Joe Coffey — Editorial Director
What am I listening to?
Brad Paisley, This is Country Music. Paisley is a chickin-pickin’ monster. The balance of this incredibly strong album favors older country over the Nash Vegas thing. If Brad can’t win you with this album, it’s just not gonna happen.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
Zeppelin’s “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You.” Is there a better song to model your tone after? Love the rich acoustic tones. Love the bangin’ rhythm tone. Love the naked lead tone.
Andy Ellis — Senior Editor
What am I listening to?
Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris, All the Roadrunning. The third voice in this magical trio is Knopfler’s plangent guitar.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
For soloing, Bloomfield’s squalling Les Paul on “Finale-Refugee” from The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper. For everything else, “Three Feet Under” from Loud & Lonesome by Eric Ambel & Roscoe’s Gang.
Shawn Hammond — Editor in Chief
What am I listening to?
The London Souls’ The London Souls and the Features’ Wilderness. Two rockin’ albums with soul and swagger.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
Tone is only “good” if it suits the context. But I love Vernon Reid’s tone on “What’s Your Favorite Color,” Jonny Greenwood’s and Ed Obrien’s on Radiohead’s “2+2=5,” Junior Brown’s on “Guitar Man,” and Cody Votolato’s on the Blood Brother’s “We Ride Skeletal Lightning.”
Seth Hansen — Multimedia Coordinator
What am I listening to?
Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship, Hanga-Fang. I picked this album up at one of their shows a couple of months ago, and it’s been in constant rotation since. An unhealthy marriage of harmony, dissonance, crushing fuzz, and alternate-tuned jangle pop gyrating under the sheets of some incredibly well-written songs.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
“Old Skin” by Young Widows—specifically the bass. Those opening notes are just so hard-hitting and nasty.
Chris Kies — Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Hank Williams, Memorial Album. It has my favorite Jerry Rivers double-stop fiddle playing on “Hey, Good Lookin’” and steel guitarist Don Helms’ signature piercing howl on “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” while the Lonesome Cowboy shows why he’s the greatest country singer ever.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
Currently, it’s Jerry Cantrell on “Love, Hate, Love” (from Facelift) or Luther Perkins on “Hey, Porter” (from The Complete Sun Singles).
Rich Osweiler — Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Thurston Moore, Demolished Thoughts. Produced by Beck, it features swooning violin and harp tracks to back his dark acoustic and vocal work.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
I believe the guitar solo in “Hopscotch Willie” from the Jicks’ Real Emotional Trash to be the finest of the past five years. I go back to it often. Stephen Malkmus keeps it very simple but spot-on, with thick, aggressive tube tone amplifying his furious Jazzmaster work.
Chris Broderick (Megadeth) — Guest Picker
What am I listening to?
Periphery. Their music is rhythmically complex, heavy, melodic, and still has hooks. Also, Coltrane’s Giant Steps for it’s harmonic complexity, melody, and breathy sax tone.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
I haven’t captured it yet. I’m still looking at the great tones I grew up with and pulling from them: Yngwie’s neck tones, Eric Johnson’s cleans, George Lynch’s bridge lead tones, and Dino Cazares’ rhythm tone.
Charles Saufley — Gear Editor
What am I listening to?
Shocking Blue, The Shocking Blue. All-killer, no-filler ’68 debut from The Hague’s psych-beat geniuses. Robbie Van Leeuwen and Mariska Veres are the Dutch Jorma and Grace.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
The Electric Prunes’ “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night),” the Who’s The Who Sings My Generation and Live at Leeds LPs, and anything by the Byrds between ’65 and ’68 is sweet as morning dew.
Jason Shadrick — Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Mike Moreno, First in Mind. On his second album as a leader, Moreno guides a quartet through a collection of originals and standards. His improvisations are laser-sharp with hints of Martino and Metheny.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
The intro solo to Eric Clapton’s “Someday After a While” on From the Cradle. I can honestly say that the first bend after the intro phrase made me want to play guitar.
What am I listening to?
