Couch Riffs

My guest this episode is Dejha who possesses one of my absolute favorite singing voices. After being a fan and knowing each other for years, playing together here and there, we started co-writing songs at a time when we lived completely across the country from one another which is very similar to how folks are making music during the pandemic isolation now. Dejha has fronted and led many bands that I have loved over the years and The Union Gospel project is selfishly my favorite. The Union Gospel album was released digitally in 2019 and had a vinyl release in early 2020. You can stream it here and purchase the LP here.  If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs podcast and/or videos please consider becoming a pledge supporter with a donation of as little as .99/month. And, don't forget to leave a 5 star rating and positive review on the platform where you listen in. Lastly, Couch Riffs has a website (couchriffs.com) where you can find all of the videos, podcasts, and a link to our Etsy store where you can purchase

Toby Fresh, aka DV One, is a member of the Rock Steady Crew and an old-school b-boy and fixture in the Seattle hip hop scene, though he resides in Hawaii now. We met while we both had gigs at a casino north of Seattle and after a conversation we decided we'd trade guitar lessons for DJ lessons. Toby is also a very active jiu jitsu and fight trainer and the former DJ for the Seattle Seahawks which earned him a Super Bowl ring (almost two, you know......). I had a great time catching up with him and I hope you enjoy listening to this conversation as much as I did. Thanks for listening and for your continued support!  If you enjoy Couch Riffs please leave a positive review and 5-star rating at your preferred listening platform. And, you can purchase Couch Riffs t-shirts at the Etsy link at couchriffs.com. You can also become a monthly pledge supporter for as little as .99/month at THIS LINK or the link you see just below this description. Thanks again for listening and for your continued support of Couch Riffs. 

Mike Doughty is an accomplished singer and songwriter with nearly 20 albums in his catalog. After forming and fronting NYC's Soul Coughing in the 90s Mike went on to carve out his own way as a solo artist in a completely new and uncharted environment where he continues to this day. Patreon contributors play a huge role in Mike's current world and he currently maintains and contributes to a supportive Patreon fanbase while he's not touring. He currently lives and creates out of Memphis TN.  If you are enjoying Couch Riffs please consider becoming a pledge supporter for as little as .99/month. That's less than a buck and about 12 cents per episode. Not bad! We also maintain an Etsy store where you can purchase very comfortable and stylish 100% cotton Couch Riffs t-shirts. Check out couchriffs.com for a link to that store and all of our videos and podcasts. Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and a review if you're enjoying this series. Thanks for listening and for your continued support!  --- Send in a voice

Our guest on this episode is Mike Gurnari of the legendary NYHC band, Madball. Mike has been with the band for just over 2 years as of the publishing of this podcast and has a very simple and immediate story of how that came to be. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with him about playing, tattoo shop life, and guitars. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed having it.  If you enjoy Couch Riffs please consider becoming a pledge supporter for as little as .99/month. And, if that isn't in your budget you can always leave a 5-star rating and great review at your preferred listening platform. Don't forget to subscribe and download every episode! You can visit couchriffs.com to find all of the podcast episodes and videos that we've published, as well as find a link to our merchandise store at Etsy. Thanks for listening and for your continued support!  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/couch-riffs/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/couch-riffs/support

Our guest on this episode is the legendary Wayne Kramer of MC5. But, there is much more to Wayne's story than simply being the guitarist and leader of one of the most important bands of all time. I cheated some before this conversation and listened to Wayne narrate the audio book recording of his 2018 published, The Hard Stuff. I highly recommend picking up the book and/or listening to him personally read his story. It is wonderful. And, I am very much looking forward to the project that Wayne hints at coming up for his next project. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!  If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs podcast and/or videos please leave a 5-star rating and a review on your preferred listening platform. And, if you really, really love Couch Riffs you can become a monthly pledge donor for as little as .99/month at the link below. It goes a long way toward helping us keep rolling and continue to get great guests like Wayne. Thanks so much for listening and for your continued support!  --- Send in a voice

