Artist Interviews 55
Tennis on Gear, Gigging and Recording Their Third Album
It would be tough, if not impossible, to describe my taste in music in anything short of a rambling, contradictory series of analogies and inept comparisons (“it’s like ____ meets ____ meets ____ with a ____ vibe and a generous spoonful of ____ for good measure” isn’t the conversation most people want to fall victim […]
Five of My Favorite Songs Featuring Chris Shiflett’s Guitar Work
Do you remember the first album you ever got? For me, I think it was Queen’s Greatest Hits (the purple one). Now, for most of us growing up, the first album we ever received came in the form of either a gift or a hand-me-down from our parents, siblings, or friends. So do you remember the […]
Interview: Greg Spero, Keyboardist on Tour with Halsey
Jazz audiences know Greg Spero as an award-winning pianist, composer and bandleader. Playing professionally since age 14, Spero has studied with the likes of Herbie Hancock, and toured the US and UK with his own jazz trio. But his enviable career kicked up a notch in early 2015, when Greg landed his gig as the […]
An Interview With Carl Gershon
Carl Gershon is a New York-based singer-songwriter, and if you ask him, music reached a few peaks in the mid-’80s. “I think it was a time when production technique — when the analog studio, and analog production kind of hit its peak before digital took over; and it was also the time where, as a musician, you […]
Daily Lyrical Product
“How can I ever find peace/When I let my mind over-analyze things/Should be more focused on the present/Life can be a hater, please enjoy it while it’s pleasant,” Lamar “JusLove” Smith raps on “Everything,” a track that shines light on Grown’s steady balancing of life’s everyday struggles and joys. Smith and his partner Nate “Illuminate Mics” Marshall form Daily Lyrical Product, […]
Talking Gear with the Chicago Acoustic Underground Podcast
Your typical podcast recording setup doesn’t include a 24-channel digital console, a wall of custom-modded guitar amps, and a full drum kit. But Chicago Acoustic Underground isn’t quite your typical podcast. In his quest to capture the work of unknown artists, CAU podcast host Michael Teach has crammed his modest Chicago apartment with musical instruments […]
Interview: Marc Walloch, Bassist for AWOLNATION
2015 has been quite the ride so far for bassist/guitarist/songwriter Marc Walloch. With a career that includes stints playing guitar for Juliette Lewis, and several years rising through the alt-rock ranks as a founding member of Company of Thieves — the Chicago band that launched powerhouse vocalist Genevieve’s career — Walloch is currently on the […]
Interview: Troy Van Leeuwen
Today, we’re throwing back to our interview last summer with Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen. We discussed the band’s latest album, Like Clockwork, Troy’s chameleonic signature Fender Jazzmaster, and his early, Pre-Queens days in bands like Failure. Speaking of Failure, Troy recently contributed some guitar work on tracks for The Heart is a Monster, released […]
Fero Lux’s Gear and Custom Rigs
Fero Lux has been one of my favorite bands for a while now. Their recordings will pique your interest and catching one of their live performances will make you a believer. They play with a passion and precision that’s as impressive as it is entertaining. If you have the chance to catch these guys live, don’t […]