Brad Paisley, This is Country Music. Paisley is a chickin-pickin’ monster. The balance of this incredibly strong album favors older country over the Nash Vegas thing. If Brad can’t win you with this album, it’s just not gonna happen.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
Zeppelin’s “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You.” Is there a better song to model your tone after? Love the rich acoustic tones. Love the bangin’ rhythm tone. Love the naked lead tone.
Andy Ellis — Senior EditorWhat am I listening to?
Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris, All the Roadrunning. The third voice in this magical trio is Knopfler’s plangent guitar.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
For soloing, Bloomfield’s squalling Les Paul on “Finale-Refugee” from The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper. For everything else, “Three Feet Under” from Loud & Lonesome by Eric Ambel & Roscoe’s Gang.
Shawn Hammond — Editor in ChiefWhat am I listening to?
The London Souls’ The London Souls and the Features’ Wilderness. Two rockin’ albums with soul and swagger.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
Tone is only “good” if it suits the context. But I love Vernon Reid’s tone on “What’s Your Favorite Color,” Jonny Greenwood’s and Ed Obrien’s on Radiohead’s “2+2=5,” Junior Brown’s on “Guitar Man,” and Cody Votolato’s on the Blood Brother’s “We Ride Skeletal Lightning.”
Seth Hansen — Multimedia CoordinatorWhat am I listening to?
Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship, Hanga-Fang. I picked this album up at one of their shows a couple of months ago, and it’s been in constant rotation since. An unhealthy marriage of harmony, dissonance, crushing fuzz, and alternate-tuned jangle pop gyrating under the sheets of some incredibly well-written songs.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
“Old Skin” by Young Widows—specifically the bass. Those opening notes are just so hard-hitting and nasty.
Chris Kies — Associate EditorWhat am I listening to?
Hank Williams, Memorial Album. It has my favorite Jerry Rivers double-stop fiddle playing on “Hey, Good Lookin’” and steel guitarist Don Helms’ signature piercing howl on “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” while the Lonesome Cowboy shows why he’s the greatest country singer ever.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
Currently, it’s Jerry Cantrell on “Love, Hate, Love” (from Facelift) or Luther Perkins on “Hey, Porter” (from The Complete Sun Singles).
Rich Osweiler — Associate EditorWhat am I listening to?
Thurston Moore, Demolished Thoughts. Produced by Beck, it features swooning violin and harp tracks to back his dark acoustic and vocal work.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
I believe the guitar solo in “Hopscotch Willie” from the Jicks’ Real Emotional Trash to be the finest of the past five years. I go back to it often. Stephen Malkmus keeps it very simple but spot-on, with thick, aggressive tube tone amplifying his furious Jazzmaster work.
Chris Broderick (Megadeth) — Guest PickerWhat am I listening to?
Periphery. Their music is rhythmically complex, heavy, melodic, and still has hooks. Also, Coltrane’s Giant Steps for it’s harmonic complexity, melody, and breathy sax tone.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
I haven’t captured it yet. I’m still looking at the great tones I grew up with and pulling from them: Yngwie’s neck tones, Eric Johnson’s cleans, George Lynch’s bridge lead tones, and Dino Cazares’ rhythm tone.
Charles Saufley — Gear EditorWhat am I listening to?
Shocking Blue, The Shocking Blue. All-killer, no-filler ’68 debut from The Hague’s psych-beat geniuses. Robbie Van Leeuwen and Mariska Veres are the Dutch Jorma and Grace.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
The Electric Prunes’ “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night),” the Who’s The Who Sings My Generation and Live at Leeds LPs, and anything by the Byrds between ’65 and ’68 is sweet as morning dew.
Jason Shadrick — Associate EditorWhat am I listening to?
Mike Moreno, First in Mind. On his second album as a leader, Moreno guides a quartet through a collection of originals and standards. His improvisations are laser-sharp with hints of Martino and Metheny.
What song epitomizes my tonal approach?
The intro solo to Eric Clapton’s “Someday After a While” on From the Cradle. I can honestly say that the first bend after the intro phrase made me want to play guitar.