Blag Dahlia, aka Blag The Ripper, is the leader of legendary punk band The Dwarves who have been pushing boundaries and melting brains since the mid-80s. Blag, it turns out, is quite well spoken which I was expecting. I wasn't really expecting him to be so nice, honestly. Funny, sure. But, I had a great time learning about some of his and the Dwarves' history and his plans for.a new Blag album. And, potentially got a commitment in a Couch Riffs video! I hope you enjoy this episode. It was a pleasure speaking with Blag.  If you're enjoying Couch Riffs and/or our videos please leave a rating and review wherever you listen in. And, you can become a pledge supporter of Couch Riffs for as little as .99/month. This money and these ratings/reviews help Couch Riffs continue to turn out great podcasts and videos and continue to get great guests from all genres and levels. Thanks so much for the support. Stay safe and healthy.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/couch-riffs/message Support this podcast: htt

This episode features guest Kathy Moore, one of the most in-demand and active guitarists in all of Seattle. We met a handful of years ago and it is always an absolute joy to see her perform and usually we can chat briefly when we cross paths but this was a great conversation for getting to know her story. Studied in jazz and orchestral band, Kathy didn't start playing guitar until she was 21 years old! She is an absolute ripper and can cover so many styles on the guitar AS WELL AS THE KEYS! Seriously, one of my regrets of leaving Seattle is that I left without ever getting to play and perform with Kathy. Go check out The Kathy Moore Super Power Trio!  If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs Podcast and/or our videos please consider becoming a monthly pledge supporter for as little as .99/month. You can also decorate yourself in comfortable and stylish Couch Riffs shirts and trucker hats which you can find at couchriffs.com. Thank you so much for listening and stay safe and healthy out there!  --- Send in a voice m

Ken Haas owns and operates Reverend Guitars in Ohio, USA and we are happy to have him as a guest on the Couch Riffs podcast this episode! Reverend Guitars has been producing amazing guitars since the late 90s and I remember when they arrived on the scene, surprising folks with their alternative body construction and cool retro-futuristic shapes. I was always a fan and remain a fan. In this episode Ken tells us how he came to be involved with Reverend and makes a cool announcement concerning the Limited Edition release for 2020! I bought it on the spot, actually.  Thanks for listening and supporting Couch Riffs, I really appreciate it. You can help us out a ton if you leave a 5-star rating and/or a review on your preferred listening platform. If you'd like to become a monthly pledge supporter you can do so for as little as .99/month (that's practically nothing!) at anchor.fm/couch-riffs. A little really does go a long way! Thanks again and stay safe and healthy out there.  --- Send in a voice message: https://

Dustin Boyer is one of the most entertaining people to hang out with and talk to. There is literally no time for slowing down a conversation. But, more importantly you are hoping that some of his magic will rub off on you just from hanging out with him because he is a MONSTER guitar player. He has a ton of performing and recording experience beyond his own bands and projects and his ongoing work with the legend John Cale. His own projects range a massive variety and I encourage you to go check it out as soon as possible!  If you're enjoying Couch Riffs please consider becoming a monthly pledge supporter. You can be a huge help for as little as .99/month! If pledging isn't in the cards please take the time to leave a review and rating on your preferred podcast platform. This helps keep us high in the algorithm, what ever that means. And, lastly go check out our super cozy merchandise at couchriffs.com. Its all made with love by INK BRIGADE in Portland OR.  Thanks again for listening and for your continued supp

This episode features guest Chris Buck, one of the most talented rising stars in the guitar world today. Being a relatively early adopter of using YouTube as a tool to share his playing Chris has been gaining more and more recognition worldwide as well as earning Best New Guitarist in Total Guitar's 2017 poll as well as Best Blues Guitarist in Guitarist's 2019 poll. Look for Chris to have a big and bright future as a guitarist and with his band Buck and Evans. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I enjoyed having it.  If you're enjoying Couch Riffs podcasts or videos please consider becoming a monthly pledge donor at the LINK HERE. You can support for as little as .99/month! You can also find all videos, podcasts, and a link to our Etsy Store at couchriffs.com. Thanks for listening and for the continued support!  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/couch-riffs/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/couch-riffs/support

