At Seymour Duncan, we are all about the players and their quest for the right sound. For every band that has achieved critical mass, there are thousands more who are putting in their dues at local bars and coffee shops. Seymour Duncan Underground is a new continuing series to showcase unique musicians and bands that have not quite reached the mainstream. Today, we sit down with the members of Immune.

Immune

Immune is Rob Shulze (vocals/guitar), Drew Worsley (bass/vocals), Mike Longworth (lead guitar/vocals) and Johnny Skaare (drums).
How did you get started playing guitar?
Rob: “My mom bought me my first guitar on the last day of school in 8th grade. I had a close friend who had started playing guitar and I was extremely envious, so I followed suit. I had a great first teacher, an incredibly talented stoner who really made learning guitar a lot of fun. My first guitar was an Ibanez Explorer with three humbuckers – I believe one of the guys in Def Leppard (not sure if it was Phil or Steve) used to play something similar.”

Mike: “I saw the movie Crossroads years ago, and Steve Vai was so badass in that movie that I had to learn to play guitar.”
Drew: “I was a singer in a band that could never find or keep a bass player, so I decided to just play bass myself. I loved it so much I never stopped and have played bass in many bands since then.”

Tell us about your band Immune and your music.
Rob: “Immune started as a trio in Providence, RI when Rob moved there after attending Berklee College of Music in Boston. The band went through a few lineup changes before deciding to head for Los Angeles. Mike and Johnny were already living in L.A. and they had played together with Rob in a different band on the east coast, so when we needed to replace our drummer and lead guitarist it worked out perfectly. Drew is originally from Virginia and was introduced to us by a promoter. He was the first person we called when it was time to find a new bassist. Our sound has developed as a result of a lot of rehearsals, shows, and plenty of trial and error. We each have different influences and different bands we like but we are all on the same page as far as wanting to write great songs while creating a unique sound and style. L.A. has been great to us so far – the weather is amazing and as a band in L.A. you are surrounded by some of the best and most famous venues in the world. There is a lot of competition in this city and it helps to motivate and inspire us. You also never know who you might meet and be able to network with because so many musicians, producers and other industry types live here.”

What kind of gear do you use and what kind of tone do you find yourself trying to achieve?
Rob: “I play two Mexican Strat reissues which have both been retrofitted with Seymour Duncan Hot Rails, a PRS SE, and an ESP EC-10 through a VHT Deliverance 120 hooked up to a variety of different speaker cabinets.”

Mike: “I love the sound of a great tube amp! I’ve been using a Framus Dragon for about 5 years, but recently I picked up a Line 6 DT50 amp and I love it! With guitars, I stay pretty standard. I have a couple Les Pauls and a Tele. I also just got a great guitar custom made by Joe Bochar Guitars. I’m a big fan of P90’s (Rob is too!) and in one Les Paul I use a Seymour Duncan Phat Cat.”
Drew: “I play a Fender Precision bass through an Eden World Tour 800 head with 2×10 and 2×15 cabinets. I also use a SansAmp Bass Driver DI pedal for some distortion. I’m all about bass tone that you can feel so deep in your chest that it is almost uncomfortable but beautiful at the same time.”

What bands and musicians have personally inspired you?
Rob: “John Fogerty, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, U2, Linkin Park and Avenged Sevenfold.”
Mike: “These days bands like Jimmy Eat World, Angels And Airwaves, Opeth and A Day To Remember have been playing a lot in my iPod. As far as individual musicians, I love listening and watching many different guitarists and drummers like Alex Skolnick, Steve Vai, Thomas Lang, and my favorite – Paul Gilbert!”

Drew: “Kings X, Doug Pinnick, Faith No More, Soundgarden, Living Colour, Helmet, Sevendust, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson and Howlin’ Wolf.”
What defines a “good performance” for you?
Rob: “A feeling that we’ve blown the crowd away, given them more than they expected, or “won over” a hostile crowd (we managed to survive and actually thrive when we played at Ozzfest, Mayhem Fest and with Infectious Grooves – it was encouraging to be able to impress fans at shows like that). Crowd response trumps personal opinion. I’d rather play an imperfect show and get a great response than play a perfect show to a dead or disinterested audience.”
Mike: “It’s an all around thing for me. Good sound, good lights, good gear and a good look. If that all comes together, it makes for a good performance. Also, making eye contact and staying personal with the crowd is very important to a good show. Did I also mention great songs?”
Drew: “It’s all about having a good time and feeling confident in what you’re doing.”
For more information on Immune visit:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Immune/309731665421
http://www.myspace.com/immunerock
http://www.twitter.com/immunerock
http://www.youtube.com/immuneca