191 | Uli Jon Roth on Breaking Boundaries

191 | Uli Jon Roth on Breaking Boundaries

Author: Jude Gold November 8, 2025 Duration: 1:35:21
With both a U.S. tour and a new session of Sky Academy booked for April/May, Uli Jon Roth is headed for an exciting Spring of 2026. It’s all part of his passion to reach (and help his Sky Academy students reach) new musical heights. “A great musician is always growing,” says the German-born, U.K.-based guitar hero. Indeed, Uli could have rested on his laurels as the lava-hot lead player of ’70s-era Scorpions hard rock. But, taking inspiration from the music of heroes such as Keith Jarrett, Jimi Hendrix, and Antonio Vivaldi, he has always strived for a much deeper level of artistic expression. In this exclusive visit to Sky Academy, we plug in with Uli and embark on some epic improvisational odysseys, gain insights into his hugely influential rock masterpiece “The Sails of Charon,” learn about his unique extended-neck Sky Guitars, and, best of all, learn why, as he says, “the fingers are the least important part of your sound.” Hosted by Jude Gold, this episode is brought to you by your online guitar instruction friends at TrueFire. TrueFire offers thousands of hours of guitar instruction from A-list players. For a free 30-day all-access membership (no credit card required!), click to truefire.com/safe.

Hosted by guitarist and journalist Jude Gold, No Guitar Is Safe is a podcast that strips away the studio polish and gets to the raw, electric heart of what makes a great player. The premise is simple and compelling: invite a renowned guitarist to sit down, plug into an amp, and just play. This isn't a heavily produced showcase but a living room session where technique, tone, and the stories behind the riffs take center stage. You'll hear the unvarnished sound of fingers on strings, the crackle of tube amps, and spontaneous conversations that flow from a shared love of the instrument. Each episode feels like you've pulled up a chair in Jude's studio as he and his guest-often a veritable guitar hero-discuss influences, dissect iconic licks, and trade ideas in real time. The conversation is always grounded in the music being made at that moment, offering a rare, intimate look at the creative process. For anyone who has ever wondered how a certain solo was conceived or what gear unlocks a particular sound, this podcast provides a direct line to the source. It’s a celebration of guitar craft in its most essential, plugged-in form, where every note and every story reminds you why the instrument continues to captivate.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

No Guitar Is Safe
Podcast Episodes
120 - Brent Mason [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:33
Sharing chicken pickin' techniques, B-bender moves, thumb-pick approaches, pedal-steel steals, and more, Grammy-winning Nashville studio legend BRENT MASON -- one of the most recorded guitarists in history! -- plugs in h…
119- Michael Angelo Batio [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:40
Plugging in one of his new Sawtooth guitars, MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO fires off tons of shred licks for you, teaches you a cool Don Mock-inspired arpeggio, shares ways to employ economy picking, details how to do "over/under…
118 - Paul Reed Smith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:15
PAUL REED SMITH plugs in! Presented by BLUE MICROPHONES, the legendary guitar builder grabs one of his Experience 2020 PRS 6-strings, plays it through a PRS tube amp, shows you how he forged his style (he's a great playe…
117 - Gus G [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:47
GUS G (Firewind, Ozzy Osbourne) plugs in one of his signature-model Jackson guitars and details the recording and inspiration behind the new self-titled FIREWIND album, available on AFM records and wherever you stream mu…
116 - Mrs Smith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:21
MRS SMITH plugs in! Don’t let the bracelets, pearls, and beehive hair fool you — Mrs Smith shreds, as one heavy metal hero found out the hard way during an onstage wah-wah guitar death match. We get into that story and m…
115 - Justin Derrico [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:36:43
Guitar virtuoso JUSTIN DERRICO plugs in and plays through his elaborate three-headed stage rig — the same setup he uses with superstar singer P!NK — sharing his favorite lead and rhythm techniques while recounting the st…
114 - Eddie Haddad [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:22
In the final three years of Eddie Money's career, the legendary singer had a stellar young guitarist playing lead for him — EDDIE HADDAD. Today we "fly the 'copter" over to Nashville to get great tips from Haddad on play…
113 - Nathaniel Murphy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:47
With over 250,000 followers (and counting!) on Instagram, NATHANIEL MURPHY of Chicago, IL (by way of Ireland and England) has amassed a huge, rabid fanbase who insatiably stream his dazzling one-minute guitar videos, man…
112 - Alex Skolnick [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:54:00
TESTAMENT lead guitarist ALEX SKOLNICK plugs in one of his signature ESP guitars and demonstrates solos and riffs from the pioneering thrash metal band’s new album TITANS OF CREATION, as well as guitar parts from the Tes…
111 - Dave Hill [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:33
With one of his favorite Telecasters in hand, rock/fusion ace DAVE HILL shows host JUDE GOLD several cool lead guitar approaches, shares an Allan Holdsworth/Eddie Van Halen moment you won't forget, and spins both unrelea…