Axe Lords

Even though he plays in one of the world’s biggest rock bands, is an active solo performer and hosts two podcasts (the second- and third-best podcasts ever), Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett found the time to convene with the Axe Lords to discuss his remarkable career, punk and glam-metal roots, signature Fender guitars, the relentless quest for an original sound, and why a sweaty club gig can be more nerve-wracking than playing a sold-out stadium show. Drop into our DMs if you need to know where to send those free Cleavers, buddy! Follow Chris Shiflett @shifty71 Axe Lords is hosted by Dave Hill, Cindy Hulej and Tom Beaujour. Produced by Studio Kairos. Executive Producer is Kirsten Cluthe. Edited by Justin Thomas (Revoice Media). Engineered by Patrick Samaha. Recorded at Kensaltown East. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Theme music by Valley Lodge. Follow Axe Lords @axelordspod for news, updates, and cool stuff.

By the time he was old enough to drink (legally), Trixter founder and guitarist Steve Brown had put his hometown of Paramus, NJ on the rock and roll map, released a gold record, starred in a string of hit MTV videos and performed on arena tours supporting Kiss, Poison and the Scorpions. He hasn’t slowed down much since the Eighties, producing albums by such icons as Ace Frehley, filling in for both Phil Collen and Vivan Campbell in Def Leppard, touring with the Wizards of Winter, and even launching a line of super-affordable SBS guitars, one of which he should totally send us to mess around with.  We connected with Steve remotely from his home studio/man-cave and talked about how he basically lived Dave and Tom’s rock and roll dream, the mighty Ibanez Icemen, isometric exercise routines, and who would win a Hamer versus Kramer death match. Follow Steve @stevebrownrocks Axe Lords is hosted by Dave Hill, Cindy Hulej and Tom Beaujour. Produced by Studio Kairos. Executive Producer is Kirsten Cluthe. Edited by Justin Thomas (Revoice Media). Engineered by Patrick Samaha. Recorded at Kensaltown East. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Theme music by Valley Lodge. Follow Axe Lords @axelordspod for news, updates, and cool stuff.

Matthew Caws has been the frontman and guitarist of Nada Surf for more than three decades, during which time he and his group transcended their status as an alternative rock “one hit wonder” to become one of indie rock’s most respected and resilient bands. As a guitarist, he draws as much from Crosby, Stills and Nash as Echo and Bunnymen and has developed an instantly recognizable right-hand approach and chordal vocabulary all his own. Caws joined us in the studio to discuss the making of Nada Surf’s excellent new album, Moon Mirror, Telecasters versus Les Pauls, Martin versus Gibson flattops, buying seats for your guitars on airplanes, and much more. Full disclosure: He is also Tom’s oldest friend, was the best man at his wedding, and is probably to blame for his lifelong guitar addiction.  Follow Matthew @matthewcaws and check out Nada Surf’s new record, Moon Mirror. Axe Lords is hosted by Dave Hill, Cindy Hulej and Tom Beaujour. Produced by Studio Kairos. Executive Producer is Kirsten Cluthe. Edited by Justin Thomas (Revoice Media). Engineered by Patrick Samaha. Recorded at Kensaltown East. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Theme music by Valley Lodge. Follow Axe Lords @axelordspod for news, updates, and cool stuff.

Kid Congo Powers started his rock and roll journey as the president of the Ramones’ fan club, and then helped redefine rock himself with seminal bands like the Gun Club, the Cramps, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and now with his own Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds. As a guitarist, he blends raw, emotive rock with punk, glam, and blues influences, creating sounds that are both intense and deeply expressive. This week, he joins the Axe Lords to talk about how open-E tuning is the secret of the universe, Eighties MIJ Squiers, his signature Reuss pedal, the magic of Tokai stomp boxes, touring with a single gold lamé shirt and partying with director Wim Wenders. Also he’s Cindy’s favorite living guitar player! Check out Kid Congo Powers Signature Pedal The Tingler here Kid’s memoir, “Some New Kind Of Kick”, is available now. Follow @kidcongopowers Axe Lords is hosted by Dave Hill, Cindy Hulej and Tom Beaujour Produced by Studio Kairos. Executive Producer is Kirsten Cluthe. Edited by Justin Thomas (Revoice Media). Engineered by Patrick Samaha. Recorded at Kensaltown East. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Theme music by Valley Lodge. Follow Axe Lords @axelordspod for news, updates, and cool stuff

The Axe Lords crank it up this week with Mike Hickey, former in-house shredder for Venom, Carcass, Cathedral, and Cronos; guitar tech to the stars, and legendary gear hunter. Known as one of the world's leading Charvel historians, Mike dishes out his wisdom to the crew, trading stories of daring feats of guitar acquisition, the great Kahler-Floyd Rose debate, and how signature models have changed the guitar market. Mike also takes Dave, Cindy, and Tom for a stroll amongst the towering pillars of Grover Jackson's legacy. And, of course, there's plenty of praise for number one Charvel ambassador, Warren DeMartini. Mike Hickey has played guitar with artists as far-ranging as Daryl Hall & John Oates, to British metal legends Venom and Carcass. He was also the bassist with Cathedral for their Ethereal Mirror Tour. He has been a contributor to Guitar Player and is currently Joe Bonamassa’s guitar tech. Axe Lords is hosted by Dave Hill, Cindy Hulej and Tom Beaujour. Produced by Studio Kairos. Executive Producer is Kirsten Cluthe. Edited by Justin Thomas (Revoice Media). Engineered by Patrick Samaha. Recorded at Kensaltown East. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Theme music by Valley Lodge. Follow Axe Lords @axelordspod for news, updates, and cool stuff.

