Yo kasperhip- Hey my friend. I'm glad you play the guitar……awesome. To me guitars and wine go together perfectly…. Having said that I don't think its your place to judge or question the justification of why I was on the show. It is Gary's show and he decides if/when/who he is going to have guests. I am a HUGE Gary V fan and his book Crush It is a fantastic inspiration to me. He is an awesome guy and all at Wine Library are just top notch folks. I just wanted to bring awareness of the fact that guitar players love wine. I know many of them… I also thought that the show would be entertaining with a completely different energy than a more educated wine enthusiast than myself. And why does there have to be a reason….so you can wrap your head around the show??? Maybe try drinking a little more wine and enjoy watching Gary be the great host that he is do his show with different people. I'm glad that you saw the humor in Mott asking for Steely Dan and me serving up some Johnny Cash….. I really thought it was funny as well!!! Take care and I hope you make it to the US. It is truly a marvelous place to live!!!!!

I missed Jim Campilongo at NAMM….. Oh well. He plays in NYC very often and I'm only about an hour and a half away…. I will look for Goodsell…!!!! I'm actually here in Austin right now!!!!! AMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been checking out 300 guitars for a few months now, and was thrilled to see that Billy was your guest. Even though the nerdy wine talk that I enjoy wasn't there, it was a fun episode for me and that's what counts in the end.

QOTD: I really enjoy Malbec and Bordeaux most, but I try a lot of different wines. I'm a bass player who plays a little guitar. Even though I've still got my Epiphone Les Paul Standard, I'm really enjoying my new Guitar Mill S-Style guitar right now.

Thanks for the kind words twcustom!!! It was indeed a thrill to be on the show and Gary is awesome!!! I have two Tele's I built with Guitar Mill bodies…..Mark Jenny finished them from MJT. He is a nice guy and does a great job. -Billy

QOTD: I learned to play in junior high but didn't keep with it. I can play a bunch of chords and know a few songs but I wouldn't really consider myself a “guitar player” anymore than a person who only drinks wines at weddings is a “wine drinker.”

Carlos Santana did a joint venture on a wine with Mumm Napa Valley. If you are ever at the winery you can pick it up and you'll see display featuring one of his guitars. You can check it out on my video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHDhUNiFCrU

Erik Wait
“Adventures in Wine Tasting”

Great show: I cannot play a note and am pretty tone deaf so I can't even sing in the shower, but that guitar playing was awesome.

On the wine: Gary, its getting boring now: Never a good thing to say about Australian wine. Yes, its all very well to say “trust your won palate, find what you like” and so on, but the reality is more like “make your own choices. But as far as this wine is concerned, its awful, full of oak (or what ever).” Seldom, if ever, do you say something like “Well this is over the top, oaky, and it would probably go well with: a steak/on a picnic/on a freezing night/in front of the TV with a bowl of popcorn.

And in that vein, good on you Billy for not being intimidated into downgrading your opinion on the Cab.

It's nice to have some music on the show even if I am not a big Johnny Cash fan. I am not a guitar player so no answer to QOTD. At least he was ready for the QOTD, unlike some other guests.

QOTD: Ok….I'll weigh in as a guitar player….who mostly just plays Old Crow Medicine Show songs….that's a whole other category of liquor! I mostly go with reds but have been moving a bit into whites lately.

Glad to see two guys who stick to their guns on what they like.

Hey Billy
You are absolutely right. It's Gary's show and he can do whatever he wants, and my little rant was over the top, I know. The episodes I love the most are where the guest and Gary really nerd it up, like the one about champagne and decanting (if you haven't seen it, you definately should…), but that doesn't mean that he can't do other stuff and be a good host as well. I would like to apologize for whatever shit I implied in the post above. It looked like you guys were having a great time, and that fine by me, I just always hope for that wine nerdiness, when guest are on, that's all. Take care.

fun entertainment…I drink more reds than whites! but I don't play a guitar.

Wassup Billy,
The Tele does suit you well. I would love to have a '68 Gold Top! Do you sell parts? I need a pot for my Dean. Let me know. Keep on pickin' and uh drinkin' wine.
Take it easy,
Steve.

Hey, so I've been playing guitar for a while. I like Billy was into the Cabs – you know the big bold wines. But i've been exploring a bit and one of my favorites is the 2004 La Loggia Barbaresco, bought at TJ's for about $14 a bottle. For whites, I love the bubbly so Louis Pato Cava that my local wine store recommended – about $16 from Olympic Wine Merchant in Olympia WA. Delicious, a little sweeter than I normally go for, but it really got me excited. So there you go!

qotd: drink Pinot Noir with Strats and Cabernets with Les Pauls. White wine when I play keyboards! Jack Daniels when I play drums and Dunkin Donut coffee when I play bass.

Those youtube links are great!! Thanks!!!

What kind of guitar are you slinging??

What kind of guitar are YOU playing?

I recently got a Seagull, Entourage for a birthday present. I have been meaning to pick up Guitar for several years. Once I got a Guitar and lessons given to me I had not excuses left. Its awesome, much harder that I thought it was going to be; but the experiance is awesome.

What kind of tips are you looking for? Happy to help! Nice guitar btw…!

When I started to play guitar about 35 years ago it was really hard for a bunch of months. Then all of a sudden it all clicked and it all became a bit easier. You have to stick with it and put in the time. Stay motivated…and by all means enjoy it!!

I have been using a Tech 21 Trademark 30 for home practice and recording. It has a headphone out which is cool. While I was at the Austin Amp Show I talked to Jeff Bober who started Budda Amps back in the 90's. He's got a KILLER 2 watt amp now that sounds ridonculous…. Perfect for apartments and recording. There are lots of options it just depends on what you like and are looking for..let me know and I will try to help!

GV – Good unique guest…the mix-up, I like it!

Jimmy Page….!! Did you see It Might Get Loud? Great flick!!

Cool show, and Billy I like your website. Good stuff.

I have been playing since freshman year of high school, so 1987. Still have my first guitar a harmony strat 🙂 I have come back to that one lately, although its not the easiest or smoothest to play. I actually pick up my cheap acoustic usually. No hassle of plugging things up.

QOTD: Yup more of a red wine then white. I mean I love white wines, but if I have to pick, its usually red. I think it has more to do with food for me, as I fel more like drinking wine with a hearty meat type meal. And red lends itself to that more.

I LOVED that movie. I thought Jack White was awesome…!!! Let me know how you like it!

Billy was a really fun guest, gonna have to check out the website.
qotd: anything from a rare varietal or wine region, especially if I've never had it before. Kinda goes with my love of underground music.