Couch Riffs

This episode features guest Chris Buck , one of the most talented rising stars in the guitar world today. Being a relatively early adopter of using YouTube as a tool to share his playing Chris has been gaining more and more recognition worldwide as well as earning Best New Guitarist in Total Guitar's 2017 poll as well as Best Blues Guitarist in Guitarist's 2019 poll. Look for Chris to have a big a...

Our guest on this episode is a most excellent friend, shredding guitarist, and professional tour manager type, Andrew McKeag. Andrew is the type of guy that you can call at 3:30am to help get your car pushed out of a ditch or get your motorcycle towed from some inconvenient place that its broken down. I know. He's done that for me. He's also got some of the best rock 'n roll stories from behind th...

Our guest this episode is the incredible Jimi Hazel of 24-7 Spyz who last year put out their first album in well over a decade . Jimi went in deep on his process of writing this album along with the spiritual elements that helped him break his writer's block and depression. It was an absolute pleasure to speak with him, get to know him beyond social media volleys, and hear about what makes him tic...

This episode we feature guest and longtime inside-joking friend, Jason Finn known best for drumming in The Presidents of the United States of America. He will be our final guest for the official and not-real Drummer Awareness Month on Couch Riffs. Jason has had a glorious and fun career as a drummer for many bands on many different levels. He's a generally funny fella and this podcast is chalked f...

What can I say? Drummer Awareness Month is kicking ass even if it isn't a real thing. On this episode we have yet another amazing drummer in Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees, Mad Season, Barrett Martin Group, Tuatara, Walking Papers, Desert Sessions, and tons more. Barrett is a studied musician and educated in orchestral/classical, jazz, and ethnomusicology and is also well known for producing an...

Our guest for this episode is the great NY drummer, Oskar "The Finnisher" Haggdahl (that's not really his nickname, I just made it up). He's performed with a number of artists in NY and around around the world including the Broadway production of Mamma Mia!, Marc Martel, and Hey, Guy. He played a handful of NY shows with The Union Gospel, as well, which was an absolute pleasure and how we met. He'...

Ronnie Vannucci is the drummer for The Killers, one of the biggest bands to emerge and remain from the early 2000s. These guys have a list of hits nearly as long as my family's felony conviction history. I met Ronnie a few years before he joined The Killers, a story which is briefly chronicled in this podcast, and immediately we were friendly, staying in touch and hanging when he visited Seattle o...

David Bader is a sweet man. I met him when he was pulling coffee at the Rough Trade Records coffee stand in Williamsburg and we hit it off immediately. We even flirted with the idea of starting a band along with former Couch Riffs guest Timo Ellis but it didn't get past a rehearsal/jam session. He has the enviable job of meeting, speaking with, and writing about all kinds of musicians and guitar h...

I'm so happy to have gotten the opportunity to get this episode recorded with Scott Kannberg. I've known Scott for many years, meeting after Pavement when he moved to Seattle and had Preston School of Industry operating. We share a great mutual love for Echo and the Bunnymen but Scott is not so much on the Zappa. That's okay, we had plenty to talk about! I hope you enjoy this conversation as much...

This episode's guest is the insanely talented and humble Luis Kalil. This young Brazilian shredder has been impressing and dazzling people for years on the internet by way of his YouTube videos and ESP Guitar clinics but has been in LA for the last few years attending Musicians Institute and playing gigs there. If you've not seen and heard him, do yourself a favor and go look him up. And, keep an...

Our guest in this episode is Alex Auxier who has an interesting job in the musical world, Artist Relations for a renowned amplifier company, Orange Amps . If you've not seen the promotional videos that Orange has been putting out for the last number of years and amp releases you should get a look. They're creative, clever, and usually very funny. Alex is a funny guy and man, we get in to a few goo...

I met this episode's guest, Jon Sortland , 16 or 17 years ago, played with him a couple of times (even recorded an original song at one point) and then lost touch. Fast forward all these years later and he's in THE SHINS when we reconnect. To say that he deserves to be there is an understatement. Jon Sortland is one of the most creative and energetic people I've ever met and while I was excited to...

My guest Johnny Nails was the singing guitarist/frontman for one of my favorite Seattle bands, The Chasers. I was fortunate enough to get to spend a short while as a member of this band in its final days and it was one of the most inspiring and exciting times playing music that I've ever had. This band was so hyper-talented and when they were firing on all cylinders they were seemingly matchless i...

