Moods & Modes

By Alex Skolnick

What's Moods & Modes about?

Traveling from vintage guitar shops in Brooklyn to iconic recording studios and legendary music venues around the world, guitar legend Alex Skolnick explores the work of renowned musicians through commentary, conversation, and live performance. Follow @moodsandmodes on Instagram for updates.

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LAST EPISODE

Eric Johnson

09.15.2023

Eric Johnson, the prolific Grammy-Award winning, Austin-based songwriter and guitarist, joins Alex to talk about his latest release - two separate albums: The Book of Making and Yesterday Meets Today. Alex and Eric discuss the process behind the making of ...

Moods & Modes episodes:

09.15.2023 Eric Johnson Eric Johnson, the prolific Grammy-Award winning, Austin-based songwriter and guitarist, joins Alex to talk about his latest release - two separate albums: The Book of Making and Yesterday Meets Today. Alex and Eric discuss the process behind the making of ...
07.13.2023 Vic Juris Remembered "He's one of these guys who's not necessarily a household name to music appreciators, but among people who were in the game and really know their stuff, there's a universal respect. It goes without saying that Vic was the real ...
04.14.2023 Borrowed Music, Volume 2 In this episode, Alex takes us on another journey into songs that sound the same. Borrowed Music, Volume 2 showcases tracks that possess similar musical qualities from artists like Nirvana and Yes, Leonard Cohen and Pink Floyd, Metallica and King ...
03.24.2023 Jim Campilongo In this episode, Alex chats with guitarist Jim Campilongo, who has been called a “Master of the Telecaster”. Jim and Alex discuss what it means to be a musician in New York, their shared influences and how the standards of ...
02.26.2023 Jeff Beck Remembered Over a remarkable 50-year career, Jeff Beck’s style of guitar playing reshaped the world of music. One of the essential guitarists of the British Invasion, Beck possessed a mercurial, lyrical style that sounded equally at home in thunderous blues-rock and ...
01.16.2023 Roger Sadowsky This week, Alex visits Roger Sadowsky of Sadowsky Guitars, one of the preeminent names in handmade guitars and basses. As they walk the shop floor, Roger shares stories of some of his famous customers, explains the challenge of using endangered ...
12.09.2022 Lzzy Hale & Joe Hottinger Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger join Moods & Modes this week to talk about the making of their latest album, Back From The Dead. Lzzy and Joe discuss their approach to writing songs in response to the pandemic, and ...
11.04.2022 Jane Getter Before heading out on tour with Jane Getter Premonition, Alex sat down with Jane to talk about her new album Anomalia, the diverse musical influences that are woven into her music, and the evolution of her sound. Jane reminds Alex ...
09.27.2022 My Lunch with Nite Bob In this episode, Alex finally gets the chance to sit down with Nite Bob, whose job titles include sound engineer, guitar tech, tour manager, and production manager, to name a few. His 45-year career in the music industry is legendary ...
08.16.2022 Brooklyn Lutherie's Mamie Minch In this episode, Alex visits Brooklyn Lutherie, the only woman-owned and operated guitar shop in New York City. While there to pick up his double SG, he chats with Mamie Minch, the shop’s co-founder, about the repair on his guitar ...
07.08.2022 More Les: Further Adventures in Mahwah In this episode, Alex continues the journey into the life of Les Paul, from his close relationship with Django Reinhardt to the time he performed for Eisenhower and Nixon at the White House and demonstrated the Les Paulverizer; his love-hate ...
06.17.2022 The Vault of Les Paul Les Paul was an inventor, an award-winning musician, an innovator and a creative genius. In this episode, Alex pays tribute by taking us on a journey through the life of Les Paul - his music, his inventions, and the recent ...
06.01.2022 Best of Moods & Modes: Peter Green, Part 2 At the tail end of the 60s, an unlikely meeting took place in Chicago between some prominent traditional blues artists and a chart-topping rock band from the UK. The results would reverberate for decades to come. In this episode, you’ll ...
05.24.2022 Best of Moods & Modes: Peter Green, Part 1 While Alex is out on the road with Testament on the Bay Strikes Back Tour, we thought we’d take you on a journey back to the early days of Moods & Modes. This week, we’re featuring Episode 3: Peter Green, ...
05.17.2022 Best of Moods and Modes: Carnatic Crash Course While Alex is out on the road with Testament on the Bay Strikes Back Tour, we thought we’d take you on a journey back to the early days of Moods & Modes. This week, we’re featuring Episode 2: Carnatic Crash ...
05.10.2022 Best Of Moods & Modes: Guitar Rescue While Alex is out on the road with Testament and the Bay Strikes Back Tour, we thought we’d take you on a journey back to the early days of Moods & Modes. This week, we begin with the vey first ...
04.01.2022 MAX ZT Brooklyn-based musician Max ZT has been called the “Hendrix of Hammered Dulcimer” and is widely regarded as one of the instrument’s most prolific and innovative performers. In this episode, he joins Alex to explain the origin and design of the ...
03.11.2022 #ASKALEX This week, Alex answers listener questions on the very first #AskAlex episode. The questions gathered from fans over the last few weeks range from what inspires him musically to how he comes up with his solos - “write it or ...
02.18.2022 HEAVY CLASSICAL: NY PHILHARMONIC'S YULIA ZISKEL A member of the New York Philharmonic’s first violin section since 2001, Yulia Ziskel, who holds The Friends and Patrons Chair, has established herself as a highly acclaimed solo, chamber, and orchestral musician. She has been praised by The Strad ...
01.25.2022 B.I.G. L.I.E. Exposed In this episode of Moods & Modes, Alex takes you behind the scenes of the making of “B.I.G L.I.E”, a tune from his rap duo HU$H MONEY that deals with the events of January 6, 2021. Alex explains how the ...
