Around 1999, Noel began incorporating Clark Tyger amps into his live rig. These amps were used well into the 2000s and were a prominent part of his setup during the Standing on the Shoulder of Giants live tour (however, most likely they were not used during studio sessions). Notably, the Clark Tyger was seen during Oasis’s iconic gig at Wembley Stadium, London, on July 21, 2000, which was later released as Familiar to Millions.
Noel usually had two Clark Tygers on stage, both sitting on a Marshall 4×12 cabinet. Most likely, one of the amps was connected to the cabinet to achieve a bigger, fuller sound with more projection than the combo’s single 12″ speaker can offer.
I’m using Clark amps — they’re made by a guy in America. Spike [Stent, Giants co-producer] downloaded the information from the Internet, and I was intrigued by Clark’s claim that he could replicate any tweed Fender, but with sturdy hardware so that they don’t rattle around on tour. We couldn’t try one out beforehand — because he only makes the amps to order — so we took a gamble and sent him some money. Four months later, this amp turns up at our rehearsal studio. We plug it in, and it sounds five times better than my Bandmaster! I don’t know what this guy does, but he’s a genius.
It’s a Tyger, which is based on a late-model tweed Bandmaster. Spike ordered a replica of a ’59 tweed Deluxe which Clark calls the Beaufort.
Noel Gallagher – Guitar Player.com – 2000
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