Rig Rundown: Rise Against's Tim McIlrath & Zach Blair [2021]

Rise Against rose out of Chicago around Y2k on the back of roaring Gatling-gun guitars, blast-beat rhythms, and defiant, sharp-tongued social commentary. The band’s first pair of albums-2001’s The Unraveling and 2003’s Revolutions Per Minute-are blistering bangers rooted in traditional hardcore chaos, spiced up with fist-pumping, boot-stomping choruses.
Siren Song of the Counter Culture in 2004 was their major-label debut, on Geffen. That album highlighted a broadening hardcore sound buffed up with more melody. (Think ’90s Bad Religion messaging cloaked in early 2000s AFI harmonies.) However catchy they became, their message still ripped like a dagger. Appealing to a bigger audience with bouncier hooks, acoustic numbers, and string overdubs earned them their first splash into the Billboard 200 albums chart (eventually certified gold in the U.S.).
Elevated visibility scored them back-to-back platinum albums-2006’s The Sufferer & the Witness and 2008’s Appeal to Reason, and that momentum carried over to a continued residency in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 with 2011’s Endgame, 2014’s The Black Market, and 2017’s Wolves. And 2021’s Nowhere Generation represents a maturing, melodic hardcore outfit that continues to stand up for what they believe in and still provide the revolutionary attitude to back it up.
The continual growth and evolution of their melodic-hardcore formula has allowed them to roll into mainstream airwaves like a Trojan horse. Newcomers who were enamored with anthemic choruses (“Savior,” “The Prayer of the Refugee,” “Nowhere Generation,” “Give It All,” “I Don’t Want To Be Here Anymore”) quickly became dancing disciples because of the band’s knack for earworms.
The twin-guitar team of singer Tim McIlrath and lead guitarist Zach Blair welcomed PG down to Birmingham, Alabama’s Avondale Brewing Company to see how their simple-but-stinging setups have morphed since 2015.
Full Rig Details: bit.ly/RiseAgainstRig
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[Brought to you by D'Addario XPND Pedalboard: www.daddario.com/XPNDRR]
#rigrundown #riseagainst #premierguitar

[@premierguitar]

Full Rig Details: bit.ly/RiseAgainstRig Subscribe to PG's Channel: bit.ly/SubscribePGKZbin Don't Miss a Rundown: bit.ly/RIgRundownENL Merch & Magazines: shop.premierguitar.com

[@alwaysevolving281]

But like, y’all skipped Joe’s rig rundown again? I swear Joe is the most underrated punk bass player of all time. That dude is so talented.

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

I don't care about Joe's carpets

[@grawl8184]

Bruh seen them a few weeks ago. His bass tone was fucking killer!!

[@TheMusicalElitist]

@@jeremyrafuse5330 Oh go away, weirdo.

[@pattonPwr]

Sad there is NO BASS again.

[@hunter4delta]

Behind bars...

[@jasonbruce9904]

I took my kids to their very first concert on this tour. They sounded fantastic and were having a blast on stage. Doesn't hurt that RA are totally humble and down to earth. It appears that Zach is as big a fan of Rig Rundown (and Bad Religion) as the rest of us.

[@StuartBridson]

I still think the JCM900 is the most underrated amp in the world and - FOR ME - the best Marshall ever made. Sparkly cleans, really nice reverb and so much gain you could down an elephant with it.

[@BigTyronie]

Nobody that knows anything hates the jcm 900. People who know dont like the gain channel because the clipping. But the clean channel cranked and boosted is just like any other marshall cranked. People who dont know hear that and say the jcm 900 sucks.

[@paulwiseman457]

You guys better have done one for Descendents and menzingers, since they’re all on tour together.

[@premierguitar]

Stephen Egerton is next week!

[@JustinBryantdotcom]

So great to see this interview. Glad these guys are using the Captor X live...!

[@zeitzeugedergegenwart1382]

finally a rig rundown where someone from the band itself explains what it's all about, and not the guitar technician!

[@hithaunted]

Nice! That was entertaining. That guitar tech at the end reminds of of garth from wayne's world haha. Good stuff!

[@KRayxKodessA]

Tech is super introverted and awkward AF. I bet he's got loads of knowledge, just doesn't like being on camera.

[@danjo7398]

8:40 “Stuning Ttability!”

[@Puckburglar]

Try the decaf fellas. Geez.

[@steven_uk]

Sounds like this video has been sped up. I had to check the settings playback speed to check it was set to normal.

