Dave Hill

Dave Hill seamlessly blends virtuosic guitar playing with
razor-sharp comedy, creating an entirely unique performance
experience that defies categorization. In this captivating
conversation with Greg Koch, Dave reveals the unexpected path
that led him from his Cleveland roots as a rock musician to
becoming a multifaceted comedian, author, and performer in New
York City.

The heart of Dave's artistic evolution came when he discovered
audiences found genuine humor in his guitar prowess. "When I
realized that people were laughing at guitar solos—not in a
mocking way—I started doing things like tapping," Dave explains.
This revelation transformed his approach, allowing him to stretch
10 minutes of material into 20 while "getting laughs in different
ways" and developing his signature style of berating his backing
musicians between impressive solos.

What makes Dave's performances particularly fascinating is his
"Chuck Berry style" approach to working with local musicians.
Often meeting his backing band just hours (or sometimes minutes)
before showtime, he transforms this unpredictability into comedic
gold. Whether performing with legendary musicians like Benmont
Tench from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers or with drummers who
"own drums at best," Dave embraces the chaos as part of his art
form.

The conversation drifts through numerous fascinating detours,
from their shared Catholic upbringings to the unpredictable
nature of social media virality. Dave shares stories about
opening for Tenacious D in arenas, writing four books, and
crafting the theme song for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
with his band Valley Lodge. Through it all, his creative
philosophy remains refreshingly simple: "You really can only
entertain yourself... anytime you're thinking 'what do people
want,' that's not part of the equation."

Follow Dave on social media for his hilarious "fake commercials"
and check out his band Valley Lodge for a taste of his musical
side. As Dave puts it: "I'm feral, this is what I do... now I
just have to ride it out until I die, because that's the only
option really."