Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity, Down)

In the newest episode of Gear Factor, Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity, Down) plays his favorite riffs.

CoC were one of so many incredible bands who hit the stage at the 2025 edition on Sonic Temple in Columbus, Ohio. Fortunately for us, this stoner rock legend had a moment to hang out, plug in and give us his life story, as told by riffs.

In every episode we take it back to the very beginning and that first riff that made our guest want to even pick up a guitar in the first place. For Keenan, that’d be Led Zeppelin’s “Communication Breakdown, the Side B track on the band’s classic 1969 debut.

READ MORE: Hatebreed’s Wayne Lozinak Plays His Favorite Riffs

“It sent me on a tangent which turned into the Ramones and anything down-picking as a dumb punk rock kid,” Keenan says of that childhood inspiration at around 14 years old.

“I never even had a guitar. My buddy who played guitar was a little older than me and he got killed in a motorcycle accident. So, me and my buddy broke into his house and stole his guitar because his parents didn’t like him playing it anyway,” he recalls with a laugh.

As for the fingerpicking, that’s something he picked up from Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour. He goes on to demonstrate the technique in the Down song “Jail” as well.

Learn more about Keenan’s history as a guitarist and watch him play more Down and Corrosion of Conformity riffs too! At the end, he talks about writing new albums for both bands, so be on the lookout for some new heavy stuff from each.

Follow Corrosion of Conformity on Instagram, X and Facebook. Visit the CoC website for more (new site and merch store coming soon) and catch the band opening for Alice Cooper and Judas Priest later this year. Stay up to date with Down on Instagram, X and Facebook too and head to the group’s website for the latest going on.

Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity, Down) Plays His Favorite Riffs