Justin started playing guitar in 1999, and progressed to many more instruments in the following years including drums, bass, keys, and more. He’s a freelancer around Chicago playing in local bands, teaching guitar, and playing Musician’s Union shows. At zZounds, he’s often on camera as the host of Gear Wire, product demo specialist, and audio/mixing engineer. Off-camera, Justin is a burgeoning vinyl hunter and amateur astronomer.
Legends of Tone: Radiohead
Radiohead: a genre-bending, convention-defying archetypal rock band. Just when you think they are done reinventing their sound, they release another album that proves everyone wrong. The band has traveled through many musical avenues over the years, from their earlier grunge and alt-rock beginnings, all the way through art rock, experimental music, electronica, and many others. […]
Choosing a Pick From the Plectrum Spectrum
The guitar pick – that small unassuming element of music that is often disregarded entirely. What a bummer too, because for what amounts to mere cents, selecting the right pick for the job can drastically alter your tone and playing feel in surprisingly crucial ways. Most guitarists I have known over the years have had […]
Legends of Tone: Kurt Cobain
Nirvana: the release from the karmic rebirth cycle that binds humanity to suffering…er…excuse me…this is an article about the famous grunge rock band of the ’90s. Nirvana is a household name even today due to their meteoric rise to stardom and the accompanying flurry of MTV coverage and mass radio appeal they garnered. They have […]
Legends of Tone: Neil Young
Neil Young’s long and storied career spans five decades, with success in groups like Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and his best-known work as a solo artist. He has received several Grammys with tons of nominations too, and the same goes for the Canadian Juno Awards. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame […]
Top 5 Alex Lifeson Solos
This month’s Legends of Tone feature is very near and dear to me, because of who we are showcasing: Alex Lifeson of Rush. Lifeson is such an important figure in my life in regards to music, in fact, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for his music and guitar playing. Simply put, I started […]
Building a Guitar Part 3: Applying a Custom Neck Finish
In this installment of Building a Guitar, I’d like to focus on one of the most important aspects of any guitar: the neck. The neck is the literal “feel” of the guitar, as you manipulate it most from this area as you play. Because of this, a lot of care and attention to detail is […]
Legends of Tone: Jack White
Jack White — man or myth? He is a guitar player’s player, with wailing leads and a raw tenacity that is harder and harder to come by these days. Did he sell his soul to the devil? Unlikely – White was actually going to be a priest before he discovered music, believe it or not. […]
Legends of Tone: The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
“You’ve NEVER heard Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band before?” I used to hear this sentence countless times growing up. But to be honest, I didn’t enjoy the music of the Beatles all that much then. The only problem was that I thought I knew their music – “She Loves You” right? I couldn’t have […]
Building a Guitar, Part 2: Choosing Body and Neck Wood
When constructing a guitar, one of the most important aspects to consider is the wood that the body and neck are made from. With the massive array of wood species available today to choose from, it can no doubt be a seriously difficult decision to make. But have no fear – this wood buying guide […]