Our guest on this episode is a most excellent friend, shredding guitarist, and professional tour manager type, Andrew McKeag. Andrew is the type of guy that you can call at 3:30am to help get your car pushed out of a ditch or get your motorcycle towed from some inconvenient place that its broken down. I know. He's done that for me. He's also got some of the best rock 'n roll stories from behind the scenes that I've ever heard. But, we are smart enough to not get too deep into the muck cuz eventually we are going to have to face people again when this plague life is behind us. I hope you enjoy this conversation!  If you are enjoying Couch Riffs and/or our videos please consider becoming a pledge supporter at Anchor.fm. You can support for as little as .99/month and this small gesture goes a long way toward helping the podcast continue and improve. Thanks for listening and for your continued support. Don't forget to leave a top-notch review and rating where ever you are listening, as well! Thank you!  --- Send

Our guest this episode is the incredible Jimi Hazel of 24-7 Spyz who last year put out their first album in well over a decade. Jimi went in deep on his process of writing this album along with the spiritual elements that helped him break his writer's block and depression. It was an absolute pleasure to speak with him, get to know him beyond social media volleys, and hear about what makes him tick and inspires him. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!  If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs Podcast and/or our videos please consider becoming a monthly pledge supporter for as little as .99/month! A little goes a long way. If making a financial contribution isn't in the cards for you please leave a great rating and review at your preferred streaming platform. All of this stuff helps keep our podcast flowing and showing up in algorithms. Thanks for your continued support! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/couch-riffs/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/couch-riffs/support

This episode we feature guest and longtime inside-joking friend, Jason Finn known best for drumming in The Presidents of the United States of America. He will be our final guest for the official and not-real Drummer Awareness Month on Couch Riffs. Jason has had a glorious and fun career as a drummer for many bands on many different levels. He's a generally funny fella and this podcast is chalked full of inside jokes that no-one would expect you to get or even find funny if you were in on them. I think that's the sign of a friend, though. Go check out PUSA's debut album on vinyl soon when it finally arrives hot on the heels of their crowdfunding release on this 25th anniversary of its initial release. (25 years?!) Thanks for listening to the Couch Riffs Podcast! If you love what we are doing and have the means, your .99/month pledge donation goes a long way to help support the podcast and make it not only sustainable but also make improvements along the way. Follow THIS LINK or the link below in the episode no

What can I say? Drummer Awareness Month is kicking ass even if it isn't a real thing. On this episode we have yet another amazing drummer in Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees, Mad Season, Barrett Martin Group, Tuatara, Walking Papers, Desert Sessions, and tons more. Barrett is a studied musician and educated in orchestral/classical, jazz, and ethnomusicology and is also well known for producing and performing on many albums as a drummer or percussionist. Don't let the fanciness fool you, though. He's a vicious rock drummer! He's published two books in the last handful of years, 2017's The Singing Earth and 2019's The Way of the Zen Cowboy.  If you're enjoying Couch Riffs Podcast and/or our video series please consider sponsoring the podcast at the link below of HERE. Your .99/month goes a long way to keep the podcast rolling along and improving. Thank you so much for listening and for the support!  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/couch-riffs/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/couch

Our guest for this episode is the great NY drummer, Oskar "The Finnisher" Haggdahl (that's not really his nickname, I just made it up). He's performed with a number of artists in NY and around around the world including the Broadway production of Mamma Mia!, Marc Martel, and Hey, Guy. He played a handful of NY shows with The Union Gospel, as well, which was an absolute pleasure and how we met. He's currently available for remote session drumming and is an absolute groove machine. Check his instagram feed for examples of his great work!  If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs Podcast and/or our video series please consider becoming a monthly pledge supporter. You can help keep the blood flowing over here for as little as .99/month and it most certainly goes a long way in making things happen here. The Couch Riffs Etsy store is also active and you can get ready for Summer with our 100% cotton tees and trucker hats printed in Portland, OR by Ink Brigade!  Thank you so much for listening and supporting! --- Send in a