12.30.2021 DAVID BECKER AND JOE DIORIO In the final episode of 2021, Alex welcomes guitarist David Becker to talk about working with the legendary jazz guitarist Joe Diorio. David tells Alex about attending the Guitar Institute of Technology, where he first met Joe when he was ...
12.03.2021 DIVINITY ROXX This week, Alex welcomes Grammy nominated musician Divinity Roxx to Moods & Modes. Divinity tells Alex about her transition to writing music for kids and the intention behind the songwriting, and why it's important to introduce children to a high ...
10.29.2021 FORQ FORQ is a harder-edge fusion band that Alex describes as ‘Snarky Puppy adjacent’, due to its relationship to one of the founding members, Michael League. Keyboardist Henry Hey formed the band with League in the early 2010s and on this ...
10.08.2021 PAT METHENY PART 2 In part 2 of Alex’s conversation with Pat Metheny, the two discuss some of Metheny’s unconventional work, his association with musicians like Jaco Pastorius and Joni Mitchell, the evolution of his synthesizer sound, and why he thinks in visual terms. ...
09.10.2021 PAT METHENY Pat Metheny, one of the most critically acclaimed jazz musicians in the world, joins Alex to talk about his exceptional career, the enormous range of his playing style, and the idea of music without boundaries. The two discuss the different ...
09.01.2021 BORROWED MUSIC In this episode, Alex examines songs that exhibit nearly identical musical qualities. He dives deep on classic songs, comparing “Waiting on the World to Change” to “People Get Ready,” “Comfortably Numb” to “Here Comes the Flood,” “Always Somewhere” to “Simple ...
08.10.2021 LESLIE WEST REMEMBERED In this episode of Moods & Modes, Alex pays tribute to legendary guitarist Leslie West. Leslie is known as the founding member and co-lead vocalist for the groundbreaking hard rock band Mountain. Mountain is often credited as one of the ...
07.09.2021 Michael League This week Alex welcomes Michael League, one of the most accomplished musicians of the last two decades. Michael is best known as the founder, bandleader, and bassist for the New York-based instrumental group Snarky Puppy, and in this conversation you’ll ...
06.18.2021 PERCY JONES In this episode, Alex welcomes bass legend Percy Jones to the podcast. Best known for his work with jazz fusion ensemble Brand X, Percy tells Alex about the evolution of the band, including the period of time when Phil Collins ...
05.21.2021 REZ ABBASI Rez Abbasi is an accomplished jazz guitarist and composer known for his ability to fuse traditional Pakistani and Indian classical music with modern jazz. In this episode, he discusses his eclectic guitar style, the diverse musical projects he’s contributed to, ...
05.01.2021 ARIELLE Arielle is a guitarist, singer, and guitar builder who has risen to prominence in the rock community for her soulful, uninhibited guitar playing and songwriting. Disregarding industry norms, Arielle has forged her own path and as a result, has performed ...
04.08.2021 PETER FRAMPTON Peter Frampton is among the most celebrated guitarists in rock history. His 1976 album, Frampton Comes Alive!, remains one of the top-selling live records of all time and produced a handful of hit singles that remain in rotation. In this ...
03.12.2021 CHICK COREA REMEMBERED In this episode, Alex pays tribute to Chick Corea. It’s a journey through the life of the great musician, from his early days in New York, debut as a band leader and first album, to the musicians and cultural movements ...
02.11.2021 RODRIGO Y GABRIELA, P.2 In part two of the series with Rodrigo y Gabriela, the tables are turned as Rod y Gab interview Alex. They dig into Alex’s musical history, beginning with early influences like The Beatles and KISS, and his immersion into the ...
01.28.2021 RODRIGO Y GABRIELA, PART 1 In part one of two episodes with Rodrigo y Gabriela, Alex is in Mexico with the duo during the recording of their album 11:11 in 2009. Alex captured the conversation as they shared food and wine overlooking Zihuatanejo Bay, after ...
01.14.2021 20/21: LOOKING BACK & LOOKING AHEAD Alex looks back on 2020, from the great artists who were lost, to the trajectory of the pandemic and some of the unexpected moments in between. He shares personal reflections and stories, and gives us a peek at what’s ahead ...
12.21.2020 SWEETWATER RUNS DEEP In this episode, Alex travels to Sweetwater Music, the musician-led retailer in Fort Wayne, IN. to give a master class and recording workshop with Stu Hamm. During the trip, he documents the story of Sweetwater and digs into why “always ...
11.30.2020 EDDIE VAN HALEN TRIBUTE PART 2 Presented by Osiris Media Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
11.13.2020 EDDIE VAN HALEN TRIBUTE PART 1 Presented by Osiris Media Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
09.23.2020 HOME AT LAST Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
09.04.2020 THE CASE FOR A CHEAP STRAT An extensive jam session and conversation with Brooklyn based guitarist Nir Felder, whose resume includes jazz luminaries (Brad Mehldau, Jack DeJohnette), soul superstars (Erykah Badu, Chaka Khan), jam rock icons (Dave Mathews, John Mayer) and even celebrities (Dave Chapelle, Ben ...
08.19.2020 PETER GREEN PART 2: CHICAGO BLUES & MORE At the tail end of the 60s, an unlikely meeting took place in Chicago between some prominent traditional blues artists and a chart-topping rock band from the UK. The results would reverberate for decades to come. A discussion on the ...
08.03.2020 PETER GREEN: REMEMBERED & REDISCOVERED Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
07.23.2020 CARNATIC CRASH COURSE Prasanna is a pioneer of performing Carnatic music on the guitar. He is also thoroughly knowledgable in rock, jazz, blues and other styles. Here in conversation with Alex, both verbal and musical, he breaks down his unique style and helps ...
07.08.2020 GUITAR RESCUE Debut episode: A visit with Matt Uminov, guitar dealer and repairman who’s been a fixture of New York’s Greenwich Village since the late 1960s and whose regular clients include the likes of Eric Clapton and Pat Metheny. Hear his reaction ...

