Couch Riffs

This episode we are very pleased to host Todd La Torre, vocalist of Queensrÿche AND lesser known as the killer drummer that he is! In fact, Todd tracked drums on the 2019 Queensrÿche album, The Verdict in the absence the band's original drummer, Scott Rockenfield. Couch Riffs was lucky enough to get him to lend his incredible voice to an upcoming cover song, too. Stay tuned! Todd joined Queensrÿche in 2012 and has been steadily showing the world that the band can be better than ever at this point in their career. The band is touring the US in March 2023 and Todd's solo album, Rejoice In The Suffering, will be getting a vinyl release in the EU/import this month on white with blood splatter vinyl! See the link below to pre-order. Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs Podcast please support us on PATREON. Patreon support is what propels Couch Riffs and enables us to finish the cover song videos. Thank you so much for helping us make this happen!  https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://couchrif

Our guest this episode is Benjy Johnson, owner operator of Earthtones Recording in Greensboro NC, is a grammy nominated producer as well as a fantastic musician himself who is to release a collaborative album with partners Mike Watt (Minutemen/fIREHOSE), Kawabata Makoto (Acid Mothers Temple) and Scotty Irving (Clang Quartet) under the name Spirit of Hamlet. The album, Northwest of Hamuretto will be released on March 17, 2023 on Broken Sound Tapes. We cover a lot of how Benjy got started in music and developed his recording chops in our conversation and end on a long riff about guitars. Straight out of the gate I was pleased to be speaking about 80s hair metal guitarists! I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.  If you're enjoying Couch Riffs please support us on PATREON. Your Patreon support is what makes possible the long hours of booking, recording, editing and mixing on the podcast and our cover song videos. Thank you so much!  https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://couchriffs.com https://benjyjohnsonmusic

Our guest this episode is Carl Raether, bassist for Crashing Wayward and Max Fite as well as a session and gig man about town. Max has lots of touring experience under his belt and cut his teeth van touring out of the DC music scene before relocating to LA and finally Las Vegas most recently. His band Crashing Wayward is working on its debut album and is performing a number of shows coming up. Be sure to check them out if you have the chance! I hope you enjoy this episode. It was a pleasure to host Carl on Couch Riffs.  If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs Podcast please consider supporting us on PATREON. Thank you so much for enabling Couch Riffs to grow and thrive through your support.  https://couchriffs.com https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://crashingwayward.com  

Our guest this episode is Lincoln Barr. The former frontman of Red Jacket Mine released his third solo album in late 2022, Forfeit The Prize, a beautiful collection of heavily orchestrated jazz-leaning pop songs with a definite classic vibe. I had a fantastic time catching up with Lincoln in this conversation and learning about him quite a bit more deeply despite us knowing each other for nearly 20 years. Be sure to check out Lincoln on tour next month (2/23) through the midwest. Check the link to his website below! I hope you enjoy. If you are enjoying the Couch Riffs podcast or our accompanying performance videos please support us on Patreon. Your Patreon support is what allows Couch Riffs to exist, grow, and thrive. Thank you so much for your patronage! https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://couchriffs.com http://lincolnbarrmusic.com  

Our guest this episode is the talented Adam Johnson aka Adam Patrick Johnson. Adam is a musician, content creator, music business coach and a hell of a nice guy. You can check out his personal YouTube and social accounts at Adam Patrick Johnson and be sure to check out his podcast Cover Band Confidential, as well. And, of course direct yourself over to his website linked below. If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs podcast please consider supporting us at PATREON. Your support helps us grow, improve and diversify our content and we appreciate you! Thanks so much. https://couchriffs.com https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://adampatrickjohnson.com

Our guest this episode is Angus Clark, a massively talented guitarist/composer and geniunely kind and awesome human. Angus has played with the likes of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Cher, Kitaro, Daredevil Squadron and many other bands and musicians. He is a guitar instructor on TrueFire.com and manages Song Division in America, a music-based experiential corporate team building organization. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Keep your eyes peeled for a couple of appearances from Angus in upcoming Couch Riffs videos, as well!  Thanks for listening. If you're enjoying Couch Riffs please consider supporting us through PATREON. Your support not only keeps the podcast moving forward but helps us plan and plot our growth which includes lots and lots of new video content. Thank you for your support!  https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://couchriffs.com https://angusclark.com  

Our guest this episode is the wonderful Ricky Warwick of Black Star Riders, Thin Lizzy, The Almighty and for a short time the guitarist for New Model Army. In our conversation we do our best to cover Ricky's decades-long career and get up to speed to talk about the Black Star Riders album released on 1/20/23, Wrong Side Of Paradise. The band will be on the road in the UK and Ireland in late Winter '23. Be sure to check them out!  I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Ricky is a top-shelf class act fella. If you are enjoying the Couch Riffs podcast please consider supporting us at Patreon. Your support enables us to record and release an ever-improving series of podcasts and performance videos and the ambitious vision we have for Couch Riffs' future relies on your support. Thank you!  https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://couchriffs.com https://blackstarriders.com

