Spotlight: Bec Sandridge

BEC SANDRIDGE

HAILS FROM: Dharawal Land/Illawarra, NSW
PLAYS: Solo
SOUNDS LIKE: Fuzz-filled glitter-pop, circa 1984
LATEST DROP: Lost Dog (EP out now independently)

What’s your current go-to guitar?
A blue Yamaha Revstar – it’s just a real wee pocket rocket and gets the job done. Also looks pretty slick.

How did you initially fall in love with the instrument?
Before this gal, I was a Tele person all the way. The Revstar is super versatile. I can kinda fling through my entire set with this gal with no problems – from the cleaner, more ‘80s tracks, to the fuzzier numbers. My first ever guitar was a shitty blue acoustic I bought off eBay. I remember bidding on it, hoping that I’d win. It was a no-brand piece of garbage, but I just fell in love with it…

What inspires you as a player?
I love Leslie Feist’s playing. I think she’s so underrated. She manages to play really beautiful lines on parlour guitars and make them gross, which I love. And a lot of the time, she plays lead and rhythm simultaneously, which is something I try to do a lot of the time live. 

Are you much of a gear nerd?
I am to be honest. Especially during lockdown, I acquired so much stuff. I’m really into this Electro-Harmonix Q-Tron pedal I got. It’s great for squashed, rubbery disco guitars… But it’s huge, so I haven’t found room for it on my pedalboard. It’s more for at-home recording and “playing” about, I guess… Something I’ve also revisited is my Frantone Cream Puff fuzz pedal – so cute looking, but tough as guts. My Aleks K Hot Ice is getting a rinsing, too. Its like a classic ‘70s cock-rock pedal, hand-made in Canada. I first heard it on Haim’s record and fell in love with it. So many things!

Do you have any ‘white whales’?
I’d love a Flying V. 

What would your signature model look like?
Flying V, P-90s, black with fluorescent yellow racing stripes. 

If you could jam with any guitarist, dead or alive...
Feist – ‘My Moon My Man’.