Moods & Modes

What's Moods & Modes about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Moods & Modes episodes:

Eric Johnson

Vic Juris Remembered

Borrowed Music, Volume 2

Jim Campilongo

Jeff Beck Remembered

Roger Sadowsky

Lzzy Hale & Joe Hottinger

Jane Getter

My Lunch with Nite Bob

Brooklyn Lutherie's Mamie Minch

More Les: Further Adventures in Mahwah

The Vault of Les Paul

Best of Moods & Modes: Peter Green, Part 2

Best of Moods & Modes: Peter Green, Part 1

Best of Moods and Modes: Carnatic Crash Course

Best Of Moods & Modes: Guitar Rescue

MAX ZT

#ASKALEX

HEAVY CLASSICAL: NY PHILHARMONIC'S YULIA ZISKEL

B.I.G. L.I.E. Exposed

DAVID BECKER AND JOE DIORIO

DIVINITY ROXX

FORQ

PAT METHENY PART 2

PAT METHENY

BORROWED MUSIC

LESLIE WEST REMEMBERED

Michael League

PERCY JONES

REZ ABBASI

ARIELLE

PETER FRAMPTON

CHICK COREA REMEMBERED

RODRIGO Y GABRIELA, P.2

RODRIGO Y GABRIELA, PART 1

20/21: LOOKING BACK & LOOKING AHEAD

SWEETWATER RUNS DEEP

EDDIE VAN HALEN TRIBUTE PART 2

EDDIE VAN HALEN TRIBUTE PART 1

HOME AT LAST

THE CASE FOR A CHEAP STRAT

PETER GREEN PART 2: CHICAGO BLUES & MORE

PETER GREEN: REMEMBERED & REDISCOVERED

CARNATIC CRASH COURSE

GUITAR RESCUE