The Foo Fighters' stage-right riffer shares his winding journey that starts bumpy as high-school dropout but ends as a stadium-filling rockstar. In between those mile markers, Chris Shiflett fills in his past with an honest, open perspective that fondly remembers his time with No Use For a Name in the 90s alongside songsmith Tony Sly, recalls having fun with the punk-rock, cover-song circus that was Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, and explains how his prototype Fender "Cleaver" Telecaster Deluxe signature almost met its demise during NOFX's final song.
Chris Shiflett on Punk Rock, Foo Fighters, and the Long Road Between
By Chris KiesNov 06, 2026
Chris Kies
Chris Kies has degrees in Journalism and History from the University of Iowa and has been with PG dating back to his days as an intern in 2007. He's now the multimedia manager maintaining the website and social media accounts, coordinating Rig Rundown shoots (also hosting and/or filming them) and occasionally writing an artist feature. Other than that, he enjoys non-guitar-related hobbies.















