When it comes to guitar playing, the internet can teach you a lot – just ask Zakk Wylde.
Though no-one would dare question his electric guitar acumen, the Ozzy Osbourne six-string sidekick and Black Label Society frontman turned to YouTube when learning Dimebag Darrell's guitar parts for his ongoing run of live dates with the reunited Pantera.
For Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett, though, the internet is a place where well-meaning guitarists teaching the famous solos of others often get things "almost right," while just missing the mark.
"I spend a lot of time watching people online explain things pretty close to right, but not quite right, because nobody's ever gonna get it exactly like the record," Shiflett explains. "So, it occurred to me – what if I could go to the source and talk to the artists who actually played the solos on the actual records and have them explain it to me?”
So goes the premise of Shiflett's newly-announced podcast, the wonderfully-titled Shred With Shifty.
It's a fun concept that reminds us a lot of the excellent Song Exploder series, only for guitar nerds.
What makes Shred With Shifty significantly more exciting, though, is the ridiculous lineup of guests Shiflett has lined up for the show's first season.
That lineup includes (deep breath...) Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo, Rush’s Alex Lifeson, Chic’s Nile Rodgers, Brad Paisley, Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, Bon Jovi’s Richie Sambora, Brothers Osborne’s John Osborne, Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr, Lindsay Ell, Brent Mason and Jawbreaker’s Blake Schwarzenbach. Aside from unpacking their finest solos, each player will discuss their influences and, of course, gear, with Shiflett.
"Working on launching this show has been a good reminder of why I picked up a guitar in the first place – because it’s really, really fun,” Shiflett enthused in a statement.
Shred with Shifty is set to premiere June 22, with new episodes dropping every other week.
Audio of the episodes will be available wherever you get your podcasts, with video of the episodes available exclusively at Volume.
