US Air Guitar Tour (tour bus and all) June 27 • San Jose CA • The Blank Club (21+) or June 28 • San Francisco CA • The Independent (21+)

When did you first begin to air guitar?
My old roommate had a 2 year old who would jump around to the Ramones and play air guitar. Nobody showed her how, she just put it all together and started doing it. It is innate. It just depends on who carries the enthusiasm with them as they grew older...

When did you realize you had mad skills?
When people ask John Frusciante where his inspiration comes from he says he's just channeling what the spirits around him are feeding him. Like him, I'm just following the cosmos, man.

What song is the “Everest” of the air guitar world?
The classic "Everest" songs are generally regarded as the most cliché. "Eruption" by Van Halen comes to mind. What sets certain air guitar selections apart is how they are presented by the air guitarist. Moreover, if you can take something that isn't a traditionally rocking guitar song and air guitar to it convincingly, then you've got something. The 2005 World Air Guitar champion won by air guitaring as a robot to a goth dance song that didn't even have real guitars. Purists might complain about that but purists can bite my butt.

What's your money move?
The Shred Salute is my own personal Triple Lindey, my Blue Steel, but it has since been retired. I'm working on a new one that involves a ladder, a flare gun and some lavender-scented shaving cream.

Take on the Bay Area air guitar scene?
Last year SF had some seriously upper-echelon acts. Most were either highly energetic or thoughtfully conceptual. Tons of costumes and balls, like SF in general. This year will rage even harder because, in my opinion, air guitar itself has finally burst out of the bedroom and into the collective American consciousness. I am curious to see what SJ will have to offer. I always think of San Jose as a Guitar Center culture so I can imagine there will be a lot of 'shredders' as opposed to a lot of 'performers.'

Tips for rookies on air guitar?
Go Big. Ditch the shame. Grow your hair out.