Waxx and his new Epiphone Waxx Nighthawk Studio.
Download images, credit Epiphone: HERE.
Watch/share the interview with Waxx: HERE.
NASHVILLE, TN (January 16, 2024) For over 150 years, Epiphone has been a leading innovator in instrument design. By leveraging its iconic past and leaning into the future, Epiphone has set the stage for the next era of sound for present and future generations. Epiphone is proud to announce it has partnered with the influential French musician, guitarist, producer, and radio host, Waxx, to create his first ever signature guitar, the Waxx Nighthawk™ Studio. The Epiphone Waxx Nighthawk™ Studio is now available exclusively in the EU, at authorized Epiphone dealers, and on https://www.epiphone.com/en-US/Page/WaxxNighthawkStudio.
The French musician Waxx is an artist, producer, and social media influencer with over a million followers, but first and foremost, he is a guitarist, and the guitar is at the center of nearly everything he does. This exciting new Waxx Nighthawk™ Studio was inspired by Waxx’s own iconic Gibson Nighthawk guitar and features a mahogany body and neck, an Indian laurel fretboard, a GraphTech® nut, and a string-through-body hardtail Nighthawk bridge. A Waxx logo adorns the rear of the headstock, and another is engraved on the truss rod cover. A blank truss rod cover and Waxx approved vinyl clingstickers are also included. A pair of Epiphone ProBucker humbucker™ pickups power the Waxx Nighthawk studio and a push/pull master tone control allows for coil splitting of both pickups when desired for even more tonal flexibility. The Epiphone Waxx Nighthawk™ Studio is finished in a stunning Pelham Blue and comes with a hardshell guitar case made with a protective plush lining, and equipped with durable latches, an accessory compartment, and comfortable handles, this included case will provide years of protection for the instrument.
"Making this guitar with the Gibson and Epiphone team has been one of the greatest adventures of my life,” says WAXX. “To have a signature is already an unimaginable honor, but to do it with this dream-team is beyond a dream. All my love of music is concentrated in this instrument."
“To work with WAXX on this project has been an absolute joy for us,” says Lee Bartram, Head of Commercial, Marketing and Cultural Influence EMEA at Gibson Brands. “The enthusiasm by the artist has been contagious and felt not only in France, but globally through the organization, congratulations to WAXX on what is a very cool signature model.”
Explore the new Waxx Nighthawk Studio from Epiphone, HERE.
Watch and share the new interview with Waxx as he takes viewers into his music influences and motivations on Epiphone.com, HERE.
Click on the image above to play and share the interview with Waxx in French with English subtitles.
Waxx and his new Epiphone Waxx Nighthawk Studio.
Epiphone Waxx Nighthawk Studio
Benjamin Hekimian, who goes by the name Waxx, is a French rock singer-guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and radio host of Armenian heritage who is best known globally as a guitarist, and a music influencer via his channel Le Comité des Reprises (The Covers Committee), with PV Nova. Waxx with Naosol, and PV Nova gained global attention and had major music artists such as Sting, Will.I.Am, Vianney, Artic Monkeys, Oxmo Puccino, and many more on the DailyMotion Canal + music performance series. Of the series Waxx says, “I'm not a youtuber. It wasn't an end in itself, it was a great way of getting our music out to as many people as possible.”
Starting out as a bassist in a hardcore band at the age of 12, Waxx played in dozens of bands before releasing an album ‘1968’ in 2009 with Naosol as part of Naosol and the Waxx Blend, followed by the album ‘Game Over’ in 2012 on the Kapriel Record label -Waxx's first label with EMI. Amongst other projects during this period, he and Stoner formed the group Scale in 2009, a skillful blend of hip-hop and rock. In 2010, with Damien Bertelle and Matthieu Joly, they also formed the indie band Wolfpack Beartrack on the Kitsuné label.
