ATG
Anti Tank Guitar
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What is the ATG?
The ATG or Anti Tank Guitar is a large multi-stringed instrument that can express tones including and beyond the chromatic scale.
The most notable A.T.G. was designed by Matthew Schultz in 1989. It was based on a conceptually designed instrument by experimental musician Brad Braun. Since 1990, Schultz has created five variations, named Mark I, Mark II, Mark III, Mark IV and Mark V respectively. It was most notably used in two musical projects; Lab Report and Pigface. They have appeared on 18 albums. It was described by Pigface vocalist Chris Connelly as "a large rail-way sleeper with piano wire which was stretched over the guitar so that it could be played..." Sonic Boom Magazine stated "The Anti Tank Guitar is still ever present as the bowel movement inducing tones that have made Lab Report more of an acoustic terrorist movement than a band since their inception." The instrument creates a wide array of sounds from mimicking a guitar and bass to massive percussive blows that often shut down public address systems during live performances.