Interview with Fu Manchu Guitarist Bob Balch

– Fu Manchu plays rock and roll (some call it stoner rock) and plays it well and loud. Bob Balch joined the band in 1996 as the lead guitarist. He’s since founded Sun & Sail Club and the guitar lesson website PlayThisRiff.com. In our interview, Bob discusses his Fu Manchu sound, early musical influences and helping design a custom axe for Reverend Guitars. He also shares stories about his first guitar lessons as a kid and attending California Angels baseball games with his dad, who once got to hang with Leslie Nielsen in an airport.

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“Interview with Fu Manchu Guitarist Bob Balch” Audio:

Setlist

Intro
Start of interview – 4:45
First guitar lessons – 5:18
First record and first guitar – 8:00
Fu Manchu’s guitar sounds – 9:00
Transcribing the Fu Manchu catalog for PlayThisRiff.com – 14:00
Gathering lessons for PlayThisRiff.com – 15:30
Designing a signature guitar – 17:30
Personal record collection – 20:10
Recording for Sun & Sail Club – 21:10
Rediscovering baseball card collection – 22:35
Attending California Angels games – 24:35
Dad parties with Leslie Nielsen in an airport – 25:30
Walk-up song – 26:00

Fu Manchu & Bob Balch Mixtape