Our guest this episode is Keith Lowe, a fantastically talented bassist from Seattle who is releasing his first solo album of his career on 1/20/23, an EP of beautiful ambient music textured almost entirely with upright bass performances. Keith has had an incredible career performing and recording with the likes of Fiona Apple, Bill Frisell, Brad, Wayne Horvitz, David Sylvian and Larua Veirs among many others. He currently teaches bass at Seattle Drum School and performs regularly with Teatro Zinzani in Seattle.  If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs Podcast please support us on Patreon. Your support helps keep all of the pieces moving forward to help bring Couch Riffs to the full vision we have for it. Thank you so much!  https://patreon.com/couchriffs httsp://couchriffs.com  

Our guest this episode is Dennis Sanders, frontman for LA band Spirit In The Room. Dennis and the band released an EP in the summer of 2022 entitled Flamingo and it happens to be my favorite release of last year. Highly recommended for fans of 90s heavy/alt rock a la Jesus Lizard, Failure, Deftones, etc. In this conversation we cover Dennis' youth, his early years in music, as well as Flamingo and things happening in his current life. I hope you enjoy. Please do go and check out Spirit in The Room! If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs Podcast please consider supporting us on Patreon. Your support there helps us maintain our monthly expenses and enables us to grow, improve, and develop the Couch Riffs output. Thank you so much! https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://couchriffs.com https://spiritintheroom.bandcamp.com/music  

Our guest this episode is Mike Varney, guitarist and record label icon. As the young founder of Shrapnel Records, Mike Varney helped elevate the shred guitar movement as it grew and flourished through the 80s and gained niche celebrity throughout the guitar world through his labels and a column he wrote called Spotlight which highlighted local guitar heroes from around the country and world. Many of the artists Varney as worked with remain active to this day and are some of the biggest names in guitar music. Malmsteen, Gilbert, Friedman, Howe, Macalpine. The list goes on much further but when you're feeling in the mood go check out some of the releases from Shrapnel Records and later International Blues Bureau and Tone Center. You'll most certainly fulfill your guitar fix. I hope you enjoy!  If you are enjoying Couch Riffs please support us at PATREON. Patreon support is what we rely on to create, sustain, and grow Couch Riffs into a podcast and video platform that gets 100% of our creative focus. Your suppor

This episode our guest is Rev Jones, an incredible bassist and vocalist who has worked with the likes of Leslie West and Mountain, Michael Schenker, Paul Gilbert, Steelheart and many others. Last year he released a solo album, In the Key of Z, which showcases his over the top and explosive bass talents. Rev was a great hang and has loads of stories to share and I hope you enjoy this conversation like I did! And, by all means, go check out some video footage of Rev performing live. He's a monster! If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs podcast or our performance videos please support us on PATREON. Your support is what makes these things happen and the greater support we gain the more we'll be capable of. Thank you so much! https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://couchriffs.com https://revjones.com  

Our guest this episode is Frank Grocholski aka Frankie G, a talented guitarist currently living in Texas. Frank grew up on the east coast cutting his teeth on multiple styles, picking up the guitar very young and gigging early. He's currently playing with the band Cowboy Mouth as well as doing various other session gigs. Frank recently appeared in a Couch Riffs video for Ain't It Fun and crushed it! It was a pleasure to get to speak with Frank and hear his story and I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.  If you are enjoying Couch Riffs please consider supporting us at PATREON. Your support helps perpetuate the podcast, our performance videos and all of the unrealized concepts for Couch Riffs' future! Thank you so much!  https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://couchriffs.com  

Our guest this episode is Richard Shaw, former guitarist of Cradle of Filth and touring guitarist for King 810. Richard is a massively talented guitarist performing and recording for many projects both on stage and in the studio as well as teaching. If you're looking to bone up on your theory or improv chops reach out to him and schedule some time. He's the man! I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as I enjoyed being involved in this conversation. If you're enjoying Couch Riffs please consider supporting us at Patreon! Your Patreon support is what makes this and our cover song performance videos happen and as Patreon grows so will our abilities to create bigger, more exciting content for you to enjoy. Thanks so much! https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://couchriffs.com  

