Artist Interviews 67
Paul Childers: Playing by his own rules
“Guitar-slinging superhero.” That’s how the venerable Nashville venue Acme Feed & Seed describes singer-songwriter Paul Childers – although you wouldn’t guess it from listening to Childers’ self-released 2017 debut, Naked Poetry. Stacked with soulful R&B influences and horn-fueled arrangements, the album serves its hot guitar licks — like the solo on “My Love of The […]
Eric Johnson on his Thinline Stratocaster
For over 40 years, Eric Johnson has dazzled audiences with his unique style of shredding. Throughout almost his entire career, he’s has used a Fender Stratocaster as his axe of choice. While he’s had his own signature Strat and pickups for some time now, Johnson and Fender have collaborated once again with stunning results. Introduced […]
Justin Meldal-Johnsen: A zZounds Exclusive Interview
As a master tonesmith both on stage and in the studio, Justin Meldal-Johnsen has worked with a number of acclaimed artists, showcasing his refined sense of sound in a variety of ways. From the hard electronic sound of Nine Inch Nails and the mellow grooves of Beck, to producing pop-punkers Paramore, JMJ’s versatility and vision […]
Rockers with a Cause: the Dayna Clay Project
“My music is the spiritual expression of what I am — my faith, my knowledge, my being…When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something really good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hangups…” — John Coltrane When it comes to coping with feelings, many people turn […]
Adam Ezra on Making an Album with 400 Producers (and One Very Special Guest)
For folk-roots rocker Adam Ezra, music is a powerful force for bringing community together. So it’s no surprise that the Adam Ezra Group’s 2017 album Hurricane Wind is an all-hands-on-deck community effort, with some 400 fans playing a role in the production process — not only crowdfunding the project, but actually producing it. zZounds sat […]
Brad Paisley Interview at Summer NAMM 2017
This year’s Summer NAMM show was packed with incredible gear, but the highlight of our time in Nashville had to be meeting country and guitar superstar Brad Paisley. We were lucky enough to get to talk with him about his side gig in comedy, love of the Fender Telecaster, and of course, his new signature […]
Megan Slankard and DJ KennyM: Amplified by Bose Portable PA Systems
Megan Slankard is a California native, while Kenny Martins hails from New Jersey. She’s a guitar-toting singer-songwriter and indie rocker, while he’s “DJ KennyM” — a producer and DJ who gets crowds dancing with two turntables and a Maschine. But although they come from opposite coasts and different musical traditions, Megan and Kenny both rely […]
Interview with Stephen Carpenter of Deftones
Since forming Deftones in late ’80s Sacramento, Stephen Carpenter has traveled the world over, slinging churning riffs and atmospheric textures with the help of a slew of extended-range guitars and evolving amp rigs. We got the chance to hang out with Steph in a southern California studio to talk Deftones, gear simplicity and his love […]
St. Vincent Interview at NAMM 2017
With four critically-acclaimed albums under her belt, Grammy award-winning artist Annie Clark (a.k.a. St. Vincent) shows no sign of slowing her momentum. Collaborating with Ernie Ball Music Man last year, her St. Vincent signature model stunned the guitar world with its sleek lines, sharp angles, and all-around cool. Oh yeah, did we mention that this […]
