Admit it—there are times when that you listen to a certain song or album and feel a little guilty and hope
your friends and loved ones don’t find out. This month, the
PG staff and Guest Picker Pete Huttlinger cop to
their guilty pleasures. Feel free to email us at
info@premierguitar.com and tell us what song you sing along to
when nobody’s listening.
Joe Coffey – Editorial Director
What am I listening to?
Gregg Allman,
Low
Country Blues. Allman,
T-Bone Burnett, Doyle
Bramhall II, and Dr.
John cover Blind Lemon Jefferson, Junior
Wells, and more.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
Phil Keaggy’s “March of the Clouds.”
Before airline rules changed, I rocked it
during takeoff. Bursting through the clouds
as the bridge hit was amazing. Symbiotic
tone dork? Yes, I am.
Rebecca Dirks – Web Content Editor
What am I listening to?
Kanye West,
My
Beautiful Dark Twisted
Fantasy. West samples
King Crimson and
Smokey Robinson, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon
lends vocal and songwriting chops, and West
and guests are powerful and spot on.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
Katy Perry’s singles. I don’t
want to like
them, but I always end up singing along.
Andy Ellis – Senior Editor
What am I listening to?
Danny Gatton and
Tom Principato,
Blazing
Telecasters. Backed by
tight keys, bass, and
drums, Gatton and Principato duke it out,
trading chorus after chorus of snappy bends
and snarling phrases.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
Fleetwood Mac’s
Rumours. A perfect blend
of righteous guitar, hooky songs, and
amazing vocals.
Shawn Hammond – Editor in Chief
What am I listening to?
Buddy Miller,
The
Majestic Silver Strings.
On “God’s Wing’ed
Horse,” the acoustics
are so pristine, the lap steel is so ethereally
winsome, and Buddy and wife Julie Miller’s
vocal harmonies are so serene even agnostics
and atheists will be moved.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
I’m not a prog guy, but Dream Theater’s
1994 album,
Awake, is full of incredible
musicianship and strong songs—and the
vocals have never sounded less annoying.
Chris Kies – Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Timeless: Hank Williams
Tribute. Legendary artists
like Keef, Petty, Dylan,
and Cash honor the drifting
cowboy’s tradition with simple arrangements
and true-to-original covers—it’s epic.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
Maroon 5’s
Hands All Over. My fiancée
spun this album nonstop last year, but after
hearing guitarist James Valentine’s live chops
and tone (especially on “Hands All Over”
and “Stutter”)—and M5’s overall rhythm
and groove—I’ve put it on my iPod.
Matt Roberts – Multimedia Coordinator
What am I listening to?
Band of Horses,
Infinite
Arms. It goes from folk
and country stylings to
really rocking your face
off. Give it a spin and see them live if they’re
anywhere near you. You won’t be disappointed.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
Any ‘90s music. Who doesn’t love Third
Eye Blind or Goo Goo Dolls? And don’t
even tell me that you don’t know all the
words to “More Than Words” or “Losing
My Religion”!
Pete Huttlinger – Guest Picker
What am I listening to?
Jeff Beck,
Emotion &
Commotion. When he
performed “Nessun
Dorma” at the Crossroads festival last summer,
he had 30,000 people screaming their
heads off, and he had just played one of the
most famous arias in opera. He makes me
totally rethink everything I do on guitar.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
It would currently have to be
Bing Crosby
and Some Jazz Friends. Bing’s phrasing was
beyond fantastic and, man, he could swing.
Charles Saufley – Gear Editor
What am I listening to?
Loren Connors,
Night
Through: Singles &
Collected Works 1976–
2004. A beautiful, sprawling showcase of
the NYC guitar minimalist’s jams—from
early primitivist blues to spacious, ethereal,
dots-and-dashes impressionist pieces. Take a
Saturday-afternoon nap to this set.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
I refuse to feel guilty about music, though
my love of many ’70s light-rock classics (see
Andy Ellis’ pick) has irked more than a few
road-trip companions.
Jason Shadrick – Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Jeff Beck,
Rock ‘n’ Roll
Party: Honoring Les Paul.
There’s just something
about Beck playing authentic rockabilly on
a hollowbody Gibson . . . it’s some of the
most
pure guitar playing I’ve ever heard.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
The soundtrack to
La Bamba has been
embedded in my musical subconscious
since I was 7 years old and playing air guitar
along with Los Lobos.