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GT Stringer.
 GT Stringer have been producing their own brand of spaced out instrumental music for close to nine years now. The imminent release of their fifth album 'Boobytrap' sees the band delving deeper into electronic experiments while retaining their ever present sense of humour.
"We went through the material from the last couple of albums when we had a full time keyboard player and then when we went back to a four piece. I'd started playing the theremin and we've sort of developed a bit more of a tougher sound on this album, a bit more of a harder edge. I suppose it gave us a little more room to move, allowing us a few more moments," explains Trevor Ramsey, who plays baritone and tenor sax as well as the theremin for the group.
Now comprised of guitar, bass, drums, and sax among a range of weird and wonderful instruments and electronic effects, Trevor is content with the current line up. "Without being derogatory to keyboard players, it opens things up a bit more. I suppose you go through a process with a band when having had certain members leave you rediscover certain sounds when you do it again up on stage."
With 'Boobytrap' GT Stringer have tried to stay as true to live performances as possible. "We have thrown a few keys into this recording and a few other instruments as well, like the Stylophone. It's an instrument Rolf Harris made famous back in the early 'seventies. It's like a little electronic organ, made with a metal key plate, it has a very harsh organ sound, very electronic." Added to this are a Hammond and Toccatta organ, sitar and tabla and you have a very eclectic mix, which reflects the band's ideals.
"We're interested in a lot of electronic sounds, mixing it to an ensemble like sound as well. The theremin and air fx go through other effects as well. I think all of us are looking to add on a live electronic component to our sound. Jimmy [Redgate], our guitarist, plays a lot of electronic effects as well. I wouldn't say that we're an electronic band but being able to play like that gives it a bit more colour."
While having previously toured to Melbourne and supported The Atlantics on an east coast tour they would like to tour more of the east coast to tap in to the surf culture up there. Their eyes are also set further afield. "We'd like to get to Japan at some pointing the future, they seem to be a bit more accepting of things that are eccentric. We all grew up listening to Link Wray and Dwayne Eddy and we all surf and that's all pretty well ingrained in that surf culture down there. We've been getting quite a few gigs down south lately around Christies Beach and Noarlunga, that's been great, we've even managed to get in a surf at the same time!"
Blake Lewis
 | GT Stringer launch 'Boobytrap' at the Wheatsheaf on Sat 19 March. |
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