My guest on this episode of Couch Riffs is Kate Reddy, guitarist of NY Hardcore band 108 and Krishna devotee. She also happens to be my neighbor, which is pretty fun. Even still, we did the interview over the phone because of everything that is happening in the world at this time. If you're not familiar with 108 and you are a fan of hardcore or heavy music I strongly urge you to go check it out. A...

I was stoked to have Ryan Bruce of longtime YouTube fame on the Couch Riffs podcast for this episode. Recently he was out on a national tour with his band Dragged Under as direct support for The Used, however, and he learned a thing or two about the road while he was doing it. Fluff is a wealth of knowledge and, unlike lots of folks, he's a generally open and sharing person when it comes to anythi...

I hope you're all staying safe and healthy out there. This episode of Couch Riffs features the multitalented and charming sci-fi nerd Todd Kerns of many, many bands but most notably playing with Slash which is how we met during my time playing with Duff (that makes us practically related). During our conversation here we touched on some of what is happening in the world right now as it is pretty u...

This episode features a dear friend, John Guffey, who co-operates a music school for kids in Vancouver WA called Hammersmith Rock Institute . John is a stand up guy, a hell of a guitarist, and a hell of a friend. We talk some funny crap in this episode and talk about our mutually white trash upbringings. If your kids want or need lessons during this time of quarantine/shut-in then Hammersmith is a...

Our guest for this episode of the Couch Riffs Podcast is none other than the publisher of The Fretboard Journal , Jason Verlinde . Now, this man is partially responsible for this podcast being what it is. He's given me tons of encouragement (not to mention inspiration) over the year that I've been doing this and actually suggested that I do it months before I finally dove in to give it a shot. And...

My guest on this episode of the Couch Riffs Podcast is Dave Hillis who transformed from 80s thrash guitarist to engineer and producer on recordings that you have most definitely heard. Albums like Pearl Jam's "Ten", Alice In Chains' "Dirt", Temple of the Dog and The Afghan Whigs' "1965".  His first band, Mace , had quite a reputation around the Northwest (and beyond!) in the 80s. You won't find it...

Corey Congilio is a super bad mojo and, as a guest on the Couch Riffs video series , chose the toughest and most ambitious song of any guest we've had so far. What a stud! He nailed it, of course. Corey has tons of stage, tour, studio, and instructor experience under his belt. As a resident of Nashville he has plenty of opportunities to spread his energies and deep talents around, too. Check out h...

Derek Sheen is probably the person I have the most in common with any Couch Riffs guest to date. And, I can't imagine hosting someone that I have a more similar history with. Please go check out Derek's comedy albums and see him when he performs in your area. He's funny, smart, a survivor and a fine human through and through. He has a 4th comedy album to be released in April 2020 and shows to foll...

This episode's guest is Matt Gabs of Ravagers and formerly of Biters . Matt's a great hang and appeared in the Mississippi Queen Couch Riffs video alongside the party of Marvin Guitars and Daredevil Pedals wrecking crew. Nailed it! Gabs currently lives in Brooklyn and Ravagers are working on some new tunes this Spring. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for that new release as well as upcoming shows!...

By total chance, I met Myrone at NAMM '20 this year, introduced by our mutual buddy, David Von Bader. I must be the last person on Earth to learn about this insane talent because Myrone is one of the most exciting players coming up right now. Based in LA, Myrone has a few solo albums streaming and is currently playing guitar in the Rock of Ages show in Hollywood and has been drawing attention thro...

This episode's guest is none other than legendary sideman, Earl Slick . Earl has been a guitarist for David Bowie, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Robert Smith, and is about to head to the UK with Glen Matlock for a handful of dates. You should definitely go check out his work on the 1985 Phantom, Rocker, & Slick album, too. The BBC produced a short documentary called " Rock 'n Roll Guns for Hire: The S...

We are happy to host Doug Rappoport in this 52 episode of Couch Riffs Podcast. Doug is the guitarist in the Edgar Winter Band and is a monster player and a great hang. We have met a few times over the years but only really got to hang at NAMM 2020 where we shot a Couch Riffs video for Van Halen's Unchained . I always knew Doug was killer (check out his YouTube or IG) but I'd only ever seen him reh...