Wong Notes

Trey Anastasio, lead guitarist and founding member of Phish, shares his excitement about touring with his friends for over 40 years. He dives into his journey with Dumble amps, discussing their unique tonal qualities compared to Mesa Boogies. Trey also reflects on Broadway influences shaping his melodic style, and how composition plays a crucial role in Phish’s improvisation. With stories about hockey and a backstage gratitude ritual, his passion for music and life is infectious, highlighting the deep connection with his craft.

This go around, Cory Wong is joined by Pino Palladino and Blake Mills. Palladino, a Grammy-winning bassist, has collaborated with everyone from Erykah Badu and Keith Richards to John Mayer and the late, great D’Angelo. Mills’ resumé includes work with Bob Dylan, Fiona Apple, and Joni Mitchell. The duo has been around the block. Wong probes all corners of their creative processes, from the purpose of the music they make, to dealing with “unnatural” elements of the creative process, to layering parts on a record, to different approaches to melody. As you read, Palladino and Mills have worked with some of the greatest musicians and writers of the past century. They’ve got a lot of wisdom to share.Tune in to learn from some of the best in the biz.Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Blake Mills: https://www.blakemillsonline.com/Visit Pino Palladino: https://pinopalladinoblakemills.komi.io/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespodIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongPresented by DistroKid

Nate Smith, a Grammy-caliber drummer, shares insights on drum-part construction and the importance of dynamics in jamming. Joe Dart, a highly musical bassist, discusses how to build bass lines that enhance harmony and drive arrangements. They dive into the essence of listening during improvisation and explain their creative processes around arranging and complementing each other's parts. The conversation also touches on their band identity and the synergy of groove, melody, and texture that defines their sound.

Singer-songwriter James Bay shares his journey backstage at the 9:30 Club. He discusses his early struggles with iconic solos and how Jack White's philosophy influenced his relationship with guitar. Bay reveals how his recent album emphasizes guitar work and the gear shaping his sound. Plus, he dives into the nuances of hiring bandmates—looking for skill and camaraderie—as well as how to honor Prince when performing in his hometown. This chat is packed with musical insights and personal anecdotes!

Rick Mitarotonda, the talented guitarist and vocalist of Goose, shares insights into the band's journey and songwriting process. He tackles the debate on whether jam bands can craft great songs and discusses the balance between structured songwriting and improvisation. Rick recounts pivotal moments that shaped Goose's rise, including impactful tours and creative partnerships. He also reflects on his musical influences and the importance of maintaining creativity while on the road, offering practical advice for aspiring musicians.

Welcome back for a special season finale of Wong Notes! We’ve saved one of the best for last: Brad Paisley.The celebrated shredder and seasoned fisherman joins host Cory Wong for one of this season’s most interesting episodes. Paisley talks his earliest guitar-playing influences, which came from his grandfather’s love of country music, and his first days in Nashville—as a student at Belmont University, studying the music industry. The behind-the-curtain knowledge he picked up at Belmont made him a good match for industry suits trying to force bad contracts on him.Wong and Paisley swap notes on fishing and a mutual love of Phish—Paisley envies the jam-band scene, which he thinks has more leeway in live contexts than country. And with a new signature Fender Telecaster hitting the market in a rare blue paisley finish, Paisley discusses his iconic namesake pattern—which some might describe as “hippie puke”—and its surprising origin with Elvis’ guitarist James Burton.Plus, hear how Paisley assembled his rig over the years, the state of shredding on mainstream radio, when it might be good to hallucinogenic drugs in a set, and the only negative thing about country-music audiences.Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Brad Paisley: https://www.bradpaisley.com/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongAdditional Editing by Shawn PersingerPresented by DistroKid

Legendary shredder Joe Satriani was the first ever guest on Wong Notes, so it makes sense that he’s the first returning sit-in with Cory Wong. Satch is busy as ever, juggling enough projects to make a normal guitarist’s head spin. But Satriani’s not a normal guitarist.He teases a new song with Sammy Hagar, plus delves into the intricacies of Eddie Van Halen’s playing and why he can’t quite replicate it—every guitarist has their strengths and deficiencies, claims Satch. And believe it or not, Satriani didn’t figure standing in front of huge crowds to be one of his strengths when he was younger. Fate figured otherwise.Satriani goes deep on one of his favorite tools, the Sustainiac pickup, and talks about how it’s defined his playing—just like his trademark sunglasses, even in dark rooms. (“Stupid idea, right?” he jokes.)And young guitarists, listen up: Satriani has some wise words on the importance of rigorous practice while you’re budding on the instrument. The big takeaway? Learn. The. Notes.Listen to the full episode here: https://bit.ly/WongNotesGet 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Joe Satriani: https://www.satriani.com/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongAdditional Editing by Shawn PersingerPresented by DistroKid

Grace Bowers just released her debut record, 2024’s Wine on Venus, with her band the Hodge Podge, but she’s already one the most well-known young guitarists in America. On this episode of Wong Notes, Bowers talks through the ups, downs, and detours of her whirlwind career.Bowers started out livestreaming performances on Reddit at age 13, and came into the public eye as a performer on social media, so she’s well acquainted with the limits and benefits of being an “Instagram guitarist.” She and Cory talk about session work in Nashville (Bowers loathes it), her live performance rig, and Eddie Hazel’s influence.Bowers plugs the importance of networking as a young musician: If you want gigs, you gotta go to gigs, and make acquaintances. But none of that elbow-rubbing will matter unless you’re solid on you’re instrument. “No one’s gonna hire you if you’re ass,” says Bowers. “Practice is important.”Tune in to learn why Bowers is ready to move on from Wine on Venus, her takes on Nashville versus California, and why she hates “the blues-rock label.”Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Grace Bowers: https://www.gracebowers.com/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongAdditional Editing by Shawn PersingerPresented by DistroKid

You might not know Greg Koch, but we’ll bet your favorite guitarist does. In 2012, Fender called the Wisconsin blues-guitar phenom one of the top 10 best unsung guitarists, and in 2020, Guitar World listed Koch among the 15 best guitar teachers. He’s been inducted into the Wisconsin Area Music Industry Hall of Fame. Koch is a bonafide midwest guitar god.He joins Cory Wong on this round of Wong Notes for this meeting of the Middle-America minds, where the duo open with analysis of music culture in Wisconsin and Minnesota—Koch taught at Saint Paul’s now-shuttered McNally Smith College of Music, which Wong attended. Koch and Wong zero in on the blues roots of most modern music and talk through soloing theories: It can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be, but Koch shares that he likes to “paint himself into a corner,” then get out of it.Koch and Wong swap notes on the pressures of studio performance versus the live realm, and how to move on from mistakes made onstage in front of audiences. Plus, Koch has created scores of guitar education materials, including for Hal Leonard. Tune in to find out what makes a good guitar course, how to write a guitar book, Koch’s audio tips for crystalline live-stream sessions, and why he still prefers tube amps: “I like to crank that sh*t up!”Visit Greg Koch: https://www.gregkoch.com/Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongHit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespodIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongAdditional Editing by Shawn PersingerPresented by DistroKid

Mike Stern, an American jazz guitarist renowned for blending jazz and rock, shares his fascinating journey through the vibrant 70s and 80s New York jazz scene. He discusses his pivotal move to the city, fueled by an invitation from Miles Davis, alongside personal battles with addiction and the shift towards sobriety. Stern also reflects on the evolving role of the guitar in jazz, his thoughts on live performance dynamics, and the importance of sustaining arts culture. With humor and insight, he reveals unique tips on gear and performance quirks that shape his distinct sound.