Chasing Tone - Guitar Podcast About Gear, Effects, Amps and Tone

536 - Roundtable of Chief Guitar Officers with Scott Heydt and Judd Silver

·1 hr 9 min·5 clips

Scott Heydt and Judd Silver reveal how their friendship since 1994 led to launching the Chief Guitar Officer podcast.

The episode begins with hosts Brian Wampler, Blake Wyland, and Richard Oliver welcoming guests Scott Heydt and Judd Silver from the Chief Guitar Officer podcast. Scott and Judd explain how their friendship since 1994 and backgrounds in the music industry—Judd in guitar magazines and Scott at Atlantic Records—led them to start their podcast about successful people who play guitar. They discuss the challenges of podcasting, noting the importance of consistency and the learning curve involved. Judd shares insights from his time at Guitar World magazine, describing the decline of print and the enduring value of curated content and brand advertising. The conversation shifts to Gary Vaynerchuk's influence, revealing how Brian Wampler's connection to Gary's content led to a feature in his book 'Crushing It' and inspired business ventures. Richard and Blake share their first guitar memories, with Richard inspired by a local band and Blake by his father's playing and nu-metal sounds. The guests discuss their favorite guitars, including Scott's 30th anniversary gold top Les Paul and Judd's custom shop Telecaster. They talk about guitar heroes like Eddie Van Halen and Mike Campbell, emphasizing playing for the song. The episode touches on hot sauce preferences, with Richard favoring Yellow Bird Habanero and Green Aardvark. Recommendations for other podcasts include Chris Shiflett's 'Shred with Shifty' and 'The Smartless Podcast'. The show wraps with information on where to find Chief Guitar Officer content and acknowledgments to Patreon supporters.

As heard by us

A loose podcast conversation finds its spark in the serious business of inspecting a pedalboard.

Chief Guitar Officer is at its best when the podcast conversation keeps slipping, almost helplessly, into gear talk. Scott Haidt and Judd Silver frame podcasting as a way to learn by talking with interesting people, but the real charge arrives when that premise gives way to…

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Why you'd press play

Press play when a Royal Albert Hall tangent turns into pedal-rack detective work.

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