The Killing of a Flanger

Å. The Cure is playing at a coffeeshop where I'm working this morning. I love it. It takes me back. I once loved The Cure. But I had never noticed, until this morning, how much they relied on the flanger. Almost every song; flanged.

ß. I don't know where my flanger is. It was bright green. Vivid. Very 80s. Purchased in the 80s, in fact. I used to love hooking it up to my guitar, and stomping it. Peeeeeeeowwwwwwwweeeeeeepeeeeeeowwwwwwweeeeee. Who stole my flanger? Give it back.

Æ. You don't hear the flanger quite as much as you once did. I think it had its heyday at some point around 1988. When bands use it today, it sounds almost old-fashioned.

Œ. I used to read Guitar Player, quite a bit. There was no reason for this. But let's forget that. I remember reading an article about the Black Crowes in Guitar Player. Now, I understand how hard it is to write something original on the same subject for a magazine every month--how do you think I earn my living? But this article, a brief 250 or so word intro/profile, contained the single most cringe-worthy line in any magazine artice I've ever read. I remember it verbatim today, sixteen or however-many years later.

Ω. "Hand these guys a flanger, and they might punch you in the face!"