Moods & Modes

In this episode, Alex chats with guitarist Jim Campilongo, who has been called a “Master of the Telecaster”. Jim and Alex discuss what it means to be a musician in New York, their shared influences and how the standards of guitar playing have evolved, and Jim tells Alex about the time that he ended up walking home with Lou Reed after a gig. Jim then flips the script and asks Alex some questions, and shows Alex a few tricks that he uses to get his unique sound, including one inspired by Johnny Marr of The Smiths. Billboard Magazine calls Jim Campilongo, "an American treasure", an accolade this guitarist's artistry and influential career has richly earned him. With seven albums of original material and guest appearances on dozens of recordings, he’s also a published guitar teacher and contributing editor for Guitar Player Magazine. Campilongo's virtuosity and originality has inspired a generation of guitar players. His songwriting uses a palette of the best in Blues, Country, Jazz and Rock with a sensitivity and wit that has also earned him a broad and devoted fan base. To hear the extended version of the episode, go to Alex’s Patreon page Mentioned in the episode: Gruber Guitars Read Jim’s monthly column in Guitar Player Jim Campilongo website Follow Jim on Instagram @jimcampilongo Follow Alex on IG and Twitter @alexskonick Moods & Modes is presented by Osiris Media. Hosted and Produced by Alex Skolnick. Osiris Production by Kirsten Cluthe and Matt Dwyer. Music by Alex Skolnick. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over a remarkable 50-year career, Jeff Beck’s style of guitar playing reshaped the world of music. One of the essential guitarists of the British Invasion, Beck possessed a mercurial, lyrical style that sounded equally at home in thunderous blues-rock and soft-focus fusion. He played both styles in his long career, channeling psychedelia, heavy metal, and jazz-rock as he did so. In this episode, Alex pays tribute to the late, great guitarist with a few special guests. Vernon Reid joins to talk about the impact that Beck had on the world of music, including his work with Stevie Wonder and the complicated story behind the song Superstition. Carmine Appice shares stories from their days in Beck, Bogert, and Appice, the legendary supergroup they formed in the early 70’s, and explains his decision to pass on being part of Jeff’s‘Blow by Blow’ album and tour in order to join Rod Stewart’s band. Beck’s longtime publicist Melissa Dragich joins the conversation and reminisces about a missed opportunity between Beck and Prince, and music journalist Dave Rubin describes that one time he saw Beck put BB King on notice. Listen to the playlist inspired by this episode on Spotify, curated by Alex Skolnick Read Alex’s essay on Jeff Beck: “Goodbye PorkPie Strat” Watch the 2018 documentary on Jeff Beck: “The Jeff Beck Story: Still On The Run” Follow Alex on IG and Twitter @alexskonick Moods & Modes is presented by Osiris Media. Hosted and Produced by Alex Skolnick. Osiris Production by Kirsten Cluthe and Matt Dwyer. Music by Alex Skolnick. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Alex visits Roger Sadowsky of Sadowsky Guitars, one of the preeminent names in handmade guitars and basses. As they walk the shop floor, Roger shares stories of some of his famous customers, explains the challenge of using endangered woods in the process of instrument building, and discusses the moment when he decided to make the shift from repairing guitars to building his own. Bassists Tanya O’Callaghan and Nathan Peck also drop into the episode, to talk about the instruments that Roger has created for them. Roger Sadowsky is one of the most highly respected instrument makers in the world. His instruments are played by many of the world’s greatest artists including guitarists Jim Hall, John Abercrombie, Pat Metheny, Lee Ritenour, Chuck Loeb and bass players Marcus Miller, Will Lee, Rickey Minor, Michael Rhodes, Verdine White and Jason Newsted. Roger Sadowsky website Sadowsky on YouTube Follow Alex on IG and Twitter @alexskonick Moods & Modes is presented by Osiris Media. Hosted and Produced by Alex Skolnick. Osiris Production by Kirsten Cluthe and Matt Dwyer. Editing and mixing by Justin Thomas. Music by Alex Skolnick. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger join Moods & Modes this week to talk about the making of their latest album, Back From The Dead. Lzzy and Joe discuss their approach to writing songs in response to the pandemic, and explain some of the “happy accidents” that occurred during recording, including the broken tuning mechanism that turned into a riff. Lzzy recalls some of the emotionally charged moments she had in the studio, and explains the “Miller Halftime Show” moment that happens during their concerts. Grammy-award winning Halestorm was formed in 1998 by Lzzy and Arejay Hale. They released their self-titled debut in 2009 and their latest album, Back From The Dead, was released earlier this year. Lzzy Hale is Gibson Guitar’s first female brand ambassador. Halestorm website Follow Halestorm on IG @halestormrocks Halestorm on Spotify Halestorm on tour Follow Alex on IG and Twitter @alexskonick Moods & Modes is presented by Osiris Media. Hosted and Produced by Alex Skolnick. Osiris Production by Kirsten Cluthe and Matt Dwyer. Editing and mixing by Justin Thomas. Music by Alex Skolnick. