Guitar Dads

This week, Dave sits down with Ryan Kiefer, guitarist for East Texas hard rockers Blacktop Mojo. Ryan talks about the band's journey from playing flatbed trailer shows in Palestine, TX to sharing stages with Sammy Hagar. We dig into Pollen, the band's most sonically adventurous record yet, the dual-guitar dynamic with Malcolm Booher, and how a band from a small Texas town keeps pushing their sound forward. We also "dad out" over their jaw-dropping cover of Aerosmith's "Dream On" — how they approached it, what it takes to do that song justice, and why it's become a fan favorite. Of course, we get into Ryan's gear as well, this is Guitar Dads and we can't help ourselves. 
Check out Blacktop Mojo here: Blacktop Mojo
Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the MOD CLUB monthly box kit!

This week on Guitar Dads, we're asking whether Gibson's relentless collector's edition releases are getting out of hand and putting the new JHS Double Dragon lo-fi octave pedal under the microscope. Alex from Coppersound Pedals stops by for our Quiz Eye segment, and in the Dadaverse we tackle two big conversations: whether the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has completely abandoned rock — with Outkast, Cyndi Lauper, and Chubby Checker all in the 2025 class — and whether Metallica's newly announced Sphere residency in Las Vegas is the ultimate live music experience or just expensive spectacle. 
Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the MOD CLUB monthly box kit!

This week we dig into some spicy News & Notes — a private forensics team just dropped their own investigation into Kurt Cobain's death, and the Foos announced a new album called Your Favorite Toy (we had questions about that title). We also check out the Walrus Audio Mantle bass preamp and discuss some genuinely dumb guitar takes that we absolutely stand behind. Don't @ us. 
Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the MOD CLUB monthly mystery box kit!

The Dads welcome a double dose of pedal wizardry this week! Jamie Muir (Supercool Pedals) and Mark Turley (Summer School Pedals) join forces to reveal their new collaboration pedal, Smokin in the Boys Room—a love letter to 90s guitar tone. We explore the origin story behind this epic team-up, what makes the 90s sound so iconic, and why AI can't steal your creative spark. Plus, you get to hang with two of the coolest builders in the boutique scene. 
Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the new Foxcatcher V2 which is available NOW!

The Dads are back with a special NAMM 2026 episode! We were not at NAMM this year, but it still brought the heat with some massive announcements. Neural DSP unveiled the Quad Cortex Mini, while Wampler dropped jaws with their Pedalhead—a revolutionary machine learning-powered power amp that's changing the game for direct recording. Gibson made their triumphant return to the NAMM show floor after years away and shocked with new Epiphones that are blurring the line between budget and premium instruments. On the amp front, Slash debuted a new signature Magnatone that's already turning heads, and Friedman added more fire to their lineup with several new amplifier models. It's shaping up to be an expensive year for gear heads—your wallet has been warned. 

Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADS10 to 10% off your order, INCLUDING the new Foxcatcher V2 which is available NOW!