Show Notes
Back in October of 2018, I plugged in with Rock-and-Roll-Hall-of-Famer Ace Frehley at his hotel suite in Hollywood, California. Having just re-listened to my hour with the Kiss legend, I have to say: Wow, it's a cool episode — a great hang, and one that is all the more meaningful now that the Spaceman has passed. To honor Ace's life and music, I am re-posting the episode here for you to re-enjoy. I think you'll find it's a powerful portal through time that puts you in the room with the true rock star and the true New Yorker that was Ace Frehley — the true rock legend who inspired legions of young people to pick up the electric guitar, including many who have gone on to become famous rockers themselves. Here is the show exactly as it ran seven years ago. ORIGINAL 2018 SHOW NOTES: Founding Kiss lead guitarist ACE FREHLEY, aka "the Spaceman," has released a hard-rocking new solo album called just that — SPACEMAN. Plugging in one of his favorite ’59 reissue Les Pauls, Ace sits down with me to jam a little, as well as detail the writing and recording of Spaceman, reflect on reuniting (for two songs) with Gene Simmons, and, of course, look back on his legacy — a wild ride that spanned everything from a youth spent surviving the streets of the Bronx to adult years surviving adventures with the Hall-of-Fame rock band that made him famous. Hope you enjoy it! —JUDE GOLD, host and creator, No Guitar Is Safe
More from No Guitar Is Safe
Simon McBride is one of the most exciting guitarists in the arena rock realm. As guitarist for Deep Purple (taking over after Steve Morse wrapped up his astounding 28-year tenure with the band in early 2022), Simon has given the British rock legends a fiery new guitar voice on everything from classic hits such as “Hush” and “Highway Star” to brand-new singles including “Arrogant Boy” and “Diablo.” In this episode I first relive the recent Canada/U.S. tour that I, as a member of Jefferson Starship, was lucky to be on with Deep Purple — my third in five years! — including playing for you a recent live recording I made of Simon’s astounding guitar cadenza in Calgary, Alberta on August 31. Then, I power up the time machine and take you back to a big backstage room at Rudolf Weber Arena in Oberhausen, Germany, to hear an encore of the great interview we did there on November 2, 2022. Catch Deep Purple on tour all over Europe starting late September! Huge thanks to GuitarPlayer.com for making this episode happen. To play better and sound better, follow Guitar Player! — JUDE GOLD, host and creator, No Guitar Is Safe
Can you play the secret "Tommy Alderson chord"? (This juicy power chord is MONEY!) Are you hip to the awesomeness that is a wet/dry rig? Want insight into one of the most badass classic rock bands still touring (Deep Purple) and their two great guitarists of recent decades (Simon McBride and Steve Morse)? Well, hit play! Tommy Alderson and I have been friends since my first tour (I play with Jefferson Starship) supporting Purple all over Europe, and now, as the bands unite for their third tour (Canada and the U.S.), it is the perfect time to release two interviews/guitar hangs I have done with Tommy, Purple's great guitar tech who also happens to be a great player — as you'll hear, from his work on D Corridori's album Feed the Right Wolf and other projects. The first interview you'll hear took place just before we left for this tour; the second takes us back in time to a great guitar hang/jam/interview that took place backstage at a huge arena we played in Oberhausen, Germany, in November 2022. Enjoy, and be sure to check out GuitarPlayer.com, who made this episode possible. —JUDE GOLD, host/creator, No Guitar Is Safe
Winning Nuno Bettencourt’s “Play With Me” challenge at the age of 14 — and catching my attention just two years later at a semi-secret guitar event in Los Angeles — RANGGA RINGROSE has a fiery brand of shred guitar that is turning heads. He even caught the ears of Mr. Paul Reed Smith, who has made the young Southern California guitar phenom an endorsing artist. Now, having reached the whopping age of 17, Rangga becomes the youngest player ever to be featured on No Guitar Is Safe podcast, where, as you’ll hear, he blazes on various PRS guitars for you, as I try to figure out how he became so good so fast. Huge thanks to GuitarPlayer.com for making this episode happen. To play better and sound better, follow Guitar Player ... and this podcast! — JUDE GOLD, host and creator, No Guitar Is Safe
Two weeks ago I opened for BILLY IDOL — who, of course, was joined on stage by his forever guitarist STEVE STEVENS. This was a fun outdoor concert at the Lakefront Music Festival in Minnesota. It was great to say hi to Steve backstage for a minute, and super inspiring to watch him dazzle the the crowd with his great guitar playing — so inspiring, in fact, that I figured we ought to revisit this epic guitar hang from the summer of 2016 at his then-Los Angeles studio, where he plugged in, played his ass off, and showed us how he and Billy Idol forged one of the greatest singer/guitar player partnerships in rock history. Enjoy! —Jude Gold, Host and Creator, No Guitar Is Safe PRESENTED BY GUITAR PLAYER. guitar player.com
KIRK FLETCHER ’s dedication to all things blues related is infectious. He’s so great at playing blues guitar, I swear, just LISTENING to him play can make you a better blues player yourself. And, luckily for you, he plays a ton of guitar for you on this new interview. (Bonus: As you’ll hear in the middle of the episode, we DO revisit the juicy blues shuffles he showed us during his first appearance on No Guitar Is Safe several years ago.) Huge thanks to GuitarPlayer.com for making this episode happen. To play better and sound better, follow Guitar Player. — JUDE GOLD, host and creator, No Guitar Is Safe