Extin Reckless, Punk rooted in reggae. Growing up in her reggae scene, Xtine Reckless knew from an early age that music and entertainment would be her calling. Her mother, Frances Fulwood, is a poet and real-life housewife. Her father was legendary Jamaican musician (bass) George “Flurley” Fulwood (Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Soul Syndicate, and most recently Ringo Starr), so Xtine knew the big shoes she had to fill. but it was not the same. genre. In fact, punk rock called her name. A native of California, Xtine was drawn to her sound of edgy, fast punk from her California bands such as Op Ivy, Rancid and Narcoleptic Youth. At the first strum of an electric guitar, the HELLRAISER was born, pure and true! Inheriting her father’s charisma and blood music, her Xtine followed in her father’s footsteps and dedicated her music to her life. Xtine picked up the guitar when she was a child, with a few lessons, a lot of self-determination, and the ability to learn by natural ear. She joined several bands and started traveling. In the course of growing as an artist, she has received musical contributions from bands such as Saves The Day, Thursday, Tori Amos, Jimmy Eat World, Taking Back Sunday, My Chemical Romance, The Distillers, Armor for Sleep, The Lunachicks and From First To Last. Affected. Denied, drive-ins, almost… the list goes on.
In addition to playing guitar, Xtine is also an IMDB certified actress, music engineer, videographer and songwriter, most recently in the bands Bullets and Octane.
When it comes to Xtine’s sound, she effortlessly layers guitars to create melodic-heavy post-punk alternative tunes with delightful pop overtones and moody, melodic hook-laden leads. In her clever lyrics, she mixes personal, social, political and fictional content to paint moody images. Blending technically proficient riffs with tasteful layers of her guitar and vocals (no mud here), you can’t help but tap her feet and sing along. Xtine’s voice is strong and has a wide range. Her roars and meows will grab your attention. Then she immediately sings sweetly to you and shouts in your face. Xtine demonstrates her stage presence and charisma that cannot be ignored. She immerses herself in the performance, dancing on tables, climbing bars and gliding across the stage. She makes eye contact with the audience, not knowing where or what she will do next. The Xtine Reckless provides many exciting elements to any performance. Like a trance, your eyes are glued to her every move.
A strong advocate for women, LGBTQ+ and POC, Xtine is powering this new female rock revolution! She aspires to be a voice for young women and female-identified musicians everywhere . Rock music lacks representation of female color, and Xtine helps fill that gap. You can find her Xtine on the Gritty In Pink platform promoting female empowerment and co-hosting and running events for the women’s only music community.
In 2017, Xtine joined Greek band Barb Wire Dolls on their US tour. While part of that group, Xtine met bassist She wa Rie Li Rebel (Iriel). The two teamed up with drummer Major Jett (Janet) to form Xtine & The Reckless Hearts. Xtine writes music for the band and describes them as Joan Jett and Blackhearts type situations, but My Chemical Romance’s sound meets The Lunatics and has its roots in Y2K post-punk, but It has nostalgic elements of early/mid 90’s punk alternative. You get a melody with heavy guitars and cougar screams. Xtine & The Reckless Hearts lives up to its name. Shortly after forming her Reckless Hearts band with Xtine, they recorded her first single, “Dead Weight,” with her Xtine’s longtime musical hero, Tim “Timebomb” Armstrong (Rancid). given the opportunity to It was revealed to her Xtine by Tim that her father Hulu was one of his favorite bass players. The worlds of reggae and punk have been intertwined since the beginning. Reggae’s political lyrical content and punk’s defiant freedom work well together.
Xtine’s professional interests center around playing guitar, recording with her band, and acting. In the summer of 2022, Xtine’s band will embark on its first headlining tour in the UK, releasing its first single ‘Dead Weight’, making all music streaming available on her platforms, Gibson USA and Get’ Got a new endorsement from m Get’m. strap. This winter, Xtine and her band head to the studio to record her first EP.
Xtine continues to build her performance portfolio with more music, acting and writing. She has written her graphic novel about her own band. A world of immersive music, follow us for more about her and the band, along with upcoming tour dates. A story performer you can’t miss!
What is your definition of tone and how has it changed over the years?
For me, the tone hasn’t changed much over the years. I love solid, loud, warm fat yet crisp tones.Rejected album guitar tone The shape of the coming punk It’s the ideal guitar tone for me. Also, the band The Dead Love — their tone is insanely killer! I actually screamed in the car the first time I heard their music. Their guitar tone is killer!!! It’s the perfect blend of plumpness, heft and warmth, but all the notes come through. Instead of a muddy or distorted sound, you’ll end up with a muddy mixed mix. Tone perfect. All the highs sound meaty and tough, but not like metal tones. It’s just pure rock’n’roll, but it’s crack (laughs). I love loud, fast guitars, so I’m looking for a solid, big, warm, cutting tone. I like the melody, so I want to hear the sharpness of the lead guitar, but it doesn’t overwhelm me. I like adding lots of sustain, soft reverb or delay to my leads. I think the mix with the fleshy rhythm is well-balanced and harmonious. Jimmy Eat World is another great tone rad band. Fred’s guitar tone on Taking Back Sunday is also great and I admire it. For me, the guitar wasn’t about how fast you could play or how flashy it was. It’s about expressions. The guitar is like a second voice for me. It helps you draw the picture you want to draw with music. Each instrument or part is a color. Ultimately, all these layers are combined to create a mood. The tone of the guitar helps set that mood.
