Fueling the Chicago Blues Revival with GA-20

GA-20 is a musical group inspired by the sound of classic Chicago blues. Formed in Massachusetts in 2018 and named after the tube amp introduced in 1950 by Gibson.

GA-20 currently consists of Matthew Stubbs (guitar and producer), Pat Faherty (vocals and guitar) and drummer Tim Carman. While steeped in the Chicago blues of the 1950s and 60s, the band’s sound is resplendent with deliciously vintage guitar and amp tones, thundering drums, and vocals all bathed in overdrive, roomy texture and splashed with wonderfully metallic spring reverb.

Their latest album, Crackdown (Colemine Records 2022), expands on their core sound, adding classic rockabilly balladry, pre-psychedelic San Francisco blues, surf twang and a gently modern edge. The album was tracked live and “old-school” style at Q Division Studios in Somerville, Massachusetts, by Matthew Beaudoin and mixed in the box by Pat DiCenso. Matthew Stubbs produced the album, and he and Matthew and Pat sat down with us for a master class on vintage blues production.