Ax Facts & Stats, vol. 49: Fair To Midland's Cliff Campbell

By Dave B. Roberts (copyright Extreme Guitars & On Tour Online)

Welcome to another edition of Extreme Guitars’ Ax Facts & Stats. I am thrilled to have guitarist Cliff Campbell from Fair To Midland take part in our usual set of unusual questions.

If you have not yet heard of FTM, you will. The quintet Founded in 1998 and hails from the quiet farm town of Sulphur Springs, Texas and has a unique, distinct and refreshing sound that combines numerous subgenres into something that's unified, powerfully focused, and in a bold new category all its own. . "For the most part, our musical tastes are completely different," vocalist Darroth Sudderth lightheartedly explains. "We've just gotten better at listening to each other over the years. All of our songs are just us trying to find a happy medium between what everyone in the band listens to—and I think that actually being able to do that is what makes us so different from a lot of other 'prog rock' bands today." Be sure to check out Fair To Midland’s myspace at myspace.com/fairtomidland and get their Fables From a Mayfly - In stores June 12! Now onto Cliff Campbell.

My name is:
  • Cliff Campbell

    Myself Described in 5 words:
  • bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

    My current job is:
  • Songwriting

    My hometown:
  • Sulphur Springs, TX

    My current album or project is:
  • Fables From a Mayfly.

    Former bands:
  • None.

    The guitars I use are:
  • PRS McCarty, 61’ Reissue SG.

    The strings and tunings I use are:
  • D’Addario – we use I use our own tuning.

    My current rig setup consists of:
  • Naylor Dual 60 Head, Marshall MOD4 Cab.

    My normal songwriting process consists of:
  • Driving long distances in the RV with no music on for beginning melody. Track it down with acoustic on off days.

    My all-time favorite guitar solo is:
  • Gilmour – Comfortably Numb

    My all-time favorite song is:
  • Green Day's "On with the Show"

    Career highlight thus far is:
  • Railhead Saloon, Lawton, OK

    Favorite song from our band is:
  • Upgrade Brigade.

    Favorite toy growing up:
  • GI-Joe.

    Most embarrassing moment on stage:
  • Probably taking my shirt off in Detroit and having people yell put it back on. That was pretty cool.

    Other than my guitar, the one piece of my gear that I cannot live without is:
  • my Tube Screamer

    The first song I ever mastered on guitar:
  • Smoke on the Water (Deep Purple)

    My first guitar was:
  • Gremlin

    If I am only sure of one thing in life, it’s:
  • Dr Pepper.

    The one ritual I always perform prior to going on stage is:
  • tuning my guitar and strapping it around my shoulder.

    The worst question ever asked in an interview:
  • “Do you have any pre-show rituals?”

    The first thing I do when I come home from touring is:
  • Eat a chicken fried steak

    The exact moment I knew I would pursue a career in music was:
  • music was: Chauncie's, Greenville, TX 1999.

    The one thing most fans don't know about me is:
  • I stand up to wipe my ass.

    The best advice I could give beginning guitarists:
  • if you can't beat 'em ... scrotum

    CD(s) I'm listening to right now:
  • Cd player ain't-a-workin' in the 'ol RV.

    Favorite new artist:
  • There is this amazing new band I just found named Pink Floyd

    Guilty pleasure artist:
  • Emilio Estevez

    My 3 all-time favorite albums:
  • 1.A Chipmunk Christams
  • 2.The Simpson's Soundtrack
  • 3.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Soundtrack. (Go Ninja!Go Ninja!Go! TMNT!)

    Best Gig:
  • Nokia Times Square /w Dir En Grey or The Metro in Chicago /w Alice in Chains.

    Favorite junk food:
  • Wendy’s

    Previous or first day job:
  • Hotel Clerk

    The word or catch phrase I say too much is:
  • you know what I'm sayin'. Working on deleting that from my vocabulary.

    Right after this interview I'm going to:
  • Take a Taco Bell dump.

    I couldn't imagine being on the road without:
  • my Ovaltine

    If I wasn't doing the musician thing, I could really see myself working as:
  • A Truck Driver

    Favorite movie:
  • Flight of the Navigator

    My first band was:
  • Fair To Midland Check out our Website at:
  • www.fairtomidland.com

    The one musician I would love to work with that I have not yet had the chance would be:
  • George Michael

    If I could have three wishes, they would be:
  • 1. I wish I was a little bit taller
  • 2. I wish I was a baller
  • 3. I wish I had a girl who looked good. I would call her.

    When it's all said and done, I want the world to remember me for:
  • My body

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    Copyright 2007 Dave B. Roberts & www.extremeguitars.com & OnTourOnline.com is the web home of articles and interviews written by Dave Roberts. All Dave Roberts interviews & articles are available for use or FREE reprint ONLY by Permission and proper credits. Permission can be obtained by contacting dave@extremeguitars.com. All materials are Copyright 2004 Dave Roberts and On Tour Ent., All Rights Reserved.