Podcast Spotlight

David Deluise

David Deluise

Podcast Spotlight

Keith Urban’s Country Thunder from Down Under

Next up on this action-packed season of Shred With Shifty, country superstar Keith Urban joins Chris Shiflett to walk through some of his most iconic solos and unpack some fine details behind his successful music career. Strapped with the ’51 Fender “Nocaster” that he used to record the solo on “Tumbleweed,” Urban walks Shifty through some of his guitar secrets, like how he came to own Waylon Jennings’ iconic, leatherbound 1950 Fender Broadcaster (hats off to his wife, Nicole Kidman, for that one). Urban tells avid surfer Shiflett why he never got into surfing while growing up in Australia, and remembers his earliest influences in the country’s music scene. Low-gain players like Mark Knopfler, Ray Flacke, and Lindsay Buckingham helped shape Urban’s lead-guitar tastes, imprints you can hear in the capoed, drop-D solo on “Stupid Boy.” (Urban says his new solo record, High, features more of these theatrics.) Amid the fretboard analysis, Urban talks about his “love-hate relationship” with his Fractal amp-modeling unit, which he still leaves at home when he plays live—a 100-watt Marshall Super Lead and PRS J-MOD 100 still reign supreme for Urban’s concerts. Tune in to learn how Urban’s unique pick grip gave his solos some extra percussive edge, how he keeps his chops up, and which artist he’d want to “gunsling” for.

Podcast Spotlight

EP 296: Cameron Winter (Geese)

EP 296: Cameron Winter (Geese)

Podcast Spotlight

EP 451: Nicholas Niespodziani

Podcast Spotlight

Matthew Caws on Telecasters, Martin Flattops, and 30 Years of Indie Rock

Matthew Caws has been the frontman and guitarist of Nada Surf for more than three decades, during which time he and his group transcended their status as an alternative rock “one hit wonder” to become one of indie rock’s most respected and resilient bands. As a guitarist, he draws as much from Crosby, Stills and Nash as Echo and Bunnymen and has developed an instantly recognizable right-hand approach and chordal vocabulary all his own. Caws joined us in the studio to discuss the making of Nada Surf’s excellent new album, Moon Mirror, Telecasters versus Les Pauls, Martin versus Gibson flattops, buying seats for your guitars on airplanes, and much more. Full disclosure: He is also Tom’s oldest friend, was the best man at his wedding, and is probably to blame for his lifelong guitar addiction.

Podcast Spotlight

Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl, Pat Smear, and Chris Shiflett Reveal Their Triple-Guitar Recipe

The moment you’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived. That’s right: Shred With Shifty is back, and your beloved host Chris Shiflett is kicking off season two with a super-special episode. Shifty’s Foo Fighters shredders-in-arms Dave Grohl and Pat Smear join him for this season premiere that reveals some of the magic and maneuvering behind the Foos’ triple-guitar attack. The three friends and bandmates start off with some history lessons, discussing their earliest influences and how they learned to play before covering Grohl’s early days with Nirvana, Smear’s time in the Germs, and Shiflett’s invitation to join Foo Fighters—followed promptly by a trip to a guitar store to build out his arsenal, courtesy of Grohl’s AmEx. (Plus, Dave tells how he conned his mother into buying his first distortion pedal.) The trio cover their current and historical favorite pieces of gear—like Dave’s famed Gibson Trini Lopez, Mesa Boogie's Rectifier series, and Fender's all-tube, '90s-era Tone-Master amps—before getting into how they apply those tools in the studio between three players. “I think it took 15 to 20 years to figure out the recipe of what we do,” admits Grohl. Running through tunes like “Rope,” “Hey, Johnny Park!,” “La Dee Da,” and “A Matter of Time,” Shiflett, Grohl, and Smear demonstrate the evolution of the band’s rhythmically unique and tonally tiered guitar arrangements. From Melvins-inspired drop-D slammers to delay-driven, polyrhythmic riffs, Grohl likens the band’s 6-string components to the various elements of a drum beat. Once a drummer… Tune in for tons of hilarious stories (including Grohl’s “worst tour ever”), fascinating tidbits, and Dave’s guitar-store riff when he’s trying a new axe. It might sound familiar.

