The Foo Fighters guitarist on his solo projects, his hair-metal history, and why surfing might hold the key to happiness.
“To be honest, I’m not good at downtime,” says Chris Shiflett. “I have to be playing, learning something new all the time.” That explains why the long-time Foo Fighter wears so many professional hats, hosting a musicians’ interview podcast (Walking The Floor) and a guitar-centric vodcast (Shred With Shifty), while pushing further into a burgeoning solo career with the release of his third album, Lost At Sea. Shiflett’s easy-going demeanour and enthusiasm make him an engaging companion, whether he’s singing about seizing the moment, or breaking down a Rush guitar solo with Alex Lifeson.
Which posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
When I was in elementary school I had pictures of Kiss all over my walls. Later a Randy Rhodes poster, a Sex Pistols poster. A lot of the time you were limited to what your local record store had [laughs]. As I got older I started collecting flyers; Armored Saint, L.A. Guns, Poison. It’s funny, my wife used to be a stylist, and she would always put together inspiration boards, where she’d cover the walls with photos. It’s kind of like that for teenage rock’n’rollers and posters. It’s your inspiration board.
You got to perform with Kiss, right?
Yes, with Paul Stanley a few times. And I did this all-star school fundraiser where Gene Simmons was a guest. On one hand, they’re just nice guys and great players. But they were the ones on the posters in my room when I was young, and their records are the reason I started playing guitar.
Not dwelling on the past is a recurring theme on your new record. Isn’t that a challenge as a songwriter?
Yeah, I think we’re all nostalgic, and kind of overly sentimental. With songwriting, I’m constantly digging into earlier periods in my life. And I find myself pushing back against that because too much nostalgia is a dangerous thing. I try to write in the present. I have a pretty happy life, but I’m not comfortable with happy-go-lucky, zip-a-dee-doo-dah songs. There’s real-life stuff that happens over time – friends dying, thoughts of mortality – and some of these songs really sort of speak to that.
Most of the album was recorded in Nashville. What’s your impression of the city?
I’m a huge fan of country music and all its tentacles. If you’re gonna make records that are steeped in that influence, there’s no better place to work. The Foo Fighters spent about a week there recording a song for the Sonic Highways album, and I was intrigued. It’s so humbling to be in the studio with all those top-notch players who bring so much to your songs. I never experienced that anywhere else.
What has it meant to you to play on the Grand Ole Opry?
It’s been incredibl