Waxx has no predefined boundaries or genres and says, "it's passion that guides me above all else.". This is borne out by the artists with whom he collaborated on albums during the 2010s: Ben L'oncle Soul, Pomme, LEJ and rapper Georgio. In 2017, Universal Music Group, with whom he worked mainly as a producer for these artists, offered him to record a solo album, Fantôme. Waxx is also a renowned soundtrack producer including three original soundtracks including Alex Lutz's show “Kinder,” and for Mathieu Madenian's first one-man show, as well as and for the film Boutchou, released in 2020 in collaboration with C. Cole.
In 2019, Waxx continued his YouTube series creation with Fanzine. "Initially, it was Matthieu Joly from Neïmo, who was my sidekick when I was making albums, who wanted to form a duo. Then he wanted a third person. That's how C. Cole came about. When Mathieu left, we continued together.” And so, Fanzine was born, with the duo accompanied by guests (Juliette Armanet, -M-, Médine, Lous and the Yakuza, Biga Ranx, Julien Doré) and covering tracks by other artists. In 2023, Fanzine released release of ‘Lithium’ on Sony Music, a ten-track album that sounds like a culmination of the fusion between rock and rap. Alongside his many projects, since 2021 the Waxx has hosted Foudre on RTL2 every Sunday evening from 7 to 8pm.
Since his early days Waxx has built up a strong bond with his fans, he says "I've always been close to the people who follow me. I can't answer everyone these days, but I've got a really strong relationship with them.” On his Twitter feed, Waxx recounts anecdotes about the great musicians he cherishes - from the Bowie/Mercury collaboration to the musical impact of Nirvana. It was only logical that he should host his show on RTL 2. In July 2023, Waxx performed at the Francofolies festival, where he invited Ben Mazué, Barbara Pravi, Adé, Ibeyi, November Ultra, Maëlle, Mat Bastard, A2H and Safia Nolin to play with him the 'trigger' songs that changed their lives.
Waxx is also a huge basketball fan, particularly of the Detroit Pistons, and had the honour of playing the French national anthem, “la Marseillaise” at the Accor Hotel Arena for the Milwaukee Bucks vs Charlotte Hornets game, the first official NBA game to be played in France. Also at the Accor Hotel Arena, Waxx played to introduce Novak Djokovic at the final of the Rolex Masters Tournament in November 2022.
Check out the new Waxx Nighthawk Studio from Epiphone:
Epiphone Waxx Nighthawk Studio
Epiphone Waxx Nighthawk Studio front headstock.
Epiphone Waxx Nighthawk Studio rear headstock.
Epiphone Waxx Nighthawk Studio included case candy.
Waxx:
X | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | SPOTIFY | YOUTUBE
Epiphone:
EPIPHONE.COM | X | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE
Gibson:
GIBSON.COM | X | IG | FB | GIBSON APP | GIBSON GARAGE | GIBSON TV
Kramer:
KRAMERGUITARS.COM | X | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE
MESA/Boogie:
MESABOOGIE.COM | X | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK
KRK:
KRKMUSIC.COM | X | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE
Maestro:
MAESTROELECTRONICS.COM | @MAESTROELECTRONICS
About Epiphone:
For over 150 years, Epiphone has been a leading innovator in instrument design with models like the Casino, the Texan, and Masterbilt Century Archtop Collection. Epiphone began as the "House of Stathopoulo" family business in Sparta in the 1870s and rose to fame during the jazz age in Manhattan before joining Gibson brands in 1957. Today, Epiphone continues to make history from its headquarters in Nashville, TN. Epiphones have powered classic recordings by Les Paul, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones along with today's top artists like Peter Frampton, Gary Clark Jr., Tommy Thayer of KISS, and Lzzy Hale. Epiphone offers innovation, history, and a lifetime guarantee. Whether you are learning your first song in your bedroom, or rocking an arena, Epiphone has always been there, for everyone, for every generation, for every stage. For more information, visit: Epiphone.com and follow us on X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
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