Features

With Powerslave, Iron Maiden took their sound and supersized it – and Adrian Smith took a hungover guitar solo in front of Robert Palmer, and somehow totally nailed it

Essential item. Soundtrack weapon. Physical controller. The guitar has played a surprisingly important role in a wide range of video games – and here are some of the best six-string video game crossovers

The D.A.M. Trio bassist performed on a run of classic Bowie albums including Station to Station, Low and “Heroes”. He recalls nearly missing the call-up to catch a bus, meeting his replacement Carmine Rojas in an elevator (and what he nearly said), and the studio sessions that made music history

Jerry Jemmott plucked his sunburst ’65 Jazz Bass in front of his Acoustic 360 rig

Flex-Able was the sound of a young Steve Vai following his musical obsessions. That it changed everything for guitar – and Vai's career – was just a happy accident

On Guitar World’s December 1987 cover, Joe Perry – tagline “the Bad Boy who's badder than ever” – was rocking a ’57 Duo Jet. This is the story behind the guitar

The former Shrapnel star discusses bringing bluesgrass to shred, working with the great Jason Becker and his pivotal role in establishing the Yamaha Pacifica

As Norum gets ready to work on a new Europe album, the Swedish six-string maverick pops by to share his most embarrassing moment onstage and famous firsts

Colin Greenwood’s bassline drives the opener of Radiohead’s OK Computer, even though it contains more rests than licks

How one broken string on a ‘59 Les Paul changed Randy Bachman’s career