GREG KOCH
Guitarist|February 2020
Those of you who were lucky enough to see Greg on his recent UK tour will already be aware of his formidable six-string wizardry. For the rest of you, our exclusive video lesson should be proof enough of the man’s supernatural abilities…
David Mead
GREG KOCH
When Greg Koch’s trio hit these shores last autumn, it left many who witnessed one of their shows in a state of bewildered amazement. With Toby Lee Marshall on Hammond B3 and Gary Koehler on drums (replacing Greg’s usual drummer, his son Dylan, for the UK gigs), the temptation might have been to compare the band with one of the great organ/guitar jazz outfits of yore, a misapprehension Greg is quick to put right. “There is a little bit of jazz in there obviously and funk, of course, and rock, and there is plenty of humour,” he insists, “But it’s more Deep Purple than Jimmy Smith…”

He rampages his way through a rich blend of genres – one minute it’s Danny Gatton-style country rock, the next some jazz-influenced chordal phrasing, topped off with a blistering rock run complete with harmonics that seem to appear from nowhere. It’s all fired off from his signature Reverend Gristlemaster T-style, the body of which had to be scaled up so it didn’t look like a toy in the hands of the 6ft7in Milwaukee resident. “Every time I’m playing a conventional-sized guitar,” he says, “especially if my weight fluctuates, if I’m in an eating mood, I get a bit more girth so then the guitar looks small. People say, ‘Is that a three-quarter size?’”

A musical giant, then, in all senses of the word, he goes on to talk us through the history of his playing, his love for the Telecaster, and what a player like Greg looks for in a signature amp…

Tell us about your original influences…

This story is from the February 2020 edition of Guitarist.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the February 2020 edition of Guitarist.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM GUITARISTView All
FOR THE ROSES
Guitarist

FOR THE ROSES

Ivison Guitars has only been in business for six years, but its Dakota model has already headlined Glastonbury with Guns N’ Roses star Richard Fortus. We meet founder Neil Ivison to find out how he's making new electrics that evoke the raw spirit of retro tone

time-read
8 mins  |
March 2024
HISTORY REPEATING
Guitarist

HISTORY REPEATING

Gibson's highest-tier replicas of famous Les Pauls are commanding almost as much as vintage guitars these days. We find out what all the fuss is about and examine a rare recreation of Jimmy Page's fiendishly complex #2 Les Paul Standard

time-read
10 mins  |
March 2024
WHAT THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR
Guitarist

WHAT THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR

Off the radar since The Stone Roses reunion burnt out - and largely absent from the studio for two decades - John Squire's collaboration with Liam Gallagher reclaims his place among the greats. He invites us to his studio to talk classic riffs, career-ending injuries, getting snubbed by Gibson, and why music keeps pulling him back in

time-read
10+ mins  |
March 2024
TELL ME STRAIGHT
Guitarist

TELL ME STRAIGHT

Keith Richards, the legendary master of the ageless riff, talks about the magic and loss of Hackney Diamonds, the sparkling new Rolling Stones album

time-read
10+ mins  |
March 2024
DENNY LAINE 1944-2023
Guitarist

DENNY LAINE 1944-2023

Multi-instrumetlist, singer-songwriter Denny Laine died at the end of last year after a career that saw him top the charts in both The Moody Blues and Wings

time-read
3 mins  |
March 2024
Vibe 'n' Drive
Guitarist

Vibe 'n' Drive

Eventide's latest dot9 series pedal combines two independent effects for some classic vintage-rock sounds

time-read
2 mins  |
March 2024
Face Lift
Guitarist

Face Lift

Flattley releases an upgraded 1960s-style silicon fuzz with a buffer and extended tonal options

time-read
2 mins  |
March 2024
Air Supply
Guitarist

Air Supply

Boss's new Katana addition pumps up the volume - suited to serious players looking for a compact, wireless amp solution

time-read
2 mins  |
March 2024
Standard Shimmers
Guitarist

Standard Shimmers

Back in 2023, revitalised Brit-maker PJD rejigged its range to start with the new solidbody hardtail Standards. Need a vibrato? No problem: here comes the Standard Plus

time-read
4 mins  |
March 2024
Golden Brown
Guitarist

Golden Brown

Last year we were mightily impressed when we looked at builder Rich Jones' Parlour and Orchestra acoustics. This time it's the turn of his entry-level, all-mahogany dreadnought

time-read
5 mins  |
March 2024