forward to a lifetime of songwriting, recording and travel with this beautiful instrument.  Skin is also just as pleased as myself and relishes the thought of the songwriting inspiration this new guitar will bring to her as we travel together and get into the studio for our new LP”.

Skin Pictured with her Larrive D-05E

For more information on Skunk Anansie go to:

http://www.skunkanansie.net/

For more information on Digitech Products go to:

http://www.soundtech.co.uk/digitech

For more information on Larrivee Guitars and to see videos of Skunk Anansie performing with Larrivee go to:

http://www.welovelarrivee.com