[@ileutur6863]

Whenever Perry hosts a rundown I always know there will be tons of comments about how fast he speaks

[@usedmothlight]

Uppers!

[@badcat-jg6cd]

I saw them for the first time at LTL this past weekend and they were amazing

[@sinnertrain7405]

I wish all rig rundowns started with live (like here) or studio representation of the band or artist. While I've heard of this band, several of the other rig rundowns start without people like me not knowing anything about the guitarist featured. And yes I can just do a search on YT or Apple Music, et al., and listen to the artist to find out what they sound like (something I do when reading articles/interview in the PG magazine), but help us out here. Some of us are ultra lazy.

[@DrScrambles]

How much coke was done before this interview? lol

[@pietervanmoorter9602]

We demand an episode on Joe's gear!

[@IanHaghighat]

Both Vic and Tony of Pierce The Veil use JMPs modded by Johnny Meyer as well. They talk about it in their “Show Me Your Gear” video

[@SaberToothGary]

Zach is geniunely one of the nicest dudes out there... nice to see him crushing it! Wha?! He was in Gwar?? Haha... cheers!!

[@Jaggedknife11]

Micheal schenker is the greatest ROCK lead guitarist ever. In the sense that his playing style incorporates a more "epic" straight pentatonic and Dorian early shred style that is less bluesy then the usual suspects like Hendrix, Page, Clapton, Van Halen etc. In a more proto metal pure hard rock sense schenker is the best ever. Just listen to strangers in the night for a master class in energetic melodic playing with absolutely perfect tone.

[@seapod]

For all my sticky over glossed necks I just hit them with the green plastic Scotchbrite pad. Knocks down the gloss without digging into the finish and scratching it up.

[@billyrouse4813]

Best relic guy for my tastes is Nick Melrose in Sebring, FL. He's also an amp builder that built stuff for Mark Foster of Foster the People.

[@kevinkessock4567]

Stuning tability

[@carminemartino1197]

hey guys why don't you go to hella mega tour to do a new rig rundown of green day, weezer and fall out boy?

[@BarronVonSchnoot]

It would just be a bunch of Kempers.

[@jconner3891]

That custom Oreo is killer

[@johnpedrosilva]

Just missing Joe Principe rundown 😭

[@ericspencer4599]

Zach 🤘😎🤘

[@seanflynn7840]

This is a great rundown at half speed... Jesus christ...

[@christian_silo]

dude is off his ass lol

[@thedude7726]

Fuxking love these guys

[@aaronanderson9141]

Does anyone know which Archer he uses as a backup to the Klon? Archer or Archer Ikon?

[@andrisbarczi9342]

Rise Again. :D

[@gregmize01]

💓💓💓💓

[@deadxendxnights]

Stuning tability.

[@TayskiBay]

Dude is fucking lit up.

[@dsarlis]

I think Skermetta was at Tyler in LA, not Performance?

[@stefansandmanwwcv]

“stuning tability”

[@andy_182]

interesting to see that Tims Gibsons all have the binding nibs removed. i always like to know if guitarists prefer the nibs or dont care.

[@jayyoungmusic919]

The band Camino, and do not let this guy do it

[@pawlpoche8736]

Perry loves the speed.

[@Robbie_Shapiro]

kind of mind blowing that someone would take out a les paul custom pickup and replace it with a JB hahahaha

[@carminemartino1197]

cool

[@user-df9fd3jh1c]

RA is amazing!

[@hellboundrubber4448]

To be in GWAR is incredible. This dude has my respect all the way.

[@ScorpioRockstarCovers]

Anyone know the song that’s playing in the beginning?

[@loganknapp8905]

Do rancid god dammit

[@333mmartin1]

Stuning Tability

[@infopimp]

0.75x playback speed turns the energy down to a couple stoned bros

[@Deedadee42069]

Do Tim and Joe from rise against

[@Harford1171]

Millencolin someday 🙏

[@mikestillwagon5675]

8:42 Stuning tability?

[@AndresDeSeu]

Euskal Herria SG?

[@chikinonfrydai]

oh my god my first though when i saw the thumbnail was, “woah, tim got a bit chunky” i am such an idiot.

[@Dannyge09]

What happened with Joe´s Principe part? Come on!!!

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

I wonder why they don't bother with the evertune anymore

[@mattrock12]

Curious to that as well.