What guitars, amps and pedals are you currently using and why?
Currently I use a Gibson SG standard and a custom “no name” version with a P90. I actually love it!! Haha. My real his Gibson SG is what I use for all my recordings. It’s super lightweight yet offers a beautiful warm tone. The neck is a fat 50’s neck and I like the original stock his pickups. Unlike most SGs, I haven’t had to worry about tone or feedback issues or guitar weight/balance issues from what I’ve been told by people who have guitars. It’s my dream guitar.
The head uses an old original Soldano made by Mike Soldano himself. It has a pretty cool backstory. It was passed to a Wasp guitarist, who then passed it on to a friend of mine who passed it on to me, all through a handshake deal. I can’t sell it, so I’ll give it to another guitarist when I’m done using it. Please keep the music going. Also, what’s great about Soldano is that he’s literally 11 (laughs). I also have his early 2000’s Mesa Boogie Dual Rec. Both are used with either the Soldano 4×12 or the extended Mesa 4×12 tilting cabinet. I like the Soldano heads a bit more than the Mesa because they are much better without sounding digital or too “metallic”. Unlike my mesa, it can exceed 1 (laughs). As for the pedals…not anymore, but I used to have a Line 6 DL4. I also love Earthquaker pedals. Delay, boost and tripped out fx are the sounds I want in a pedal.
what about strings?
My current strings are D’Addario and Ernie Ball medium top, heavy bottom .11 gauge strings. I like thicker strings. I play drop C#, so the heavy strings help me stay in tune. Also, the tuning compliments my vocal range. Heavier string gauges also work very well with my Gibson SG. It’s already a warm guitar, so the strings make it sound even warmer and heavier.
Do you have a favorite recording technique in the studio?
Hmmm… I always double everything! Click to play anytime! I generally pick what sounds best and best fits the song. Whether you use the preamp by plugging directly into the board or plugging the amp into a mic for true tone.
How do you keep your sound consistent on stage?
After years of searching for tones and dialing in different amps, I think I’ve found a tone I like and a way to approach it. It also helps to use the same gear every time. Once I find the sound I’m looking for, I think I’ll remember to search for it every time for consistency. Once you’ve learned and adjusted and done that a few times that the tone can change depending on room size and crowd size, you’ll get the hang of it.
I prefer the mids to be in the middle position and the bass to be louder than the treble. I am constantly increasing my presence. I like building feedback on my sound. And the gain is usually cranked. I heard the From First To Last record (self-titled in 2008) a few years back and fell in love with the super high gain tones. It’s like an industrial tone. Single notation, just like his 90’s. Since then I love the sound and try to emulate it and mix it a bit.
What does your practice consist of?
Well, I practice with my band every week, so we’re all catching up together. Also, I can work on new material. Most of the time, I’m always recording new songs to keep my guitar chops if I’m not at home alone reviewing sets. In fact, writing helps you keep up with your playing and stay consistently creative by challenging yourself with different ideas. I’ve never been very keen on strict practices and my attention span isn’t the best, I’ll admit. It also allows me to apply different techniques I’ve learned each time I write a new song, so I’m not always stuck in my creative his box. Recording is a great way to hear yourself. Play back what you track and hear the notes in action. It’s hard when you’re focused, so recording a song and playing it back allows you to step back and listen to what you’re doing and grow from there. Recording has helped me grow not only as a guitarist, but also as a songwriter and engineer.
What was your favorite guitar riff or lick that inspired you to play guitar?
The guitar riff that inspired me was… well, I think it must be Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance.” I was only a kid, but when I heard that guitar hook, I was hooked. Also, Tom Petty’s tone was wonderful. I’ve always loved his guitar parts, his warm, heavy rhythms beautifully balanced with beautiful melodious lead riffs that express the sad cacophony that draws you in. I also love At The Drive-In’s command relationship. There are some beautiful and really cool guitar riffs that I admired growing up.
What advice would you give to young women who want to work in the music industry?
Don’t listen to the naysayers! be yourself! Don’t try to keep up with the crowd. Be authentic. be patient. Grow with the process. Don’t think it’s too late. Be grateful and humble. Have empathy and treat others the way you want to be treated. This life is short and this industry is small. kill with kindness never say never! Don’t retreat from your vision. Never compromise your vision or dreams. You are all powerful! Never underestimate someone with motivation, goals, drive and an unstoppable imagination. Don’t let the rat race eat you! Stay focused and you will win. And remember, while some people don’t like what you’re creating, some people love it!
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