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before heading out on tour with Jane Getter Premonition, Alex sat down with Jane to talk about her new album Anomalia, the diverse musical influences that are woven into her music, and the evolution of her sound. Jane reminds Alex of the time when he taught her how to play metal and shares the story of the New York moment that inspired the song Train Man, from her album “On”. NYC-based Jane Getter is a “triple-threat” (Geoff Wilbur)—guitarist, singer, and award-winning composer. Getter’s 6th release, Anomalia, coalesces a lifetime of musical exploration into intricate arrangements, powerful playing, and killer solos. Her band, Jane Getter Premonition, has carved out a niche at the intersection of jazz, metal, rock and singer-songwriter with masterful playing of Getter’s “complex, sophisticated, and dynamic” compositions (All About Jazz). On tour, JGP has dazzled audiences at ProgStock, Outreach Music Festival (Austria), San Francisco Jazz Festival, bFlat Bar (India), Guitar City (Poland), Borderline (UK), North Sea Jazz Club (Netherlands) Iridium, and opened for Allan Holdsworth and Brand X. Catch Alex on tour with Jane Getter thru November 13 Get Jane’s new album Anomalia here Follow Jane on IG @janegetter and Twitter @janegetter Jane Getter website Follow Alex on IG and Twitter @alexsklonick Moods & Modes is presented by Osiris Media. Hosted and Produced by Alex Skolnick. Osiris Production by Kirsten Cluthe. Editing and mixing by Justin Thomas. Music by Alex Skolnick. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Alex finally gets the chance to sit down with Nite Bob, whose job titles include sound engineer, guitar tech, tour manager, and production manager, to name a few. His 45-year career in the music industry is legendary as are many of the artists he’s worked with, including Steely Dan, Aerosmith, Iggy Pop, Emerson Lake & Palmer, KISS, The New York Dolls, R.E.M., and many more. Recorded over lunch at the Ear Inn, one of New York’s oldest pubs, Nite Bob shares stories from years of working closely with Steely Dan’s Walter Becker - his proclivity for purchasing guitars on a whim, even when advised otherwise; how he brought hard rock-worthy volume to Steely Dan shows, and thought nothing of switching equipment in the middle of a song. Nite Bob and Alex discuss buying guitars as a collector versus as a working musician, and Nite Bob tells Alex about that time he connected Rick Rubin and Run DMC to Aerosmith, which resulted in one of the most iconic collaborations in music history. Moods & Modes is presented by Osiris Media. Hosted and Produced by Alex Skolnick. Osiris Production by Kirsten Cluthe and Matt Dwyer. Editing and mixing by Matt Dwyer. Music by Alex Skolnick. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Alex visits Brooklyn Lutherie, the only woman-owned and operated guitar shop in New York City. While there to pick up his double SG, he chats with Mamie Minch, the shop’s co-founder, about the repair on his guitar and learns something new about it in the process. Alex, Mamie, and co-founder Chloe Swantner discuss what it was like to start a guitar repair business in what has traditionally been a very male-dominated field, and how Brooklyn Lutherie is changing the ratio. Mamie and Alex also discuss her musical career and her influences, which include two relatively unknown but fascinating female musicians,Connie ConverseandJudee Sill. You’ll also hear a bit of Mamie’s music. Mamie Minch is a longtime staple of New York City’s blues scene. She began playing guitar as a teenager in her bedroom listening to reissues of class country blues on repeat. She would try her hand at picking out the songs of legends like Mississippi John Hurt, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Memphis Minnie and Bessie Smith. She loved the steady thumb and percussive right hand of these blues players, but she also devoured lots of different styles of music, from soul to psychobilly and old time to punk rock. When she’s not making music, Mamie spends her days as a guitar repair luthier atBrooklyn Lutherie, the shop she and her business partner, Chloe Swantner, opened in 2014. It remains one of the few women-owned and -operated shops around.She also teaches, writes articles about luthiery and guitar playing forShe ShredsandAcoustic Guitarmagazines, and runs the annual Ukulele Building Camp for Girls in Brooklyn, NY. Moods & Modes is presented by Osiris Media. Hosted and Produced by Alex Skolnick. Osiris Production by Kirsten Cluthe and Matt