Karina Rykman, bass virtuoso, part-time guitarist, and all-around force of nature brings her unstoppable energy to Axe Lords. She dives into her switch from guitar to bass, discusses the personal connection she has to her instruments, and Karina and Tom reminisce about growing up as New York City kids. Karina explains how she's going to buy everyone a boat, and offers her hot take on the controversial 5-string bass. Born and raised in New York City, Karina Rykman’s musical path began in her early teens playing in bands whenever she could while attending a veritable ton of live music as a fan. Her remarkable prowess on the bass guitar soon landed her a number of high-profile television gigs. By the end of her senior year at NYU, Rykman’s virtuoso talent and infectious spirit saw her invited to join pianist Marco Benevento’s band (as recommended by Ween bassist Dave Dreiwitz), with whom she performed countless shows including dates with Vulfpeck, Dispatch, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, Guster, and many more. Rykman soon formed her own namesake band, accompanied by Adam November (guitar, loopers, effects) and Chris Corsico (drums). She quickly earned a reputation as a mesmerizing, unmissable live act, lighting up an array of international stages with headline sets, show-stealing festival performances, and recent appearances sitting in with the 8G Band on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers. Axe Lords is hosted by Dave Hill, Cindy Hulej and Tom Beaujour. Produced by Studio Kairos. Executive Producer is Kirsten Cluthe. Edited by Justin Thomas (Revoice Media). Engineered by Patrick Samaha. Recorded at Kensaltown East. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Theme music by Valley Lodge. Follow Axe Lords @axelordspod for news, updates, and cool stuff.

In Episode 2 of Axe Lords, the legendary Steve Vai dials in to join Dave, Cindy, and Tom for a conversation about his genre-spanning career and the many ways in which he’s impacted the world of guitar. From learning under Joe Satriani to gigs with Frank Zappa and David Lee Roth, Vai shares unforgettable stories from the 80s and beyond. They dive into his latest project, the Beat Tour with King Crimson’s Adrian Belew and Tony Levin, and geek out over his signature creations, like the Ibanez JEM and the game-changing 7-string Universe guitar. And of course, Tom can't help but ask about that epic Crossroads guitar battle. Steve Vai is a renowned guitarist, songwriter, and producer, celebrated for his boundary-pushing musical style. A three-time GRAMMY winner, Vai began his career as a transcriptionist for Frank Zappa and later played in Zappa’s band from 1980-1983. He launched his solo career in 1983 and has toured and recorded with Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth, Whitesnake, and collaborated with artists like Public Image Ltd., Mary J. Blige and Motorhead. Vai has sold over 15 million records worldwide and continues to be one of the world’s most innovative musicians. Axe Lords is hosted by Dave Hill, Cindy Hulej and Tom Beaujour Produced by Studio Kairos. Executive Producer is Kirsten Cluthe. Edited by Justin Thomas (Revoice Media). Engineered by Patrick Samaha. Recorded at Kensaltown East. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Theme music by Valley Lodge.

In the very first episode of Axe Lords, we're kicking things off with none other than Alex Skolnick—a guy who’s gone from shredding thrash metal stages to throwing down jazz riffs without missing a beat. Alex talks about his journey, from learning guitar with one of guitar’s greatest players to dropping jaws with his solos in one of metal’s most iconic bands. We get into the nitty-gritty of thrash guitar—writing solos that are fast, furious, and oh yeah, actually good (no pressure, right?). He dishes on his audition with Ozzy, the ups and downs of navigating an industry that isn’t always about the music, and why being a guitar god isn’t as glamorous as it looks. He also shows the Axe Lords how to sweep. There’s no sugarcoating here—just raw insights into his journey from rebellious teenage guitarist to seasoned pro, all while paying homage to the axe-slinging legends like Satriani and Malmsteen who paved the way. With new music on the horizon, Alex’s story is a testament (pun intended) to the relentless grind of a musician who never stops evolving.  Axe Lords is hosted by Dave Hill, CIndy Hulej and Tom Beaujour Produced by Studio Kairos. Executive Producer is Kirsten Cluthe. Edited by Justin Thomas (Revoice Media). Engineered by Patrick Samaha. Recorded at Kensaltown East. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Theme music by Valley Lodge. Follow Axe Lords @axelordspod.com Watch the video on Volume.com/axelords Follow Alex Skolnick @alexskolnick Chapters 00:00 Discovering Music Through Covers 02:09 The Birth of Axe Lords Podcast 03:34 Writing Solos in Thrash Metal 10:23 The Pressure of Short Solos 12:37 The Influence of Virtuoso Guitarists 18:17 The Ozzy Osbourne Experience 26:52 Navigating the Music Industry 32:37 The Journey to Finding a Guitar 37:34 The Early Days of Music and Band Dynamics 40:51 Parental Perspectives on a Music Career 43:45 Influences and Lessons from Joe Satriani 49:16 The Yngwie Malmsteen Phenomenon 56:55 Guitar Techniques and Signature Sounds 01:06:26 Current Projects and Future Endeavors

Imagine a world where only guitars matter. Welcome to Axe Lords! In every episode, comedian and shredder Dave Hill, producer and best-selling author, Tom Beaujour, and bad-ass luthier to the stars Cindy Hulej hang with musical celebrity guests to discuss why having more guitars is the only true path to happiness and inner peace. Chaos has been known to ensue.  Season one welcomes Alex Skolnick, Steve Vai, Chris Shiflett, Karina Rykman, Kid Congo Powers, Matthew Caws, Steve Brown, and more to the Axe Lords studio to talk guitars, gear, and the guitar heroes that inspire them all. Axe Lords is hosted by Dave Hill, Cindy Hulej, and Tom Beaujour. Produced by Studio Kairos. Recorded at Kensaltown East. Engineered by Patrick Samaha. Edited and mixed by Justin Thomas. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Theme music by Valley Lodge.