Our guest this episode is Whitfield Crane, singer for Ugly Kid Joe who has recently released a new full-length album titled Rad Wings of Destiny. I met Ugly Kid Joe (and Whit) on tour 10 years ago and became fast friends with all of the members of the band. This friendship eventually led to me doing some touring with the band over the summer of 2022 and I will continue performing with them for some UK dates in November 2022. Rad Wings of Destiny is a well-rounded rock album with strong riffs, clever lyrics and great hooks! I recommend checking it out and do catch the band live if you're able. Whitfield is one of the most criminally under celebrated front persons in rock music and the band is running hot! I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. If you're enjoying Couch Riffs Podcast or you love our cover song performance videos please consider supporting us on Patreon! Your support is what makes Couch Riffs possible and as Patreon support grows our ability to produce more and higher quality conten

Our guest this episode is our one-time tourmate Martin Rebelski, keyboardist for a small handful of well-known and prominent English bands of note. A lifelong musician, Martin details his early years and development in this podcast conversation as well as his introductions into how he came to play with his most well-known bands, Doves, Peter Hook, and Echo & The Bunnymen. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!  If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs podcast please support us at Patreon! Your support helps make this and our cover song videos happen and be there best. Thank you for the support!  https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://couchriffs.com https://rebelski.bandcamp.com

My guest this episode is Chris Ballew, former singer/frontman for Presidents of the United States of America (PUSA). Chris is a prolific and magnificent songwriter and dynamo stage performer. He has one of the most commanding and comfortable stage presences I've ever seen, equally at home in performing set song arrangements and venturing off into impromptu sidebars of fun. He's begun to release solo music under his own name for the first just in the last couple years and has turned out 3 full-length releases with a handful more on the way. Please do go check out his latest, Primitive God. Recommended for fans of psychedelic and pop classics as well as fuzzed out freedom rock, maaaaaaan. Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying Couch Riffs podcast and/or our video performances please consider supporting us through Patreon! Your support goes a long way toward making all of this possible. You're great! https://couchriffs.com https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://www.chrisballew.org  

This episode features my conversation with Kevin Sepriano of LA band, Spirit in the Room. Kevin has a long history playing music in many bands going back to the 80s. His day gig is an enviable one, working for Pete Anderson (Dwight Yoakam, etc.) and he has a great side hustle building and consulting pedal boards with his company, Anxiety Electronics. Spirit in the Room have a new EP called Famingo and it is stellar! I definitely recommend giving it a listen. I hope you enjoy this conversation! If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs podcast please consider supporting it through Patreon at the link below. Your support helps make every aspect of the podcast and the cover song collaboration videos possible. Thank you so much for that support! https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://couchriffs.com https://spiritintheroom.bandcamp.com/album/flamingo https://www.instagram.com/anxietyelectronics/

On this glorious return to the mic we are happy to be hosting none other than our great friend Rachel Flotard of Visqueen and Neko Case. Rachel is one of the funniest, most talented humans we've ever known and this was a perfect comeback episode, catching up on 25 years of laughs together. Visqueen will be playing a benefit reunion show in Seattle at the Tractor Tavern in historic Ballard! This show is a benefit for Lilith Fund which is a reproductive rights organization in Texas. The show is sold out but please follow the link below to help support this organization in a time it needs it more than ever. Than you.  Thank you to Variety Coffee for your continued support and to our Patreon community of supporters. If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs podcast please consider supporting us through monthly patronage or by visiting our website and buying some merch! Thanks again.  https://www.lilithfund.org https://varietycoffeeroasters.com https://couchriffs.com

Our guest this episode is Spencer Moody, singer for Murder City Devils, Dead Low Tide, and most recently M. Krebs who have an album out now on all streaming platforms. The album is a collection of awesome, post-wave gothic americana tunes that were written quarantine style and recorded recently in Seattle at The Kill Room. I hope you enjoy this conversation! Go check out the M. Krebs album and look for Murder City Devils stuff in the near future.  If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs Podcast or our video performances (Spencer recently performed on You Ain't Goin' Nowhere!) please support us on Patreon. Patreon support is what makes Couch Riffs happen and I can't thank you enough for taking the pressure of the back end costs off of my shoulders. Thank you a million times.  https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://couchriffs.com

Our guest this episode is William Goldsmith, drummer for Sunny Day Real Estate who have recently made a number of very exciting announcements for shows and tours in 2022. Willam is also a member of 2-piece post rock band Assertion and former drummer for Foo Fighters, as well. I hope you have a great time with this episode! I'm a big fan of SDRE and I really loved getting the opportunity to speak with William. Also, if you're looking for a drum instructor reach out to William through social media. He's had a rich experience in music and is a great resource for teaching and consulting. If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs podcast or our performance videos please consider supporting us at PATREON. Patreon support is what makes this podcast and all of our great content possible. Thank you so much for your support! https://patreon.com/couchriffs https://couchriffs.com