Ronnie Vannucci is the drummer for The Killers, one of the biggest bands to emerge and remain from the early 2000s. These guys have a list of hits nearly as long as my family's felony conviction history. I met Ronnie a few years before he joined The Killers, a story which is briefly chronicled in this podcast, and immediately we were friendly, staying in touch and hanging when he visited Seattle or I was in Vegas. And, if you're familiar with The Killers' music you know that they blew up quick, hard, and they continue to make huge sounding albums filled with hooks and hits. I'm excited to hear what they cook up during this pandemic social distancing time as they continue to work steadily on more new material. I hope you enjoy listening to this conversation as much as I loved catching up with RV.  If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs Podcast or its accompanying video series please consider becoming a monthly pledge donor for as little as .99/month. You can do that at THIS HYPERLINK or go visit couchriffs.com to

David Bader is a sweet man. I met him when he was pulling coffee at the Rough Trade Records coffee stand in Williamsburg and we hit it off immediately. We even flirted with the idea of starting a band along with former Couch Riffs guest Timo Ellis but it didn't get past a rehearsal/jam session. He has the enviable job of meeting, speaking with, and writing about all kinds of musicians and guitar heroes which is something I always thought would be cool but know I wouldn't be great at. But, David is and that's awesome. As usual, we cover lots of ground here and talk a lot about Florida, music, cars, guitars, and much more. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!  If you enjoy the Couch Riffs podcast and video series please consider becoming a pledge supporter for as little as .99/month. Its easy to do and relatively painless on your pocketbook (if you still use one of those). You'll find a link below or at couchriffs.com where all videos, podcasts, and a link to our Etsy merch store also resides. Thanks for lis

I'm so happy to have gotten the opportunity to get this episode recorded with Scott Kannberg. I've known Scott for many years, meeting after Pavement when he moved to Seattle and had Preston School of Industry operating. We share a great mutual love for Echo and the Bunnymen but Scott is not so much on the Zappa. That's okay, we had plenty to talk about! I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.  If you're enjoying Couch Riffs please consider becoming a monthly pledge supporter for as little as .99/month. Its easy and painless and you can do it at anchor.fm/couch-riffs. There is also an Etsy Store that you can reach from couchriffs.com which is also where you will find every single Couch Riffs video and podcast cataloged for your convenience. Thanks for listening and for the support!  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/couch-riffs/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/couch-riffs/support

This episode's guest is the insanely talented and humble Luis Kalil. This young Brazilian shredder has been impressing and dazzling people for years on the internet by way of his YouTube videos and ESP Guitar clinics but has been in LA for the last few years attending Musicians Institute and playing gigs there. If you've not seen and heard him, do yourself a favor and go look him up. And, keep an eye out for him getting snatched up by a bigger act in the future. I'd say it is inevitable! Please consider supporting Couch Riffs by becoming a monthly pledge supporter for as little as .99/month. Its easy and you can do that HERE on anchor.fm. Also, check out couchriffs.com to find all of the Couch Riffs podcasts, videos, and a link to the Etsy store all in one central location. Thanks for listening and for your continued support!  Photo by Julio Mendoza --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/couch-riffs/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/couch-riffs/support

Our guest in this episode is Alex Auxier who has an interesting job in the musical world, Artist Relations for a renowned amplifier company, Orange Amps. If you've not seen the promotional videos that Orange has been putting out for the last number of years and amp releases you should get a look. They're creative, clever, and usually very funny. Alex is a funny guy and man, we get in to a few good bits in this conversation. I hope you enjoy as much as I did! Also, if anyone out there has an OR50 reissue they'd sell me cheap I'd really love to have another one! (after all this coronavirus BS is over) If you're enjoying the Couch Riffs podcast and videos please help us keep going by becoming a monthly pledge supporter for as little as .99/month! That is easy peezy! Be sure to check out couchriffs.com and visit our Etsy store, as well. We have handsome 100% cotton tees and trucker hats made by the incredible Ink Brigade in Portland OR.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/couch-riffs/message Support t