Dwyer. Editing and mixing by Matt Dwyer. Music by Alex Skolnick. Artwork by Mark Dowd. If you like what you hear, please subscribe, rate, and review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Alex continues the journey into the life of Les Paul, from his close relationship with Django Reinhardt to the time he performed for Eisenhower and Nixon at the White House and demonstrated the Les Paulverizer; his love-hate relationship with the SG, and so much more. You’ll hear a fantastic story about the time that Les went to see Eddie Van Halen perform, and the moving eulogy that Mahwah Mayor Jim Wysocki wrote for Les’s funeral. Les Paul was best known as a skilled guitarist, and as one of the most important figures in the development of modern electric instruments and recording techniques. He was a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar (the Gibson Les Paul, which he helped design, is one of the most famous and enduring models), multitrack recording, and various reverb and echo effects. From the episodes: Les Paul in Mahwah Exhibit Jim Wysocki Benny Goodman, The Neurotic Guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal Moods & Modes is presented by Osiris Media. Hosted and Produced by Alex Skolnick. Osiris Production by Kirsten Cluthe and Matt Dwyer. Editing and mixing by Matt Dwyer. Music by Alex Skolnick. Artwork by Mark Dowd. If you like what you hear, please subscribe, rate, and review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Les Paul was an inventor, an award-winning musician, an innovator and a creative genius. In this episode, Alex pays tribute by taking us on a journey through the life of Les Paul - his music, his inventions, and the recent recovery of one of his missing Gibson Les Paul prototypes. Alex visits Mahwah, NJ with Benny Goodman, host of The Neurotic Guitarist, and musician Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, where they meet Jim Wysocki, mayor of Mahwah and longtime friend of Les Paul. Jim - a former police officer who befriended Paul in the early 80s - invites the group into his home, containing a vault of items that Les left behind, including instruments, journals, hand-wound pickups, memorabilia and more. The group also visits theLes Paul exhibit at the Mahwah Museum, home to select vintage guitars, artifacts and musical relics of Les’s. Mayor Jim shares incrediblestories about his time with Les Paul and helps identify Les’s long lost G5 prototype. Alex and Ron jam on Les’s personal guitars in the museum, some of which are available for visitors to play. Les Paul was best known as a skilled guitarist, and as one of the most important figures in the development of modern electric instruments and recording techniques. He was a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar (the Gibson Les Paul, which he helped design, is one of the most famous and enduring models), multitrack recording, and various reverb and echo effects. You can also see a video of their visit on The Neurotic Guitarist. Moods & Modes is presented byOsiris Media. Hosted and Produced by Alex Skolnick. Osiris Production by Kirsten Cluthe and Matt Dwyer. Editing and mixing by Matt Dwyer. Music by Alex Skolnick. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the tail end of the 60s, an unlikely meeting took place in Chicago between some prominent traditional blues artists and a chart-topping rock band from the UK. The results would reverberate for decades to come. In this episode, you’ll hear a discussion on the importance of this session along with further insights into the impact of the late, great Peter Green with guests Dave Rubin (author of Guitar Method) and Andy Aledort (Guitar Magazine). Peter Green was a British blues rock guitarist and composer. As the founder ofFleetwood Mac, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Green founded Fleetwood Mac in 1967 after a stint in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and quickly established the new band as a popular live act in addition to a successful recording act, before departing in 1970. Green’s songs, such as “Albatross”, “Black Magic Woman”, “Oh Well”, “The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)” and “Man of the World”, appeared on singles charts, and have been adapted by a variety of musicians. Green was a major figure in the “second great epoch” of the British blues movement. Eric Clapton praised his guitar playing, and B.B. King commented, “He has the sweetest tone I ever heard; he was the only one who gave me the cold sweats.” His trademark sound included string bending, vibrato, and economy of style.In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked him at number 58 in its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”. Moods & Modes is presented byOsiris Media. Hosted and Produced by Alex Skolnick. Osiris Production by Kirsten Cluthe and Matt Dwyer. Editing and mixing by Matt Dwyer. Music by Alex Skolnick. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.