Feature Photo: courtesy of Greg Koch
By now, it shouldn’t be news to anyone within the guitar community that Greg Koch has immense chops. But for those outside the six-string spectrum, despite origins in music that date back to the late ‘70s, Koch remains one of the unsung guitarists of his generation. As evidenced by records like Greg Koch and the Tone Controls (1993), Double the Gristle (1997), Mixed Feelings (2005), Plays Well with Others (2013), and Orange Roominations (2023), Koch is a master of blending genres with his low-key heroics.
Indeed, with a Telecaster (among other guitars) in hand, few do it better than Greg Koch. So, if you’ve missed his work to date, be sure to catch him on tour in 2024, and don’t forget to grab his latest and greatest record, too.
During a break from the action, Greg Koch dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to shed light on his career, process, gear, inspirations, and more.
What keeps you inspired to pick up the guitar?
Playing guitar, for me, is just good, clean fun. Whether it’s just playing whatever comes to mind, working on a specific piece, or jamming along with records, for me, it just never gets old. I used to toy with other instruments, but the guitar is mine. I think it’s the most expressive and versatile instrument, and I love how they play, look, sound, and smell… acoustic, electric, hollow body, solid body… I dig them all.
Who first influenced you, and what inspires you now?
Hendrix, Clapton, Beck, and Page were the first ones. Still, I listened to many older electric and acoustic blues players, especially B.B. King, Albert King, T Bone Walker, Albert Collins, Lonnie Johnson, and Robert Johnson. I’m a huge Allman Brothers fan, and Duane and Dickey, Danny Toler, Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring, Jack Pearson, and Derek Trucks all influenced me.
My country style of playing initially was inspired by Dickey Betts and Mark Knopfler, but Albert Lee and Ray Flacke were biggies, and of course, Roy Buchanan and the mighty Danny Gatton, as well as a good dose of Steve Morse.
Later, I got into Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Jerry Reed, Jimmy Bryant, and James Burton. Jazz influences were Charlie Christian, Grant Green, and George Benson early on, but John Scofield, Mike Stern, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, Scott Henderson, and Allan Holdsworth are all in there somewhere.
Many of my chord stuff comes from things I picked up from Joe Pass and Wes Montgomery. Slide stuff varies from Johnny Winter, Mick Taylor, Ry Cooder, Duane Allman, Sonny Landreth, Elmore James, Earl Hooker, all the sacred steel guys, and of course Derek Trucks. I always worked very hard on rhythm guitar styles, and everyone from Keith Richards, Pete Townsend, Steve Cropper, Cornell Dupree, and Neo Nocentelli is in there.
I continue to be inspired by all these folks and the myriad of young slingers on Instagram, from Mateus Asato, Ariel Posen, and Dylan Adams, to name a few.
As far as new music is concerned, what are you pulling from in terms of songwriting these days?
I’ve been writing primarily for the Koch Marshall Trio these days, and we develop a new idea at every sound check. Sometimes, I start singing a riff and record it on a voice memo until I get a guitar in my hands. I will say that I’m leaning towards less complexity. Many of my earlier compositions had complex arrangements, and there are still twists and turns, but I’m going for maximum grooves and emotional impact these days.
Are there any nuances in your playing that define you that perhaps an average listener wouldn’t pick up on?
That’s an interesting question. Honestly, I have no idea how other people listen to music. I know that I have worked tirelessly on phrasing, bending, and vibrato with a tone and particular vocabulary that I feel has its little zip code, and some people have thankfully picked up on that.
Many people are obsessed with speed and technical ability, either as a source of enjoyment or as a reason to generalize things, such as having too many notes, and they seemingly ignore the nuances. It seems others need to have a defined stylistic brand or some legacy act affiliation to onboard these days in any significant numbers.
My motto is, “I don’t need a million; I just need enough” …not that millions wouldn’t enjoy it, but enough will do.
Do you have a favorite riff and solo of yours?
Not particularly. I stand behind my 20-ish releases. They all have their moments. I’ve gone from cringing every time I would hear them after they were out to now hearing them after many years and thinking, “I wasn’t crazy; this stuff sounds pretty damn good.”
It’s always fun to play “Welchz Grape” and “Sweet Tea” because they set a mood that’s hard to beat, and they are a roller coaster ride from an improvisational point of view. “Spank It” and “Foolish Mortals” stand out from the older tunes…people seem to dig the riff from “Hey Godzilla,” which is a fun one to play.
What does your riff and solo writing process look like?
My solos are all improvised in the moment, and I prefer to track them live with the band. Nine times out of ten, the first take is the one. After that, it just goes down a rabbit hole. Riff-wise, I keep things less complex now because I feel intrinsically that it’s more powerful. Now, instead of trying to find ways to make something fancier, I usually subtract to see the power!
Which of your songs best represents the player you are today?
I don’t think I can nail it down to one tune. Certainly, the latest releases, Orange Roominations and Sweet Gristle, are a pretty good statement of where things are, but seeing and hearing us live is where you get the big picture.
How do you view the way you play today vs the past? What has changed most?
I’ve added a lot more harmonic knowledge in chords and improvisation to my playing and a host of right- and left-hand techniques, but the basic template of my approach to tone and phrasing has been the same since my early 20s.
I had a vision of what I wanted to do and kept adding to it. I pace things differently, and my ability to tell a story has matured with time, but I’ll hear an old recording now and again and notice that youthful fire and abandon are not always bad.
How do you view guitar solos in the modern era? Does it need to be deconstructed at all?
I think they just have to say something. It’s about being conversational, and if what you’re saying makes sense to you, hopefully, it will make sense to someone else. Some respond to a guitar solo as just a frequency range, indifferent or even annoyed by them, and then some can hear the nuances and dig it. The most important thing is to be true to your vision and let the chips fall where they may.
That said, is self-indulgence okay?
If the intention is right… play all night!
Tell me about your gear: guitars, amps, pedals. What goes into those choices?
My current road rig is my Koch Amplifiers “The Greg” head with a 2×12” Koch Cab. The combo has two tens, but with my current band, the 12s give me a little extra push. The overdrive on the amp is great, but I have been using pedals for gain lately. As I like to say, the overdrive on the amp sounds better, but pedals feel better live.
My Gristle King is my main clean boost and overdrive; I also use an MXR Timmy pedal for a slightly dirty boost. I use JAM pedals Delay Llama Supreme, Retrovibe, and Wahcko Wah Wah. I still use my old Boss DD-3 for a longer delay and end up with my NEO Instruments Mini Vent II Leslie simulator.
Guitar-wise, I’ve been bringing two of my Reverend Gristlemaster guitars, which I play most of the night. I bring one of my Reverend Gristle 90s, which I have tuned to open G for slide.
What are your short and long-term goals? How will you achieve them?
We did more road gigs in 2023 with the band than any other year and are feeling the momentum build. We will continue releasing material and touring until everyone knows where to get their Gristle tickled.
Greg Koch: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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