[@therealdavidleong]

1:-05 John Mayer??? lol

[@cigarettesmokingman9471]

The whole "kindly remember..." tag on the KTR is absolute nonsense! HE is the one who did most everything to hype the pedals like they are. HE's the one who gooped the circuit to protect the "magic parts", HE's the one who advertised it as the box used by the stars and name dropping, HE's the one who bottle-necked production and made an ad campaign out of the long wait time.

[@scrappy291]

Perry’s haircut

[@joebro77]

Can anyone point me to the Kemper profile he refers to at 9:50?

[@thackerynewtonmusic5403]

What type of lollar was it?

[@johnnyjames5410]

I am sorry to write this ....but his sound is horrible. I don't get it. Whoever Nate Northway is - I would reconsider my rig and start over ......... But I would like to sincerely thank Tim for sharing his time and interesting guitars and amps! Tim is a very talented nice guy. (love rig rundown and premier guitar :)

[@Burnt_Gerbil]

It sounds like the Impulse is turned off. That’s a common mistake. If it sounds like a can full of bees, that’s the dead giveaway.

[@ileutur6863]

People often mistake a bad recording for a bad tone

[@Burnt_Gerbil]

@@ileutur6863 - Bad is still… bad.

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

@@ileutur6863 LOL what

[@fazzi4924]

his sound sounds like it's a guitar meant to fit into the mix of a full band not necessarily be a full sound of it's own. which is normal for guitar when in band. Guitars need to stay away from the low end, that's for drums and bass

[@MrSupaflyd4384]

🖖📿💓

[@ryanmiller9999]

LOL poor Tim... he needs to get rid of that nimrod guitar tech

[@TheMusicalElitist]

Why is he a ‘nimrod’?

[@standinsilence]

Nimrod?! Like that villain robot from the X-Men comics?!

[@65dougk]

It's pronounced "FRAY-LEE".

[@danielfoerster3416]

idk why but i feel like every band has a gibson, i almost hate them because they're popular, what about esp, shecter, yamaha or dean?

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

That's the dumbest reasoning I've ever encountered

[@donewithmodernlife]

It’s because nothing sounds & plays like a Les Paul but a Les Paul. I just spent 2 years looking for a singlecut & tried everything, PRS, Eastman, Heritage, ESP. Bought a Gibson. 60 spec Standard. Absolutely killer guitar & completely flawless.

[@michaeldumas9203]

No bass rundown?!? Weak....

[@markbass354]

TO MUCH TALK NOT ENOUGH PLAYING

[@ileutur6863]

That's the point of a rundown

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

Watch a fucking concert then

[@salgadoMCR]

Its a specs tech video about guitars, if u dont talk about the gear...

[@markbass354]

@@salgadoMCR OK

[@michaelhotz7118]

Wow great guitar tone. NOT play the thing!

[@lptomtom]

Zach's only interesting guitar is the black and white Custom, the two after are the kind of relic'd fakes you'd find on a dentist's basement wall so that he can feel like a rockstar on the weekends, and the last one is simply boring. He's been playing with the band since 2007, how can he have such bland axes? They don't seem to have any history to them!

[@FatherCthulu]

I think you're expecting too much from Rise Against

[@thedude7726]

Lol

[@douglasvaughn9349]

What is he supposed to have?

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

@Iptomtom please tell us what professional band you play in

[@lptomtom]

@@jeremyrafuse5330 Nice ad hominem fallacy you've got there. Do you realize that if we could only express negative opinions about industries we work in, there would be no more debates about cinema, politics, sports, infrastructure, the weather... basically everything?

[@rooftopboxer5970]

Whoa, that cry baby tone was awful!!! Hope it was just the video quality

[@Danielfucks69]

Can’t stand their music, but I’m still gonna watch cause I like gear

[@jeffmazzei8520]

Not a very good run down , John does a more In Depth rundown

[@arguewithatree4921]

So the band that wants to be the band of the people.... Playing the most expensive gear they can get.. They could have used that money to actually help the people... Great job tools.

[@Killahead.]

Yeah! How dare people work and have nice things for themselves!

[@standinsilence]

Communist! :-/

[@borissidealmeida]

Those bastards, saying we should improve Society while participating on it!

[@arguewithatree4921]

@@borissidealmeida Might have missed the point bud.. You can sounds just like these idiots for far less money than they spend.. That was my point.

[@pietervanmoorter9602]

We demand an episode on Joe's gear!