M80, M81, M82 Dynamics Shine on Stage; Tube Condensers in Studio
Pictured on tour is Galactic bassist, producer, and vocalist Robert Mercurio with a TELEFUNKEN M81 for vocals and the M82 on his bass cab.
New Orleans, LA, February 2015 – Eclectic New Orleans funk band Galactic have embraced a variety of microphones from TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik for their stage and studio work. Blending funk and jazz with other genres, Galactic tours widely in support of their albums and often features such guest artists as Corey Glover, lead vocalist for Living Colour.
Galactic FOH engineer Ryan Jones commented, “Telekunken’s M80 dynamic is an extremely versatile transducer. It sounds great on anything I put in front of it, but I especially love using it on guitars and vocals. The M81 delivers a warm, rich midrange that is usually lost with other stage mics. The M82 is my new favorite baritone sax mic – its controlled reproduction of LFE is phenomenal.”
Originally formed in 1994, the group is comprised of guitarist Jeff Raines, bassist Robert Mercurio, drummer Stanton Moore, Hammond organist Rich Vogel, and saxophonist Ben Ellman.
Over the years, Galactic’s sound has evolved from organic New Orleans funk to a more modern style, incorporating elements of hip hop, electronica, fusion, and jazz. This change has been largely characterized by the increased use of electronic effects on guitar, bass, saxophone, and drums. Ben Ellman, saxophonist and harmonica player, often distorts his instruments to the degree that they sound similar to an electric guitar.
Bassist Robert Mercurio remarked on Galactic’s experience with TELEFUNKEN mics for studio recording, “Using the Telefunken mics in our studio has really opened up some great possibilities. The ELA M251 large diaphragm tube mic is such a great all around mic — we use it for vocals, horns, percussion, really whatever we can throw at it. The mic can handle all sorts of ranges and complexity of sounds.”
Galactic’s latest studio album is “Carnivale Electricos,” celebrating their own unique New Orleans Mardi Gras spirit. Their upcoming, as-yet-untitled album is scheduled for release Summer 2015, featuring guest vocalists Mavis Staples, Macy Gray, and JJ Grey, among others. http://galacticfunk.com/band