BC-RICH.COM: Which models did you have?
MARA FOX: I had a pink Bitch and a white Ironbird Bass that were more or less off the rack, but they made me one guitar which I love and it's still my main guitar - I want to be buried with it, it's perfect. It's a pearl white Warlock made exactly to my specs. I use it live and in the studio. My second live guitar is an early scalloped neck Anderson, and my second studio guitar is a souped up Fender Telecaster. I also have several other great guitars Wayne Charvel made me when he was over at Gibson, and then later when he restarted his own guitar company, WRC.
 

BC-RICH.COM: What was your main guitar?
MARA FOX: My Warlock, it still is.
 

BC-RICH.COM: Did you have total control of the spec of your guitars and if so what were the specs?
MARA FOX: Yes. I was introduced to legendary guitar-maker Wayne Charvel who was designing for B.C. Rich at the time. He told me to bring in a neck that I liked and he measured it with this little device made up of pins that got the exact measurements and curvature of the back of the neck. I asked for a very wide, flat neck with jumbo frets. I wanted a neck-thru, not a bolt on. It had to be relatively light, and perfectly balanced. I also wanted NO superfluous electronics in it at all. I said, "One pickup, one knob, that's it." They fought me on that for months. They had all these bodies and templates for guitars with a million holes in them. Because I wanted a completely clean face, not even a pick guard, Wayne had to build mine by hand from scratch - it's a one-of-a-kind. Even the paint job was a pain for them, it's pearl white, supposedly hard to get right. They wanted to repaint it but I refused to ever let it out of my hands again, so it has one little discoloration on the back of the neck that they said was somebody's fingerprint.
 

BC-RICH.COM: Do you still use BC Rich guitars?
MARA FOX: Yup.
 

BC-RICH.COM: Any funny stories?
MARA FOX: Oh, definitely, but ya know, I don't think I can share them. One involves Lita Ford throwing a black Warlock I had on loan across my dressing room against the wall... another has to do with me and Brett Michaels from Poison at one of B.C. Rich's infamous Christmas parties. I'll leave the details to your imagination.
 

BC-RICH.COM: What are you doing nowadays?
MARA FOX: I'm president of Times Square Productions and Rocket City Records. We do music for film and television. Our site hosts an on-line music library, showcases our talent roster with their own web sites, photo galleries, message boards, a web store and lots of other cool stuff...go take a look!
 

BC-RICH.COM: What was your live gear set up like?
MARA FOX: I have a converted English Marshall 100 Watt head that's extremely odd. It's a custom job with no model number on it, no one can figure out what it is. I bought it second hand from a big 80's guitarist and then modified it some more. It's awesome loud and crunchy, and instead of just the Marshall logo on it, it says "Mara's Marshall" in the Marshall lettering.

I have an early custom KK slant cab with four 100 Watt EVs, and the only effect I use is a Boss CS-2 pedal for the sustain feature. I've been through tons of rack gear and effects over the years, but with this combo of the Marshall and the EVs and the Seymour Duncan pickups, I find I don't need anything else except a little more sustain. Anything else just makes for noise and complication. I used a Boss digital delay pedal on one slow song for the solo, but that's it. I kept my pedals on top of my half-stack, otherwise I would trip over them.
 

BC-RICH.COM: Considering 80's metal is having a bit of a revival, any chance of a reunion with Precious Metal?
MARA FOX: Certainly not any time soon! Leslie Knauer, our lead vocalist has a great band called Kanary that she's really busy with, and I have more than enough on my plate running this company and repping over 70 recording artists!
 

BC-RICH.COM: What are your favourite bands?
MARA FOX: Well, I'm mostly preoccupied with bands on our roster these days...some of my favorites are ZoeS Garden, Bad Biscut, Kanary, and Cherie Currie (formerly of The Runaways). You can hear clips from all of these guys on our site. If you wanna hear some great current hard rock - modern, but reminiscent of the 80's metal sound, I'd recommend Black Eyed Rosey and Shawn Bossick.
 

BC-RICH.COM: Which guitarists influenced you?
MARA FOX: Oh, lots! I started playing waaay back in the mid 70's, I wore the grooves off of my records by these guys: Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Eddie Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Brian May (Queen), Gary Richrath (REO Speedwagon), Joan Jett and Lita Ford (The Runaways), Tom Sholtz (Boston), Berton Averre (The Knack), Eric Faulkner (The Bay City Rollers). I really liked the playing of the guitarist from White Lion too, I think his name is Vito Brata. I've been most often compared to The Stones and Aerosmith as far as playing style tho, but I'm not sure I can figure out why.
 

BC-RICH.COM: Got a message for fans out there?
MARA FOX: Express yourself. Everyone should have their own creative outlet. Blasting music someone else composed does not speak for you. It's wonderful if you enjoy it, but explore your own creativity, in whatever realm - whether it be music, or art, or writing, or science, or whatever. Do something really well and share it with the world, and never sacrifice your integrity.
 

BC-RICH.COM:Thanks Mara, take care and keep in touch....ronz
MARA FOX: Thanks Ronz, it was fun!