Podcast Spotlight

EP 295: David Shaw

EP 295: David Shaw

Podcast Spotlight

BTB 450: Eric Hirshberg, singer/songwriter & multi-industry business leader

Podcast Spotlight

Axe Lords Episode 5: The Untamed Sound of Kid Congo Powers

Kid Congo Powers helped redefine rock with bands like the Cramps, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and more.

Podcast Spotlight

EP 294: The Heavy Heavy

EP 294: The Heavy Heavy

Podcast Spotlight

BTB Ep 449: Promoting music on podcasts; Kanru Hua of Dreamtonics

Podcast Spotlight

Axe Lords Episode 4: Gear Talk with Mike Hickey

The Axe Lords crank it up this week with Mike Hickey, former in-house shredder for Venom, Carcass, Cathedral, and Cronos; guitar tech to the stars, and legendary gear hunter. Known as one of the world's leading Charvel historians, Mike dishes out his wisdom to the crew, trading stories of daring feats of guitar acquisition, the great Kahler-Floyd Rose debate, and how signature models have changed the guitar market. Mike also takes Dave, Cindy, and Tom for a stroll amongst the towering pillars of Grover Jackson's legacy. And, of course, there's plenty of praise for number one Charvel ambassador, Warren DeMartini.

Podcast Spotlight

The Singers Talk Podcast

Dionne Warwick, the chart-topping, award-winning artist joins this week's episode.

Podcast Spotlight

Axe Lords Episode 3: Karina Rykman Bass, Grit, and Groove

Karina Rykman, bass virtuoso, part-time guitarist, and all-around force of nature brings her unstoppable energy to Axe Lords. She dives into her switch from guitar to bass, discusses the personal connection she has to her instruments, and Karina and Tom reminisce about growing up as New York City kids. Karina explains how she's going to buy everyone a boat, and offers her hot take on the controversial 5-string bass. Born and raised in New York City, Karina Rykman’s musical path began in her early teens playing in bands whenever she could while attending a veritable ton of live music as a fan. Her remarkable prowess on the bass guitar soon landed her a number of high-profile television gigs. By the end of her senior year at NYU, Rykman’s virtuoso talent and infectious spirit saw her invited to join pianist Marco Benevento’s band (as recommended by Ween bassist Dave Dreiwitz), with whom she performed countless shows including dates with Vulfpeck, Dispatch, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, Guster, and many more. Rykman soon formed her own namesake band, accompanied by Adam November (guitar, loopers, effects) and Chris Corsico (drums). She quickly earned a reputation as a mesmerizing, unmissable live act, lighting up an array of international stages with headline sets, show-stealing festival performances, and recent appearances sitting in with the 8G Band on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Podcast Spotlight

EP 293: Andy & Nick

EP 293: Andy & Nick

Podcast Spotlight

BTB Ep 447: The healing power of music; we interview Bill “Downupright” Boulden

Podcast Spotlight

Axe Lords Episode 2: Steve Vai on Creativity, Collaboration, and Pushing Boundaries

In Episode 2 of Axe Lords, the legendary Steve Vai dials in to join Dave, Cindy, and Tom for a conversation about his genre-spanning career and the many ways in which he’s impacted the world of guitar. From learning under Joe Satriani to gigs with Frank Zappa and David Lee Roth, Vai shares unforgettable stories from the 80s and beyond. They dive into his latest project, the Beat Tour with King Crimson’s Adrian Belew and Tony Levin, and geek out over his signature creations, like the Ibanez JEM and the game-changing 7-string Universe guitar. And of course, Tom can't help but ask about that epic Crossroads guitar battle.

Podcast Spotlight

Maggie Rose's Salute the Songbird Season 4 Premiere with Grace Bowers from Chief's - Nashville, TN

Podcast Spotlight

Ep 292: Evan Honer

Ep 292: Evan Honer

Podcast Spotlight

BTB Ep 446: Rewarding your most loyal fans; jazz singer Lizzie Thomas