The Andertons Music Podcast

Guitar lovers. Sit back, relax and enjoy the sounds and tales of the legend that is Eric Gales. In this episode of The Captain Meets, Lee sits down with this incredible blues-rock guitarist and gets deep in conversation about the players past, present and future. In this beautifully honest interview, Eric talks us through some of his more recent releases, has his first encounter with a looper pedal (spoiler, it's unreal) and treats us to some all-round inspiring jams. A truly inspirational individual and one hell of a player. We thoroughly enjoyed having him join us!

Rabea has worked with Andertons for a long time now, but do we really know the man behind the afro? The baritone-wielding guitar virtuoso lets us into his crazy world of music. Growing up in Leeds with musical parents, Rabea began his musical journey as a drummer before being forced out of action and onto the guitar. Rabea slowly but surely discovered his unique blend of heavy riffing and bluesy lead playing. Now he’s a full-on guitar gear nerd, Chapman Guitars signature artist, lead guitarist in instrumental band Toska and Andertons presenter.

One of our most popular interviews – Dream Theater legend John Petrucci is a groundbreaking guitarist, incorporating progressive music, shred, jazz and his own unique flavour into one mindblowing band. John is still a driving member of Dream Theater, with a back catalogue of 14 albums and counting, on top of a number of side projects and guest appearances. The NY-born guitarist is one of the most highly respected guitarists in rock circles and beyond, acting as an influence to the vast majority of modern metal. He also loves his guitar gear, from his signature Music Man guitars to Mesa Boogie head and everything in between. The Captain gets stuck in with this inspiring and revealing interview.

Hailed by many as a modern blues phenomenon, Dan Patlansky is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s most formidable musical exports in recent memory. His sound and style has been compared to the likes of Hendrix and SRV, but with an undeniably electrifying take on the classic blues sound. For the best part of 2 decades, Patlansky has been making a name for himself as a musical force to be reckoned with. Accolades include being named Male Artist of the Year by Blues & Soul magazine, #4 in the 10 Best Rock Guitarists in the World by Total Guitar magazine, and numerous glowing reviews of his 9-album discography. He’s also 1 of only 6 Fender endorsees in South Africa! Dan kindly popped into the Andertons TV studio during his UK tour to chat about his affinity for vintage Stratocasters, cutting his teeth touring SA, and much more…

Australian-American fingerstyle guitar wizard Tommy Emmanuel is something of a household name in the guitar world. Seamlessly blending jazz, folk, blues, bluegrass and country music, he's won countless awards throughout his career and is widely seen as one of the best acoustic guitarists of all time. Known for his energetic stage presence, genre-defying compositions and spellbinding rhythmic playing, Emmanuel has never been one to shy away from experimentation. Tommy took some time out of his busy schedule to chat to Lee about his colourful career, his approach to fingerstyle guitar and much more...    

A wizard on guitar, Albert Lee is a true ‘old-time’ country and rock player with chops in the bucketloads. You might find it surprising that he’s not actually American! Albert Lee is arguably Britain’s most successful export in the genre, having worked with the Everly Brothers, Eric Clapton and Dolly Parton. Described as a man without ego by his peers and the likes of Jimmy Page and Ritchie Blackmore, Albert is known as a real guitar player’s guitarist. Most of the time, you’ll find him with his signature Music Man or a Tele in his hands. Listen to the Captain’s in-depth chat with the legend himself about growing up with the guitar, how he earned his nickname Mr Telecaster and how he keeps himself motivated over six decades of making music.

The Gristle King himself! Greg Koch is one of our favourite guitarists here at Andertons. He’s an incredibly expressive, versatile player and we think he’s a bit of an underrated gem. Greg has an envious catalogue of critically acclaimed albums stretching back to his 1993. Joe Bonamassa and Steve Vai have referred to Greg as an inspiring player and one of the best around today. Along with all the accolades, Greg Koch is a proper gear nerd and loves his tone twiddling. He takes the Captain through his signature Koch combo amp and Reverend guitars equipped with Gristle-Tone Fishman Fluence pickups.

You can tell Jennifer Batten is a guitarist who has put in the hard graft to make it as a pro. And it certainly paid off, making the jump from teaching and playing in a number of cover bands up to playing for Michael Jackson and Jeff Beck. You’ve got to be good to play with these guys, and Jennifer proved early on that she's got what it takes. She’s famous for her two-hand tapping technique and sumptuous blend of jazz and glamorous ‘80s shred – think Van Halen but funkier. Jennifer Batten chatted with the Captain about making it big in LA, touring with the biggest pop star ever and shaping your own unique sound to stand out among the crowd.

Josh Middleton has carved a reputation as one of the most technically proficient metal guitarists on the scene. He’s spent the past decade providing hard-hitting riffs for trailblazing UK prog-metallers Architects and Sylosis. In this episode, Josh chats to Lee about his first steps on the guitar, his ESP guitar collection, songwriting influences and much more. Are pop song structures the key to Architects & Sylosis’ success? Tune in to find out…

Known for mixing exotic melodies with blistering sweep-picked arpeggios and soulful string bends, Marty Friedman's playing is etched into the memories of adoring guitar players all over the world. Having previously worked with Megadeth, undoubtedly one of most influential metal acts of all time, Friedman went on to enjoy a highly-successful solo artist in his own right. With a 14-album discography spanning over 30 years, Marty's solo catalogue is incredibly diverse, exhibiting the full extent of his songwriting and playing abilities. He took some time to chat with Lee about his unique picking techniques, his approach to melodic lead playing, finding success in Japan and much more.