Pop rockers Paramore have embraced TELEFUNKEN dynamic microphones for their sold-out international concert tours. The band has released their fifth studio album “After Laughter”, and as their sound has evolved, so has their mic selection. TELEFUNKEN mics have become the centerpiece in this evolution.
Now on tour in Asia, TELEFUNKEN microphones cover the drum kit with the M82 on kick, M80-SH’s on snare top and bottom, and M81-SH’s on rack and floor toms. “The M80’s on snare top and bottom is the best combination I have ever used,” says Will Markwell, FOH engineer during Paramore’s “After Laughter” era. “Ten out of ten would use it again.”
The M82 dynamic mic is used again to capture Paramore’s bass mic tone, which comes from a vintage Sunn 2000s bass amp and Sunn 2 x 15″. Guitarist Taylor York likes a very clean setup to his onstage cabs, and is very particular about his guitar tone. After exploring a lot of different mic options, the best combination of tone and look were 3 M80-SH’s on Z bars to capture three distinct amp sounds.
Lead vocalist Hayley Williams previously had been basically on one microphone for her whole career, which already spans over a decade with Paramore. Historically, her microphone iconically matched her ever changing fiery hair color, but the “After Laughter” era brought another huge change to the Paramore live show. “From the first moment she sang into the TELEFUNKEN M80 she loved it,” states long time Paramore monitor engineer Travis Bing. “Its vividly transparent to her actual voice. What she puts in, she gets out with imperative clarity, which in turn makes my life so much easier.” Hayley currently uses a TELEFUNKEN M80 with a matte black finish and gold head grill. “No need to put tape all over this beauty.”
Monitor tech Schyler Blackman, the workhorse behind all items related to Paramore’s stage audio, can attest to the durability of TELEFUNKEN microphones. “These mics patch very smoothly. The set screws don’t come out unlike other lesser quality mics.” Fans can find Schyler at every Paramore stage untangling cables for the energetic lead singer.
Paramore, formed in Nashville in 2004, released its debut album “All We Know Is Falling” in 2005, with the album reaching number four on the UK Rock Chart in 2009 and number thirty on Billboard’s Heatseekers Chart in 2006. The band’s second album, “Riot!”, was released in 2007 and was certified Platinum in the US. They then received a Best New Artist nomination at the 2008 Grammy Awards. Their 2009 follow-up, “Brand New Eyes”, is the band’s second-highest charting album to date, landing at number two on the Billboard 200 with 175,000 first week sales.
Paramore released their self-titled fourth album in 2013, garnering their first career number-one on the US Billboard 200 and was also the number one album in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. It included the singles “Still Into You” and “Ain’t It Fun”, with the latter winning the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song, making it Paramore’s first Grammy win.
Paramore returns home to perform in Nashville, September 7. http://www.paramore.net/
ABOUT TELEFUNKEN
TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik strives for absolute perfection. By offering historic recreations of classic microphones alongside their own proprietary designs based around the distinctive tube mic sound, TELEFUNKEN has established a product line that expertly combines vintage style and sound with the reliability of a modern-day microphone design. TELEFUNKEN’s commitment to both the sonic excellence and quality of all of their products is rivaled only by their dedication to provide the best possible service to their customers. http://www.telefunken-elektroakustik.com
