My Bloody Valentine frontman Kevin Shields announces limited edition Fender pedal
My Bloody Valentine frontman Kevin Shields has announced details of a new limited edition signature Fender fuzz pedal, named the Shields Blender Pedal.
The item is Fender’s first-ever signature fuzz pedal and has been four years in the making. Only 700 Shields Blender Pedals will be available to the general public and they are each priced at £449. Every pedal also arrives with “a limited print hand signed collector’s booklet telling the story of how this amazing collaboration came to be and a plaque bearing Shields’ signature.”
Shields says of the collaboration: “I really enjoyed the experience. I’ve been using it a lot recently in the studio, it’s been great, I’m looking forward to hearing how other people use it. It’s kind of pretty extreme but also very interesting when it’s set up in a subtle way.”
Stan Cotey, Vice President of R&D at Fender, added: “It is an absolute honour to collaborate with the legendary Kevin Shields on Fender’s inaugural signature fuzz pedal. Kevin’s unparalleled musicianship and visionary approach to guitar tones have redefined the boundaries of sonic exploration.”
Cotey continued: “His creative genius and passion for pushing the limits perfectly align with Fender’s commitment to innovation and delivering exceptional musical experiences. Together, we embark on an extraordinary journey, crafting a pedal that captures the essence of Kevin’s groundbreaking sound with vintage-inspired fuzz, octave-up and sub-octave options, combined with a truly unique sag circuit to harness controlled chaos like no other fuzz pedal – the most revolutionary fuzz design that we have ever developed, and specifically for Kevin’s musical vision.”
While My Bloody Valentine haven’t released an album in a decade, they continue to influence the current generation of artists. Arlo Parks, who recently released My Soft Machine, cited them as an inspiration on the LP, telling the BBC: “One of my favourite bands is My Bloody Valentine, and I bring a few more of those moments into My Soft Machine.”
She spoke of enjoying their “sense of absolute chaos, and you feel that your ears are falling off, but then there’s this real delicate quality to the lyrics. They’re really sensual and vulnerable, but alongside this wall of sound.”
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